Help for Women's Hair Loss

Hi J.- How very caring to help a friend in need. Sometimes we can't help ourselves. I would suggest some Gary Null books.
http://www.garynull.com/
When I looked up alopecia it looks like a common cause is autoimmune disorder, or malabsorbition of nutrients in the body. I personally think the Standard American Diet (SAD)is full of disease creators. Maybe your friend is at a low enough point to try a something radical like a colon cleanse, and raw foods/ juice program with a doctors guidance. I'm not a doctor. I believe our medical society has forgotten the best place to start. “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.” --Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.)
I wish you both the very best luck, A. H

1 mom found this helpful

She should try Nioxin. It works.

S.

Hi J.---In the absence of any answers from her doctors, I would suggest your friend look at her diet and other lifestyle habits that may not be supporting optimal health. I think that Amy's post suggesting that the body's autoimmune system may be compromised is a good one.

Our bodies can only function as well as the food we put into it will allow. Please understand that I am not saying that your friend has a horrible diet. But with all of the processed, genetically modified and nutrient deficient food that we are exposed to, what we think is a good diet may not be enough to keep us healthy. We are also exposed to more and different environmental toxins every day, further challenging our bodies ability to function properly.

Autoimmune disorders are the biggest growing classification of diseases today. These disorders, as well as cancers, heart disease and diabetes, just to name the big ones, are all impacted by our diet. It is said that 70% of all disease can be drastically reduced by diet and lifestyle changes.

To give ourselves a fighting chance, we need to focus our eating on 4 main food groups. Those are fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (black, kidney beans, chick peas, lentils). It is also best to minimize or maybe even eliminate animal products, and that includes cows milk. We can actually balance our immune system function with these foods. It is now recommended we get 9 to 13 servings of fruits and veggies every day. If we suffer from disease processes or are VERY active (working out, athlete), we will need even more.

I am studying Wellness Education through a naturopathic doctor, who also has a PhD in nutrition, from Columbus OH. I have a number of references on how to incorporate more of these health supporting foods into the diet. I would be happy to share these resources with you. I also would highly recommend a proven whole food supplement, fruits and veggies in a capsule, to help with getting more nutrients into the body. It's called Juice Plus+ and independent research has shown that it balances the immune system. These studies have been done at prestigous universities all over the world and more than one study has confirmed improved immune system function.

Please feel free to contact me to learn more. There is no obligation. I look forward to it. In health, D.
###-###-#### www.dianeshealthed.com

My cousin has dealt with alopecia all her life. I remember when she was a kid she had to pull all her hair into a pony tail to cover up the bald spots in the middle of her back of her head. In college she ended up losing it all. She has a few little patches that will grow but she shaves it because it looks worse with little puffs of hair in little spots on her head. She will now wear a scarf around her head or she will wear her wig. She is now 37. Very young. She has never had kids, so that is not what causes it. Not sure what does but I just feel so bad for her. She ended up buying a pricey wig so it looks good and not fake.

Hi J.,
My son-in-law's grandmother was losing her hair by the hands full in her shower. She started taking Shaklee vita Lea multi vitamin and using Shaklee shampoo- her hair stopped falling out within about 10 days and now she has a full, thick head of hair again. It could be that you friend just needs some good nutrition.
M.

Hi J.,
What a blessing you are as a friend to be thoughtful enough to ask about this in her behalf!

Just a couple suggestions from personal experience(s...
1. I am a non-practicing comsmetologist, but do keep my license up...if she indeed does have Alopecia Areata then the hairloss is most likely permanent and will continue...there is however a positive side to this and that is that wigs and hairpieces have improved immensely in the last several years...but of course there are still bad ones out there. Check the internet for reputable sites for her, ones that offer a money back guarantee would be the first I'd choose!
2. I have suffered tremendous hairloss both currently and in the past...first and foremost due to a non-functioning thyroid (low, actually non-existent). Even though your friend has had labs done the particular labs chosen by her MD can make a huge difference! Most PCP's simply order a TSH test and base their "you're ok" answers solely on this test. There are several thyroid tests that can be run to accurately assess her thyroid condition...just one will not do this, and sadly one has to INSIST on others being run...there are tests called T4, T4 Free, T3, T3 Free and complete thyroid panels. I always have a TSH and a T4 Free...Within the last couple of years the "normal" ranges for thyroid function have been changed. Most general MD's are not proficient in thyroid testing or regulating thyroid meds. The specialist that is the expert in this is an Endocrynologist.
3. Other things contribute to and cause hairloss in some individuals....such as surgery or anesthesia...I lost almost all of my hair in the front after gastric bypass 4 years ago. It will probably never come back to where it used to be but a supplement available at even places like WalMart, KMart, Target etc might help...it is called "Skin, Hair and Nails" (Or at some stores a variation of that title...perhaps "Hair, Skin and Nails). It can be found in the vitamin section...and would be the least expensive alternative to try first. Of course she also might fall into the supposed small percentage of women that Rogaine may help...

Sorry this is long...but I sensed the cry of your heart for your dear friend...

