February 1 2006, 11:34 am PT | Posted in: Female Hair Loss
I have had sudden hair loss in about a months time. I had thick curly hair my whole life now it’s half the volume and very thin. I’m 33yrs. old (female). i have lost a lot of weight recently and also been under a great deal of stress. i went to see the dr. and dermatologist they didn’t seem very concerned, but recommended biotin and rogaine for men. i also just started to feel itchy and tingly in the scalp. Is it due to the hair coming out or hair regrowth? This situation is making me more stressed out, and i’m not getting answers anywhere. some info and advice would be appreciated.
Thank You
As I’ve said here before, there are many causes for hair loss. Be sure to look at the previous responses in the Female Hair Loss category for others in your situation. Stress and sudden weight loss can cause hair loss and would be at the top of my list for you. Itchy scalp can be from hair regrowth or from other factors, such as nervous disorders and stress which causes hair loss. Other causes for your hair loss and itching include imflammatory disease, psoriasis, alopecia areata, etc. Sometimes, a person can have an itchy scalp from lotions/creams which they put on their scalp. You need a blood work up to rule out hypothyroidism, anemia, and other reversible medical diseases.
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Balding Forum
I too have hair thinning issues. I am 25 years old, and this hair loss/itchy scalp began not too long after the birth of my son. At first I attributed it to post partum pair loss, but when it continued after 2 years, it became worrysome.
My hair seems to be constantly be falling out, and regrowing. I have a lot of frizzy baby hairs. My scalp is itchy, and when I scratch, in the general area I find like a granule of skin cells. It feels like the white bit at the base of a hair, only a little larger and dryer. Most of the hair that falls out also has these at the base of the hair. This is driving me crazy, PLEASE help me figure out what this is. My thyroid is okay, and I am not a diabetic.
Thankyou.
re the previous comment - this happens to me too! The exact same condition. I have thinning hair at the top of my head and my scalp feels very itchy. When I scratch I often have one or two hairs falling out with the same sort of symptom as Miss Kristen. I’m 22 and vegetarian, and have faced hairloss for the last 2 years. Please help me figure this out!
I have the same condition as the two previous comments. Sometimes when I scratch my head I actually bring a hair or two with the white tip that looks like actual scalp. During the past 2 years I feel tht my hair has thinned out drastically (I am getting pretty creative with my hairstyling) I have talked to my doctor about my situation and I was referred to a rheumatologist for an evaluation for thyroid or lupus. All my tests came back negative, so I was just told to have a healthy diet and to take vitamins. I have been taking Biotin (maybe a little too much) is too much Biotin bad for you? I am feeling very desperate and I try not to stress about it just to not make the situation worse but sometimes I can’t help it. If anybody knows why this is happening please let us know.- Thanks
My hair is coming out at an alarming rate. Also have an itchy scalp and my hair has become extremely fine and wispy, like corn silk. I’m almost afraid to put anything on my hair because, when I touch it or comb it, I get more hair loss. I have an appointment with a dermatologist; the appointment was made weeks ago but isn’t until Oct. 24, and I could be bald by then! I started B-complex vitamins and quit my statin drug because I heard statins such as zocor were associated with hair loss. What else can I do, besides pray?
Don’t ‘know if it is related, but the inside of my nostrils are dry and crusty…
Hi,
I have similar symptoms and do not know why. I am 37 and have a horribly itchy and sensitive scalp, I used to have a lot of fine hair and lately I have been losing it. I go to a dermatologist tommorrow, and have been told by my physician it could be stress related, a hypo active thyroid, hormonal, diet related, or a fungal or skin condition. I also read up that the mirena Iud , which I have could be a contributing factor. the hair loss is not in patches but on my whole head, although it itches more on the top and sides. I know the iron levels in my blood are okay, but I dotake zoloft for depression symptoms. anyone have any recommendations? I am afraid to brush and wash it too much. And what shampoo and conditioners should I use or avoid. I did not realize how upset I am about this…. thank you,
Chris
i am 23 and seem to have similar symptoms to the individuals above. i just recently moved across the country and at first attributed it to hard water here. then i attributed it to the shampoo i was using, i quickly changed that 5 different times- no change. now i am sitting here with an itchy, sensitive, and burning scalp. recently i noticed that i am thinning quite noticeably in the front of my head- near my forehead and temples. my visible scalp it red and blotchy. i am healthy, exercise daily, take vitamins, and just started cutting virtually anything processed out of my diet. the only thing i can think of is that i used to dye my hair often, however it was strong and could withstand anything as of a month ago. the last time i died my hair was 3 months ago with good results. i don’t understand why this is happening now. please help!!
