My hair is thinning and it's making me sad

zzirvingj

zzirvingj

New Member
I was looking at some recent pics and noticed how much thinner my hair has gotten. I went to a really good professional hair stylist 2 days ago and the last time I had been to her was about 3 months ago. She said that my hair has gotten thinner since then. I have had one trip to the Dominican salon since then so perhaps that contributed to it....

She also stated it was broken off in the crown and showed me how short it was. I was like :blush: when she showed me the layer of broken off hair. She said it looked that way because of where I had been positioning and wearing my bun. So she said that I would need to stop wearing buns and wear my natural hair out for a while and trim it gradually until I get my fullness back. She says it will take about 9 months to get back to normal.

I'm not sure why it's gotten so much thinner but I'm thinking it's because:

-I have been using a different "band" to tie my buns back with. I used to use a soft scrunchie; I had replaced it with thinner type of band. I think it's harsher on my hair. It's not like the damage is simply because I've been wearing a bun all the time because I've had alot of success retaining hair wearing a bun in the past using a scrunchie.

-I've been to the Dominicans twice this year.

-I have not been as good about my weekly washing/deep conditioning and tying my hair up at night.

-I started dying my hair every 8 weeks. Does anyone think I may have lost hair due to this? I'm not so sure about this one because I noticed it was getting a little thinner before the dye jobs.

-Lastly, I have been using my denman too much. I need a new soft bristle boar brush for real.

I went out last night with some friends and several of them were like this :blush: when they saw my hair. They kept saying it was SIGNIFICANTLY thinner....and I agree. In short, I have really been mistreating my hair guys! Don't ask me why...I'm noticing as I'm writing this post that I have really totally dropped off the haircare bandwagon! Let this post serve as a reminder to those who might be falling off their routine....DON'T DO IT! Stay on top of your hair game, ladies!!

I'm sure I can get my normal thickness back...but I want to know if anyone with thick hair had a similar setback where their hair got thinner? If so, how did it happen and what did you do to nurse your hair back to health?

I probably shouldn't be so upset cuz it's my fault this has happened...and my stylist said my hair is so thick and I have so much of it that it probably took a while before noticing the damage. :look:

I need some tips for this period of nursing my hair back to health. I know to stop doing the things above that I have been doing. It's just that some extra input is welcomed and appreciated! TIA :drunk:
 
I am so sorry to hear this ZZ. You have such beautiful hair!

Have you been to a doctor just to make sure that the thinning is not caused by an internal problem?

My tips would be to stop dying your hair so often, and go to a low manipulation reg. until you get to the root of your problem.
 
^Very good questionn(RE the health thing), and I meant to ask if there's anything I should look out for health-wise that might be the culprit. I haven't been the doctor for my hair but I've been recently for other things and have had alot of labwork already done so I can check the labwork to see if there's anything abnormal. Any labs I might need to pay particular attention to?

I'm leaning towards the issues of the denman, dye and dominican visits as being the issues, though....
 
dont feel bad, samething happened to me. I had been on so good to my hair and then recently when im finally almost APL it started to thin out so I got my hair trimmed 2 days ago, I didn't want to have to trim my hair this year but it was inevitable. I chose health over lenght and even though I finally made it to APL for the first time in my life im back to a bit past SL, im happy because I made the right decision and I was getting depressed when I noticed how thin my hair was getting and it was all because I had also been slacking on my hair care. So don't feel bad it will grow right back! Beautiful and thick
 
Don't dye your hair that often, or even at all unless it's plant based dyes like henna or indigo. Brushes have been known to cause problems such as splits on the hair as well as thinning when the edges are brushed often and too hard. I would ditch a brush unless used sparingly on wet hair to detangle, and instead use a comb. Not tying your hair up causes more tangles, splits and matting due to rubbing up against fabrics. i thing these things contributed most to the decreasing health of your hair.
 
I noticed my hair had gotten thinner but it wasn't due to my lack of hair care; it was due to me stopping taking my vitamins especially my iron. My hair shedded so badly that I was unsure if I should but a weave. Right now I started taking my iron and vitamins to hopefully combat the shedding and get my anemia under control.

