Help....my hair keeps shedding w/the white bulbs @ the end!

[Crystalicequeen123]

Ladies...

I don't know what to do. My hair has started taking a nose dive downward ever since my infamous "bald spot" back in 2008. You can view the pictures here. PW= hair pics

You can also read over the thread when I first noticed the spot about 2 years ago right here.

I don't know what's going on, but although my bald spot has filled in a bit, now days I find that my hair feels life-less, thin, and it's SHEDDING like crazy!!! Every time I comb some strands come out. And not only that, but I'm noticing more and more hair w/the white bulbs at the end. You know, like my hair is coming right out of the SCALP!!

My stylist thinks it might be either stress, or something internal...like a vitamin deficiency or something. Now granted, I did switch from a NO-lye relaxer to a LYE relaxer last year (so maybe it was a bit of a shock to my hair)...but I've used MAINLY LYE relaxers in the past and my hair never felt THIS life-less and thin. I also have to admit that I've been under quite a bit of stress, not only lately but also for two years.

*sigh* Have any of you ladies experienced this? I don't think it's something in my regimen because I try to take my vitamins, I don't use direct heat on my hair, I stretch at least 3 months for every relaxer, etc. So, I don't think it's external. Any suggestions?? PLEASE...I'm at my wits end! I want to grow longer hair, but if my hair keeps on shedding like this and feeling thin, I'm going to be forced to cut it.

 

[virtuenow]

are you absolutely attached to relaxers?

 

[SelfStyled]

Start w/ your doc and see if your iron is low, while you are at it have your thyroid checked. I would start w/ a simple blood test.Thin lifeless hair can be the result of low iron and also the beginning stages of hypothyroidism.

Garlic tablets can help w/excessive shedding too.

Sometimes hair just sheds at the change of seasons too.

Rememeber it is normal to have some shedding, hair sheds so that the new hair can come up from the root.

Last suggestion- try to reduce manipulation as much as you can. I know it's different for everyone, and upgrade your combs to seamless combs if possibe, www.hairsense.com has great combs.

 

[chrstndiva]

Maybe you should stop relaxing until you can figure out what's going on. By eliminating this variable, you and your health care professional can more easily figure that out. Also, have you seen your primary doctor or a dermatologist about this?

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

Thanks for the advice so far ladies. I really appreciate it.

Maybe you should stop relaxing until you can figure out what's going on. By eliminating this variable, you and your health care professional can more easily figure that out. Also, have you seen your primary doctor or a dermatologist about this?

Well, I did see my dermatologist when I first noticed the spot 2 years ago. I posted my thread from two years ago up above in my original post, and it mentioned how I thought that maybe I had contracted ringworm so I went to the derm and they did some tests and gave me some medicated shampoos and oils,etc. The results came back negative for ringworm, or any type of fungus, so I just thought that maybe it was stress-related.

Idk...maybe you're right about the not relaxing thing. But I have SO many events & weddings to go this summer, and I want my hair looking FRESH! I can try to prolong the date a litle bit, but idk if I can cut them out completely.

are you absolutely attached to relaxers?

Wellllll.... I don't know if I'm "attached" to relaxers per se, but I DO like how my hair behaves and looks w/a nice relaxer touchup. I get sooo many more compliments on my hair, and I just LOOK and FEEL better too. Maybe it's a self-conscious thing I guess.

But I'm not ruling that out as an option. I REALLY don't think it's the relaxers though.

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

Start w/ your doc and see if your iron is low, while you are at it have your thyroid checked. I would start w/ a simple blood test.Thin lifeless hair can be the result of low iron and also the beginning stages of hypothyroidism.

Garlic tablets can help w/excessive shedding too.

Sometimes hair just sheds at the change of seasons too.

Rememeber it is normal to have some shedding, hair sheds so that the new hair can come up from the root.

Last suggestion- try to reduce manipulation as much as you can. I know it's different for everyone, and upgrade your combs to seamless combs if possibe, www.hairsense.com has great combs.

Thanks so much for the advice!

Yes, I think going to the Dr. and getting a full physical is a great idea. I haven't had a physical in YEARS, and so I made an appointment w/my Dr. and I'll be going this Friday. So, who knows?? Maybe I am aneimic.

I'm starting to agree w/my stylist. Maybe it IS internal. Because right now, my hair is looking/feeling thinner than it was when I even first started on LHCF, and I know that's not right. I think something internally might be going on.

 

[JinaRicci]

Sorry to hear of your dilemma Crystal. I looked at your pics from 2 yrs ago. What did you do to fill in your spot? I'm glad you went to your derm. Did they think it was anything else besides dermatitis?

 

[southerncitygirl]

get your hormone levels, adrenals, thyroid, food allergies( blood and skin test) and all vitamin/mineral deficiencies checked, i would switch to natural hair products ( mill creek, aubrey, kbb, afroveda,etc.) until the issue is resolved. also step away from the creamy crack, it could be making things worse!

 

[hair4romheaven]

Do you have male/female pattern baldness (thinning crown, edges etc) in your family? Is the spot where the hair came out itchy or show a shiny scalp?

 

[Crystalicequeen123]

Sorry to hear of your dilemma Crystal. I looked at your pics from 2 yrs ago. What did you do to fill in your spot? I'm glad you went to your derm. Did they think it was anything else besides dermatitis?

1) To be honest, I didn't do much really. I just continued to try to stretch my relaxers as long as possible, I made sure that area was well oiled & moisturized, I used the medicated shampoos and oils they gave me, and I even put some tinactin (at the request of my stylist) on my scalp just in case there WAS any fungus growing there. I tried to STOP worrying about it, and I think it just started to grow back on its own. To this DAY, I have no idea what caused it. Don't get me wrong, that area is STILL pretty thin/fine. It hasn't been the same since, but at least it's not a quarter-sized bald spot anymore.

2) Nope the dermatologist just thought it was serreborric (sp?) dermatitis, or overactive dandruff, but nothing more. They didn't seem too concerned actually. Maybe they're used to seeing worse.

get your hormone levels, adrenals, thyroid, food allergies( blood and skin test) and all vitamin/mineral deficiencies checked, i would switch to natural hair products ( mill creek, aubrey, kbb, afroveda,etc.) until the issue is resolved. also step away from the creamy crack, it could be making things worse!

I agree... I think I'm going to get my hormone levels checked, and some blood tests done because I've noticed that even my eyelashes don't seem as full as they used to be. Plus, it's been a while since I've gotten a full physical. AND on top of that, I'm nearing 30. YIKES! I still think I'm young, but who knows?? Maybe the body/hormones start changing earlier these days in young women?

 

[vtoodler]

Any updates?

 

[Aggie]

You could try doing massaging some coffe or black tea/caffeine powder rinses and keep on your head for about 30 minutes under your deep conditioner and wash them out at the same time.

Black tea, coffee and caffeine powder dissolved on the scalp in water helps to control my hair shed really well. I do them one to two times per week with my deep conditioner.