I am just going to add my two cents in here…..I have had dry, brittle hair for years and then sudden diffuse thinning….I had requested my thyroid to be tested for 4 years….and for 4 years the “Doctors” I saw said “your labs are within normal limits, something else is causing the problem.”….and then they referred me to psychiatry….
Well, I started to do my own research since I know it was not a stress or psychiatric reason…..
Lo and behold I stumbled upon the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)thyroid criteria…..The ENTIRE time I was complaining to these “Doctors” about my symptoms and telling them I had all the classic signs/symptoms of hypothyroid and they denied it…well, I WAS HYPOTHYROID!…..
The moral of the story….Do NOT believe what your Doctor tells you unless they are up to date on current clinical practices (and especially if they belong to an HMO that encourages them to follow their medical profiles versus the current standard of care protocol)…..
Look up the “new” AACE guidelines (as of 2001 that is) and see if you are hypothyroid before letting your doctor blow you off….besides hair loss, untreated hypothyroid condition can end up causing a magnitude of medical issues (ie: high cholesterol, depression, and can also be connected with adrenal fatigue)…..
I am having these symptoms as well.. Hair loss that grows back and falls off. I feel like I am going bald. Please help me. I went to a dr to see if I had lupus or rheumatoid arthritis but I don’t have either. I am 32 years old and am very healthy other than that. It started happening after the birth of my second son and is now getting worse. I don’t know what to do. Please help
I too use to have very thick and curly hair. I never could get it all in a pony tail. I started noticing hair loss and itchy scalp about 2-3 months ago. Everytime I touch my hair or run my fingers through it, it comes out.
My family doctor took a total of 5 minutes to assess and draw blood and prescribed an ant-fungal shampoo to me and sent me on my way.
Needless to say I am still losing an alarming amount of hair to the point of going to an Internal Med doctor in two weeks for a second opinion. This is very scary, I am only 39.
I have had hair loss for the last 2 years. My scalp is also itchy. I went to a dermatologist and he told me it is the medications i am taking. I have been taking Tricor for the past 2 years and just started taking Vytorin 4 months ago. He said the redness was from a slight case of Dermatitis. He gave me perscription strength Nizoral shampoo and it has helped the redness and itching. I quit taking the drugs also. He said it should grow back well in 9 to 12 months. We shall see.
I have been losing hair for about a month now. I think it is from stress,but I am not sure. I have thick curly hair that fall out when I brush it or run my fingers threw it. I have dance class and if I do not put it up its fall out all over the floor! Help!My scalp is a little itchy and kinda red:(
2 years and 4 months ago my scalp was full of hairs and they wern’t lifeless. Then I started having itchy scalp which when I scratched came with granules of skin and 1 or 2 hairs at the base. This has been consistent ever since. I have tried Nizoral, Deep Cleansing shampoo and the ones with no Lauryl Sulfate but the condition is not going away. The dermatalogist said I couldn’t do anything about it. Does anyone know a remedy for the same problem? Seems like most of us are having the same problem with no solution from anyone of us. I’m going crazy trying new products to solve the problem.
i recently started to lose alot of hair i’m 17 years old and have dark super curly hair. at this point if i place my palm to the center of my head all i’ll feel is whispy baby hairs that seem to be growing back in. My scalp is extremely itchy. I have increased the amount of times i wash my hair from about once or twice a week to every other day and i cut my length to above my shoulders but my scalp is still really itchy. Being a 17 yr old female naturally i’m freaking out my scalp has no scales on it and no signs of irritation. I am amenic and i’m on medication for a thyroid disorder
I too have an itchy scalp. With my hair getting thin on the top of my head. I’ve had this for several years. Haven’t ever gone to the doctor. I do have Excema. I’ve had it since my high school days, and I’m now 65 years old. Excema never goes away. It will clear for awhile, then come back . Even at 65, I’d like to not be a bald old woman. Used to color my hair, but quit. Thinking it was the coloring. Have used different shampoos and conditioners. Using Head and Shoulders now. My head feels a little calmer. My head is also tender. Would like for my hair to come back in. It is some, but not a lot. Judy from Illinois
Hi,
About 5 months ago my hair strted to fall out whenever i had a shower(lots of it!!) My hair is very thin now and I have a very itchy scalp at the back of my head. I’ve tried swithing shampoos but nothing has changed. Any ideas?
