Hairloss and Iron Deficiency

[angiepooface]

Okay, so I've been losing hair since October, and when I finally got a blood test in November, it showed that my ferritin level was only 9. I've been taking 418 mg of iron in suppliments daily, and eating a ton of meat, green veggies and iron enriched wheats, and I'm still losing hair. I have 1/3 of what I used to have. I am also extremelly stressed about the whole situation, and have panic attacks daily. I think the stress might be adding onto my hairloss. I am cutting my hair into a short pixie cut tomorrow so that I don't touch my long hair anymore, or freak out about long hair falling out, and wearing a wig. Do you think I'll lose less hair if I'm stressing less, touching it less, and since it's shorter, it won't tangle when sleeping or windy (my hair's curly)? And also, how long does it take for regrowth after iron is brough back up? Once the hair is cut, I'm going to start a saw palmetto scalp treatment, and start taking hair vitamins to strengthen the hair that hasn't fallen out, and hopefully aid the new hair growing back later to grow strong as well. Any advise? Also, what can I eat to increase iron abosobtion, or get iron easily? :roll:

 

[Administrator]

Okay, so I've been losing hair since October, and when I finally got a blood test in November, it showed that my ferritin level was only 9. I've been taking 418 mg of iron in suppliments daily, and eating a ton of meat, green veggies and iron enriched wheats, and I'm still losing hair.

Give it time. If what you are doing is helping, its going to take at least 6 months to even begin to turn around. Its a slow process.

I am also extremelly stressed about the whole situation, and have panic attacks daily.

This cannot be helping your hair, and I realize it is cyclical. You wouldn't be stressing if it weren't for your hair, and you wouldn't be losing hair if you weren't stressing. Im saddened that your physician has left you feeling like you need to come online to ask strangers for help. Im quite disillusioned with doctors today. Your doctor should be side by side with you on this. I hope you have been asking for their help. If nothing else, you shouldn't have to endure panic attacks. There are things they can do about that.

Once the hair is cut, I'm going to start a saw palmetto scalp treatment

Don't bother with this route. What you need now, and I am thankful you ended up here because of it, is solid scientifically backed options. Saw palmetto is not going to help. Your iron is low. You have not been definitively diagnosed with hormonal related hair loss. Therefore saw palmetto, even if it were effective, which its not, would be a hormonal treatment, and not applicable. But that's why we are here for you. Assuming your iron levels are to blame, you need to get a followup iron test to see where they are at now. It has been a few months. If you don't have the money for the test, or something else is hindering you, just let me know and I will pay for it myself. If you are still low, your doctor should be able to put you on something that will restore it. You shouldn't need to be shoving iron rich foods in your mouth and *hoping* that they're helping. Secondly, what is indicated for this type of thinning is a growth stimulant, not an antiandrogen like propecia or saw palmetto. Your best bet at this point is to begin on Rogaine Foam, or Tricomin Therapy Spray. Your description sounds almost exactly like my moms and she could not stop singing the praises of Tricomin. I tried to get her on Rogaine but she wouldn't listen to me. She was so happy with the Tricomin Its a bit expensive but it apparently does wonders to help the appearance of hair. However, im going to insist you do what my mom wouldnt, and get on Rogaine Foam. Its clinically proven and it will help. There may be a shedding period associated with it the first few months, but that will pass, and after about 7 to 10 months you should be happy with whats happening.

what can I eat to increase iron abosobtion, or get iron easily? :roll:

Please get your levels tested again first, and then decide if you still need to be shoveling in the iron. Correcting your iron should help significantly but it can take upwards of a year to really reverse the hair effect. Body needs time to readjust.

Admin

 

[angiepooface]

Hi. Thanks for the advice I really appreciate it. I'm in a daily therapy program at the Montreal Children's Hospital (I'm only 17), because I was having so much trouble with my hair that I stopped talking to people, quit school and had panic attacks and tandrums daily. I get blood tests there for free, so that's helping a lot. I am taking iron suppliments, so I'm hoping those will work. My dermatologist told me it should take about 3 months to stop hairloss and about 3 for new hair growthe because of my history. I wanted to use something for my hair and she told me nothing was needed and with time, if I ate properly, and got my iron up I'd get my hair back 100% since I'm young and only became anemic from simply not eating iron. I wanted to try Rogaine, but I don't want to be dependent on it forever. It's not the first time I had a hairloss problem. When I was anorexic a few years back I lost half my hair, and all I did was eat better and my hair was growing back within 3 or 4 months, and my entire head was thick and long in a year, so I'm hoping I will be lucky this time.

 

[CCS]

You absorb iron better in the presence of vitamin C. Take them together.

 

[Trenchant]

I wanted to use something for my hair and she told me nothing was needed

That doesn't mean you can't kickstart some growth anyways. There's no reason you need to do Rogaine Foam, I think Tricomin Therapy spray would be fine for you. Its more natural and has the ability to help push follicles into growth phase. You can google it and get it anywhere online.

I wanted to try Rogaine, but I don't want to be dependent on it forever.

You wont be. Your hair is going to return on its own. If you use Tricomin now, it will just start the process sooner. You will be able to stop using it after several months, no problem. Or you can just let it do its own thing by taking iron supplements. Up to you.

 

[angiepooface]

Thanks so much I'm going to look up the Tricomin now, and mention it to my doctor when I see him tomorrow. I was super lucky, and my parents saw how down I was and got me into a therapy group at the Children's Hospital nearby. I can get blood tests whenever, therapy, dermatologists and anything I need for free, and pretty much right away since I'm at the hospital daily. I'm going to see my doctor and psychologist tomorrow, so I can probably mention the Tricomin and have him talk to the dermatologist I saw. THANKS! :woot:

 

[angiepooface]

What should I get from the Tricomin line? The shampoo and conditioner, or the spray?

 

[gettingthere]

If you are getting any of them, I would say get the spray as it is the only one with the active ingredients, the actual copper therapy.

 

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