Fine hair and now dealing with hair loss.

by Elise
(Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

It feels like it happened over night, but I know now that it was gradual since my hair was not falling out in clumps. I am thinning all over now; the front is very sparse and I have noticed a lot of short hairs due to breakage where I part my hair. My hair has always been fine (blonde), fairly long and somewhat manageable. Now, not so much. At first I noticed that I was cleaning out the drain in my shower more often than ever before. Then, when I used a pic in my hair after washing it I noticed even more hair was coming out. I used to wash my hair every single day because the oil build up was always very noticeable next day. Now I wash it every other day. I also blow dry my hair, but only if I have to go out so right now that's not very often. Otherwise I just let it air dry and don't bother with the styling - I just use a leave-in conditioner (by Joico) after washing. If I do have to go out I use a bit of hairspray (by Dove) to flatten out the fly always. During my down days just pull my hair back in a loose ponytail with a fabric scrunchy and leave it be.

I thought my hair loss was normal to a certain degree and didn't really think anything of it - until now. After reading a few articles I think I may have narrowed down the cause - drastically.

I went through a rough patch in my 4 year relationship for over 6 months and then we called it quits mid-year. Then in August 2011 I had to move back to the city to where I'm originally from and that was really hard for me since I knew, that was the end of the end of my relationship with the man I really loved. In September 2011 I went to see my doctor for my yearly physical. He said I was really stressed out (Uh, no kidding Doc!) and he also diagnosed me as severely depressed. He also told me I should be fine in 3-4 months.

I had all my blood work done and everything came back normal. Now 4 months later I'm wondering if something may have changed since then. I'm also dealing will pre-cervical cancer due to an abnormal pap so I was being monitored before I moved, had one leep procedure done, and now my next appointment with a new doctor is next month. My eating habits changed drastically after the break up, too. I lost roughly 20lbs in a very short period of time and it was very noticeable to my family and a few close friends.

I looked like a skeleton with skin on. I'm usually 135lbs so I am sure you can imagine how skinny and unhealthy I looked. I went off the Birth Control Pill when I moved back to the city - which is just another reason for the weight loss. I was on the BC pill since high school and I'm now 36. I was jobless for almost a year before I moved, stressed out about my pets health since they didn't adapt well to the recent change and there have been a few very expensive vet bills since August 2011.


I was/am worried about my finances and how I was/am going to pay my bills (before 75% of them were all taken care of). Now in January 2012 I'm a little more settled and looking for work again. I just finished a 3 month contract job and the employment opportunities this time of year are few and far between. Stressed out? Ya, a little bit!

I read up on TE and did the 'pull test' on my hair in 15 different areas and I only pulled out 3 hairs total. That's a good sign I think. I'm feeling more at ease about the break up now, but the job, pets, and bills are still a stress issue for me. If I do have TE I highly doubt it's severe, but I'm no doctor.

I really hope that this is just temporary glitch since this hair loss is really scary. I'm not sure if it's hereditary since I was adopted and have no clue. I read about @ROGAINE and had opted out of trying that. Reason being is; I read that not only did it not work for some, but once you start using it you can't stop. If you do stop using it your hair loss will be even more excessive than it was before you started using it. On top of that everyone that posted reviews on this product said that their scalp was very itchy and some had scabbing. I'm not willing to risk any of that. Plus, it's very expensive for a lifelong commitment.

I have changed my diet recently and I'm now eating healthier than ever before. I also quit smoking in the past couple weeks. I’m eating lots of fruits, veggies, nuts, proteins, and dairy. I’ve added coconut oil to my diet as well and cut back on bad fats. Coconut oil, I read, is also a great treatment for your hair. Is that true? I’m taking a multi-vitamin, Gingko Biloba, Vitamin C, and adding flax with almost everything I eat including my fruit smoothies. I just wish there was something more I could do to promote healthy hair regrowth aside from trying to stay calm, stress free and patient.

Are there any super foods I should eat? Other vitamins I should take? A must use shampoo and conditioner or other hair treatment that are must haves ...that are not @Rogaine related? I need help and advice before I make the wrong choice or take drastic and expensive measures like laser therapy.

Gender: Female
Age: 36
Hair: Blonde, Fine