I’ve lost at least 50% of my hair in the past 2 years. I am 24 years old. My hair used to be smooth and shiny. Now it is brittle, dry, thin, and lifeless despite what I eat. I feel tired, sleepy, depressed, and dizzy. I lost appetite. I am always feeling cold. I have no history of baldness in my family. Does anyone know what could be the cause?
My email address is alynnaluong@hotmail.com if anyone can give me some advice! Thanks.
Okay ladies.
This may meet alot of hostility, but if you’re desperate to get better give it a shot.
Stop washing your hair.
It’s all I did (long haired guy, had terrible scalp pain, and thinning of hair strands). I also had my doctor give me some anti-allergen boost I was lacking in. My dogs hair and other things would increase the itchiness or pain. I stopped washing my hair and the pain went away and my hair is getting better (I’m rinsing it every three days now with baby shampoo.) All pain is gone and scalp isn’t dry. I don’t look as though I’m balding under heavy light now either.
Try that, and stick to a decent diet and don’t stress. It’s quite possible the problem was just myself, and many of you being blind to proper hair care. Nobody, and I mean nobody should ever wash their hair daily.
All, I have had a similar problem over the past two years. It started when I was planning(stessing over) my wedding two years ago. I had an extremly itchy scalp. It was sort of crusty and white flakes would come off when I scratched it. I was also losing globs of hair a day. It would cover the drain. Luckily I have a lot of hair, so it was only noticible to people when I pointed it out. But my hair is still much thinner than it was.
- After making myself relax and de-stress I started a vitamin regimine.
- To make the scalp itching stop, I was prescribed Olux Foax (100 gm) and I used it once - twice daily for a few months, and then as needed after that. This helped the flakiness go away. To ensure the flakiness didn’t come back, I take flaxseed oil pills twice daily.
For the hairloss, I take biotin (a lot of it - 3000 mcg daily)and I take a multi vitamin with iron daily.
After about four months of doing this, I saw that the hair was growing back and the hair shedding was greatly reduced. Now two years later I have a lot of wispy ends and it kind of looks like I’m growing out bangs. At this point, the hair is growing quickly thanks to the vitamins and I have normal shedding.
As a heads up, I have read that it is normal for your hair to shed more than usual at times, after an initial hair loss. Since a lot of fell out at once, and started growing at once. Those same hairs may go into the resting phase and shed around the same time years later.
Iam 25 yrs. old and have been loosing my hair for about 3-4 yrs. I had such beautiful hair so thick and healthy. now its 50% or more gone every one is noticeing now.I also have severe itchy flacky scalp. I used to dye my hair alot and wounder if any of you also dye . Its just krazy to me that so many young woman have the same symptoms! and its frusterating that doctors dont know whats going on. This is a serious issue here!! they dont know how it feels for a young woman to loose her hair! its one thing for a man to go bald but its totaly different for a young woman to go bald.I think there really should be; way more studies done on young woman and hair loss. so if any doctors come across this plz. for the love of god we need more research. ITCHY & CLUELESS Luisa
Ladies,
same here. You have each described my symptoms. I have made an appt to an allergist. appts for a dermy are booked up here for over 2 months. I will be bald by then at this rate.
I have read where others had appts to dermatologists, but there is no update as to their diagnosis. So i will be sure to post mine for ya.
As to the post by Nikki……I agree with her about the biotin. I am taking the max dosage which is 5000mg daily. I have been told that will help hair re-growth. I have also been told flax seed ooil in conjunction to biotin will help as well.
I am having major issues, & do not know what is happening to me. With my first daughter, I experienced a lot of hair loss after she was born, associated with itchy scalp. I went to a dermatoligist, & he prescribed me spironolactone to help some of it grow back, then had me alternate between a few different dandruff shampoos to get the itching under control, & using those two things seemed to work. Now, I just had me second daughter about 5 mths. ago, & my scalp did it again, just as it did before - itchy scalp, hairloss…well, the shampoos are no longer working like it grew a resistence, & the spironolactone is growing back some hair, but my head is itching so bad that I can’t stand it, & I’m still losing hair. Now, I’ve had my thyroid checked, so all of that is great, but this is driving me nuts. What could be causing this after the birth of each of my children? I understand postpartum hairloss, but the itchy, scaly scalp? Please! I need help! The other remedies from the other time I experienced aren’t helping!
