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[PeriPagan]

Hi All,

I know this subject has been done to death on here, but I've just spent another bath time in tears so I guess I need to air my anxieties about it.

Basically, I'm shedding my head hair. In the past 8 years I've gone from someone who had a absolute mass of thick, fine hair that could grow 2/3" in a month (yes really) to having what I refer to as 'head fluff'. I estimate that I've lost 50% in the past 8 years!

It's not breaking, its coming out at the roots in an all over pattern. It is still growing but at a much slower rate (I've got grey regrowth after a dye job to prove it) but I can't shake the feeling that every hair that disappears down the plug hole is gone forever, never to be replaced.

I've just had my HRT upped 4 weeks ago especially as my peri oestrogen levels nose-dived again about 2 months ago.  I'm hoping an praying that this will help but I'm so low about this at the moment its ridiculous.

My progesterone sources (desogestrol & soon to be utrogestan) are both least testosterone derived so there's little chance that's the cause.

I take vitamin D, B-complex, calcium etc, haven't let a hair dryer or hair products (apart from to wash & condition) near it in 10 years, brush minimally and I'm getting another round of blood test this week to check my thyroid etc. s if thats out of whack it'll show.

How long can it take before i'll know if the oestrogen increase is helping? Is there anything else I can try? Minoxodil is too pricey for my pocket.

Any reassurance or tips would be appreciated.   

[jaycee]

I can totally empathise with you,i am one of them posting about hair loss a lot,it is devastating I know
I have had thyroid checked all ok, iron ok, eventually went to see a dermatologist, who first asked if I had been ill, I said no [but forgot I had shingles almost 2 years ago] under a lot of stress too in the last 2 years, he pulled a hair out and said it was Telogen Effluvium, which means it will grow back, but when is another matter
I started with intense itching, both body and scalp, woke up one morning woth scratches on my arms that looked like I had been attacked by a big cat
I was on Livial and was worried that might have helped so Dr gave me Evoral Conti, which made it 10x worse,hair just floated out in front of my eyes,and now bald spots,although dermatologist said there is some hair but so thin it looks like its bald
I am having to wear a hat all the time outside as it is very noticeable,mainly at the back from the crown down, from the front no one would guess what the back is like
Have you tried to see a dermatologist. mine is attached to my surgery luckily so on NHS
Where has you hair fallen from?
My daughters is also falling after being on the same patch I was,but hers is all over thinning

[coldlittleheart]

Hair loss is so frustrating and upsetting. I had some hair thinning in perimenopause, but turns out my ferritin levels were very very low, to the point that I ran out completely so might be worth having that checked. I changed shampoos, upped my iron intake, things stabilised, hair stopped shedding and started growing.

As for HRT, I thought that the progesterone was the culprit the first time around. My GP prescribed Kliovance last year. After my hair had been ok for quite some time, a few weeks after I started that round of hrt, my hair started falling again, like you I'd be in tears in a bath full of hairs floating around. I read that Kliovance has norethisterone which is testosterone derived and could cause problems such as hair loss. I asked my GP if I could try Femeston. That did nothing and my hair kept on shedding. So I stopped. I went almost a year with my miserable menopausal symptoms, constant anxiety, dark moods, extra tiredness (I am always tired anyway as I have fibromyalgia). But my hair stopped shedding.

Last summer, I couldn't cope anymore, having read a little more about HRT and people's experiences, I asked the doctor if I could try Oestrogel and Utrogestan. At first the GP I spoke to gave me progynova and utro. Then my own GP switched me to the gel. I could not tolerate the daily utro, it floored me with fatigue and other side effects. My hair started shedding too, again. So I decided to try utro on a cycle. I've been on Oestrogel only for a couple of weeks now, a lot less tired without the utro daily, but my hair has started shedding even more than before.

All this to say that your problem might not be the progesterone, but the estrogen It can help with hair loss, but from what I've read it can also cause it. It is a tricky one

I went to a dermatologist a few years back when I was concerned about hair loss and he didn't even examine my hair or scalp, didn't do a hair pull test, didn't loo at my blood tests, he just said I was getting older and it was normal.  How helpful.

