Hair fall

Shafaq · #1 07.07.2012, 10:25

Since the time I have arrived here almost 2 months now, I have a sudden feeling that I am loosing too much hair, there is hair all around my house and most of it is mine, my duaghters are expereincing the same problem as when I comb their hair its the same issue. I feel the water is very hard here and there is a lot of lime scale here. What do I do to protect our hair!!

Sandgrounder · #2 07.07.2012, 10:40

Sounds more like a deficiency of some kind than the effects of hard water. Have you tried talking to your doctor? He would take some blood and see if there is anything going on. Sometimes iron or protein deficiencies can cause hair loss.

Busby · #3 07.07.2012, 11:07

As an experiment I stopped washing my hair daily. I did this because I met a chap who had the most beautiful thick hair that I have ever seen and who told me he only brushes his hair thoroughly without ever washing it.

With this in mind I have gradually reduced my hair washes and now only have it done when I go to the barber's. Not only have I no more hair falling out but I really have the feeling that my hair is firmer, easier to handle and I no longer have dandruff.

I brush it regularly and see the difference between the thin quality of the hair after washing at the barber's and the firmer more natural hair a few days later after the hair has had a chance to form its natural oils.

smackerjack · #4 07.07.2012, 13:40

Maybe you are washing it too often? I always find my hair always is shiner and easy to manage in Switzerland - but I seem to be in the minority and I am up in the mountains.
It could just be your body coming to terms with the stress of moving and this is showing up in hair loss? If things don't improve get some tests.

Nadia1981 · #5 07.07.2012, 13:59

I agree, the water in Switzerland is harsh.

I use Alpecin shampoo and it helps alot with my hair loss...

MakeUpArtist · #6 07.07.2012, 16:05

Hi! I strongly recommend you to apply virgin coconut oil on your scalp before each shampoo and leave it for 30 minutes. It's great for dry scalp, it's anti-dandruff (guaranteed!) and a great hair moisturizer.

Sandgrounder · #7 07.07.2012, 16:10

	Quote:	Nadia1981
	I agree, the water in Switzerland is harsh. I use Alpecin shampoo and it helps alot with my hair loss...

Harsh, maybe but no evidence that hair loss is caused by hard or soft water...

	Quote:
	HLDC: Why do people think hard water is causing hair thinning, breakage or loss? Callender: None of these minerals causes actual hair breakage with the exception of overexposure to chlorine, like in a swimming pool, which can cause hair to be drier and more brittle. If you are vigorously toweling or constantly rubbing with a swim cap, you can cause hair breakage but not hair loss at the follicle. Hard water does cause hair to feel "different," which is why people can tell you their hair feels a bit different when showering at different locations where the water supply comes from a different source, such as a well as opposed to city water. LoGerfo: People confuse volume with texture. When hair is thicker, you feel like you have more hair. When the higher mineral content mixes with shampoo, it impedes the cleansers in the shampoo from doing their job properly. Then, you have the extra minerals plus dirt, oils and product residue, making hair look and feel stringy and limp. It's like having soap scum on your hair. It just looks like less hair, but it is not actually hair that is lost.

	Quote:	MakeUpArtist
	Hi! I strongly recommend you to apply virgin coconut oil on your scalp before each shampoo and leave it for 30 minutes. It's great for dry scalp, it's anti-dandruff (guaranteed!) and a great hair moisturizer.

On the contrary, don't you think that overloading hair with product will make the problem worse (see the linked article about washing hair in hard water). Something light might be a better option to keep hair feeling good.

Cactina · #8 07.07.2012, 17:30

It is the water and the generally dry weather. As someone suggested, try the coconut oil method, it works wonders. Warm some oil, massage into your scalp, leave on for 20/30 mints, and then shampoo twice. Apply conditioner afterwards.

You can also apply vitamin E oil (I bought mine at Douglas) to your hair overnight and then shampoo in the morning. Frankly this helps me more than coconut oil. My hair has stopped falling appreciably since I started using vitamin E oil.

Tuborg · #9 07.07.2012, 18:12

I found that shaving my hair off stopped hair loss dead in its tracks.

Edit: I'll get my coat.

p.s. As someone who started going bald at 18, I cannot take hair loss that seriously, sorry.

fareehasharafat · #10 07.07.2012, 22:02

get some Biotin capsules from local pharmacy.. i use them regularly at 150mg dose and it has really helped my hair loss problem. Also i use normal olive oil a couple of hours before shampooing my hair.

Zoso · #11 08.07.2012, 07:56

I have this exact same problem! Every time I go "home" my hair is lush a lovely and doesn't really come out. But in Switzerland I loose LOADS of hair..its constant. Its almost rediculas.

I come from a very dry place..i.e. not much rain, almost no humidity. I was told by a hair dresser once that this could be the cause of my hair loss; as Switzerland (for me anyways) is a very humid, wet place. I mean its not as if I'm balding by any means, but every time I comb my hair I loose so much.