I been in this blog some three months ago when I was wondering about how to cure some itch in most part of my sclap. I was so surprise upon knowing that I’m not the only one wearing this kind of scalp. At the height of the problem scratching my scalp goes with some dusty dundruff as if I just come off from sahara desert. After about three months of undergoing dermatologic treatment my doctor give up he told me about the many stuffs of psoriases. After that I decided to live with it anyway still better than having been runned over by a truck so I thought. Now I came back because I want to share some of nice experiences with it aside from the nice feeling while scratching my scalp. You know my country the Philippines is famous of coconuts and many of us here knows about the secret of virgin coconut oil, I know if you are resourceful enough you can get a bottle nearby, Oh I know its expensive there, if you can just come to my country you can have a liter for only $5. Well let me go back to my experience. The virgin oil did not totally eliminate my psoriases because I still can feel the scar over my head tru my fingers and some verrrry minor dundruff sometimes(just like a dot) but I’m feeling better now missing the nice feeling scratching my scalp 99.99% a day at the height having the psoriases. Get some help find a bottle in your place Im sure it will make you live again.
hiya i’m a 27 yr old woman with the same symyoms as everyone else on here . ive been scratching at my head for about 2 weeks, and one night i sat down running my fingers through my hair and found a bald patch, then the nxt dayu i foundf another to the appeared underneath my hair so its not that noticable, but ive been told by my gp that its alpecia and that they couldnt do anything with it, ive been under alot of sress lately planning my wedding for nxt yr, and cant bare t he thought of loosin my hair!!!! ive got to get a blood test done that can take up to 3 days for the results to come back, this is driving me crazy with itching and it feels as though something is crawling through my hair constantly over and over. i can’t bare the thought of loosing all my hair and dont want to stop my wedding plans. also ive been told by my gp that they cant prescribe anything on the nhs unless you pay private. this is no good to anyone. does anyone know of a quick remody???? and is it realy down to stree???? i’m terrified of washing my hair and finding it difficult to sleep. ive not had hair falling out on my pillow or cumming out in clumps. just dfon’t know were its all going. please please help me its driving me insane!!! also my eyebrows are starting to itch aswell now.clare.
Something is wrong with me. My hair is dropping like mad. when i pull gently at 10 strands of hair, about 8 of them falls out. Right now i’m having an itchy scalp too. I’m really scared, and i’m just a fifteen year old girl.
This all sounds so familier, have had an itchy scalp for about 6 weeks now, and my hair is falling out. It’s most noticable when I wash it, it fills the plug and stops the water going down. I have to tie my hair up for work, I used to have such a thick pony tail, now its so thin. I think its stress related, am going to see my doctor next week. Its so worrying, I have visions of loosing it all and having to wear a wig!!! See what the Doctor says I suppose
Same situation here–past few weeks itchy, reddish scalp, losing hair at a very fast rate. I’m thinking it’s possibly my birth control. I have an appointment with my gyno on Monday and am trying to get an appt. with a derm later in the week.
I’ve been experiencing the same symptoms for about 10 years. I thought I’d lend a little perspective from someone who’s been dealing with this identical problem for a long time now.
My problem started quite suddenly during a time of intense stress (sounds similar to the ladies planning weddings). My scalp became itchy and inflamed–mostly just on the top of my head. Not so much around the back and sides of my head. Also, all of my hair went from being very coarse to being baby fine in texture (all over, not just in the itchy sections). Now whenever I have even mild bouts of stress–even small stuff–I can feel my scalp crawling.
Docs have been no help. I’ve seen GPs and dermatologists. Blood-work was fine. They basically told me to use Head&Shoulders and the hair loss was my imagination.
A few things that have helped me:
I am on anti-anxiety meds. If I didn’t have anxiety *before* the hair loss started, I certainly did *after*. I figured that it wouldn’t cure me but would keep the anxiety I was feeling about my condition from exacerbating the problem. It’s a vicious cycle really! Taking the meds really do help! The severity and duration of “outbreaks” has gone way down.
I wash my hair daily. It took a little trial and error, but I found some shampoos and conditioners that don’t irritate my scalp. It’s *not* always baby shampoos or all-natural shampoos that claim to be gentle like some people will recommend. I find that many of those make my scalp feel dry.