[CLKD]

No topic is 'done to death'!   If someone has a worry then it gets shared ;-).

What is the worst about hair loss?  Many women see it as their identity.  Maybe contact a cancer unit to see how women cope.  Also look at Trevor Sorbie, the hairdresser who has a web-site specifically for women losing hair due to chemo.  He is a hairdresser that was in the background of life whilst I was growing up and it seems that he has an interest in this subject.

There are various hats out there as well as scarves etc..  Have a look at the over-all menopause matters pages to see if the topic is raised? 

R U otherwise well?  Good diet.  Good hydration.  It's one of Life's mysteries  .  There may be alopecia groups close by who may have at least support and advice.  Let us know how you get on?

[CLKD]

  stellajane

[jaycee]

I have been looking at saw palmetto, you can also get it in an oil that you put on bald spots ,it is supposed to be good for women's hair loss, have tried everything else I think .but some swear by castor oil for eyebrow and hair loss ,did nothing for me

[CLKD]

Except have every cat after you ?

A friend many years ago had her hair shaved close and put a dye over it ;-). 

[jaycee]

I didn't know saw palmetto was attrative to cats and im too old to shave my head and dye it, my hair is a nice length, still, it just has some missing, couldn't go bald 

[CLKD]

It was the oil mention that swung it 

[PeriPagan]

Hi All,

Thanks for the replies. This is such a large topic for us women isn't it? It's certainly one that cis men don't get as society hasn't attached their worth to their hair!

At the moment its not alopecia, I've no bald patches, just a overall shed rate that now outstrips growth rate (When i was younger I would shed a lot but there would always be a mass of new growth to replace it).

The reason I call it head fluff is its now dull, lifeless and there's less of it than there was before. Plus the grey has suddenly gone into overdrive! My hair has always been my crowning glory: when you're short and fat you make the most of what you have! I guess part of me is grieving for what I had, I'd got it just the way i wanted it and now this....

Its so goddamn dry and my scalp itches! When i look at the roots that come out they seem smaller (desiccated) than they used to be. Can't find a way to lock the moisture in to the scalp. I tried some Elasticizer yesterday and it was so nice to be able to comb it though without a single knot but the price...the terrible, terrible price!

As for dermatologists I have considered it but there isn't a SINGLE NHS dermatology department in this area of Essex (Colchester & Chelmsford). There are 2 private specialists at Oaks In Colchester but as you can guess the queues are ridunkulous!

It difficult to know whats coming: My mum was menopausal at 45, but didn't lose much volume, my younger sister had a rough time with hair loss after the birth of her second but that recovered to a point. My younger hair volume etc. takes after my father but he's grey and bald now! Argh! 

Part of it is the uncertainty. I could adjust to this amount of hair, its better at holding a style and has increased volume, hell I could go back to wearing bob-length layered, off the shoulder if needs be, but the chance that it could get worse is just.........

Bugger.

[PeriPagan]

Has anyone tried Eucerin Dermocapillaire Calming Urea Scalp Treatment? I used the shampoo and was impressed but it was too pricey for the amount I go through so switched to E45 which isn't bad.

My situation is further complicated by the pruritus/eczema situation. It means no fragrance apart from chamomile, rose, tea tree which I know my skin can tolerate in small amounts. All mints and citrus fragrances are right out!

[Sammiejane]

peripagon

can i ask what estrogen hrt u take ?

do u take estrogen only !

the only reason i ask is i'm on estrogel and i had hysterectomy 5 yrs ago age 35 no hrt at all for 4 yrs till 2018 then started elleste solo patch for 7 weeks a week late vagifem then 5 weeks late hair fell out and has been thinning ever since ! before hrt and following my op my hair was the thickest it's ever been and grew mega quick now it seems to be shedding but there's regrowth but i don't think the lost hairs are being replaced as it's thinner and thinner and the one ingredient they all have is estradiol , everyone think progesterone cause hairloss but i've took the pill with no hairloss and now taking estrogen only i've lost 50 percent hair volume in 10 months and its been triggered by taking hormones the only way i'd now this for sure is to stop hrt ! but i swapped to patch estradot recently for 6 weeks as i wasn't obsorbing the gel but my hairloss was worse and as the patch out of stock had to go back to the gel but i think it's either an imbalance in the 3 sex hormones or it's estradiol itself . and the symtom i started taking it for was dampness down below possible VA which i also take ovestin for but it hasn't improved infact last few weeks it is worse

