Any tips for thinning front hair?

OldEnough2noBetter

Apparently, there's a horrid wee natural chemical that kicks in after menopause that stops women's hair growing! I've been taking pumpkin seed oil with added saw palmetto for a few months to combat this because I lost all my hair due to chemo. It SEEMS to be working. Check with your doctor about contraindications with your prescription. I'd also ask my doctor for something that DOESN'T interfere with natural vitamins and minerals. You shouldn't have to compromise. Use a silk pillow case as it reduces friction, or a silk sleep cap, if you prefer.

That had me googling - and it's called "DHT hormone" and that was one of the things recommended to deal with it.

Cue for I've just ordered some to try out.

You know you're getting older when you started out with a standard diary (ie small appointments diary) for your life, move to West Wales meant adding an A4 page-a-day diary for all that "Pembrokeshire Promise" stuff the workmen here are prone to when doing renovation work on your house (ie they promise and then they promise and then they might actually turn up when he said he would) - I use the word "he" quite deliberately in this context....

The "getting older" bit being when you buy a 3rd diary - and that's for your body (rather than yourself or your house). Have just started that one with an A5 page a day diary for that body of mine. Very quickly decided the house can get relegated to an A5 page a day diary in future (now I finally made it past the workmen renovating my house) and I'll have an A4 page a day diary just for my body.

Now about all those supplements......agh!!!!

You know you're getting older when you think: "Agh! Supplements for a heart problem, supplements for energy problems, supplement for hair problem. How many blinkin' supplements daily just in order to get back to normal?!!!"

Indeed grannyqueenie. OK it's not life threatening. Mind you, when I lost mine, a woman said to me 'I think I'd kill myself if I lost my hair'. I've had the 'It's only hair' comment, usually from people with lovely thick hair. Hair IS important to women and until you lose it you can have no idea of the effects.

Kate1949 I understand what you’re saying. I can’t manage to say “well it doesn’t matter it’s only hair”. It may be “only hair” but it’s “my hair” and that’s why it matters, to me at least! We are all different and we each have to find a way of coping with our own hair loss the best way we can. As in most areas of life one size never fits all. I’m beyond grateful that I’ve lived most of my life with no issues. I’m not sure I’d have been able to think positively about it as a much younger woman. Kind thoughts to everyone trying to navigate this . 🥰

Rosamunde Your daughters are right. However, personally I am struggling to live my life in a 'This is horrible and ruining my life but at least you haven't got cancer' situation.

One thing that did seem to help my thinning hair was that, after washing it I would rise it in cold water, the colder the better. I used to do the same when I used to use the sauna at the gym, would go from the sauna to a freezing cold shower. I’m just too much of a wimp to do that now and no longer go to the gym.

I have this - called male pattern baldness.
It has abated a little; i.e.not got any worse. I used Noukrin for a while which stopped it completely, but they changed it and the price soared.
I use Plantur tonic, and upped my Vitamin D which was low.
I was thinking about trying Alpecin.

Rosamunde you’re right on both counts FFA does nothing for the self confidence but a positive attitude (and in my case now a good wig too!) does help. Daughters can be very good encouragers!

Framilode - I’m so glad that I’m not the only one with Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia! When I noticed broken hairs at the top of my forehead, I went straight to the best dermatologist in my area rather than my GP. He explained that it is a kind of auto-immune reaction which attacks the hair follicles, the cause of which is not fully understood. He started me on a course of steroid injections to halt it and since then I have been on Acitretin (a medication for psoriasis) plus Dermovate lotion, which have worked well. After 2 1/2 years the hair loss has slowed down almost completely and I have only lost just over 1 cm hairline in total. But, as others have said, it was a shock to discover I had this and it does nothing for one’s self-confidence. However, my daughters keep reminding me that they much prefer a healthy and active mum with some hair loss, rather than one with arthritis, cancer or worse! I take comfort from that.

I think it maybe a good idea to try and get an appointment with a dermatologist. There’s various reasons for hairloss but the sooner you get it diagnosed the better. I was diagnosed with Frontal Fibrosing alopecia ( also known as scarring alopecia ) a few years ago and lost my hair starting from behind my ears and across my forehead like a band and now taking hydroxychloroquine which is helping to keep it stable although I’ll never get back what I’ve lost. This was triggered by stress over a period of 5 years. There’s a good possibility that this is not the case with you but early diagnosis is always best for any intervention if needed. Good luck. X

skate I second that recommendation! I could weep and wail till the cows come home for the hair that’s gone but it’s gone for good so taking back a bit of control makes me feel MUCH better!

I recommend Simply Wigs. They have a website with a huge selection of styles, and are extraordinarily helpful if you ring and ask for advice. I don't bother with a topper, too fiddly, but as my hair is so thin and wispy (looks like candyfloss TBH), I have for years worn wigs supplied by them. Nobody ever knows that I wear a wig unless I tell them, they are so incredibly natural looking. And I don't find mine hot - in.fact it protects my scalp from the sun's rays, otherwise it would get burnt as my hair is so sparse. As others have said, not having hair is a total confidence destroyer, and similarly I have tried umpteen shampoos, serums, pills and potions with no success whatsoever. I am just so grateful that wigs nowadays are so realistic, and I can wear my blonde choppy style with total confidence.