I *gently* blow dry my hair after every wash. For some reason if I leave my scalp damp, I itch more. I’ve heard that this is a sign that it’s a fungal problem but I’ve tried the Nizoral shampoo–it just made my scalp turn bright red and itch and lots of hair fell out. So I did not continue this treatment.
Recently I discovered L’occitane pure Shea Butter:
http://usa.loccitane.com/FO/Catalog/Product.aspx?prod=01BK150K6
I tried it for the first time at my mom’s house–it shows on the label that it’s for skin, hair and scalp. So I thought I’d give it a try.
It has no fragrance and doesn’t irritate my scalp. A little goes a long way! Just rub a little between your palms and put in hair. As it melts through the hair it will transfer into scalp anyway so no need for too much. Made my hair look nice again finally!
My biggest problem now is that my hair seems to be in the same cycle from previous hair loss. So I occasionally have hair wanting to fall out at the same time in larger amounts.
i also had the same problem - hair loss and very itchy scalp. i went gluten-free and it seems to have resolved.
ASK YOUR DOCS ABOUT GOING GLUTEN-FREE, YOU MIGHT HAVE CELIAC DISEASE OR EVEN JUST GLUTEN INTOLERANCE. ELIMINATE IT FROM YOUR DIET AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
research!
you might have a vitamin and mineral deficiency, a systemic candida problem, a heavy metal toxicity, a food allergy, celiac disease, hypothyroidism.
get some basic bloodwork done. start eating only whole foods. cut out all sugar, gluten, caffeine, lactose…see what helps!
I’ve experienced hair loss & scalp itching for two and half years now. I’ve been to dermatologists, endocrinologists and my regular doctor- all of whom seem to think it’s not a big deal and caused by stress- I truly believe that if I were under so much stress that my hair was falling out, I wouldn’t have a hard time believing it to be stress related and figure out a way to lessen my stress… IT’S NOT STRESS and I’d like to tell my doctors just that!!
I thought it had to do with the birth of my son (women experience adernal fatigue after having boys, when the baby takes all of the testosterone and low testosterone can cause hair loss in women, and so I thought it would get better in time, but it hasn’t. The endocrinologis confirmed with blood work that it wasn’t any problem with my adernals… At the rate my hair is falling out or “thinning” as doctors would say, I’ll have bald spots soon! I use to wear a pony tail with the band wrapped around twice, now I can wrap the band around 5 times, and now that is getting lose!
I can see my scalp right through my hair line, and no doctor seems to like it’s anything- how can you tell a middle aged woman that has unexpected hair loss, is nothing to worry about?!?!
I’ve changed shampoos, facial soaps, I’ve gotten steroid drops for the scalp and an RX for hydroxyzine for the itching, and while the itcyness has gone away I’m still losing my hair and it’s not growing back! ARGH
I have an itchy scalp on the top right part of my head at the end of the middle parting. It itches like mad and I have lost so much hair there, I have like thin clumps of hair that look shredded and I cant even attempt to cover the extending bald patch because you can blatantly see right through it
When I wash my hair and brush it I have so much come out everytime I put a brush or comb through it or attempt to wash it. I’m so scared to even wash it in the shower anymore and I think thats making it even more itchy.
Now I have itchyness all over my head, just not as bad as the top part.
I have been so stressed with exams and wedding stuff and alot of other things, but things have recently calmed down, and I had a rubbish junky diet that I have literally dropped 1 week ago and counting. I still seem to be losing so much hair though and the bald patch is getting worse. I dont know what to do anymore
Someone told me that it takes three months for any lack of vitamins and crappy diet to be gone from the system to be able to have a good impact on the hair and scalp. Is this true? I think I can hold on three months to see if anything better happens, but I’m still feeling like I want to hide away right now!
