Alopechia

[GypsieFamily]

I have been breast feeding or pregnant for ten years. Ds9 was still feeding when dd8 was born, after dd8 and dd5 were born I had a month of not breast feeding before I got pregnant. Now I weened ds2 about 3 minus ago.

 

Getting to the point, Ive always had thick hair. Lately it's falling out a lot. Has anyone else had this after feeding and pregnant for a long time?

[Crafty Mathy Mom]

Is it all over or spotty?

 

I had alopecia areata (the spotty kind) when I was pregnant with my third child. I told my dh that I was turning into a middle aged man since I had a huge baby belly and bald spot on the top of my head. My midwife sent me to a dermatologist who treated me with topical steroids and subcutaneous steroid shots in my scalp (ouch). The treatment worked and I haven't had an incident almost 5 years.

 

Do a search on this forum for "hair loss" and you will find some nutritional information about supplements that may help.

[freethinkermama]

Is it all over or spotty?

 

I had alopecia areata (the spotty kind) when I was pregnant with my third child. I told my dh that I was turning into a middle aged man since I had a huge baby belly and bald spot on the top of my head. My midwife sent me to a dermatologist who treated me with topical steroids and subcutaneous steroid shots in my scalp (ouch). The treatment worked and I haven't had an incident almost 5 years.

 

Do a search on this forum for "hair loss" and you will find some nutritional information about supplements that may help.

 

One of my children has alopecia areata. Columbia university has recently found that it's a genetic disorder. It comes and goes on its own, though dermatologists have been giving shots and steroids to people for years.

 

We had just turned down a dermatologist's suggestions we dose my kiddo with prednizone for it(!) when Columbia made their finding.

 

Child's hair came back on its own. It may all fall out again, though. Who knows.

 

http://cumc.columbia.edu/news/genetic-basis-alopecia-areata-established-first-time-columbia-research-team

 

As far as pregnancy induced alopecia, I believe that may be a different animal altogether, but I don't know. Maybe that's hormonal and can be treated effectively with steroids. My pediatrician was the one who suggested against the steroids and said that one never knew. There's no proof that steroids helps the hair come back, but it's a correlation/causation issue, 'cause the hair could come in regardless, and might not come back even with steroids. In kiddo's case, it did.

 

Just food for thought!

[jenn1129]

A lot of my hair fell out after I stopped breastfeeding my second. I heard it was normal, so didn't worry(too much, anyway). It stopped falling out after a few months. Even though it was a lot of hair, i didn't end up with bald spots, just thinning. HTH

[GypsieFamily]

It's just thinning. I've heard it's common whilenpregnant, I'd just never heard about it being a post event thing. I'm ok with working out supplements as I'm a naturopath and pharmacist, I'm just hoping it'll stop soon!

[MelissaCC]

Yes, same thing after 10yrs pregnant or b/f - it settled down after a while ( a couple of years ? ) and while thinner than before dc, isn't troubling me too much atm.

[Mom0012]

I've only had two children, but my hair got much thicker during both preganancies and then it fell out a few months after the pregnancy. My sister-in-law had her first baby this year and experienced the same thing. I just loved that thick pregnancy hair! Hopefully that is all that is happening with you.

 

Lisa

[Negin]

When carrying out any of these methods, remember to be patient :grouphug:. Normal hair growth should resume within 6 months after starting any supplement or making any dietary or other change.

I get most of my supplements from vitacost.com or amazon

 

SUPPLEMENTS

2 supplements – have helped me the most – Iodoral and Biotin. The rest are helpful also, but those two have been the best for me.

NATROL BIOSIL from amazon or VitaminShoppe.com – Natrol Biosil is well-absorbed by the body and proven to deliver key proteins like keratin and collagen directly to the hair roots to increase growth and thickness. Great for skin, hair, and nails

OR

HORSETAIL is a good source of silica (which aids in hair growth and makes the hair stronger). Silica is necessary for strong, shiny hair.