Hopefully you will be able to regain your thickness back.
 
i am glad that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.....she did say it would go back to normal in 9 months and you know that once you get back to your normal regimen things will go back to normal.

sorry i don't have any advice but i've always loved your hair and cant wait to see it get back to where it was.
 
zzirvingj said:
^Very good questionn(RE the health thing), and I meant to ask if there's anything I should look out for health-wise that might be the culprit. I haven't been the doctor for my hair but I've been recently for other things and have had alot of labwork already done so I can check the labwork to see if there's anything abnormal. Any labs I might need to pay particular attention to?

I'm leaning towards the issues of the denman, dye and dominican visits as being the issues, though....
Click to expand...

Sometimes excessive shedding could be caused by anemia, thyroid problems, or hormonal changes.

Have your physician check your hemoglobin, hematocrit, thyroid levels (TSH, T4) and your hormones.

These are basic labs that can be a good starting point to see if you are having an internal issue.
 
My hair suffered before because I dyed it too much with permanent colors, but I am relaxed and that is why it happened.... not sure how this will effect naturals... My hair is not super thick, but it was a lot thicker than it is now... I am trying to get it all back to how it used to be and just use cellophanes
 
In the past 6 months I've suffered from bad care at the salon, a relaxer mishap, and worsening anemia and they all have attributed to my hair thinning A LOT!

ZZ, I'm interested to know what you'll be doing to thicken you hair?

Thanks and good luck!
 
OP, I'm sorry you're feeling down, but setbacks are sometimes the wakeup call we need to do right. At least you found the problem and "treatment" doesn't involve any drastic moves and you do know some of the reasons why, which you can fix. And you do know what you're capable of so it won't be long before you are back where you would've been.
 
Questions:

It the hair dye you use permanent or semi?

Who applies your hair dye, you or a stylist?

Maybe it is the hair dye. I've had a problem like that before ( only at the front of my hair) and it was the hair dye. I was being lazy and decided to color only the front part of my hair, because it doesn't take very well. I stopped using it and my hair grew back in. Overlapping of hair dye ( in addition to bleach, relaxer) causes breakage. Also, the lighter the color, the dryer the hair, meaning moisture has to be increased, so maybe thats what happened.
 
I'm sorry to hear about this!

I no longer use ponytail holders- those wore away my crown and caused breakage for years before I found LHCF. The thin band is probably having the same effect. My suggestion would be to bun using hairpins (not bobby pins- these also cause breakage).
 
zzirvingj said:
I was looking at some recent pics and noticed how much thinner my hair has gotten. I went to a really good professional hair stylist 2 days ago and the last time I had been to her was about 3 months ago. She said that my hair has gotten thinner since then. I have had one trip to the Dominican salon since then so perhaps that contributed to it....

Its possible since the heat of the blowdryers are so high and they pull alot with brushes so you're hair over time has gotten weaker and then broke off

She also stated it was broken off in the crown and showed me how short it was. I was like :blush: when she showed me the layer of broken off hair. She said it looked that way because of where I had been positioning and wearing my bun. So she said that I would need to stop wearing buns and wear my natural hair out for a while and trim it gradually until I get my fullness back. She says it will take about 9 months to get back to normal.

Try to rotate your buns in a different area every day. DONT pull tight, my test is if I put my chin to my chest I should not feel pulling. I then tilt my head side to side again you should not feel any pulling. Also there is no reason to use a brush all the way at the front of the hair line. If you start one inch back from the hair line it will pull the hairs back to give you that polished look without sacrificing your hairline

I'm not sure why it's gotten so much thinner but I'm thinking it's because:

-I have been using a different "band" to tie my buns back with. I used to use a soft scrunchie; I had replaced it with thinner type of band. I think it's harsher on my hair. It's not like the damage is simply because I've been wearing a bun all the time because I've had alot of success retaining hair wearing a bun in the past using a scrunchie.

I rarely use bands or scrunchies, I mainly use Scunci hair pins ( I put oil on them and then pin my hair up) I use as many as I need to keep it tight. I use scrunchies when exercising. I twist my hair like I am doing a bantu not and then pin as needed, for my lenght I only need two.

-I've been to the Dominicans twice this year. NO MORE DOMINICANS for now.

