I know it seems like I talk about this often but it has been my biggest nuisance side effect from my autoimmune disease. From about 10 years ago until recently, I was finally able to find a Dr. who listens to me and my hair concerns and who doesn't say the typical "your getting older" or "my hair falls out too", BUT....with this being said, it took me going through some not so nice experiences to help me build myself a defense. For me, my hair fallout has seasons. There are times where it's growing in again and it's nice and thick, then out of the blue it starts falling out all over again. Currently I am going through a hair flare and if you are going through something similar I wanted to share some of the steps that I took to prove to my doctors that this was VERY REAL and NOT NORMAL for me.
Take pictures of your hair when it's nice and full and make sure to keep the date on them.
Take pictures of your hair in your hand, this way they can see the amount that is falling out at a time.
This next one works best outside, so you can have great lighting. Have someone take a picture of the top of your head right after you get out of the shower. This really shows how thin it has become.
When you feel you have enough pictures to build a case against whomever is not believing you, make yourself a graphic showing your before and after pictures. You can see mine below.
Keep a food/medication/weather temperature journal. I have a Weekly/Monthly planner. On the month part of the calendar, I right if I was in any pain or if I lost a good deal of hair, I also put the weather temperature there as well. On the Weekly part, I write what I ate and note if I had a change in medication. This way I can try and pin point if something triggered my hair flare or if anything regarding my diseases changes.
Making this graphic defense is what really opened my Doctors eyes to see that something was triggering my hair flares. Now, most of my Doctors listen to me when I say my hair is falling out again. They understand that something internally is going on. What I have found so far, is that for me it meant my thyroid numbers were out of sorts. I also know that some of the medications that I was taking did trigger my hair fallout as well. Some of those were Methotrexate and Leflunomide. Once I switched up those medications my hair did grow back.
Over the years I have found my own personal plan to help combat my hair flares and I'm going to share those with you. *Please note; this is my own personal plan NOT recommended by a physician, if you have severe hair problems, please seek out the help of a medical professional.
Take your Vitamin D. (especially if your deficient) I would always put this on the back burner but now I realize how important to your health and hair it is.
If you can keep your hair on the shorter side. This helps take weight off your scalp a little.
Try not to brush it, use a wide tooth comb instead.
If you have to straighten or style it, try not to tug on it over and over again.
Try to let you hair air dry and always use a protective product.
Get rid of the chongos! (scrunchies) Tiny claws help keep hair out of your face when needed.
Change your shampoo and conditioner every so often.
Try not to wash your hair everyday.
For hair scalp pain, other than taking some pain meds, I like to grind up half a tablet of
acetaminophen with a tiny bit of water to make a paste and I put that directly on the pain spots. (I saw an RN who I worked with make this paste for canker sores and ulcers and I wondered if it would help my scalp and it did.)
I wouldn't say I've given up fighting for my hair. I just got used to this happening. I am currently on a different dose of thyroid medication and I know that this is playing a role with my hair right now but it is what it is. I recently saw a post on Instagram about a woman who had similar hair symptoms and she finally just shaved her head. She said she was tired of dealing with it. She is so inspiring to me. I don't know her name or who she is but I definitely understood and related. I'm not quiet there yet but if it keeps falling out and it doesn't start growing back in the next few months I may just do it. For now, I'll just go back to a cute pixie bob and keep on keeping on.
Just keep on being...
Chronically Chula*
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