hair LOSS

erintgaffaney

Hi, all-

I've successfully been losing weight with MFP calorie deficit tracking, exercising, going gluten-free, and really working at hitting my macro daily goals (read: more protein, fewer carbs).

Almost all of the PCOS symptoms I suffer from have subsided a great deal. In particular, my weight (46 lbs down from my highest weight), acne, bloat, mood swings, cramps, unwanted facial hair (still have some) and cravings are all much more manageable. Likewise, my periods have regulated themselves and are hovering around a 30-32 day cycle. I am doing this all without medications.

However, the one thing that is still really bothering me is my thinning hair. What have you done to reverse this problem, and have you been successful? I'd love to hear directly from you on MFP (private message), on this thread, or even via email at erintgaffaney@gmail.com. I'm just SO tired of seeing all the hair in the hair-catcher in my shower drain. Call me vain, but... it's affecting how I perceive myself.

Thanks for your help!

theuber

Here is a thread I found on soulcysters.net:

http://www.soulcysters.net/showthread.php/339469-What-worked-for-MY-hairloss-dying-to-share-and-help-others!!!

Also, I found this article that explains a lot of reason behind hair loss, and how the medication we take can help or hinder our progress:

http://ezinearticles.com/?PCOS-and-Hair-Loss---Natural-Therapies-Can-Restore-Scalp-Hair&id=2838556

I am currently on Sprio with Metformin and Femcon birth control. I've only been on all of these for the past 2 months, and I have seen a drastic change in the health of my hair.

Also, to help make the hair that you stil have really healthy and look amazing, try putting coconut oil in your hair twice a week before going to bed. It will hydrate your hair and strengthen it so that you don't have to worry too much about breakage. I also use a Suave Morracan Infusion oil in my hair. It is an argan oil that is proven to strengthen hair.

I do hope that some of this helps, and I really hope that you are able to find a way to stop the hair loss. I know how devestating it is. I have thick, curly hair, and I am always concerned about losing it.

pland54

I had this problem SO BAD after I stopped the pill. I literally looked like I was balding.

I started doing 3 different things- drinking an herbal tea meant to improve circulation, taking a hair,skin, and nails supplement, and using clinical strength head & shoulders shampoo.

I had huge improvement and I stopped losing more hair than people normally do before I got back on medication. Honestly, I think the shampoo made the biggest difference for me. PCOS gives me seborrheic dermatitis, which basically is like really oily, waxy dandruff :sick: Is your hair itchy and oily? If so, you might have this problem too. Excess androgens can cause extra sebum on the skin, which causes acne on the face and this type of waxy dandruff on the scalp. Excess androgens and excess oil contribute to hair loss. Clinical strength head & shoulders is intended for seborrheic dermatitis, and I really felt better within a few days of using it, and then started to see bunches of baby hairs coming back within 2 months or so (you have to wait until your hair growth cycle naturally comes around). It's also a lot cheaper than shampoos for hair loss, so worth a try...

The hair, skin, and nails supplements really seemed to help too, but they took a while. The brand I use is OneSource. They helped my hair, but not my skin or nails :laugh:

I ended up needing medication anyway because my androgens are too far out of control, and I've been seeing more improvement in my hair, skin, and every other symptom since I started taking anti-androgens. But I did see major results in my hair with the supplements and shampoo alone, so maybe it will help you too!

dancerom

Technical issues... Read the post below ;-)

dancerom

I go with fenugreek seeds. I read about it and it's suposed to help with hormonal imbalances (and it does this trick for me -less pms for example). In India however they use it for beautiful hair. Either to wash or clean it with or by eating the seeds.
I put one spoon full in a pan and bring it to a boil with half a cup of water before I go to sleep. Then I let it sit and drink/eat it in the morning. Plain or in my smoothie or kindofoatmealthing. It's a bit bitter but I like it. And my hair grows loke crazy!

gr8xpectationz

I'm just SO tired of seeing all the hair in the hair-catcher in my shower drain. Call me vain, but... it's affecting how I perceive myself.

Thanks for your help!

I'd bet a hundred bucks you're deficient in Vitamin B. Get a decent quality B-Complex, and you'll see fast results. Vitamin B is needed for stress-response...and not just mental stress, but also metabolic/physiological stress. There's rarely enough in multivitamins.

Another sign of Vitamin B deficiency is racing thoughts at bedtime, like when it takes a long time to fall asleep because all kinds of worries or to-do-list items keep popping into your head. Take Vitamin B during the day though, not right before bed. Also, it'll turn your pee flourescent yellow.

But you'll see results. I can almost guarantee it.