I have had psoriasis of the scalp most of my life but me hair started falling out after my mother died. I was about 45. Since then it has got worse. I am now 74 so pretty much at the passed caring stage. I give my hair a No1 every few weeks and now love it as a skinhead. For younger women though it is horrible. I think it may be related to hormone inbalance. A nutritionist may be able to help. All the best.

gentleshores

I would also normally take linseeds or cod liver oil to improve hair (it works very well with pets!) but those are contraindicated as well with blood thinning medication.

Can we have more details on the linseeds and cod liver oil please? - ie do you apply the oil or drink it/how much/etc. Also re the linseeds - which I presume you do eat = how much?

Grateful if anyone can advise where to buy a good hair topper .

So many amazing tips here thank you. And yes I haven't had a blood test for a while so will get my thyroid checked. Around the same time as noticing my hair thinning I've had another very weird symptom - sticky skin. Just on my chest and my hands (the exposed parts). It seems to come and go and is worse in hot weather. It's very weird - even after a shower it's still sticky! I have googled it of course and it could be all sorts - one medical paper just put it down to "old age". Bits literally stick to it.

My hair seemed to be falling out so I tried Saw Palmetto as I read it could help, but obviously you need to check any possible interactions ,if that is the right word, with your current medications. I think I bought mine from Healthspan. It is usually aimed at men but I think it did help with my hair loss. I also tried one or two shampoos but don’t think they helped. Stress can be be a cause of hair loss. I hope you find something to help with your problem x

I don't know how late I am on this thread but all I can say is funny you should ask right now, because I just saw my dermatologist in reference to the same type of thing, thinning hair all over not just in front. I have heard more than once that the only thing to do for thinning hair is to take minoxidil in some form. I suggest you see a dermatologist and see what they suggest for you. My doctor suggested men's minoxidil even though I am a woman. But that's just me. I'm not prescribing anything for anybody but that's what my doctor said for me.

Always bend your head forward when brushing your hair -this stimulates the blood supply and avoids pulling from the front .
Check your blood for anaemia and thyroid function .

This really sounds like frontal fibrosing scarring alopecia. Once the hair follicles have scarred over they will not regrow no matter what you do. Speaking as someone who has spent a small fortune on snake oil which promised hair growth, I’d really recommend you bypass hairdressers and trichologists and get an appointment with a dermatologist. It took 5 years for me to learn this but I’m now prescribed a daily steroid preparation to apply to the hairline, and a return appointment is planned for November to assess how things are going. I was told to measure from nose tip to hair line with a piece of string to compare with a new measurement in a few months.
In the meantime, a good quality topper has really helped. Even my sister didnt spot I was wearing it and just thought I was having a good hair day! I still feel quite diffident about it but confidence is growing!
Like you, I have a good head of hair at the back and with the help of the dermatologist, I hope to keep it.
You can have a biopsy to diagnose FFSA but its usually pretty obvious to see by looking at it. Some sufferers take oral meds and I wouldn’t rule that out but hopefully the steroid will be enough.

OGX thick and full shampoo has helped me......

Apparently, there's a horrid wee natural chemical that kicks in after menopause that stops women's hair growing! I've been taking pumpkin seed oil with added saw palmetto for a few months to combat this because I lost all my hair due to chemo. It SEEMS to be working. Check with your doctor about contraindications with your prescription. I'd also ask my doctor for something that DOESN'T interfere with natural vitamins and minerals. You shouldn't have to compromise. Use a silk pillow case as it reduces friction, or a silk sleep cap, if you prefer.

My SiL was told to stop using a liquid that was supposed to help hair growth, as if by misfortune some was left on his hands and he touched his DC it would encourage hair growth on the baby. (werewolf children)

However, he did go for hair transplants in Manchester at the beginning of this year and it seems quite successful. Has any Gran done a hair transplant or is it only for men?

I have been taking a calcium and magnesium combined supplement every day for about 2 years. I have been amazed at the result on my hair (although this wasn't the original reason I took the supplement) as it is stronger, springy and curlier than I have ever known it. I never had thinning hair in the first place but it seems to be a side effect of these tablets, plus my nails are stronger and grow longer than before.

You can buy a false fringe hairpiece... Look online

Polly7

Please ensure thyroid is checked. Although GP says TSH is ok up to quite a number it really isn't - as on Thyroid UK and endocrinologist who advocate it should be 2 or under
- how can there be such a contrast!!?
Just to say that hair thinning/loss is feature of hypothyroidism ( thyroid running low).
Apologies if this has been written above as not had time to read through
Selenium is a good thing for hypo. Also good levels of D. Folate, Ferratin and B12
May be worth looking into as it must be upsetting

Polly7, my TSH is .25, in a range of .02 - 4. Is that too low?