[Ladybt28]

Peripagen - Philip Kingsley Elasticiser - check out the one day deals (TSV) or deal of the month on QVC - cheapest you will get it, although doesn't come up very often and is usually a 500gm pump pot or even 1kg pump!  The initial outlay looks high cos it's big size but price per millilitre is much lower! Lasts 6 - 9 months or more depending on hair length. the original doesn't have any perfume, but they are bringing out ones now which do have perfume so be careful which you get if you have a problem with perfumes.

There is also something called Hairfix - also looks pricey but if it works?..well?  that can be got same place and I wait for a TSV.
Just for your info, if you use for a month and you don't like or it doesn't work you can send back and get your money back - all of it except the postage.  Great way to try stuff.
My hair is getting thinner but I haven't worked out why.  I don't get massive shedding, it's just thinner and I am seeing more in the brush.

[PeriPagan]

Hi All.

Stellajane, it sound like your hair and mine are very similar. Mine has always gone straggly once it hits my shoulders too so I tend to keep it off. I do like to be able to get it back in s loose ponytail though as hair on my face drives me mad!

My GP gave me Betacap (topical steroid) which I use if the itch gets too much.

LadyBT, I've seen elasticizer on QVC and am currently waiting to see what thier Xmas TSV's come out at. It seems to work well for my hair but not for my scalp through.

Sammie, I'm on Oestrogel and it works very well for me so far. I still have my bits so am taking the long rollercoaster ride down to meno rather than the savage drop! I went on HRT for a huge raft of symptoms including some very horrible mental ones. For me it seems to be the falling oestrogen that is driving my hair loss possibly coupled with stress. I'm mid to late peri so I get sharper drops rather than creeping loss now so the shedding is more noticeable.

Unfortunately for a lot of things regarding hormones side effects of HRT and symptoms of meno present the same. It's a pain and the only way to solve the mystery is to make a change and wait! If you want to try coming off the HRT go for it, we won't judge!

[Chrissie123]

Hair loss is so frustrating and upsetting. I had some hair thinning in perimenopause, but turns out my ferritin levels were very very low, to the point that I ran out completely so might be worth having that checked. I changed shampoos, upped my iron intake, things stabilised, hair stopped shedding and started growing.

As for HRT, I thought that the progesterone was the culprit the first time around. My GP prescribed Kliovance last year. After my hair had been ok for quite some time, a few weeks after I started that round of hrt, my hair started falling again, like you I'd be in tears in a bath full of hairs floating around. I read that Kliovance has norethisterone which is testosterone derived and could cause problems such as hair loss. I asked my GP if I could try Femeston. That did nothing and my hair kept on shedding. So I stopped. I went almost a year with my miserable menopausal symptoms, constant anxiety, dark moods, extra tiredness (I am always tired anyway as I have fibromyalgia). But my hair stopped shedding.

Last summer, I couldn't cope anymore, having read a little more about HRT and people's experiences, I asked the doctor if I could try Oestrogel and Utrogestan. At first the GP I spoke to gave me progynova and utro. Then my own GP switched me to the gel. I could not tolerate the daily utro, it floored me with fatigue and other side effects. My hair started shedding too, again. So I decided to try utro on a cycle. I've been on Oestrogel only for a couple of weeks now, a lot less tired without the utro daily, but my hair has started shedding even more than before.

All this to say that your problem might not be the progesterone, but the estrogen It can help with hair loss, but from what I've read it can also cause it. It is a tricky one

I went to a dermatologist a few years back when I was concerned about hair loss and he didn't even examine my hair or scalp, didn't do a hair pull test, didn't loo at my blood tests, he just said I was getting older and it was normal.  How helpful.