Apologies I know I type alot but I feel that crap about losing my hair
Hi my name is Laura i to have a itchy scalp and my hair is falling out non stop,im so scared that im going to go bald,i feel so depressed at the moment and don’t like going out because i feel so ugly,my hair use to be the best thing i like about my looks,now its the worst and i feel so ugly,what can i do to stop this problem and get my hair to grow back,can anyone help me please,thankyou xx
Any of you been diaged with Lyme disease?
i am african american at age 13 i begin having an ittchy scalp and hair loss. once my scalp was bloody. i think it begins with a perm, my hair grows back, then falls out again.may be i should lay off perms.
i have severe itchy and flaky scalp. every time i itch hair comes out in my nails. i dont know what to do my scalp is sore and my hair is thinning. after giving birth about 5 months i start noticing this symptomstea tree oil doesnt help
I am also having very similar symptoms. My hair within the past month or so that I have noticed has been falling out. My scalp is very itchy at different times as if I had headlice, (which I don’t). It is very scary, because the hair is literally falling out at the base of my scalp where my hairline meets my forehead. I dyed my hair about a month ago, and while symptoms didn’t really start directly after, they did start within maybe a weeks time. I don’t know if I can link this symptom as well as other strange symptoms to my birth control (Mirena). Other symptoms I have had in the past that were undexplained are hot spots under skin in various spots on my body that go away in a few seconds but you cannot feel to the touch that it is hot, and also feeling like a bug crawling sensation underneath my skin on the top of my back abouth an inch away from my spine where the back and neck meet. Has anyone ever experienced anything like these other symptoms? Seems like maybe a nerve thing or something. I am a 29 year old female with (2) children (both boys). As far as I know there is no history in my family of premature hair loss. Please help.
To lisa,wow! we have the same symptoms.the hot spots and all of the above.i started 3 months ago lo estro 247 birth control,and hair loss is a side effect.i quit taking the bc .i hope my hair will grow back.i also take 1000 mc of b-12 shots once a week,iam always tired.
I’m 17 and everything everyone above is saying applies to me as well. Except. I run my fingers through my hair and 5 or six hairs fall out. not just one or two. I can tell there is more to this problem thanthe usual causes. I think so anyway. My hair was always so thick and pretty. its still pretty but so much more thin. Its only been going on for 3 weeks or so but Idk..I was expecting it to stop already. Someone tell me what I can do. If there is anyone younger than me or the same age with this problem please tell me what caused yours and what you did to stop it…
Thanks, Chels
to all of you. Im Vanessa, im 19 and recently have been facing hairloss. I haven’t been to a doctor but i have found that if you are washing your hair on a day to day basis is another cause to hair loss. or dying your hair by yourself. I wash my hair practicly everyday and everyday more and more clumps of hair have been falling out of my head.its not just a couple strands its literally clumps upon clumps. I used to straightenmy hair a lot but stopped about a month ago. My hair is wavy/curly and i cant seem to understand why my hairs falling out. I’ve always washed my hair on a day to day basis so for me this is not a new ruiteen. My hair itches to an extreme as well. it could be because of possible regrowth. i refuse to itch my hair tho in hope that its regrowth and will grow thick again.I’m believening God to help me in this situation and wont think the worse.
massaging your head every day and rinsing your head with cold water the last 30 seconds in the shower has helped me. also use coconut oil on you head three times a week you get this from health shops
Of the above 41 comments, I feel like I could have written all of them (minus the ones about pregnancy). 7 months later (after I first noticed the increased itching/redness/hair thinning) I feel like it’s actually filling back in. I have 2-3 inch “tufts” of hair growing in on the top of my forehead and sides of my head (around the ears)thicker than it ever grew in before and I totally think it’s because of the very high amounts of biotin i take every day as well as flax oil which I started about a month ago. I highly recommend these and as an added bonus my skin is the softest and healthiest it’s EVER been in my 27 years of living (I’ve suffered HORRIBLE excema my ENTIRE life). Granted, I still get the eczema and itchy head but def less frequently now. Also, I recently got allergy tested and was told I’m allergic to wheat, corn, eggs, etc…all of which I’ve tried to entirely eliminate or majorly decrease out of my diet, which has seemed to help a lot. Coffee and alcohol have made all my problems much much worse (as in, going from glowing, itch free skin all day to giant red, itch-monster all night from having a drink or two before bed–including majorly itchy scalp). HTH
(43 years old) All the previous comments sound so familiar, that are actually a relief to me (I am not the only one with this problem). I have already visited four different dermatologists and none of them seem to find any problem with my itchy scalp and hair loss, except that they all say that my problem must be stress related. They say that they have never had a case like mine before. I don’t know if this is their way out for not having a solution to my hair loss problem. I am really desperate and don’t know what else to do. I have tried shampoos, vitamins, special products and nothing has worked. My next step is to look for a trichologist, a doctor who specializes in hair scalp. Do you have any suggestions? Have you help the other people that have posted their comments here? Please, I don’t want to end up bald.
