Hair loss/thinning due to prolonged stress or other factors? Experiences and advice needed & appreciated. 27F/SEA (South East Asian)
Hi everyone, I’m hoping to get some insight into my situation. I’m experiencing hair loss/thinning and it’s starting to really scare me.
I’m a 27yo SEA female with virgin hair. I was blessed with very straight, thick, and dense hair. It was just luck of the draw with genetics and I’ve always been very grateful.
In 2018, I was 23yo and experienced a drawn out breakup that was devastating to me as it was my first real relationship and it was 5+ years at that point. I would say I was pretty severely depressed and had bad anxiety. I was diagnosed as having a major depressive episode by my doctor.
Fast forward to Jan 2020-July 2022, I went through nursing school while in a global pandemic. During this timeframe, I experienced the worst stress and anxiety of my life and I was still depressed.
In 2021, I started antidepressants with a main focus on anxiety as it was debilitating. My doctor diagnosed me with general anxiety disorder.
I understand that the last few years put my body under a lot of stress, and that it has taken a physiological toll. I also understand that hair thinning happens naturally as we age. But I didn’t realize how much hair I’ve lost until recently.
I’ve noticed: * I lose a lot more strands of hair daily than I used to, either by combing or just running my fingers through my hair (I’ve only really been paying attention lately vs throughout the last few years, but it seems like a lot more than what should be normal- ex. in the time span of typing this out I’ve gently pulled out maybe 12-13 hairs without much effort) * Comparing my pics from when I was 15, to 20, to 25, and now 27 shows a gradual but very apparent change in the density and volume of my hair * Less density/volume in 2018/2019 (as compared to 2015-2017), with a huge increase in thinning by 2020/2021 to now (Sept 2022) * My hair gets greasier a lot faster than it used to, especially at my bangs since the hair is so thin now. I used to wash my hair every 3-4 days and it would show signs of greasiness on day 5+. Now my hair gets greasy on day 2 and even worse on day 3 (this could be due to my antidepressant medication- I would sweat a lot more than normal)
Some positives: * My hair has no issues growing length * My individual hairs still seem still thick and strong * Overall my hair still seems to have some shine and softness
My main issue is thinning and hair loss. My hair is a huge part of my identity and a great source of my confidence, so seeing the stark difference is really affecting me, and causing me more stress when I should be trying to maintain the opposite.
I plan to get blood work done to check my iron and thyroid. I’ve done research on the diet required for hair maintenance and any related deficiencies in vitamins/minerals (I have never had a consistent diet- I have already made effort to change that).
Aside from sorting out deficiencies/hormonal imbalances what else can I do? I plan to see a dermatologist, take a multivitamin and/or hair, skin, and nails supplement (Nature’s Bounty- if my diet falters), have consistent exercise, manage/reduce stress (continue medication, see therapist, meditate, etc).
Lastly does anyone have any anecdotal evidence or scientific evidence that the above works to stop hair loss/thinning and increase hair density/volume? I know my hair is dead and the issue lies internally and with my follicles.
This post turned out a lot longer than I intended. If you’ve read this far, thank you. If you leave any experiences, advice, or support, I really appreciate it.
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