OR YOU CAN TRY TAKING BOTH

Silica makes hair strong and shiny, but the amount your body holds tend to decline with age. Good food sources include: beets, soybeans, leafy green vegetables, and whole grains. Or you can take 60 mg silica daily.

 

B COMPLEX – 50 mg twice a day or 100 mg once a day with meals. B vitamins are essential for the health and growth of the hair. B vitamins run low during high-stress times and are essential for healthy hair growth.

Try to get a good B Complex that includes: Biotin, Inositol, Choline, and PABA.

BIOTIN plays a key role in forming keratin, a protein that comprises healthy hair. Taking a 2400 mcg supplement can thicken hair shafts and encourage new growth. [Not everyone needs to take that much unless if they're concerned about hair loss. Most B-complex supplements have sufficient biotin otherwise]

Biotin plays a key role in forming keratin, a protein that comprises healthy hair

It helps in preventive treatment for baldness

There are no known cases of biotin toxicity, particularly since it is water-soluble

It is interesting that biotin levels fall progressively throughout pregnancy (and that is when many women lose hair).

 

CARLSON’S LIQUID FISH OIL - or any other good fish oil - you need enough EFAs (essential fatty acids)

 

ZINC – 15 mg daily – protects your hair

 

GLA SUPPLEMENTS – a type of omega-6 fatty acid that’s essential for healthy hair. Found in black currant oil or evening primrose oil. Don’t use GLA if you take an antiseizure Rx.

Take it on a full stomach in 2 divided doses, equally spaced during the day.

Take up to 500 mg EPO 2-3 times daily or 2000 mg total daily

Expect to wait up to 8 weeks to see results.

 

VITAMIN E – improves hair health and enhances hair growth.

Take 400 IU of vitamin E a day. Take d-alpha, NOT dl-alpha

Vitamin E is most effective when taken with selenium.

[Negin]

IODORAL

Available from amazon – the reviews are well worth reading

More than 90% of us are low in iodine.

Today's environment makes it almost impossible to get the amount of iodine you need.

1. There's very little iodine in the soil. So unless you're eating a ton of iodine-rich foods like kelp, seaweed and shellfish, you're not going to get much iodine from your diet.

2. Many salt companies have stopped adding iodine to table salt. While commercial table salt usually contains iodine, this is not the best way to boost iodine intake. In fact, “salt iodination, which is performed routinely in many countries, may increase the incidence of overt hypothyroidism,” a new Greek study concludes. Kelp and other sea vegetables are excellent sources of natural iodine.

3. Food manufacturers have stopped using iodine in baked goods and are using bromine instead. Bromine (a halogen) competes with iodine to get into your cells. So the more bromine you consume, the less iodine you get. Unfortunately, many foods today (primarily baked goods) are loaded with bromine.

4. Our water supply contains chlorine and fluoride, both of which are halogens. Again, halogens compete with iodine to get into your cells.

And you can't avoid chlorine and fluoride simply by drinking filtered water. That's because you get a hefty dose any time you bathe, shower, soak in a hot tub, or swim in a swimming pool.

5. Most conventional doctors never test for iodine deficiency. They figure there's no need to test iodine levels when they can just test your thyroid function instead. The problem with this is that the most widely used thyroid test, the TSH, is wildly inaccurate. Reason: While the TSH measures thyroid hormone, it can't tell the difference between active thyroid hormone with iodine and de-activated thyroid hormone with bromine or chlorine or fluorine. So the test shows you have plenty of thyroid hormone. But most of the thyroid hormone isn't doing its job!

I think it was Dr. Nan Fuchs who wrote: “I've had women come into my office who look like the poster child for underactive thyroid. They're overweight, they're losing their hair and eyebrows, their skin is dry, and they tell me they feel cold all the time. Yet when their doctor gave them a thyroid test, it came back normal!

