Sickle Cell ,Anemia, Thyroid abnormalities, etc. and Hair!

[sweetvi]

Im hoping the ladies with these disorders and similar to it respond to this post. Even ones without any disorder are welcome to comment. i am very frustrated with my hair!!!.. i have Sickle Cell SS and it seemed it has really hurt me alot when growing my hair! i have never had long hair or my hair grow past my shoulders and even if it gets there, i had bald patches or uneven choppy dry hair. ive always worn weaves or braids and of course with dating..i got the comments why do you wear fake hair or let your hair grow...???Then some stress would occur ( work, school) and my hair would break off , fall out and then I would have to start my journey again!

i am now in braids so i cant post a picture but ive decided to go natural and one good benefit I got out of it was my hair getting thicker. this past winter...i did finally see some growth all around but unfortunately with me going to dominicans every two weeks and wearing wool coats and not protecting my hair in the nape area cuased it to break off AGAIN! i know better now... i stopped and am now in braids starting my natural journey once again. I did notice two members ( lady sth i believe and ma taa oo ma..forgive my spelling) with arm pit and bsl who admitted to having sickle cell. I am taking my multivitamins and trying to avoid as much stress and thanks to the lord i have not been hospitilized for 5 years now sorry for the rambling but my question is what did you guys do to help you gain and retain so much lentgh and has your SC, anemia, etc been as troublesome to you as for me along your journey?

p..s this board is not limited to those with only SC, any person are encouraged to please respond?

thank you in advance!!

 

[Dellas]

I have a weak immune and Thalassemia and what has been working for me recently:

MSM internally and externally
Prenatal vitamins with extra iron but not too much
Drinking plenty of water
Biotin
and lastly ......98-99% pure Aloe vera on my scalp....it heals the scalp and is great for alopecia issues.


Even better if you can start taking Aloe vera internally as well (for immune issues). Scalp issues...apply to scalp.

This has helped stop my shedding cold and my bold spots are slowly going away!

http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=119644

 

[Evallusion]

I am anemic and I have noticed that my hair grows slower than others. My hair and skin are both drier than other as well. I've also noticed that my hair does better (growth/breakage) when I do take my multi-vitamin and iron pill combo...but not overnight. I was taking Omega 3-6-9's but I didn't take them long enough to see if they were helping.

Sorry, but I don't know much about sickle cell anemia specifically. I wish I could be of more help.

Check this thread out

 

[sweetvi]

thanks!! i will definetely look into the aloe vera internally!

 

[Vintageglam]

Low Iron levels can affect the rate of hair growth. I am anaemic forever and notice slow growth around the times when my Anaemia is particularly bad. I have very heavy periods which I think is the underlying cause of my Anaemia and have the trait but luckily not the SS.

I have taken Iron before but it messes up my stomach so need to find Iron I can tolerate.

 

[Evallusion]

This thread too:

Thread 2

 

[SLOGRO]

I've never had any significant problems with my hair, it's not the fastest grower but I seen good growth since I've started my heathy hair journey.

I have Alpha Thalssemia which is just a sickle cell trait, which means some blood cells are sickle shaped which allows for low iron intake.

I've done nothing but try and keep my hair in good condition with cowashes, oils dc etc.

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

I'm anemic and suffer from a vitamin D deficiency. When I was relaxed I had setback after setback but I never attributed it to my health until later. I decided to go natural and haven't looked back.

I'm taking (for health reasons not for hair growth): Omega 3-6-9, calcium, garlic oil, vitamin E, a multi-vitamin, prescription vitamin D, and a skin, nails, & hair vit.

 

[Dellas]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/816453/treat_and_reverse_hair_loss_with_the.html

 

[sweetvi]

thanks ladies ...please keep it coming this is giving me hope...i am a very private person and dont like sharing that part of my life but i know by opening up to you all that i would get some wonderful responses.... i will look into the blood builder from vitamin shoppe and it seems healthy and hopefully it doesn't cause any side effects!

 

[sweetvi]

now can i just buy the aloe vera juice or do i have to have the juice from the actual plant?

 

[Maa Maa omo mti]

Sweetvi Hugs. Thanks for referencing me. Yes I have SS also. I have been natural 2 yrs since May 13. prior to LHCF I have had shoulder length but never apl. My hair started out thin but now I would say it's medium some parts on the thin side. I too have issues with my edges but not many bald spots elsewhere. Before LHCF I have noticed that braiding was the worst thing I could do to my hair so I stopped braiding, and also anything that causes tension to my edges. Since joining LHCF I went from shoulder to APL then I went natural and now I'm back at APL.

