Female hair loss.

It's not worth the risk.

I think we have to be careful of drug companies and the like exploiting our natural desperation.

I haven't gone into the ins and outs of the drugs, but I know Boots made a big thing a year or two back about a "cure" they had come up with. I would never trust Boots. They are too typical of cynical big business.

Well, if the cause is hormonal, pumping hormones into our bodies probably isn't a good idea. It's different if it's a health issue and the dangers outweigh the possible side effects but when it's a vanity issue it isn't worth it. Which is what makes it difficult, especially is it's affecting someone's life ie lack of confidence etc. Boy do i miss my hormones sometimes [although I no longer have migraines and mood swings; just in a permanently bad mood instead [grrr].

Tegan did you discuss HRT with your GP or just assume that it was dangerous?

Unless you're in a high-rise group I think it's worth considering.

I'm too much of a hypochondriac [sp]. Instead of worrying about my hair I'd worry about the drugs instead [I mean, I'm worrying now about how my hair will look in a couple of years time; it might not actually get any worse]. We were putting less and less people on HRT over the years; in fact another doctor did say not to take it [I think I was talking about something else at the time; like wanting to look like Kate Moss] unless I really had to. You do have to stop taking it eventually and I'd actually sailed through the menopause with very few problems.

Please, please don't take this the wrong way as I'm not trying to ridicule a serious subject but the story of DH's regrowth of hair on his bald patch is rather weird.

Three years ago our Jack Russell bitch had her last litter of puppies. When they were weaned she would like to stretch across the back of DH's chair and vigorously lick the top of his head. This was probably because he'd had some gnat bites which took a while to heal as he's on Warfarin. I used to tell him to make her stop as it was unhygienic but then we noticed the fluffy re-growth of hair where she had been licking.

I'm thinking, hormones, stimulation etc., etc., but whatever it was I wish I could bottle it.

The fine hair is still there.

My daughter-in-law developed total body hair loss in her late thirties/early forties. Fortunately, she lives in a warmer climate than here. However, she went through three years of very painful scalp injections ,but the tricologist was only chasing the patches around so she stopped them. The hardest thing for her was getting used to seeing the sympathetic glances of passers by when she was wearing a scarf and didn't have any wispy bits infront of her ears, so most people assumed she had cancer. Anyway, to cut a long story short, having bought two wigs online which were quite costly, and not quite right, and too full of hair, she arranged to come home to go to a wonderful establishment called New Image in Newcastle on Tyne, where the girls do nothing but fit and sell wigs. They were able to find exactly the right style and colouring for her. She looks, and feels, fantastic when she goes out with the girls, and it was bout half the price of her other ones (less than£150). I hasten to add that she looks fantastic without a wig on too...as do most women whatever their age.

She probably had some hormones floating around. Or, like you say it stimulated blood flow to that area. Did wonder about things like Indian Head Massages. Blimey, merlot; if you you could tap into the reason why that happened you could be a multi millionaire!! Don't they say a dogs saliva is healing, though? Hmmm.

I miss my hormones. The lack of mine resulted in laziness! That's not for this thread though.

Granniefae; that's waht worries me a bit when I wear a bandana. I'm still feeling awful about something that happened in the summer; I was chatting to a family I'd met whilst dog walking and suddenly realised the mother had been having chemo and I'd just said something that she could have found embarrassing [I think it was a sort of Freudian slip on my part] and then I got flustered, not knowing whether to ignore it, apologise or what. Now, I was always dealing with people that had been having chemo when I was at work which is another reason why I felt [still feel] awful about it. So, when I wear a bandana people might be feeing awkward. I hope this makes sense, by the way; I sort of know what I mean .

It can definitely be caused by stress. That kind of hair loss usually rights itself when the stress goes.

I'm sure my hair comes out more if I am worried about something. My eczema itches more too. Body and mind are very interdependent.

That's the trouble. I'm worried about me hair falling out. Ad infinitum....QED and stuff

Maybe it's because I've ben sleeping with my head higher than my body [reflux] and the blood is draining away from my scalp therefore I should sleep the other way round [like a bat] to improve blood flow.....I think the nail might have been hit on the head [light bulb moment].

Have you tried Omeprazole? I was only thinking yesterday, my life would be miserable without it.

You could go the whole hog and get some fluoxetine to help with your anxiety.

Tegan your blood is not draining away from your scalp!

The circulatory system is very efficient - I assume your ears and eyes are working OK!

Nah; I worry if I haven't got anything to worry about....'I worry therefore I am is my mantra'...

Well I've just noticed that the last glasses I bought have got little diamonds on the front [I don't do glitter and only noticed them when I wore another pair of glasses] and my kids can't believe how loud I have the television, so they might not be. Maybe one of those revolving compost makes would be the place to sleep so I could rotate on a regular basis throughout the night.

Well, I think you could be suffering from anxiety. It's very treatable.

At least you've still got your sense of humour.

The specialist hairdresser I mentioned eons ago did say my scalp was very tight. He said I should spend a few minutes every night with my head down towards the floor massaging my scalp vigorously. Of course I had a couple of half-hearted digs and packed in, mainly because I worried about making my hair greasy and it looking even worse. He told me off every time I saw him for not following this advice - he reckoned it was the best way to get the scalp stimulated into working properly, and for free. Perhaps I'll give it a go. Then I'll counteract the greasiness with yet more Batiste.

I've just done the cold water rinse after my shower [gets harder as the weather gets colder] and [hurrah] less hair on brush today and none when I washed it [falling out that is not no hair]. Will do massage; carry on taking the tablets and put some Argan oil on [latest miracle cure ]. I always had a theory that, if I had a problem and mentioned it in a 'oh by the way doctor, I'm a bit worried about xyz' nothing happened but, by the time I made a proper appointment the problem would almost instantly go away. Maybe this is what has happened; bit like an alcoholic admitting they're an alcoholic. Watch this space . Mind you, have made a mental note about that place in Newcastle as I'm heading oop north soon. belt'n'braces approach...

I have been tested for hormonal imbalances for my hair loss. It wasn't. There was no explanation. Some people's hair grows back, some doesn't. For those of us in the latter category, you have to deal with it, it's not easy.
I know a lady who quite severe hair loss and used to wear a hat. Some kids pulled her hat off as she was sitting on a bus one day and started calling her 'baldy' and 'slaphead'. She was suicidal. (Sorry if that seems over the top but if you look on womens hair loss forums a lot of the people (especially the younger ones are actually suicidal, both men and women). Sorry to darken the mood !

That's how I feel when I wear a hat etc; as if people can see through it anyway. Mind you, I've just washed my hair and it doesn't look too bad today..it's just that I know it can only get worse. I can't imagine what it must be like for it to happen when you're young; there's so much pressure on young people these days as it is . I sometimes make a point of looking 'invisible'; I'm sure I looked like a bag lady yesterday.I certainly dressed like one. My plan is to do something now so that when it does get worse no one notices the difference ie I want thin non descript hair that looks so non descript that no one would think I'd done anything to it. My mum used to cry about her hair and I just used to laugh . Hubris methinks.