When I put these women on iodine supplementation, their conditions improve dramatically. Their skin improves, they stop losing their hair, and they finally lose that excess weight — and keep it off.”

The RDA for iodine is 150 mcg. This amount was set based on the amount needed to prevent goiter. This amount will prevent goiter but it will not prevent other problems related to iodine deficiency.

The average consumption of iodine from seaweed by the mainland Japanese is nearly 14 mg. They have some of the lowest incidence of iodine-deficiency diseases like goiter, hypothyroidism, and cancers of the reproductive system (breast, ovaries, and uterus).

Some forms of iodine are harmful. Iodoral is not. All of us need a combination of iodine and iodide, the two forms of iodine used throughout our bodies. Iodoral and Lugol are the only supplements containing these two nutrients. Lugol, however, tastes foul.

You may need 1 to 4 tablets of Iodoral, a combination of 5 mg of iodine and 7.5 mg of potassium iodide. Additional research finds that vitamin C improves the transport of iodine in the body, so it may be best to take Iodoral with Vitamin C.

Studies show that women who weigh about 110 pounds need at least 5 mg of iodine a day for normal breast function. If you’re heavier, you may need more.

Start off slowly over a 4 week period.

Take 1 pill for 30 days

Then 2 pills for 30 days

Then maybe 3 for 30 days

Then 1 in morning and 1 in evening for 30 days

Can then go back to taking 1 or 2 a day to maintain

Your body will know....listen to it...

One Iodoral tablet provides 12.5 milligrams of iodine/iodide which is about the amount the average Japanese consumed in 1964 in their everyday diet.

Iodoral is the best way to get the recommended amount of iodine.

 

D3

If you're under 50, take at least 2,000 IU per day.

If you're 50 or over, take at least 5,000 IU per day of vitamin D3.

Always take your vitamin D with a fat-containing meal to ensure absorption.

Your need for vitamin D3 is affected by age, skin color, and the severity of any deficiency

 

EAT MORE

Use Seaweed Gomasio to season your food, rather than iodized salt. I got mine from amazon.

Sea salt- particularly himalayan and celtic sea salt, are full of extra minerals. 84 minerals in sea salt- 2 in refined table salt. If there is one thing lacking in modern diets, it is minerals- more so than vitamins. Himalayan and Celtic Sea Salts as well as this one are rich in minerals, much richer than regular table salt.

 

Increase your iodine intake with mineral-rich sea vegetables (agar, hijiki, kombu, nori, and wakame) at least twice a week. You can eat as much seaweed as you want. Brown seaweeds are highest in iodine. They include all forms of kelp. Fucus, also known as Bladderwrack, is considered to be the best for underactive thyroids. Hijiki and Sargassum are two other forms of brown seaweeds. Red seaweeds include dulse, nori, Irish moss, and Gracillaria.

Since toasting doesn’t affect seaweed’s iodine content, you can eat it dried or dried and toasted. Toast some in the oven or in a dry frying pan to see if you prefer that taste. You can also powdered seaweed to your food or add larger pieces of seaweed to soups, grains, or vegetables. Seaweed should be an enjoyable addition to your diet, not an unpleasant experience. If you simply don’t like its taste, you can get it in capsules.

Use 5-10 grams of mixed brown and red seaweed for thyroid problems. This is about 1 ½ teaspoons per day.

Not all seaweeds are safe to eat. Some come from polluted waters.

Be more cautious and talk to a naturopath if you’re on thyroid meds and want to try seaweed.

 

Protein – plain yogurt, lean meat, fish, poultry, and eggs

 

Up to 90 percent of women who experience hair loss also suffer from low iron levels. Eat at least 3 daily servings of IRON-RICH FOODS like lean beef, green leafy veggies, legumes, dried fruit, and nuts. Try to always take iron-rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods, such as tomatoes, to increase absorption by up to 4 times.