I know it's cliche around here but keeping it simple is the best thing you can do to your hair. I condition alot,shampoo every two weeks and try to stay away from tension causing hair styles. Currently I'm all about wash and goes, but I do more twist outs, and bantu then anything.

I used to do the dominicans but realized they harm more than help. The styles are temporary but the side-effects are long lasting. I have tried growth aids in the past -Bountless Tress(BT), and that did help. But you need to find out what hinders you from getting to your goal.

As for vitamins I haven't been on any steady vitamins for a little over 10 yrs. I used to take folic acid daily but I stopped because I noticed I had onset crisis from it. I read somewhere that you can get to a point where your body starts to react to over medication of certain vitamins so this made sense to me. Now I'm on vitamin D cause of low bone mass/density since I don't drink milk. I drink plenty of water and hardly any soda. sometimes juice. PM me if you want to talk further.

 

[sweetvi]

thank you!!! i think i sent you a friend request but i will do it again if you did not recieve there is another member here ..i think she is located on Virginia libra? or lady ...sorry for the spelling error who i would love to hear from... i will try to keep it simple and actually for me braiding cuases me to retain alot of hair ...its just when i remove them..... i lose the retention . i will try the blood builder vit. and see and also the aloe vera juice seems interesting!

 

[Dellas]

Gel for scalp and juice for drinking... this is what I do and I have notice improvement

 

[Maa Maa omo mti]

thank you!!! i think i sent you a friend request but i will do it again if you did not recieve there is another member here ..i think she is located on Virginia libra? or lady ...sorry for the spelling error who i would love to hear from... i will try to keep it simple and actually for me braiding cuases me to retain alot of hair ...its just when i remove them..... i lose the retention . i will try the blood builder vit. and see and also the aloe vera juice seems interesting!

There is another SS poster, lilsparkle825. once she sees that her name has been mentioned she will provide you with some more info.

Retention is the key. From your OP you mentioned all the things you did that were wrong. That is half the battle. Once you know what you did wrong you can start approaching the correct protective procedures like investing in a wig. I wear them during the winter. Baggy treatment. pinning your hair up, and using silk scarf under your wool hats. It's a process in the beginning but once you get into the hang of things it gets easier and better.

The first thing I would do once the braids are out is a very good deep condition treatment. I would try to deep condition for two days if I can. only comb while conditioned, or wet(leave in conditioner) try to oil those ends. pay attention to products that dry or don't provide moisture. Honestly I can't really say my hair regimen is different from most posters. I just know that I can't go out and try every products/or styles out there. We just have to be cautious of what we use/do more than others.

 

[lilpooky]

I have Sickle Cell. My hair has been long in my younger days and has reached APL a time or two in the last few years. I recently relaxed my hair in November after being natural for two years and had it cut really really short. Now I'm struggling to grow it back long and I'm curious because growing my hair fast has never been a problem for me in the past (early, mid, and late teens). Now that I'm 23 my hair has not been growing as fast as it used to. I take a multi vitamin and drink plenty of water, but I'm still not achieving the levels of growth that I would like to see. Don't know if my SC is a factor or not, but I saw the title of this thread and decided to share my experience with my hair journey. So far, the things that have helped me is to protective style, use less heat, and moisturize and seal daily. Hope this helps!

 

[CurlsBazillion]

I have Lupus and I blame my thin hair on that but I am grateful its still attached to my scalp because that is another side effect. I'm seeing a vast improvement now that I'm chemical free, gave up meat, and I started taking Omega 3,6,9. Since the Omega 369 I no longer have skin flare ups, increased energy and my roots are coming in almost 2x thicker! I'll never give these pills up and I will increase my intake because of the great changes its brought to my health and my hair.

 

[destine2grow]

I am anemic and I have noticed that my hair grows slower than others. My hair and skin are both drier than other as well. I've also noticed that my hair does better (growth/breakage) when I do take my multi-vitamin and iron pill combo...but not overnight. I was taking Omega 3-6-9's but I didn't take them long enough to see if they were helping.

Sorry, but I don't know much about sickle cell anemia specifically. I wish I could be of more help.

Check this thread out

Evallusion you just described me to a T. I need to start back taking my iron pills. I just get so tired of taking the 3x a day. I just had a blood transfusion back on 4/6/11. I am also dealing with some health issues. So I am definitely going to start back taking my iron pills, multi vitamin, and biotin like I should.