Take care and God Bless,
Sincerely,
M. B

My daughter is 4 yrs. old and has been diagnosed with Alopecia, when I took her to the specialist they said as of right now there is no cure for this, the only thing they could do for her was to give her steroid shots,which of course I said NO WAY ! Other than that, there is nothing they can do. They said she may not ever loose any hair ever again or she may always live with bald spots or even be completely bald later in life, you just never know with this disease...they are trying to find a cure for it but I know how upset your friend must be, I am very devastated for my daughter especially not knowing if she will be bald or never have any problems with this again. The Dermotoligist said the White Blood Cells attack the hair follicles and sometimes it happens in spurts or it may never bother her again. I wish i had more info. for your friend on this but as of now that is all I know... I have been told that there are some Herbal things to try but I haven't gotten that far yet !

there might be alternative ways of solving it. I know my cat was looking 'bald' a lot and I was giving her something for it. Look for an alternative practitioner. I can offer the name and number to mine if she'd like. Irene is a wonderful lady and always happy to help.

Dear J. K.,

I hope your friend won't mind that you mentioned this to our website. I see a lady at work daily who has alopecia. I think it's cool to have that problem, perhaps when she gets used to it it won't seem so bad. This young woman never has to shave her legs or armpits that I see at work. She can wear different wigs for different hair styles when she feels like having hair on her head, or she can wear scarves, hats, etc. to cover up her head if she wants to cover it up.

Your friend could get tatooed eyebrows if she can afford to do it. Where I live I only paid $60 for this and it looks so much better than my natural eyebrows. I just have to pluck out all my natural eyebrows when they grow in or wax them off. Your friend would never have to wax or pluck. How fortunate she is! I think some things can be turned around quite easily. I know it will take her some time to get used to the idea after having hair for so long, but I see it as an advantage. The only disadvantage I see is that if you perspire, it would run straight down your head, but you could wear a sweat band on warm days.

No picky whiskers on my face would also be so cool to me. Ever since I got my two ovaries surgically removed I get picky whiskers on my face and have to pluck them out with the tweezers. It would be ever so nice not to have to do this.

Hope this helps your friend. Also, when I feel rather down I find some music with a fast beat and before long I am singing along with the music and don't feel quite so down.

Does your friend have the internet and a home computer to get on this website and others? There is so much on the internet and also many free game sites she could play on in between her housework, etc.

L. c.

Hi J.
I don't have any experience with women and alopecia. My friend's husband has it and they were not able to do anything about it. It is so much harder on women to loose their hair though. He just looks like he shaves his head, and it looks great!

My mom lost her hair from chemo and got a great wig/hairpiece from the American Cancer Society. VERY affordibly priced and looked great, too. She got more compliments and inquiries about her hairdresser then she did on her regular hair! When/If your friend is ready to think of something like that, please pass on the info. I know that my mom looked at some wig shops and was not happy at all with the quality (not to mention it was a very emotional time) and the prices were pretty steep. The ACS also allowed her to return one that she didn't feel looked right on her.

She should have some blood work done. If it isn't hormones it could be something wrong with her pituitary gland. Tell her to ask her Dr about this.

I have suffered from it as well as my mom and my sister. We just do our best to keep our hair healthy, and my mom and sister both use volumizing and thickening agents to help, my sister like a brand called ojo the best. My mother in law also had it very severe and she wore a wig for a couple years and then all of a sudden her hair came back. just be there for her as much as she'll let you...hope this helps./

I suffered temporary hair loss when my hormone medication was adjusted. It lasted about a month and my hair was coming out by (nearly) handfuls. I lost nearly half the hair on my head. I never thought that I would be scared, but I was! I always had a lot of hair (besides it being thick as well).

My hair is growing back now, but it was a scary time for me. I shared this with a neighbor who was about to start chemo. I told her that it will be scary when her hair starts falling out and that it's okay to be scared. Women really do take pride in having a full head of hair. Women are "not supposed" to be bald.

Your friend can try the Rogaine. That was recommended to me. I didn't try it however because the condition turned out to be temporary. It is her choice whether to try it or not.

She can also check to see if her health insurance has any coverage in the purchase of wigs. My neighbor found that her insurance had great coverage and she picked out FABULOUS looking wigs (yes, more than ONE!).

I'll be praying for you and your friend. She is blessed to have you as her friend.

Blessings.

Hi J.,

Check out the National Alopecia Areata Foundation - www.naaf.org. A very helpful website. I just wrote a family medical history paper, and alopecia was one disorder in our family. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder that can also be related psoriasis or thyroid issues (my grandpa has psoriasis, mom has thyroid problems and my aunt has alopecia). No, it's not hormone-related, and they don't really know why the body begins to attack the hair follicles.

Unfortunately a lot more research still needs to be done on alopecia, but there are treatments (especially if it's only mild alopecia - less than 50% hair loss). I can't believe her doctor just diagnosed her and sent her out the door! She should check out the NAAF website and then either go back to her doctor and ask about treatments, or she needs to find a new doctor. She shouldn't have to suffer like this.