I began seeing much of the same symptoms over the past 8 months; my scalp was terribly intcy until it became tender. If I ran my fingers through my hair, numerous strands of hair with the white pulp would come out in my hand & I became terribly concerned. After speaking to my hair stylist who had no clue as to why I was experiencing this condition, I proceeded to do a google search on my symptons & recognized that I had similar symptoms to persons experiencing folliculitis. While I’ve chosen not to self-diagnose, it was recommended that tea tree oil shampoos are very effective to treating this problem. After leaving the Caribbean to study in the U.S., I was already struggling with hair loss due to the hard water problems. I had to cut my hair off & now use distilled water along with the tea tree oil shampoo & have experienced a vast improvement. Both my hair & my scalp are healthy, my hair no longer itches, & is recovering nicely. One should be aware that not all shampoos labeled ‘tea tree oil shampoo’ is authentic. Check your local health food stores to find one suitable for you. Hope this helps.
Hi all, I must say the majority of the above symptoms easily apply to me. I’m now 43, and for the past 2 years my hair began to thin. I’ve always had long, thin hair but healthy. Now its so frustrating because my scalp itches so bad it’s not funny. My scalp is terribly sore from excessive scratching. This also involves my hairline (forehead area) and eyebrows. I was told to use coconut oil, and rinse my hair daily in the shower. I’ve done this, but still no improvement. I’ve been to the dermatologist who gave me shampoos, which are expensive and only helped for a while. I too am at a loss and am begging for help. Does anyone have any other solutions?
Hello,
I\’m 59 years old. My hair has been thinning for many years, but since I\’ve always had thick hair it took awhile before thinning became noticeable,(about 17 years). I just quit a high paying job after many years of working there due to the high stress which I think has contributed to the acceleration of hair loss. I\’ve been to lots of hair loss specialist. The last one recommended vit B12, and a high potency multivitamin. He also recommended a laser brush ($500.00). Honestly, I seem to be thinning more than ever, but I\’ve also been experiencing increased anxiety. I feel badly for all the women losing their hair especially the youn women. I know that I am much older than the above group, and I am devastated with this problem. I wish good luck to all, and just keep on doing your research. There\’s a hospital in New York City- Columbia Presbyterian, and they are doing research on hair loss. If anyone is interested call Dr. Marji @ 212-305-6953
My scalp feels absolutely crawly but I don’t have head lice! My hair was so thick and super curly, now it’s thin and has gone straight! I’m a 54 year old female. The thinning is all over. I do suspect some sort of mite. This is a horrible condition, and now I see my daughter (age 37) is having serious balding problems. There’s no history of thinning hair in our family. I fear total baldness for us both. I have no health insurance so there’s not much I can do, unless someone has some good advice on a home remedy. This is very depressing. I’ve just quit using my shampoo (Pantene) but haven’t seen any change. I also quit using my haircolor, Clairol Natural Instincts, but there’s no improvement. I don’t even like to brush my hair now, as so much comes out. A sinkful! It’s so bad, I do outside to brush it now. Help!
I am so glad i found your comments, I have had severe hair loss for months and insane itching, i have tried everything in the stores including lice shampoo, hoping it would help the itching, it did nothing. Finally went to the doctor after reading all your letters, he is a country doctor not a big city doctor, he still cares, he recomended using minoxidil and put me on FLUCONAZOLE (DIFLUCAN) a anti fungal, in 3 days the itching has almost stopped, the hair loss is slowing down, when i washed it today , the comb wasnt full. I cut about 4 inches off my hair also.We let you all know if this treatment stops the hair loss all the way, Good luck everyone.
I have been gradually losing my hair. On the frontal
lobes, both right & left. My scalp was itching.
My doctor told me to use nizarelle shampoo. It stopped
the itching. But I am still losing hair. It just’
disappears. It doesn’t come off in the shower or
my pillow. I feel so helpless.
I have been losing vast amounts of hair for about 3 weeks.Its always been thick and curly now its thin and dry but oily near the scalp,its also started itching like mad.I am waiting to have blood tests done.I am 41yrs old and have always been very healthy - this is so distressing. My daughter also started losing her hair about 3yrs ago,she is almost bald on top now.The doctors told her it was stress. She has just found out she may have polycystic ovaries and is awaiting more tests.This is known to cause hair loss.If any of you ladies have abdominal pain and irregular periods its worth mentioning this to your doctor.My daughter was having the depropravera contraceptive injection was is a likely cause.We are both considering getting hair pieces .
