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Permalink Reply by Katelyn on June 17, 2013 at 2:04pm

Hi there,

I too am 24 however my first experience with AA happened when I was 23, a little over a year ago. I have tried treatments that work for a short period of time and then my hair loss comes back. I've had 3 instances of remission and resurgence. I'm currently in an active state as my hair is falling out and the scalp has it's tell tale signs. Itchiness, tingling. I did have a rather stressful experience 2 months prior to my first instance of AA after a breakup, and now the hair loss I'm experiencing came about 2 months after a string of mild panic attacks. So I could attribute it to that, but ya know life has its stresses and I can't think I'm going to be able to control these things. To an extent I can make things a little easier but for the most part things are going to happen. One thing I would recommend is getting blood tests done just so that if there is a deficiency somewhere you will know, and if not you can rule these things out. I found that my blood tests were really very normal but I'm glad I don't have to continue with the "well maybe it's that" talk in my head. Best of luck to you!

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Permalink Reply by Tia on June 20, 2013 at 8:58pm

I'm pretty much the same. I have telogen effluvium and the shedding differs from time to time. Sometimes it seems like it's better then all of a sudden it just comes out. My hair is the thinnest it's been at the moment but still sort of manageable. I too try to think of what can trigger mine and I really can't come up with anything. The stresses I have I don't think are anymore then the average person so I won't blame it on lifes stresses. Have you been to see a dermatologist cause they go through all those blood tests and stuff. They'll even do a biopsy to pin point what's really going on.

Hope you get this sorted soon.

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Permalink Reply by Katelyn on June 21, 2013 at 1:36pm

I also think I have telogen effluvium. Only once has my loss been in a circular pattern it's usually just profuse shedding that comes and goes and definitely gets worse when stressed. Taking care of your health all around may help, and if not with your hair at least your overall being will be happy and healthy :) Also Tia I love your Bart Simpson sweater. :)

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Permalink Reply by Jean88 on June 22, 2013 at 12:07pm

Hi,

I have been losing my hair since I was 13, I am now 40. I had a thyroid test when I was 18 due to the amount of hair I was losing but my thyroid was fine. I had another thyroid check when I was 38 and it was fine too. My iron is on the low side. I was taking iron pills but I didn't see any improvement with hair growth.

I suffer from IBS and/or Celiac Disease (my own diagnosis) and I am lactose intolerant, and I have heard that some hair loss can tie in with digestional issues and allergies to food as well. But I am not basing my hair loss from these issues specifically.

I have been losing my hair steadily since I was 13. I have probably lost 70% of my hair. People have always told me I was losing my hair because of stress (I had a stressful childhood and early life), but I don't think that was the main factor. I also used to exercise a lot and thought maybe I was losing my hair from being super active...but I don't think that was the crux of my hair loss case. Also, a few other girls from my neighbourhood in the town where I grew up in were losing their hair too, so this is a big mystery...something in the water perhaps that we were all sensitive to? I have decided not to dwell too heavily on this, but it makes me wonder.

I am coming to the conclusion that I am losing my hair because of hereditary reasons (female pattern baldness), and I feel great that there are better wigs out there. Now, as I look back, I just feel sad that I had such self esteem issues dealing with my perceived loss of beauty. A lot of people do judge on hair (girls love their hair...guys love girls hair, etc.)...but I can't do anything about that. I have become a deeper person for sure, and I have many mysteries about me that people can't figure out when they meet first meet me. I guess that makes me intriguing on a good day and elusive or evasive on a bad day! ;)

What I am really enjoying right now is Aveda's Hair Loss spray, shampoo and conditioner called Invati: http://invati.aveda.com/
It is pricey, but my scalp feels better (it has always been so tender all the time)(and the Aveda Invati spray feels so good to put on my scalp, and my scalp feels a bit stronger nowadays which I really like).

It is not a solution to my hair loss, but I like the feeling of my scalp (and I don't smell like a guy (back in the days, all the hair loss products smelled like men's products...so I used to smell like "Old Spice" mixed with "Irish Spring"...how attractive!)(and the hair loss products used to dry the freak out of my hair)...not this Invati stuff from Aveda.

Get everything checked out for sure! I did, so I could determine what was going on, make an educated guess as to what could possibly be the reasons, and move on from there with confidence that I was making all the right moves for my health and well-being.

You go girl!

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