Help!My hair is falling out!

[happyhippy]

Hi all,
Not sure if anyone can help out but I thought it was worth a shot.Last year I went to the doctors because I started to feel exhausted all the time.Unusual for me because usually I have energy to burn!Anyway after a blood test for thyroid,it came back fine,no problems.My energy levels picked up again,but not to the level they were before.Life went on,and this year I started to go through menopause.My periods became erratic,and I now havent had one for 4 mths.Just after last Xmas,I noticed I was losing hair.I know we all do on a daily basis but you just know when its more than "normal".The last two months have been pretty awful hair wise.My scalp feels tight and abit itchy,and the hair loss has become more worrying.I clean my house and notice my hairs all over the place,and I can now see patches of baldness appearing.I stopped washing my hair everyday,and now use a very mild baby shampoo,but I'm worried about losing my hair.It must be noticeable to other people because when I am talking to someone they keep looking at my hair???? Has anyone got any suggestions?Has the hair loss got anything to do with menopause or is this a separate situation altogether?Could I be short of a mineral?Or hormone?Could that cause hair loss?I have done abit of research,and yes have some of the symptons of menopause but none of them mention hair loss.Any suggestions would be welcome,thankyou!xx

[crowsashes]

first of all it could be stress - stress through thinking your ill (thyroid), stressed because your loosing your hair plus the added stress of menopause. and the hormonal changes. stress has an incredible effect on your hormones too ( from experience) so im guessing it could be a mixture of the two.
as to your itchy dry scalp that could be a symptom of the menopause - reduced hormone production affecting oil production - its the reason my gran suffered really dry skin during and after the menopause.
so my advice would be to see a doctor and go armed with all that you have said here - most of the time we can forget so write it down! and hopefully the doc should be able to help you out and if your not satisfied you can ask to see another doctor.

[fumanchu]

Everytime I had a baby, my hair fell out in CLUMPS. The doc said hormones - so its the menopause. Maybe look into herbs and supplements for the hair until you get past this stage ? I'm sure its a stage and not forever ! I still have hair .

[happyhippy]

Thanks fumanchu,do you or anyone else know what herbs I could take to stop this happening?(Not stop menopause,just stop the hair from falling out)I would be truly grateful.xx

[fumanchu]

I would google and have a good read. I did know but I forgot. (old age....need some herbs for that meself!)
Also check supplements and diet x

[jampot]

sounds like hormones are to blame ( or lack of) id go for more blood tests tho if you that worried . to ease an itchy tight scalp use a rosemary rinse , just steep some sprigs in boiling water and use when its cool ( as a last rinse dont wash it off) , works great for when i get stress eczema on my scalp

[happyhippy]

Thanks all,will try the rosemary rinse,sounds good xx

[Keaniebean]

That must be horrible for you, but hopefully it's nothing more than hormones and stress and will settle down. It might be worth considering treating your stress rather than trying to cure the symptoms, perhaps if you tried swimming or meditation or reflexology or whatever you fancy to help lower stress levels.
Hope you find a solution soon though

[fumanchu]

I've been told Zinc and the B vitamins will help, also Selenium. Try Holland & Barrett, I got stuff from them when my hair was doing that but I forget what it was exactly. My hair really worried me as it fell out all over the place, went thin at the front where my fringe is, but after a few months it grew thicker again. xxx dont worry about it

[TheGoodEarth]

Sounds like some form of alopecia. Have a read at this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alopecia

A friends of mines hair fell out in clumps after he had been in a road accident that killed his best mate. The doctor told him it was trauma related.