Hair Loss

I watched my gran struggle with hair loss, and eventually she wore a wig. Mum thought her hair was thin but it never looked too bad. Mine is awfully thin. I went to the doc years ago and he dismissed it as being passed down from my gran. I had a total hysterectomy six years ago, which hasn't helped. I hate the thought of wearing a wig. I imagine it blowing off in the wind, or being too hot in the summer.

I had a hysterectomy at 35 and was given HRT which made me dreadfully sick (MIL had to get her doctor out to give me an injection, so I stopped taking them). At 40 I needed an operation and the surgeon said it was very difficult as my tissues were those of a very old woman - why wasn't I on HRT? On explaining he said pills go through the liver and made me sick and recommended patches. They were great! Periodically they tried to get me back on pills because of the expense and stopped them altogether at 65 (71 now). Also if you only need oestrogen (as you will after a hysterectomy) the risk of acquiring breast cancer is minimal, unlike the oestrogen/progesterone type.

Exactly inishowen I have a hair 'system' which is permanently attached to my scalp. I could go out (and have done so) in gale force winds and it would never come off. It's light and not hot. It just feels like my own hair. I just wash it and style it as everyone else does. It looks great and no one would know, but it's expensive and it's not my own hair which makes me sad.

At 93 my hair is still quite thick and still have hairy arms and legs and pubic hair but unfortunately have developed facial hair.

I had a hysterectomy at 40 and was immediately put on oestrogen implants. That was 28 years ago. I get a tiny oestrogen pellet (about match head size) placed under my skin twice a year and then forget about it. There was a time when the NHS ran out and I tried everything else available (patches, gel, aerosol but not pills, they have to pass through the liver which means you need to take a larger dose).
If I couldn't get the implant any more I would use the patches. What I won't do is stop taking oestrogen. I am on it for life as life without it is unthinkable. I have the energy, health and appearance of someone in their late fifties, I'll soon be 68. My bones are remarkably strong (my mother had osteoporosis so I am very conscious about keeping that monitored).
My hair has always been my best feature but in the last year it has thinned considerably. Doubling my dose of oestrogen hasn't helped. I use shampoo and conditioner designed for limp, thin hair and it does help. My hairdresser had cut it to maximise volume and he says he cannot see a change but I know it is finer now and every time I wash it the comb is full of hair.
So......for me oestrogen hasn't helped with hair loss. I am therefore hoping someone on here has a solution for all of us.

Hollycat,
NICE guidelines on HRT have changed. Your doctor was incorrect in recommending you stopped the patches. Any money saved is more than wiped out by the other problems caused by the menopause. Hip fractures being the most talked about, but all those other "ladies problems" from vaginal atrophy to depression cost the NHS way more than your patches. You should read the NICE guidelines (freely available online) then you can go in armed with the up to date recommendations and request to be put back on your patches.

I miss being on HRT. Doctor won't prescribe it for me. I had thicker hair and didn't dry up like I do now. My skin and especially my eyes are so dry. I just felt better on it, mentally as well. I had a total hysterectomy. I was put on it immediately and took it for about 14 years.

How interesting Esspee. Will look.

Thank you dianetheartis, I'll try the Biotin tablets.
Just been on the website and what a fascinating selection of people who bought this item also bought.
My hair has always been baby fine and as it grows less densely now it tends to hang very limply.
Earlier reference to pubic hair wigs still has me giggling and boggling.

I take The Lady magazine because of the Ladygram puzzle which I am addicted to. There are some decent gardening articles as well BUT you see a lot of hairpieces on these ageing stars of TV and screen whose photos are in the magazine.
Today there was a piece by Mary Berry and a photo with her buffant back-combed hairstyle and you could see that her hair piece sat on the back of her head and was back-combed in with the rest of the hair. Its so skillfully done but you need a hairdresser to do it and if you are in the income bracket of Berry, May and Merkel then why not?
I help out for special occasions with a powder to shake in your hair. It builds up the hair and hides any balding spots on the scalp. It is then washed out with the next shower.
Its available on line.
I would never take anything internally to improve things because I don't believe they work and am cautious about supplements.

You could try Nioxin shampoo and conditioner, it has worked wonders on my hair, its expensive but certainly worth the cost to have full looking hair again, mine was going thin, but this has made it good and strong again.

I second the thyroid test recommendation, I am hypothyroid and when it first failed about thirty years ago hairloss was my first symptom.
Nowadays when my levels drop or need altering it's generally my hair that is one of the indicators ?

Look at 'Victoria Health' for so much excellent advice on products for thinning hair. Particularly' Superior Hair ' by Foodscience of Vermont and Phylia Dr M hair care products. They really work although it's a long term commitment.

