Bad trip to Hairdresser!

by Gill
(Devon, England)

I think that is when it all started. I asked for lowlights, and got highlights and low lights and ruined hair which started to break. I am 60 years old and always had a beautiful head of dyed ash blonde curly hair.

I was also going through a very stressful time in my life, and worrying about my hair breaking made things worse. So I thought I would get it cut shorter to disgiuse the breakage.

The hairdresser gave me the most appalling haircut you have ever seen! This increased the stress and anxiety. I started not sleeping well and eventually was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder which then progressed to depression. The doctor tried me on 3 different anti depressants, none of which worked, and the side effects were horrendous, so I now take nothing except iron and a multi vitamin for hair skin and nails.

My scalp seems to be very sensitive to lots of hair products suddenly. I have had to stop using hairspray completely. Especially upsetting is the burning sensation I feel, and yet there is nothing showing on my scalp. I understand that is one of the things that can happen with telogen effluvium.

I am having counselling. The doctor has done blood tests for thyroid and testosterone levels, and everything came back normal they say. This hair loss is making my anxiety and depression worse. I thought I was on the road to recovery, and then my hair started falling out! I am not handling it well at all.