There really hasn't been anything that I've found to be effective in stopping the "sheding". What I can recomend is a product at the Muller. Its a pill for hair, skin and nails; and its made from the by product of beer production. It's a Muller own brand and its called "Bier (something or other): Fur schones Haar.

Best of luck!

TiMow · #12 08.07.2012, 08:23

Hair today, gone tomorrow.

Wear a syrup - a different style and colour every day.

Peg A · #13 08.07.2012, 09:42

	Quote:	MakeUpArtist
	Hi! I strongly recommend you to apply virgin coconut oil on your scalp before each shampoo and leave it for 30 minutes. It's great for dry scalp, it's anti-dandruff (guaranteed!) and a great hair moisturizer.

	Quote:	Cactina
	It is the water and the generally dry weather. As someone suggested, try the coconut oil method, it works wonders. Warm some oil, massage into your scalp, leave on for 20/30 mints, and then shampoo twice. Apply conditioner afterwards. You can also apply vitamin E oil (I bought mine at Douglas) to your hair overnight and then shampoo in the morning. Frankly this helps me more than coconut oil. My hair has stopped falling appreciably since I started using vitamin E oil.

I always have problems with "shedding" - thankfully I have lots (and lots!) of thick hair, so it doesn't seem to be a huge problem, except when it clogs my shower drain, or people notice the hair on my clothes.

Anyhow, quite a while ago, because of this issue, I spoke with my hairdresser about how to help this problem. She said that the main thing is to MASSAGE my scalp. Old fashioned ladies used to brush their hair 100x before bed, it helped make their hair healthier and stronger, because the brushing action pulled natural oils down the strands while also stimulating the scalp.

So... use the oil if you want or don't of you don't - but do something to stimulate your scalp, it may help.

oreneta · #14 08.07.2012, 10:07

Yes, I agree massage stimulates the follicles.

I use Weleda shampoo for babies which is non irritant to the scalp. Very expensive in CH but I buy it in Amazon.co.uk for 1/3. I found a big change from using supermarket or professional shampoos and my hair now is softer and doesn't look dirty/greasy after 12 hours (I have long hair)

Also, I take iron supplements during autumn when the hair falls more than usual and it helps in my case.

Marianna.Red · #15 08.07.2012, 12:20

I have experienced with a heavy hair loss due to the stress few years ago. I changed shampoo,I used different kind of natural oils like coconut oil, took vitamins and so on but the only thing that actually worked on me was Rogaine.
That product is a great hairloss treatment which contains 2% minoxidil.
You can see some changes regarding the strength of your hair after few applications. The hair starts to grow back after a couple of months.

BokerTov · #16 08.07.2012, 16:10

You might want to check with your doctor- in my case, a serious iron deficiency was causing the hair loss (and other stuff). A daily iron treatment, prescribed by my doc and coupled with vitamin supplements, completely solved the problem.

Phygelius · #17 08.07.2012, 16:31

Optimum ferritin (iron) level for normal hair growth is 70 and above. The ferritin level shouldnt be too high either. If you take iron and calcium tablets make sure that there is a 2-hour gap between taking them as they can interfere which each others absorbancy. Zinc levels and B12 levels can also influence hair growth. So get your bloods checked before doing anything.

araqyl · #18 08.07.2012, 18:42

Well, I have to say that I wash my hair every day, and spend upwards of two hours in the pool each week, and do not have any trouble with hair loss - and I use the cheapest shampoo in Denner (I think it's less than a franc a bottle?). Maybe that's the secret - these expensive treatments actually cause the hair loss, so you'll buy more expensive products to try to fix the problem they caused!!

I have a full head of thick, strong hair that doesn't look like it's going anywhere. I do massage my scalp while washing, so maybe it's the daily massage that's the real secret ...

Carrie F · #19 08.07.2012, 20:53

You may want to have your thyroid checked along with your iron level.

Also, I suggest not using really cheap shampoos that you find in grocery stores, like Pantene. A lot of people have told me that their hair was ruined by Pantene. So I suggest a more mild shampoo with more natural ingredients. I use Kiehl's Sunflower shampoo and am really happy with it. It is a bit pricey, though.

Sandgrounder · #20 08.07.2012, 21:00

I echo what others have said about not washing hair too often. My hairdresser said that washing it every day can just strip it of oils and put it in bad condition. You end up in a vicious circle of constantly washing the oils out then your scalp overproduces making it feel greasy within a day of washing it.

I finally broke my habit of daily hair washing about 5 years ago and now only wash it twice a week. It's not even the slightest bit greasy when I wash it and the split-end problem seems to have all but gone.

I don't have a specific favourite shampoo, opting to use shampoos which are on special offer at the supermarket (I'm a cheapo at heart

).