Iron is a double-edged mineral for women. Menstruating women lose iron-rich blood every month, plus pregnancy, nursing, and strenuous physical exercise dramatically increases the need for this mineral. But later in life, excess iron, which accumulates in the body after menopause, may increase women’s risk for cancer and heart disease.

If you’re over 50 or have experienced early or surgically induced menopause, see your doctor for a hematocrit, hemoglobin, and/or ferritin test to determine if you need iron. The ferritin test, which assesses stored iron, is most important here.

If your levels approach anywhere from 150 to 200 ng/mL on the ferritin test, do avoid extra iron in supplements, iron-enriched grains, and cut down on red meat. You might want to consider an iron-free multivitamin

Studies indicate that iron can help improve short-term memory loss and concentration. If you aren't using iron cookware regularly, you may wish to take 10 to 15 milligrams of elemental iron a day.

Jarrow Formulas IronSorb Elemental Iron From Protein Succinylate -- 18 mg - 60 Vegetarian Capsules

Iron oxidizes. If you take too much iron, it can lead to cancer. This is why there are few multivitamin formulas for postmenopausal women that contain iron.

If you have had cancer, or if there is a high incidence of cancer in your family, you may want to take a formula without added iron unless a blood test determines that you are iron-deficient, in which case, natural sources may be far superior.

[Negin]

Eat more of the following foods rich in B Vitamins and other needed minerals and vitamins essential for hair.

Nuts

Beef liver

Brown rice

Bulgur

Lentils

Oats

Sunflower seeds

Walnuts

Unprocessed Whole Grains

Wheat Germ

Rice Bran

Citrus Fruits

Eggs

Cabbage

Salmon

Leafy Greens including spinach

 

Make sure that your diet contains ample essential fatty acids.

Eat fish 2—3 times a week (not deep-fried) - salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel – 2-3 times a week

 

JUICING veggies is very beneficial, for overall health also. Juicing is one of the best things you can do for your health and beauty. Try to juice as often as you can.

 

Remember, foods that are good for your skin (omega 3s, zinc, silica) are also good for your hair.

[Negin]

EAT LESS

The Standard American Diet is too rich in foods that actually starve the hair, such as fat, sugar, and refined foods.

Eastern medicine says that eating too much meat can cause hair loss. This might very well be true.

Cut down on sweets. Eastern medicine says that eating too much sugar can cause baldness on the sides of the forehead. Sugar is often a contributing factor in hair loss. After sugar is removed from some people’s diets, the hair-loss process is either halted or totally or partially reversed.

 

OTHER TIPS/THINGS TO CONSIDER

MASSAGE SCALP DAILY (SOME SAY 3 TIMES A DAY)

Press the bristles of your brush on your scalp and make several strokes from your hairline to the base of your neck.

Then make small circles over your entire scalp.

Alternate these methods for 90 seconds.

 

Massage your scalp with a mixture of essential oils daily for at least 7 months. Add 8 drops each of Rosemary, Thyme, and Lavender essential oils to 8 ounces of shampoo. Pour a small amount of the mixture into your hands and rub it into your hair, gently massaging your scalp. Let the mixture sit for three minutes and rinse thoroughly.

 

OR

 

Frederic Fekkai More Nighttime Follicle Boosting Treatment from sephora.com

The niacin-derived compounds stimulate blood flow and activate cell receptors that influence hair growth. After applying these compounds for 6 months, 69 percent of women with hair loss saw significant increases in fullness.

 

LIE UPSIDE DOWN!

Lie on a slant board OR have your head hanging off the edge of the bed for 15 to 20 minutes per day. This will cause blood to flow to the scalp.

 

YOGA

Yoga helps a lot in slowing down and preventing hair loss.