I'm anemic and suffer from a vitamin D deficiency. When I was relaxed I had setback after setback but I never attributed it to my health until later. I decided to go natural and haven't looked back.

I'm taking (for health reasons not for hair growth): Omega 3-6-9, calcium, garlic oil, vitamin E, a multi-vitamin, prescription vitamin D, and a skin, nails, & hair vit.

Iluvsmuhgrass I also may suffer from vitamin D deficiency because I don't drink milk. I am so happy I decided to go natural because my hair seems to be more resilient when natural. However it still breaks and grows slow.

 

[sweetvi]

Lilsparkle825! lol thats exactly who i was referring to but for some reason I had lady in my mind!. i think i would try your suggestions... deep conditioning and keeping it moisturized. my nape area is the biggest problem because it was always the first to break off and you know length usually comes from that area and that's why my hair was always short! i think going natural was best for me because i did start to see length and thickness but ruined it with the Dominican blowout so i will only save that fro special occasions. thanks everyone...now i need to sit down and figure out what my regimen will be as a natural and what products work for me. I know for sure the aphogee line is a no no except the light 2 minute one because i jumped on that bandwagon when i saw Ateeya and it destroyed my hair!

 

[sweetvi]

now how much aloe vera juice do you drink and how often? do you mix it with anything or drink it alone?

thank you and sorry for so many questions...

 

[lilsparkle825]

Hi guys

Thanks for tagging me so I could see this thread....I don't venture into the hair forum TOO too much anymore. Maa Maa omo mti I am SO glad you mentioned that thing about folic acid...I am inconsistent with my folic acid, BUT I have noticed for a while now (like since I started college in 2005, maybe) that when I start taking it again, I have a crisis. As a mattter of fact, I started folic acid again a few weeks back and the next day my ankle was swollen (most of my pain is in my joints). I thought I was making that up....maybe I'll mention that to my doc. But yes, I do have SS, and I have been blessed to not have been hospitalized for a crisis since 2007. I was in a major car accident in 2009, and although I had 6 brain hemorrhages and had to get 12 pints of blood, my sickle cell caused no EXTRA complications. Amen to that!

Anyway, you are right....I am currently BSL (hell, I may be MBL, but I refuse to straighten my hair in all this heat). I have never really had problems with my hair growing, but I have had retention issues -- prior to going natural (I transitioned for a year and BC'd in 2008) I never made it past SL. Even now, if I don't protective style, my hair will snap off like nobody's business. Doesn't mean I PS all the time, but I find myself doing it out of convenience most of the time anyway. My hair doesn't do well with sew-ins or cornrows....my edges will get taken out along with the fake hair. As a matter of fact, I decided to go natural in the first place because I got almost to APL with a sew-in and lost it all (all the way up to NL) after detangling! I seem to do alright with individuals, and I learned to do my own Senegalese twists and box braids.

My hair is thin and my density is low, something I associated with genetics and not necessarily my sickle cell. I haaaate how thin my hair is, but what can you do? It's been said before and I will echo it....KISS is really the way to go. Most days, I cowash in the shower, dry my hair till it's slightly damp (not all the way dry, basically) with a t-shirt, add my leave-in, seal with EVOO or sweet almond oil, and put my hair in a bun. Sometimes I wear it in a wash and go or get fancy and do a twistout, but more often than not I am reaching for that hair tie to make a bun. I straighten once every 4 months, and like I said earlier, I am due for a length check since this month is my natural anniversary (yay!) but it is too darn hot! I eat a relatively healthy diet....mostly organic and all-natural foods, no GMO stuff or things with HFCS.....and my body thanks me for it. As a matter of fact, when I really started going hard with this diet last summer, I got three inches in three months. Haven't duplicated that success, but it was pretty awesome. As far as supplements, I take cod liver oil or a complete omega when I can remember. I tried the hair/skin/nails vitamin, but I am notoriously bad at remembering to take daily medications.

My best advice is the same I'd give to anyone else....listen to your hair. If it's dry, cowash often and leave the heat alone. Snapping a lot? Detangle GENTLY and wear styles that save your strands. Won't retain? Put it away -- the braids sound like a good idea, just maintain them properly and be careful with the takedown. Watch your diet, be consistent with any supplements you take and the length will come.

 

[sweetvi]

thanks! i notice that going natural is really what helped you girls gain and maintain length so i will keep on that journey.... i truly believe after awhile my body probably started to have a negative reaction to relaxers and the heat did not help these fine strands as much. I will continue with the braids and learn to bun and keep it moisturized more often. I noticed that chinablk had put a nice bun tutorial on youtube after she went natural...so I will try that when my hair is not in braids..