-I have not been as good about my weekly washing/deep conditioning and tying my hair up at night.

I dont know about this, some people never DC and they are fine, but you know what your hair needs.

-I started dying my hair every 8 weeks. Does anyone think I may have lost hair due to this? I'm not so sure about this one because I noticed it was getting a little thinner before the dye jobs.

Dying the hair can cause breakage if you dont use a mild protein. Also you should only be dying the roots.

-Lastly, I have been using my denman too much. I need a new soft bristle boar brush for real.

There is YT video done by a woman that manipulated her denman brush so it was easier on the hair, She took out every other row. IMO Denmans are the devil for thicker hair. They sell soft bristle brushes everywhere run dont walk to get one.

I went out last night with some friends and several of them were like this :blush: when they saw my hair. They kept saying it was SIGNIFICANTLY thinner....and I agree. In short, I have really been mistreating my hair guys! Don't ask me why...I'm noticing as I'm writing this post that I have really totally dropped off the haircare bandwagon! Let this post serve as a reminder to those who might be falling off their routine....DON'T DO IT! Stay on top of your hair game, ladies!!

I'm sure I can get my normal thickness back...but I want to know if anyone with thick hair had a similar setback where their hair got thinner? If so, how did it happen and what did you do to nurse your hair back to health?

I probably shouldn't be so upset cuz it's my fault this has happened...and my stylist said my hair is so thick and I have so much of it that it probably took a while before noticing the damage. :look:

I need some tips for this period of nursing my hair back to health. I know to stop doing the things above that I have been doing. It's just that some extra input is welcomed and appreciated! TIA :drunk:
Click to expand...

Like your stylist pointed out only time will allow your hair to thicken back up. The pieces that have broken have to meet up with the hair that hasn't. There is nothing on the market as of right now that will make your hair thicker. The only product that gives the illusion of thickness is panthenol. If you see a product that says "volumizing", the product will have panthenol in it. Most conditioners have panthenol added to it now so it shouldn't be too hard to find.

Try to moisturize and seal on a daily basis so the rest of your hair does not suffer. If your hair touches your should put it up and remember only time will allow your hair to recover not a magic pill or concoction.:yep:

I had a bit of a setback with my relaxer (overprocessed a bit of the front) so now I am working on it. See my responses in bold.
 
Last edited:
Mai Tai said:
Sometimes excessive shedding could be caused by anemia, thyroid problems, or hormonal changes.

Have your physician check your hemoglobin, hematocrit, thyroid levels (TSH, T4) and your hormones.

These are basic labs that can be a good starting point to see if you are having an internal issue.
Click to expand...

Thanks Mai Tai!

I should have access to most of these labs today so I'll check to see if anything was out of range.
 
latingirly020488 said:
dont feel bad, samething happened to me. I had been on so good to my hair and then recently when im finally almost APL it started to thin out so I got my hair trimmed 2 days ago, I didn't want to have to trim my hair this year but it was inevitable. I chose health over lenght and even though I finally made it to APL for the first time in my life im back to a bit past SL, im happy because I made the right decision and I was getting depressed when I noticed how thin my hair was getting and it was all because I had also been slacking on my hair care. So don't feel bad it will grow right back! Beautiful and thick
Click to expand...

I'm sorry you went through something siimlar. But I'm happy you chose health over length and are getting back on track! :yep:

hopeful said:
I'm sorry your hair has suffered. I hope you gain back your thickness soon. (((hugs)))
Click to expand...

^Thanks :drunk:
 
KaramelKurly said:
Don't dye your hair that often, or even at all unless it's plant based dyes like henna or indigo. Brushes have been known to cause problems such as splits on the hair as well as thinning when the edges are brushed often and too hard. I would ditch a brush unless used sparingly on wet hair to detangle, and instead use a comb. Not tying your hair up causes more tangles, splits and matting due to rubbing up against fabrics. i thing these things contributed most to the decreasing health of your hair.
Click to expand...