Wow! I am in shock at how many of us are suffering through the same horrible ordeal. I’m 31, and I’ve noticed over the past 6 months my hair has gotten thinner. Over the past few weeks, I have experienced an itchy scalp. I felt so alone. I’m sorry all of us have had to suffer. I’m not sure what it is, but I’m thinking I should head to a doctor =(
I feel the same as all of you. I’m just turned 39 and have been experiencing these same symptoms for at least the last 2 years. After I take a shower I have to clean the drain cover. When I brush my hair the brush is always full…and after I blow dry, I have to sweep the floor and in the morning there are at least 20-30 hairs on my pillow. I’ve always heard that losing up to 100 hairs a day is “normal”…but I don’t think what I’ve just described is anywhere near normal. I’ve been to a dermatologist picked through my hair with a couple of “skewers” and told me there’s nothing VISIBLY wrong with my scalp. Okay…so what now? NOW I’m stressing out about becoming bald, so two years ago the cause couldn’t have been stress. Like the rest of you, I’m getting desperate and would much rather avoid prescription drugs if I can. Both of my parents have a FULL head of hair and they’re in their 70’s!! My scalp is itchy from time to time…but not crazy, all-day itchy. I don’t see flaking either. This is just so terrible.
I’m 39. Have had itchy, dandruffy, even creepy crawly at times scalp. My bath tub is always full of hair. It’s been happening for a bout 4 years. My hair is apparently growing back but not as quick as I’m losing it. I’ve resolved to get a wig because I feel I can’t hide this much longer. (going to try baby powder and a hair dye to bland down shineyness of the wig to make look more natural.
Anyway, tonight I tried bagbalm in my hair like the lotion treatment before removing cradle cap on an infant but a bit stronger. Will get some t-gel tomorrow-that will certainly clear it off. I’ll use the t-gel again in one week and post if there’s a change or not. If this doesn’t work I will try the many things one at a time that were posted on this site and keep posting if it works or not and what I tried. also going to try to keep the hair folicals from getting blocked again by dead skin dandruff by buying a gentle shampoo-maybe baby shampoo and washing hair only once every 3 days with cooler water as my bath water is hot. I will post here ion a week as long as I can refind this site. good luck ladies.
I have been obsessed with the recent hair thinning/loss I’ve been experiencing. I go to bed worried about it; I wake up panicked over this. On the one hand, I am so sorry that so many others like you all are feeling as scared about this problem. On the other, there is some comfort in knowing that I am not the only one out there. I am 36 years old and have experienced a slow thinning of my hair (especially at the top/temple region) for a few years. But in the past month, it has gotten SO bad. I can see my scalp now through my hairline and I am freaking out. Everyday I research online to see if there is some remedy. I have even considered getting plugs if necessary! My mom has really thin hair and I’m so worried that this is simply hereditary and there is nothing I can do about it. I am willing to try whatever it takes to save as much of my hair as possible, but wonder if anything can be done. I am so upset by this, it’s difficult for me to put it all in words. Please, please, please–update us if you have found something that works. So many, including myself, return to this page in the hopes of an uplifting post. Thank you.
I am not a doctor so I may be wrong, but for the past few weeks I have had excessive hair loss, and my scalp has been tingly for the past 2 or 3 days. After seeing a doctor, he told me it was stress from when I had the flu and a severe fever. The condition is called telogen effluvium, and can be caused by a lot of things. However it tends to correct itself within a few months and the hair grows back. He told me that Chronic telogen effluvium is recently recognized and not uncommon. It often occurs in women who previously had very thick hair in their teens and twenties and still have an apparently normal head of hair to a casual observer. It affects the entire scalp with no obvious cause apparent. It usually affects women of 30 to 60 years of age, starts suddenly and has a tendency to fluctuate for a period of years. The degree of shedding is usually severe in the early stages and the hair may come out in handfuls. It does not cause complete baldness and does appear to be self-limiting in the long run.
I lose an excessive amount of hair whenever I wash my hair or comb it but that and the tingly sensation was attributed to new hair pushing out the old hair in the follicle. It’s scary to see all that hair in my drain and there’s no cure for it, but at the same time it’s a little reassuring to know that it isn’t uncommon and will more than likely stop on its own.