seasonal hair loss

[Mary]

Hello ladies,
I realize that it's been some time since any real discussion happened on this board. I, too, have been experiencing significant hair loss/shedding since approx. mid-July of this year. I have a hunch that it's telogen effluvium (TE) and that it may be seasonal. The thing is, I'm also wondering whether or not it might be connected to my use of birth control pills. At this time last year, I was going through similar shedding while simultaneously taking Tri-Cyclen. (I had been on tri-cyclen for approx. 1 year at that time.) By October of last year, my shedding had gotten to the point where I was losing 200 + hairs/daily. I decided to stop taking the pill with the hope that the shedding would stop. It did - almost instantly! In May of this year, I decided to try Diane 35 in the hope that it would clear up some mild acne. Within a few short months, my skin was looking beautiful. Sadly, by mid-July, the shedding had begun again and has gotten to the point where I am (once again) losing 200+ hairs daily. It's traumatic - hair in the sink, in my comb, in the tub, on my clothes, in my car - it's everywhere. I dread showering in the mornings, as I watch the hair fall into the sink as I comb it out. Has anyone had a similar issue with birth control? (More specifically, with Diane 35?) I've read that it is often prescribed to stop shedding/TE. I'm really stuck...
Thanks so much for listening/reading.
Mary

[GoldiLocks80]

Hello,
Well.. I have to admit its little comfort to see other women have the same problem. I wish I was the only one, and could go to the doctor and get this "fixed".
I have had seasonal hair loss for about ten years. I am 28. I first noticed it when I moved to Germany. I had lived there for three months, and had moved in the fall. I noticed lots of hair falling out, and it would tapper off as winter progessed. Come spring.. my hair grew back.. by summer my hair felt thicker. I have blue eyes, and thin, fine, curly hair.

The problem has been around when I was on birth control, and when I have been off (now off for three years). I do notice my nails are like talons this time of year.

I have thought to get my hormones checked out, but wunder about the weather change. I do not shed in summer, only in fall-winter. I take a multi vitamin a day, but think i should take more vitamin D. I am going to get NIOXIN, I tried that before. I cant say if it helped.

This time when I look at the ends of my hair, the folicle is thick, sometimes it looks like the scalp came off with it. I live in BC Canada, and the weather changed on us suddenly, went cold fast.

I wish there was some doctor who would do more research into this, they could use us a test patients!

Please post any changes, I will post again after i try NIOXIN.

HAppy HAir to you all,
Goldi

[Mary]

Hello Goldi...
I want to wish you SO much luck with Nioxin. Please do keep us posted! Can I ask what Birth Control Pills you've taken? ...I've been on Ortho-Tricyclen, Yasmin AND Diane 35 - all BCP that are supposed to PREVENT hair loss. (In fact, it seems to me that they're often prescribed to treat it.) Have you noticed that your hair is growing increasingly thinner as the sheds have occurred, or do you find that your hair has an almost complete recovery? Sorry, I don't mean to bombard you with questions... Agreed - it is little comfort to see that other women are experiencing this, but at the same time, it's good to know that I'm not entirely alone.
Thanks,
Mary

[LoriL]

Hello Ladies,
I live in Cali, and every May-Oct. I to go through shedding, and I to have had every test under the sun, and everything comes back normal. It is quite frustrating, my hair thickens up in the winter, and thins out in the summer. I think that it might be related to the heat. Lori L

[a_drop_of_the_sea]

I want first of all to respond to your question about bumps on top of your head. I saw my doctor yesterday because of hair loss. During my visit with her, I asked her to look at a small bump that had been on the top of my head for many months. It started out quite small, itching very little, but had somewhat increased in size. She said it is a sebaceous cyst. Nothing to worry about, but that I could either pop it myself (eeeewww!) or have her do it. But not to let it get larger as it would be more involved in the removal just because if it's size. So, I believe it is possible that you may have several sebaceous cysts which may itch a little during the night while you are asleep, and you may scratch them thus producing the little cuts you referred to.

About hair loss--I came across this website while searching for an answer to my own seasonal hair loss. Who ever would have thought of such a thing????? Yes, each year starting in about June or early July (because it is hard to pinpoint the exact time this starts) my hair begins to show up more and more in my brush, in the bath plug, on my clothes, you name it. It is quite noticeable. I was beginning to wonder if it has something to do with the change of seasons. From what I gather from research, yes, this is a possibility.

It is so frustrating, and strikes at the very heart of a woman's confidence.
I hope for better hair days ahead for all of us.

Hello ladies, I was surfing the net for articles on hair loss and came to this forum. I am 49 years of age, soon to be 50 in a couple weeks, and have been experiencing hair loss over the last 5 years. It has become noticeably thinner...so much so that you can see right through the top of my head.