^Thanks for all of your insight. The dye part is hard for me; I just started getting alot of grays. So the henna/indigo route really is the best route for grays, then? I had been using Bigen.



ms.blue said:
I noticed my hair had gotten thinner but it wasn't due to my lack of hair care; it was due to me stopping taking my vitamins especially my iron. My hair shedded so badly that I was unsure if I should but a weave. Right now I started taking my iron and vitamins to hopefully combat the shedding and get my anemia under control.

Hopefully you will be able to regain your thickness back.
Click to expand...

I stopped taking mine too. Thanks for reminding me of this because now I remember I need to get some more multivitamins.



TopShelf said:
i am glad that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.....she did say it would go back to normal in 9 months and you know that once you get back to your normal regimen things will go back to normal.

sorry i don't have any advice but i've always loved your hair and cant wait to see it get back to where it was.
Click to expand...

Aw, thanks for the complement ;) I am hoping that things get back to normal soon too; I will just try to be patient in the meantime. It's just weird after this weekend having my stylist and my friends say how thin my hair was. And then after looking in the mirror it was confirmation that something was wrong.
 
Mai Tai said:
Sometimes excessive shedding could be caused by anemia, thyroid problems, or hormonal changes.

Have your physician check your hemoglobin, hematocrit, thyroid levels (TSH, T4) and your hormones.

These are basic labs that can be a good starting point to see if you are having an internal issue.
Click to expand...

All of the above labs were normal as of my last workup last month.
 
I feel compelled to warn you on this: don't ever try black henna or your hair will turn green. If you ever decide to try it, always use body art quality henna, or body art quality henna + indigo.

I have heard many people who say henna has made their hair thicker, so maybe you would like it.

Other common causes of hair thinning in women can be... crash diets, hypervitaminosis (too high doses of vitamins, usually through supplements vs food), stress, diet pills, contraceptive pills...

One thing that gives me volume and strength is a DC with egg yolks. (1 part egg yolk, 2 parts cheapie moisturizing conditioner, 1 or tbsp oil, then co-wash).

I hope it helps and I hope you can sort it out soon!
 
I'm suffering from thinning too.. I have been natural for 6 years and have always been an avid heat user.. Even when I was relaxed.. And my hair has never been thin untill I became really stressed and also switched flat irons.. It isn't a huge problem now but I'm currently using weave as a PS and I'm worried about my crown an edges..any suggestions? I may try curly weave next to nurse my "problem area"..any natural BBS brands? I'm a 3c/4a and I would like It to match as close as possible..suggestions?
 
I have the same problem but mine is due to having weight loss surgery. I have been on my HHJ since Nov 09, and my hair is growing but it is so thinned out from where it use to be. Now that I don't get all the vitamins and nutrients from my food I supplment (I take over 40 pills a day) but the boitin was breaking me out so I stopped taking it. I will say that I have been using too much heat and I want to stop blow drying and flat ironing my hair. I do it once a week, but I need to just rollerset.
 
I'm so sorry!
I don't think one thing contributed to the thinning, it's probably all of the above. My mom hair has thinned out due to dying her hair every 4 weeks. I think you need to go back on your old routine. Sending hugs your way.
 
OP, did you notice excessive hair loss/breakage when grooming? I understand where you're coming from seeing as how I'm pretty much on the same road. I chose to do extensionless braids to give my hair a break and allow the shorter strands a fighting chance. I'm sorry to hear you are having this problem, but am glad you are on the road to recovery. HHG!
 
OP,

I can't speak to other issues, but as a fellow hair colorer, I know that it can thin out your hair if you do it too much. I only color once a year and then to keep the greys at bay, I use a clear demi gloss (I think that's what it's called)...

I hope everything works out for the best!
 
I've read somewhere that shampoos with SLS used over time (like a period of years) can eventually thin out some people's hair. I read that this doesn't happen to everybody but it does happen to some people and no one knows why. Perhaps the conditioner or shampoo you are using is too harsh or maybe your hair needs are just changing and you might want to switch up some products in your stash?
 
Janet' said:
OP,

I can't speak to other issues, but as a fellow hair colorer, I know that it can thin out your hair if you do it too much. I only color once a year and then to keep the greys at bay, I use a clear demi gloss (I think that's what it's called)...

I hope everything works out for the best!
Click to expand...


Please share about the clear demi gloss :yep:
 
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