[Negin]

Try to Avoid:

• Hard brushing

• Tight braids

• Pulling hair too hard when blow-drying

• Blow drying if and when you can

• Commercial shampoos or rinses with artificial colors, preservatives, and dyes

• Harsh chemical products and hair spray

 

Try to:

• An acupuncturist can help develop an herbal formula that is tailored specifically to you, in addition to using the traditional needles to help restore hair growth. Herbs have a greater synergy with acupuncture, so you may see a greater benefit if you use both.

• Use a satin pillowcase helps because your hair is less likely to catch and pull on it as it would on a cotton pillowcase. A side benefit is that it helps save your hairstyle for another day, so you aren't pulling out more hair in the styling process. You can get them on amazon.

• Use the most natural hair products you can find.

• Look for ingredients such as biotin, silica. aloe vera gel, vitamins C and E, jojoba oils, chamomile, marigold, ginseng, or passionflower. Most health-food stores carry a variety of natural hair care products.

• Hair is fragile when it is wet. Gently pat your hair dry and squeeze out remaining moisture with a towel.

• Calm a hectic schedule. Stress signals the body to produce cortisol, which elevates levels of hair-loss-promoting hormones.

[Negin]

CAUSES

• Poor Diet and vitamin and mineral deficiencies

• Stress

• Thyroid problem – especially if you have dry skin, weight gain, and fatigue

• Taking large doses of Vitamin A (100,000 IU or more daily) for a long period of time

• Genetics/Heredity

• Harsh chemicals and hair dyes

• Poor Circulation (daily scalp massage, brushing, lying on a slant board, yoga)

• Acute Illness

• Surgery

• Radiation Exposure

• Skin Disease (biotin is essential here)

• Sudden Weight Loss

• High Fever

• Iron Deficiency (Up to 90 percent of women who experience hair loss also suffer from low iron levels).

• Diabetes

• Drugs – such as those used in chemotherapy

• Ringworm and other fungal infections

• Pregnancy

• High concentration of metals in the body

• Autoimmune diseases

• Scalp Infections

• If one is experiencing "male pattern baldness" type hair loss, where the hairline begins to recede and is thin only on top and not all over, it can be caused by metabolic syndrome. Fat distributed around the waist can actually cause a rise in androgens (male hormones) causing this problem. It can also revert back to normal if you can get the fat off your waist.

 

WHEN TO SEE A PHYSICIAN

If you are losing large amounts of hair, see a physician. It is normal to lose 50 to 150 hairs a day. If your hair appears to be dramatically thinning, it might be a sign of an underlying condition. While culprits can be as serious as thyroid disease and lupus, hair loss is most often caused by poor diet and stress.

 

GOOD BOOKS

The Hair Loss Cure: A Self-Help Guide by David H. Kingsley

How to Beat Hair Loss by Antonio Alvi Armani, MD

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I have been breast feeding or pregnant for ten years. Ds9 was still feeding when dd8 was born, after dd8 and dd5 were born I had a month of not breast feeding before I got pregnant. Now I weened ds2 about 3 minus ago.

 

Getting to the point, Ive always had thick hair. Lately it's falling out a lot. Has anyone else had this after feeding and pregnant for a long time?

 

 

Have you looked at the hair loss condition called telogen effluvium? It is the name of the condition that occurs when the normal hair growth/rest/release process goes haywire. This can occur after any trauma or period of increased stress caused by emotions, hormone, or illness.

 

Normally, hair follicles go through periods of growth, followed by a couple months of rest when no growth occurs but the hair remains fixed in the follicle. Then, the follicle turns back "on", and a new hair grows, pushing out the old hair. Normally, about 10 percent of your hair follicles are in the "rest" part of the cycle. But, occasionally, because of stress, illness, or certain hormonal conditions (like pregnancy and breastfeeding), more like 50% go into the rest phase. When the stress/illness/hormonal condition end or pass, the hair follicles begin producing new hair, and all the previously resting hairs fall out.

 

The good news is, even as it seems you are losing all your hair, new baby hairs are actually growing in its place. It will take awhile, but you will get your hair back.