Good Luck,
A.

J., there are many causes of alopecia. My good friend had it and finally the dermo suggested cortisone shots in her scalp and it worked. She still has the occasional flare up of this but it did work.

Hi J.,

Hair loss in women seems to be on the rise. There are natural ways to help with alopecia. Alopecia originates in the immune system.

I provide nutrition consultations. I have great resources and also I am knowledgeable in Alopecia. My number is ###-###-####. The first consultation is at no charge.

M.

My brother's ex wife has Alopecia and lost all of her hair very early in life(by the time she was 10 she had no body hair). I wasn't aware that it could happen later in life. I'd suggest a second opinion. If it alopecia there are support groups she could attend. Being around people with the same situation might help her deal with it. Good luck to your friend.

HI J., My name is L. and I am a cosemtologist that specializes in helping women with their options in dealing with alopecia or hair loss from chemotherapy. I have many woney that I see every week and others only once for a wig. They use anything from a 1in.in diameter hairpieces to a 5in to a 3/4 piece wig to a full covering wig depending on the severity of the hairloss, placement of the spots. Depending on if it is is large places or thinning all over. There are options out there for her so she can feel herself again. She needs to have her self confidence back. Maybe you caould do some research for her to find someone in her area to help her. There are so many options today. You need to find someone with expericnce that can help her and not just order from a catalog. Match her color, style and need. I you have any questions please feel free to call me or email me. My # is ###-###-####. Again. let her know that she is so not alone and there are options and people out there to help her, but again, it must be a positive experince do make sure you speak with a professional with experience and expertise! I hope this helps and I will be praying for you friend! L.

My dear friend's husband suffers from this as well. American doctors don't know much about treating it, BUT they do in Russia - this is where my friend and her husband live. The doctor he sees is the expert in the area - I believe he's American, but I can't confirm that. Her husband has responded well to the treatments (though they're painful, lots of needle pricks in the areas where hair loss has occurred). Some of his follow up care requires taking lots of vitamins and minerals, that I often order for them and send over as we can get them much cheaper here in the states.

If you'd like me to connect you with them to get more ideas on what the treatments are like, cost, and all that information I'd be happy to do help.

Hi J.,
She could have an imbalance in hormones. I have heard when we are off balance this may happen. I would ask this question on the website www.mercola.com Dr. Mercola is a MD and also has studied extensively in the natural remedies.
C.

J.,
I am so sorry to hear about your friend. This must be so hard for her. Yesterday on Oprah, Dr. Oz was on talking about hair loss and some of the reasons why. I suggest going onto Oprah.com to see the details. Also, my hair did the same thing a long time ago and some suggested a nutritional imbalance or hormonal imbalance. In my case it was a low thyroid. She might want to have that checked if she hasn't already. Hope that helps.

DeeL.

I have gone through the same problem twice and both times after really looking at the situation my doctor and I have come to an agreement - it is stress. When things seem to be at their worse for me by body reacts by my hair falling out. During both times my iron has also dropped. by starting iron supplements and taking some precautions to combat the stress I have seen improvement in my hair. Could be something totally unrelated to what your friend is going through but if those areas were not looked at it is worth looking into.

I know someone who had this. She saw a dermotologist who gave her cortizone shots and a cream called Diprolene. She says the derm would check her scalp for other weak hair to make sure everything was treated. Says the Diprolene worked and her hair grew back.

Hello...
My 17 year old daughter suffers from Alopecia. It is an auto-immune disease that can strike anyone at anytime. It struck my daughter when she was 14, a freshman in High School. Talk about bad timing....
We were fortunate enough to have a friend that had the same thing happen to her daughter. They had been through all the medical treatments, even flew over seas to meet with experts, and the poor kid never got any results. Medically, they treat Alopecia with cotisone shots... 100's of them... to your scalp. This is painful, messy, and usually not productive.
We learned through our friend that her daughter only regained hair growth after being treated by a kinesiologist.
The treatments are all inavasive, painless, and pretty much focus on herbal treatments and diet.
My daughter went through the treatments and it haulted the hairloss... we had to stop treatments due to financial difficulties, but the treatments DO work!!! As soon as we can get back on the treatment, she will get the rest back.
We have recommended this doctor to others with Alopecia, and the treatments have worked on all of them as well!
For a short video on my daughter and her fight with Alopecia visit this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4ZJF2kKps0

The video may be helpful to your friend as well... and maybe help with her self image....

The doctor I mentioned earlier is located in Warren, on the corner of Masonic & Schoenherr. Dr. Lanny Lipson... our angel!

Good Luck to you and your friend!

Hi J.,
I know of a great nutritionist who told me that Projoba Full works great for thinning and loss of hair.... the main ingredient is primarily made of organic Flower Pollen extracts. If you or your friend is interested they can see more information on it at www.youngevity.com and click on the Company name on top called Projoba and look for the product called Full. I can help her get it at wholesale cost ($28.25) rather than paying retail. It's free to become a preferred customer and pay at wholesale! My contact info is ____@____.com
All the best,
L.