The Student Room Group

Hair Loss!! Arggghhh

I have a problem which is really stressing me out----im loosing loads of hair. it been happening for a month now and i think the volume of my hair has reduced by more than half. and it still keeps falling out: i get huge clumps of hair in the hairbrush and when i wash it ....thats the worst. I went to my Gp, he did some blood tests and they all came back normal so he said he cant help me:frown: I take special vitamins now which improve hair structure but they dont seem to be helpin. PLEASE Any advice..i will be very grateful!!!

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Some people lose hair through stress, so it could be that. Have you suddenly started wearing your hair down, after having it up most of the time before that? That also makes it fall out a bit. Someone at my old school started losing her hair once, it was due to a hormone imbalance, and was fixable.
hair loss and stress are connected, the more you think about it, the more hair falls out, so one solution would be to try to stop stressing (which i know is hard but...) another is going to see a heral specalist or even the hair dresser tbh, theyll probably be able to recommend products to help...hoep it gets sorted out! but it is normal for some hair to come out when you brush and wash your hair
Reply 3
lack of vitamin B
Reply 4
I've recently noticed this about my hair. It started in the Easter holidays and naturally I freaked out. All I kept thinking was: "I'd going to be a bald female at the age of fourteen..".

Anyway, like you I went to the doctor, and after messing me about for four and a half weeks, they've finally decided to give me a blood test tomorrow because it could be a thyroid problem.

I've got to the stage where I've pretty much accepted that what's going to happen will happen. I may go bald, but ah well, I could just go on GMTV and talk about the "trauma" of it all and sue my doctor's for lying about making an appointment with the hospital for over a month. :biggrin:

Keep taking the vitamins- they may take a bit of time to kick in. If the blood tests came back negative, then it's unlikely to be a serious thing. If balding doesn't run in your family then it probably is due to stress or changing shampoos/conditioners and reacting to it.

Good luck, and don't be afraid to go back to the doctor if nothing at all is happening and you're still worried. :smile:
Go to a dermatoligist, they specialize in skin disorders. I have the same problem, it is called Alopecia Areata, or heridatory hair loss. Mine first started when I was 9 with a spot on the back of my head and got to be as big as the bottom of a pepsi can. There are treatments such as creams, pills and shots... for extreame cases there are wigs. Chin up, it if is Alopeica PM me and we can trade tips.
Reply 6
i dont think i have that condition..because im loosing hair all over my head..not just at a particular spot. I also havent changed my shampoos recently. Noone in my family has ever had this problem. We have a family of people with really thick hair. I really dislike GP's.,..they dont seem to take these type of problems seriously..
oh well...i guess i should focus on exams now and deal with my hair later. Hopefully it will stop
BUT im still open for any advice or for stories of people with similar experiences
Reply 7
Anonymous
i dont think i have that condition..because im loosing hair all over my head..not just at a particular spot. I also havent changed my shampoos recently. Noone in my family has ever had this problem. We have a family of people with really thick hair. I really dislike GP's.,..they dont seem to take these type of problems seriously..
oh well...i guess i should focus on exams now and deal with my hair later. Hopefully it will stop
BUT im still open for any advice or for stories of people with similar experiences


Yeah, exactly the same as me- it's all over, not just in places. Hopefully after tomorrow things might become a bit clearer with the blood test and all, but I'm not sure. It could well be to do with your exams, are they pretty major ones?
Reply 8
suuuuuuseh
Yeah, exactly the same as me- it's all over, not just in places. Hopefully after tomorrow things might become a bit clearer with the blood test and all, but I'm not sure. It could well be to do with your exams, are they pretty major ones?


No just the normal A-levels. And im not worried about them. ANd i know i wasnt stressed when my hair started fallin out so it seems a bit strange. Let me know how ur tests went. And if the results r negative we can come up with weird and wonderful ways for why r hair is fallin out together...or maybe just go wig shopping:smile:
I think Alopecia can be all over too, if your tests come back neg for thryoid problmes, like mine did, check it out. Google alopecia for more info.
Reply 10
Anonymous
No just the normal A-levels. And im not worried about them. ANd i know i wasnt stressed when my hair started fallin out so it seems a bit strange. Let me know how ur tests went. And if the results r negative we can come up with weird and wonderful ways for why r hair is fallin out together...or maybe just go wig shopping:smile:


Haha yeah :biggrin: I had it today- my first ever blood test! My arm is still aching..
Reply 11
suuuuuuseh
Haha yeah :biggrin: I had it today- my first ever blood test! My arm is still aching..


haha wow...well done! when will u get the result back??
im in the same situation. so much of my hair comes out from all over so it just looks thinner but there arent any bald patches. mine started in easter too! i think it might be to do with exam stress, even is subconscious. its horrible :s but hopefully will go back to normal after. also could be to do with diet, not eating enough etc. try not to worry about it too much as this tends to make it worse x
Reply 13
me too!! started about a month ago *but its taken me this long to get a gp appointment* i noticed if i wear my hair down there are CONSTANT strands falling out, full length. If i have a ponytail therell be a load of strands hanging off the end (!!). after showering or washing hair GOD loads comes out - spesh when brushing it through. reckon ive lost about 40-50% so far which isnt reallly noticeable cuz it was really thick before but obv. family have noticed and close friends. DId some research on the net and what i have sounds exactly like TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM - go on emedicine.com and type it into a search. Caused by vitamins deficiencies... poor diet... hormonal changes like pregnancy... stress ... etc etc comes on around 2 months after the stimulus and lasts until you correct the original problem (if its an iron deficiency, get supplements or whatever). Went to GP to check last week and he said it was probably down to a bout of flu i had and exam stress a couple of months ago and that it would eventually stop after a few months and grow back. Had blood tests done today (4 tubes..ergh) for diabetes, thyroid problems iron levels and full blood count cuz all those can apparently cause hair loss if untreated. If you look at the hairs that fall out do they have a 'bulb' at the top? like a white clump? if they do then its probs telogen effluvium - and you should be able to see a fine fringe of hair on your forehead line and new growth on your scalp where the dead (shedding) hair is being pushed out by normal growth. SO really, its falling out because new is growing underneath.

hope that helps
xx
Reply 14
ANGELIC
haha wow...well done! when will u get the result back??


They labelled it as "urgent", so hopefully within the next few days or so. :smile:
Reply 15
I got the results today- negative for absolutely everything. Part of me is relieved, because there's nothing obvious wrong with me, but another part of me is now wondering what I can do now. All of the signs were there for it to be a thyroid problem, but now we're back to square one, and the hospital sent me a letter today saying I can have an appointment in four months..
go to a dermatologist!
Reply 17
queenofdiamonds
go to a dermatologist!


I've been referred to the one at the hospital.. but four months? In four months I think either it will have gone away or it will have all fallen out. There wouldn't be much point i nseeing them either way..
Reply 18
suuuuuuseh
I've been referred to the one at the hospital.. but four months? In four months I think either it will have gone away or it will have all fallen out. There wouldn't be much point i nseeing them either way..


now ur in the same situation as me...no medical condition but hair is still falling out immensely. well, its nice to know im not the only one. Keep me posted if u find any solutions:smile:
Reply 19
Will do, I hope it goes ok for you! :smile: