Losing My Hair

[wyldcurlz]

I notice that when I wash my hair or when I try to Conditioner Rinse a few times thru-out the week, I shed excessively (or lose quite a lot of hair!!) When I wash there are always strands all over the shower, strands all over my body. What's going on?

When I was getting my hair pressed or flat-ironed and only washing once a week, I didn't notice as much hair loss...then again, I was getting my hair washed at the salon.

Is this a double-edged sword? What do I do? Should I stop daily rinsing or frequent CWs? (But I workout A LOT and I'm worried about the sweat issue) or do I go back to the evil of weekly heat services?

I do have a lot of hair and its thick. A woman I met recently told me that I'm losing hair that's already been loosened and was just in my head or because I have a lot of thick hair, the loss is minimal.

I'm worried and I don't know if i should be worried or if its not a big deal? What to do?!?!

 

[hopeful]

My hair can't handle too many conditioner washes per week either.

 

[benosayi]

I notice that when I wash my hair or when I try to Conditioner Rinse a few times thru-out the week, I shed excessively (or lose quite a lot of hair!!) When I wash there are always strands all over the shower, strands all over my body. What's going on?

When I was getting my hair pressed or flat-ironed and only washing once a week, I didn't notice as much hair loss...then again, I was getting my hair washed at the salon.

Is this a double-edged sword? What do I do? Should I stop daily rinsing or frequent CWs? (But I workout A LOT and I'm worried about the sweat issue) or do I go back to the evil of weekly heat services?

I do have a lot of hair and its thick. A woman I met recently told me that I'm losing hair that's already been loosened and was just in my head or because I have a lot of thick hair, the loss is minimal.

I'm worried and I don't know if i should be worried or if its not a big deal? What to do?!?!

Do you use any protein? Leave in or do you deep condition. What helped me was using aphogee once a month until my brekage lessened. Then I started using infusium 3 minute deep condtioner. Aphogee is strong, I only use that maybe once every 2-3 months. I also use a leave in like infusium. My hair loves protein. Some people have issues with protein. See what works for you.
Peace and Blessings

 

[wyldcurlz]

i deep condition at least once a week. i don't use a lot of protein to be honest. i had a protein treatment done at the salon this year, but i think that was one of the first ones i'd had in a while.

this hair loss thing has been a problem for a long time, though. when i wash it myself (or CW) i notice a lot of hair in the sink, on my body, in the shower, whatever. i don't get it.

 

[carameldiva]

Try using a garlic shampoo and also you can use a protein treatment every two weeks- i use Jherri Redding 100% natural protein treatment or lamaur's bone marrow. I co wash daily with good results. Maybe you are not moisturizing enough- are u spritzing you hair daily and/ or using conditioning oils? Tell us your routine- so we can see what's missing?

 

[Kinkyhairlady]

i deep condition at least once a week. i don't use a lot of protein to be honest. i had a protein treatment done at the salon this year, but i think that was one of the first ones i'd had in a while.

this hair loss thing has been a problem for a long time, though. when i wash it myself (or CW) i notice a lot of hair in the sink, on my body, in the shower, whatever. i don't get it.

Have you check to see if you have hard water? When I first moved to my place I tried washing my hair and I had so much strands in the tub it was not funny and my hair looked matted. After my braid disaster in January I decided to purchase a water filter and I love it. It truly makes a difference in the way my hair feels and looks. Yeah I may have a strand here and there but definately nothing excessive and I thing that is normal. Check that out and maybe you can invest in one and see how that goes. HTH

 

[benosayi]

Have you check to see if you have hard water? When I first moved to my place I tried washing my hair and I had so much strands in the tub it was not funny and my hair looked matted. After my braid disaster in January I decided to purchase a water filter and I love it. It truly makes a difference in the way my hair feels and looks. Yeah I may have a strand here and there but definately nothing excessive and I thing that is normal. Check that out and maybe you can invest in one and see how that goes. HTH

One easy way you can tell if you have hard water is does you glasses have a residue on them from the dishwasher. Looks somewhat cloudy. I don't have hard water but my mother does and she has to use those tablets in the diswasher. Someone also posted a link that shows hard water states. You can do a seach on it.

 

[benosayi]

Here is the link
http://water.usgs.gov/owq/map1.jpeg

 

[Divine Inspiration]

What are you eating? Are you drinking enough water? Are you iron-deficient??

 

[hairmaster]

If you have thick hair do you comb you hair everyday, do you use a PH balanced shampoo? when you went to the salon every week did they ever say anything about the amount of hair in the sink? it may be natural for you to have that amount of lose most people lose 100 strands in a weeks time.

 

[wyldcurlz]

thanks for all your replies.

as for water....we have a water purifier and (i believe) a water softener.

my routine...i'm kinda without a routine. i've never really done anything to my hair, aside from schlep to the salon once a week and have it pressed. now that i've been here and trying to grow my hair to goal...well, i've basically stopped using heat. but, i don't have a routine. i wish i did. i see all the gorgeous hair here and all the growth and i feel like everyone has clarity on what they're doing except me!! right now, i CW once a week, i was daily rinsing until i started noticing the hair loss. my hair is curly so i can't say i really "comb" it daily. i finger comb/rake quite often...and even when i do that, i lose hair EVERY time i run my hand thru my head.

usually, i rinse half the conditioner out of my hair and leave some in, i do comb it in the shower when its full of condish. i get out the shower, apply curly pudding and let it air dry. or i braid it up and let it air dry. then i wear it curly. since my curls don't look good 2nd day, i usually ret wet and do it all over again.

my diet...healthy, but always room for improvement. i probably don't get as much protein as i should. definitely don't drink as much water as i should. but, its not like i eat big mac's, fries and shakes 24/7.

thanks for the hard water link - i will check that. and maybe i'll up my protein treatments. i just have no idea what is going on or why.

 

[wyldcurlz]

I had my hair in not very tight cornrows for 5-6 days. I gently removed them, CW'd my hair and lots of hair came out. Then I deep conditioned it with a protein (Emergency 911 Pak by some Japanese company) and SO MUCH MORE hair came out. It looked like 1,000 hairs. When I gathered it all together, it was at least 3 inches in width by 4 inches tall. Gobs and gobs of hair.

Then after that more hair came out during comb out and still today - 3 days later and frizzy (needing some moisture) - when I run my hands through my hair, at least 3 strands come out each time?

Is this a shed cycle? How do I find out? Or is it something I need to be concerned about and go see a doctor. I'm not on any medication that causes hair loss and I'm not under any stress (that I know of.) Or was it possibly because hair was braided and that was days worth of shedding?

PLEASE, PLEASE HELP!!!! This has been going on for a while, even before I wore the corn-rows...I'm really concerned.

 

[~*~ShopAholic~*~]

There was a post about someone who was loosing hair really bad and started using Follicule by Isoplus, they said it stopped their shedding almost immediately. I think you should give this a try and I hope you DC after the Proten treatment? If this doesn't help it could just mean that your hairs life cycle is over and new hair is moving in, HTH

I had my hair in not very tight cornrows for 5-6 days. I gently removed them, CW'd my hair and lots of hair came out. Then I deep conditioned it with a protein (Emergency 911 Pak by some Japanese company) and SO MUCH MORE hair came out. It looked like 1,000 hairs. When I gathered it all together, it was at least 3 inches in width by 4 inches tall. Gobs and gobs of hair.

Then after that more hair came out during comb out and still today - 3 days later and frizzy (needing some moisture) - when I run my hands through my hair, at least 3 strands come out each time?

Is this a shed cycle? How do I find out? Or is it something I need to be concerned about and go see a doctor. I'm not on any medication that causes hair loss and I'm not under any stress (that I know of.) Or was it possibly because hair was braided and that was days worth of shedding?

PLEASE, PLEASE HELP!!!! This has been going on for a while, even before I wore the corn-rows...I'm really concerned.

 

[metalkitty]

Hi Wildcurlz, did you follow the protein treatment up with a moisturizing deep conditioner afterwards? I get the feeling your excessive shedding could easily be internal... you should get a blood test for anemia, like Divine said, since its pretty common especially among women. Does your hair get super tangly? I'd suggest a Jilbere' comb and my favorite little gadget, th Tangle Tamer. Its a comb with wide spaced spinning teeth that gets through the hair and loosens knots easily. Its good for people like me who'll move too fast and rip hair out because the buzzing makes a different tone, indicating to slow down. If it can get through six months of kinky newgrowth without much shedding its good in my book. You can get it at larger drugstores like Walgreen for inbetween $10-15. HTH, keep us posted so we can help you out better .

 

[aileendq]

I recently went through this myself. I relaxed (texturized) in September, and after had loads of hair in the drain, all over my floor, etc. I thought it was that I had overprocessed my hair, but when I looked at the strands, I saw bulbs at the ends, so I knew it was shedding vs. breaking. I was panicked anyway...

It has since stopped, and I decided that it was a combination of the change of season and stress....

You are suppposed to lose 100+ hairs a day, so it could be all that excess hair was from when it was braided and they couldn't fall out.

It sounds like you may be in a shedding cycle. Also, examine your stress level. It won't hurt to use protien and take extra good care of your hair, but if it's shedding and not breaking, then it may be something not related to the topical stuff you are putting on your hair.

Just my two cents....

 

[ghanaian dime]

i deep condition at least once a week. i don't use a lot of protein to be honest. i had a protein treatment done at the salon this year, but i think that was one of the first ones i'd had in a while.

this hair loss thing has been a problem for a long time, though. when i wash it myself (or CW) i notice a lot of hair in the sink, on my body, in the shower, whatever. i don't get it.

I don't think you're talking about breakage (hair breaking off mid strand or at the end with no white bulb). Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you're talking about excessive shed hair (hair from the root w/the white bulb at the end). If this is the case, a topical agent may not be the cure all. The problem could be internal or seasonal. I am having the exact same problem. I have done everything from switching my birth control pill to increasing my iron intake (anemia due to low iron can cause hair loss). My shedding has slowed down, but not completely. I haven't started the new BCP I'm switching to, but I hope that will help in some way.

If I were you, I would do an inventory of when the shedding started and then try to figure out what you started doing differently for your hair. If not much has changed, maybe you should go see if you're anemic.

Hope this helps...

 

[Cheleigh]

I shed a lot too...it seems like I lose hair about the size of a golf ball every week. I don't recall shedding so much when I was fully relaxed, but I also wasn't manipulating my hair as much (honestly, I didn't wash my hair that often when relaxed, but now if I even go a week without a CW, my hair seems to become dry, coarse and tangly). However, I do recall being a shedder after I would blow dry even when fully relaxed.

I have recently started taking MSM, garlic and iron tablets, along with my usual supplement. I do think there's something to the water--when I drink about a liter daily, I think I have less shedding than when I get skimpy on the water (about 2-3 glasses per day only). I've slacked off generally (supplements and water) the past week, and saw a large gumball's worth of hair as a result last night during my CW. I have traditionally suffered from anemia, and I do have poor extremity blood circulation, so I think it's an internal problem. I also realize that I am a probably an above average shedder. I also think I might try to increase blood circulation to my head via massage or other stimulation.

Anyone seen benefit to scalp stimulation?