I also have noticed a seasonal pattern. I lose my hair between Aug/Sept. through January/February. Funny, this is the same period that my hot flashes re-appear. Do you suppose there is a connection? I have consulted a dermatologist who said that my hair loss is hereditary and recommended rogaine. There must be another explanation. My mother and/or father have not experienced the significant hair loss that I have had at mid-life. Further my scalp almost feels sore/sensitive (like a sunburn) and occasionally small sores or cuts appear in the areas that I have been losing my hair. Has anyone experienced this symptom and if so what did you learn?

[Vessy]

The shed cycle in humans has not been investigated in much detail, but a few studies from the UK demonstrate the seasonal shed cycles. Although there is an increase in shedding during spring and fall, the number of hairs shed still falls within the generally recognized limits of 50 to 100 hairs a day. So in spring and fall the daily shed rate may be closer to 100 hairs a day and in summer and late winter the typical shed rate may be closer to 50 hairs a day.
I recommend myhairway book, about hair loss and treatment. I have being using myhairway method for 2 months now with great results. Hair loss has stopped and I can see overall hair density increasing

[kayjai]

I am 62 and have had seasonal horrid shedding for 3 years now. Started first year in July. Past 2 years starts slow in April but by May it is horrid. my last shampoo I lost over 300 hairs. bad loss from May to August. Winter it slows down a lot, but it never gets back to the way it was before this strarted. After 14 doctors and 3 years, I'm in the same position. Started estrogen/progesterone bioidentical therapy in Feb. Thought it helped but come may, Bam. Same thing. Now i started armor as my tyhroid is just a tad off. I dounbt it will help as why would it only be bad in summer and pretty good in winter? I got my ferritin up to par, and my vit. D. Take biotin etc. Still is happening. also I get the horrible itch, sometimes burn that comes with the hair loss. I always grow back hair, but those fall out too along with my long hairs. My texture has changed more like fluff then silk. I wonder if Melatonin has anything to do with it? But maybe not as some of you have this happen in fall-winter when melatonin is up. It is so devastating. Why can't the medical field find out the cause/causes. If only they would take it more serious. I think mens hair loss has much more research, and I hope they do more for woman. Gettg doctors to do the right test is harder then pulling teeth. Maybe we can pull together to find similarities. Re- Did anything unusual happen prior to this seasonal loss? What have you tried to stop/help it. Has anything helped? Etc. Let's keep together and see what answers we may come up with.

[Ladydivine]

The shed cycle in humans has not been investigated in much detail, but a few studies from the UK demonstrate the seasonal shed cycles. Although there is an increase in shedding during spring and fall, the number of hairs shed still falls within the generally recognized limits of 50 to 100 hairs a day. So in spring and fall the daily shed rate may be closer to 100 hairs a day and in summer and late winter the typical shed rate may be closer to 50 hairs a day.
I recommend myhairway book, about hair loss and treatment. I have being using myhairway method for 2 months now with great results. Hair loss has stopped and I can see overall hair density increasing

Thanks for posting this. I have tried myhairway method and found it quite effective. Maybe this is why my hair grows so much faster than my friends

[kayjai]

I have also heavy shedding from May through september. It gets much better in winter. The further into winter the better. This is going on for 3 years now. Just started out of the blue. I have had so many test, seen soooo many different doctors, and no answers or help. I want to start a group, and see if we can compare symptoms etc. and see if we can find out something we may all have in common. I will do diligent study to find out. I am 61, and even recently tried hormone relacement therapy, Re= bioidentical Estrogen/ progesterone, to see if that was the cause. As I am in the middle of one of my worse sheds, I see it has not helped. At first I also thought it was heat, humidity, an alergy etc. But it's not. I can go to a tropical place in the middle of winter, and not have a problem. I have had alergy testing, hormone test, MRI', ultra sounds, and even went to a very expensive hair research doctor in Illinois who was no help. PLEASE, PLEASE email at kayjai at aol dot com and let's get together. I hope I can get enough info from you so I can find out what is causing this . Please, no matter if you have summer loss, winter loss, or fall loss, as long as it is consitant and yearly. I need to know things like, how long has it been going on? What months, do you get itching or any oher scalp irritation when this happens. Did you have anything unusual happen to you saymaybe as long as a year before this shedding happened? What test have you had if any, what meds are you on, etc. etc. Any information you can supply would be helpfull. I intend on kicking this shedding in the . Please help me to help you and many others. kathy

[kayjai]

Yes, there are "normal seasonal shedding" that goes on every year. But we are talking about extreme shedding. Loosing 300 or 400 hairs after a shampoo is not normal shedding, so myhairway, or all those other products do not work on us that have this horrid seasonal shedding. But thank you for your suggestion. We have something internal going on, that cycles every year. It may be a different factor for some of us, but th end result is the same. horrid shedding. For those of you with this horrid seasonal shedding, please email me at kayjai at aol dot com. I want to start a research project and will need your help. No matter what season you shed, please send me an email. I want to kick this in the butt. kathy