I was on HRT implants for 15 years after having a total hysterectomy and everything was fantastic while I was having it. My doc said it was time to come off it. What a change now after 12 months. I developed RA. Psoriasis and hair loss. I am about to ask doc can I have some form of oestrogen again. I can really recommend HRT

Hi there dianetheartist thought I'd try the tabs do I need to write the whole link to access the tabs ,I'm trying to halt my hair loss as well

I'm not a doctor, but I do know there are different kinds of HRT. I use a vaginal cream based on estriol, which is different from oestrogen in some ways ( don't know exactly.)
At 80, my hair is still quite thick, but I think it could be genetic too - my Mum had thick hair all her life.

Thanks everyone for so many replies.
I'll certainly let you know what my doctor has to say when I see him on Tuesday.
I found this particular GP helpful after my hysterectomy. I'd had a lot of hormone treatment just to get through the days before my op (bad fibroids) so I didn't want HRT afterwards. This GP was very knowledgeable about alternative remedies, which is why I've waited (and we do have to wait these days!) to see him.
My hair is not just getting thinner with partings getting wider and more obvious, but the texture has changed a lot so that it's now very fine and floaty.
So what I've found helps with making the best of it is Lee Stafford Hair Growth shampoo and conditioner with Dabur Vatika Egg Protein Hair mask (from Amazon) about twice a week. This does seem to give my hair some body and is not expensive. When styling I like Fat Hair Amplifying Cream from Superdrug which, again is not expensive, but helps.
None of these things stop my hair falling out but just help to make the best of it.
I know hair loss is genetic to some extent - my mum had thin hair when she died but she was in her 80s. Anyway, I'm not a lot like her and I don't want to just give in to the inevitable!
The post about biotin sounded hopeful but I've been taking Menopace for years which contains some boitin and a lot of other things that are in vitamin tablets that claim to help hair loss - will see what the GP says about that, too.

I struggle to get the brush or wide toothed comb through my hair when using nioxin katymax do you?

I Would be interested to hear what your doctor thinks of boitin beejo as whenever I've asked or mentioned things my doctor just says never heard of it and shows no interest in my concerns.

I've tried various things but nothing helps apart from nioxin making my hair look thicker than it is.

I don't think they make your face hairy--my friends hasn't said anything about that!

the texture has changed a lot so that it's now very fine and floaty

I have that too. My hair was always fine but has become quite 'weightless' since MP.
Have recently started using pantene advanced thickening treatment and seems to help.
pantene.com/en-us/product/advanced-thickening-treatment

thanks for the link....have ordered. Hope it really does work as my head gets more balder as the weeks go by. I used to have natural jet black curly hair which I started dying many years ago when I turned sixty. Am in my mid 70's and silver is showing through so for the time being am not going to colour. If the pills work and with my new hair look, I might just like the new me. On the other hand I might just hate it (grin)

I take Biotin and cod liver oil capsules, one of each per day. They certainly make a difference to my nails and hair. I didn't always take them over the Christmas period and I soon noticed a deterioration in nails, less so in hair.
Biotin in a substance naturally found in our bodies, I guess some people have more or process it better.

I get them from Holland & Barret.

I'm so pleased this subject has come up. I have very thin hair always have, but over the last year it seems to be getting thinner. I Am 68yrs old in March, I am now through the menopause, and things have got worse. I have tried quite a few things, and none have them have worked, and now it is having an affect on my confidence. I have joked about getting a wig, but now seriously think it may have to come to it. I do get very envious when I see older people with thick hair. I have been told it can be hereditary, on your mothers side. My mother has very thin hair, and one of my Daughters has inherited my hair too. It is heartening to know there are others with the same problem, but I just wish someone could come up with a Miracle, PLEASE

My mum (82) has steadily lost her hair over the last 50 years. It became very thin after the birth of my youngest sister, but ill health has depleted it even more. She becoming very conscious of her appearance and was reluctant to go out.

Hey presto! A local wig company came to the rescue with private fittings and advice on style and care has been the best thing for her.

The hair they use is natural and indeed looks so good when worn. This has restored her confidence no end and she looks so much younger too!

Back from seeing my GP about these things, first of all he wants me to have a full blood test to rule out any other cause of hair loss (well, we all know what the likely outcome of that will be! ).
Then he's recommended I see another GP at the surgery who is female and the go-to doctor for all things skin and hair connected. He seemed to think I should be able to work out some type of HRT with her which should help - so all this is a work in progress as I don't have that appointment until mid-March.

So far as biotin is concerned, he said "there is some evidence" that it makes the hair follicles thicker and so will make the hair appear fuller, though it will do nothing to stop hair falling out or to improve growth. I went straight out and bought some! I am hopeful it might also improve my nails, which just crumble.

I will post again when I have some results (or not) from the biotin, blood tests and possible HRT.