Oh crap, my hair fell out

[flux]

Funny, I come back after months and months of absense, post about how my regimen is working, and then just a few short days later, massive sheds!!

I had been losing a low to normal amount of hair.. then, most suddenly, I lost a ton in two days. And I mean a TON. It was quite noticable. My hair went from looking great to looking unmistakably thin.

Well I'm taking it better this time.. in fact its not bothering me much at all. I'm really getting used to this, and no longer feel like its the end of the world. I shaved my hair down from 1" to 1/8th", and while the difference is striking, I still look good, and its no longer aparent. This also saves me from having to notice any additional shedding. I'm still pretty sure my hairs overall condition is better, and it should grow back just as thick.

Still I wish I knew why this happened. Unfortunatly theres a myriad of possibilities, but at least that leaves me with some good leads.

A few days before this happened I started the Atkins diet, to lose about 15 pounds (should take around a month). I started hitting the gym at the same time. I had neglected to take vitamin suppliments (like youre supposed to on Atkins) the first few days. So perhaps its nutrition, or perhaps its from system shock from one or both of these factors changing my metabolism.

After shaving my head, I also discovered that my scalp condition was very rough. The skin is dry and irritated. I believe this is from using lots of minoxidil and leaving it on all night and through the next day, sometimes not bothering to wash but just apply more minoxidil on top (hey, I'm generally a clean guy, but some days I just stay at home, so whats the point?). The irritation could be from other factors too.. I'm hoping its not male pattern baldness induced irritation.

And lastly, there is also the fact that I'm about to hit my 9th month of treatments. This could be finasteride sheds.

Actually I'm thinking its likely a combination of all of the above. But any insight would be appriciated.

note:I have not given up hope, actually I am not even very discouraged. Shed happens.

 

[The Gardener]

I don't think starting your diet was what caused the shed. EVERY nutrition or stress related hairloss article that I have read says that traumatic events, whether related to malnutrition or stress, will usually show themselves about a month later in the form of hair sheds, not a few days.

Although I am not one who subscribes to the 'minoxidil tolerance' school of thought (I say this out of instinct, not because I have done any significant reading on this issue) maybe you should take a few days off of the minoxidil, let your scalp heal a bit? This is not advice based on any research I have done, just a hunch.

Then again, it might just be a shed. Everyone gets sheds, whether they are on hairloss treatments or not. You make yours sound rather significant, but it might just be that your hair shed cycle has been somewhat synchronized at the time you started treatment? If this is the case, don't change anything and just ride it out.

Either way, don't worry or panic. You have shown to be a responder to hair treatment, so I would think that cyclical events such as hair sheds should not discourage your long term progress.

 

[Redbone]

This is to bad as your regimen seems to be very solid? You are using the best science has to offer, hopefuly it will come back thicker and fuller.

 

[flux]

Thanks for the replys. As I said, I am not really discouraged.

Gardener, Youre probably right on the diet thing, which is a relief to be sure. So perhaps it was just shed time, with scalp irritation kicking it into high gear. The shed was quite striking, one day I lost maybe 10 hairs (that I saw), then next, over 200.

You do have a point with the minoxidil tollerance, that stuff has a lot of alcohol in it, which is rough on the skin. I think that effect is intensified with the lack of ventiliation that longer hair creates. Now that my hair is uber short, my scalp is starting to feel better already (and I did apply minoxidil today, but perhaps I should go a day without). It seems that the longer I let it grow, the harder it is to keep my scalp healthy. Shame, that. Guess I'll have to get used to having it under 1" (and even then, be sure to wash it at least once a day).

One great thing about short hair tho, it takes a lot less minoxidil to get coverage Instead of using 2-3ml per app, I can get my whole head with under 1.

 

[Odelay]

Sorry for your loss, but I gotta say that is a very funny name you gave to this topic.

 

[Axon]

Pwnd.

 

[flux]

Sorry for your loss, but I gotta say that is a very funny name you gave to this topic.

As it was intended.. I dont like the fact that I shedded, but its not like I suddenly lost my whole head of hair.

 

[Odelay]

The funny thing is that my uncle knew a chemistry major in college and he messed up somehow and the chemicals made all his hair fall out. He said it was so funny, one day the guy had a full head of hair and the next he was totaly bald, eyebrows and all.

 

[flux]

The funny thing is that my uncle knew a chemistry major in college and he messed up somehow and the chemicals made all his hair fall out. He said it was so funny, one day the guy had a full head of hair and the next he was totaly bald, eyebrows and all.

Oh crap!

 

[ShedMaster]

The shed was quite striking, one day I lost maybe 10 hairs (that I saw), then next, over 200.

that is crazy man. Are you sure your frat brothers aren't playing a joke on you and placed a little something on your hair while you were sleeping?