 

[justicefighter1913]

I have Lupus and I blame my thin hair on that but I am grateful its still attached to my scalp because that is another side effect. I'm seeing a vast improvement now that I'm chemical free, gave up meat, and I started taking Omega 3,6,9. Since the Omega 369 I no longer have skin flare ups, increased energy and my roots are coming in almost 2x thicker! I'll never give these pills up and I will increase my intake because of the great changes its brought to my health and my hair.

DayDreamist: I feel you...I'm in the same boat and my Rheum is telling me to go vegetarian. I've pulled myself off of beef and pork, but now I'm trying to give up chicken and fish.....can you say hard!!!! Did you give up all meat?

 

[CurlsBazillion]

@DayDreamist: I feel you...I'm in the same boat and my Rheum is telling me to go vegetarian. I've pulled myself off of beef and pork, but now I'm trying to give up chicken and fish.....can you say hard!!!! Did you give up all meat?

justicefighter I did give up all meat but I believe you have gotten off the worse kinds of meat. Red meat is not a lupus sufferer's friend at all! IMO you can keep eating fish but try those Omega 369, I no longer pass out in the middle of the day from severe fatigue, long story short I feel like a brand new person! I believe in our case being vegetarian is very helpful.

 

[itsallaboutattitude]

destine2grow I am anemic and have been tested positive for thalassemia.

I don't ever remember to take multiple doses of anything throughout the day. I take all my pills at one time. I take two or three Iron 65 mg tablets daily (generic brand from CVS. I still test positive for anemia 1% below the norm, but I am no longer being threatened with blood transfusions.

I too had issues with iron supplements over the years and was on a prescription iron that was discontinued. I've tried Slow FE. I did not have any bad reactions, but still tested extremely anemic. The Iron 65 mg works for me. I take them after eating (which is not following the instructions) or minutes before eating.

 

[grnidmonster]

I am chronically anemic and take weekly injections for it. I have lupus also and have lost my hair several times. It grows back. It is starting to take longer to grow back as I get older. Stress is a big issue for me, that definitely makes my hair come out. I will try the Omega369 cause I was having issues, tried a weave and that pulled the rest out so I cut it very short about 3 months ago. It is now almost chin length. Seems like I am always starting over. I have found that sleep, water, pre-natal bits and biotin are key.

 

[destine2grow]

@destine2grow I am anemic and have been tested positive for thalassemia.

I don't ever remember to take multiple doses of anything throughout the day. I take all my pills at one time. I take two or three Iron 65 mg tablets daily (generic brand from CVS. I still test positive for anemia 1% below the norm, but I am no longer being threatened with blood transfusions.

I too had issues with iron supplements over the years and was on a prescription iron that was discontinued. I've tried Slow FE. I did not have any bad reactions, but still tested extremely anemic. The Iron 65 mg works for me. I take them after eating (which is not following the instructions) or minutes before eating.

makemild I will try this when I run out of SlowFe. Thanks for the info.

 

[itsallaboutattitude]

destine2grow

You are welcome.

 

[beloved1bx]

do people take their iron supplements with Vitamin C?

I've been anemic for over a decade and last year my doctor told me to take iron supplements with vitamin C. I read that iron tablets need to be take with vitamin c (or B i think but don't quote me on this) in order for it to be absorbed into our systems.
I actually have to go see my Dr. tomorrow because apparently my blood count is low and he wants to test me for sickle cell (which i know i don't have) and thalassemia, etc.

I have APL relaxed hair, fine strands. I have had issues with thinning edges for years now. I've never been good about taking my supplements, but i'm trying to be better about my iron at least. I'm hoping they can fill back in. Have people been successful in filling in thin spots/thickening their hair?

 

[carletta]

FIRST.........CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT YOUR CONCERNS WITH YOUR HAIR.........THE TWO OF YOU CAN FIND SOMETHING THAT WILL WORK FOR YOU. MAKE SURE YOU LET YOUR DOCTOR KNOW WHAT SUPPLIMENTS YOU ARE TAKING. AND THE ONES YOU WANT TO TAKE (MAKE SURE THERE IS NO ADVERSE REACTION) TO MEDICATIONS YOU MAY BE TAKING.......

I HAVE ANEMIA....AND I MAKE SURE I OK WHAT IM TAKING WITH MY DOC. ALSO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE BLOODWORK WHILE TAKING SUPPLIMENTS TO CHECK UR LEVELS......