Please help hair loss!

[RAWCA]

Hi
I have attached pictures..please help :(
I am 36 and am experienceing the balding in the pictures attached..what is causing this and how can i get rid of it please..anyhelp is appreciated !

[CathyA.]

mmm. Is this a new thing? I hear that cabbage juice helps with hair loss. I have no personal experience with this though.

[Arky]

Yes, I too am wondering how long it has taken for your hair to reach this stage.

Did this come out in clumps or gradually, strand-by-strand, over a period of many months or years?

What is your diet like? (I mean during the same time period the hair has been falling out)

Do you have other health symptoms of any kind, no matter how unrelated they might seem? (e.g. hormonal, gastrointestinal, or anything else)

[RAWCA]

Hi all

Took abt 5 yrs, did not come out in clumps just progressively bad. 50 percent raw diet, hereditary baldness dad and mom side.
I had a bout of anorexia fron 18_25, now normal. What does it look like? :(
Reversible? :( how please?
Thx in advance
Also major acne 30_33
Kidney infection last year
Swine flu year b4

[Arky]

Also major acne 30_33 - possibly related to bowel issues, liver issues, or hormonal issues

Kidney infection last year - everyone gets infections from time to time, so there may be nothing in this, or, just possibly, you might have lowered immune function to some degree. Adrenal fatigue can play a part in lowered immune function, as can bowel dysbiosis and liver congestion. Many other possibilities for this, though.

Swine flu year b4 - as above.


The previous anorexia may certainly play a part in your current health, and I'll go into that next time, but first:



Do you have any other health symptoms that you haven't yet mentioned?

Try to think of daily health symptoms - it doesn't have to be major to be relevant (though do include any major stuff, just as you did above).

example (purely just an example): recurrent yeast infections or warts, toenail fungus, hayfever every year, skin issues, feeling 'hungover' or unrefreshed upon waking each morning, digestive issues, joint issues, sinus issues, vision or hearing issues, frequent headaches, frequent discomfort/pain in any area of the body, any strange sensations, unusual fatigue on a daily basis, any unusual muscular tics, difficulties with, or sensitivities to certain substances or certain foods, etc.

You don't need to rush to answer me - take a few days if you need to, but try to jot down all the little things in your health along these lines, as they occur to you. Don't worry if they seem strange or daft, or unrelated, or trivial. Sometimes it's the smallest of details that provide the biggest clues.


I don't have a magic answer for you, but I'm trying to build up a picture here.

As I discussed in the latter part of this (http://rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?p=662241#post662241) post, I had to learn to take this kind of approach for figuring out my own health issues. It's like putting a jigsaw puzzle slowly and painstakingly together. It takes time and effort but can be very helpful indeed.

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[13WaysToFeed]

I was just reading these FAQ's yesterday from therawfoodworld. Some really great info on a lot of things here.
http://www.therawfoodworld.com/blog/index.php?page_id=1097#spot12

They had this to say about hair loss.


IS HAIR LOSS COMMON FOR RAW FOODISTS?

Hair loss can be distressing. It is hard to be able to say exactly why this may be happening for anyone, but here are some pointers:

It seems that some people have hair issues if their body gets very ‘acid’ from an imbalance, e.g. having lots of fruit and not much greens…

Colon cleansing is KEY, for helping the body to keep on moving the toxins out…

If you are concerned about your hair, I would strongly recommend that you pay attention to getting good protein sources to help your hair rebuild – spirulina, chlorella, bee pollen, hemp seeds and nuts could be great starting points. Most importantly, get green juices into your body daily, to help alkalise and balance.

I experienced a little ‘extra’ hair loss a few months after my 92-Day Juice Feast – nothing excessive, yet enough for me to notice the difference. To me this indicated an acid condition in the body and I addressed the situation by ensuring I had plenty of greens (esp. fresh green veggie juice daily), plus DENSER foods, like avocadoes, nuts, seeds, oils, spirulina, bee pollen and so on, to support and nourish the hair. I also choose to use water/shower filters wherever possible so as to not bring my hair and skin into contact with drying/stripping chemicals.
:)

[Raw Angel Mom]

You are having a lot of tips.

How long have you been raw?

Low in B12 can do that
Heavy metal can do this
Deficient with an essential mineral can do this such iron?
Stress can do this.
From your family DNA
Some intense emotions such anger can do this

Dr. Oz says that increasing your amount of water will prevent kidney disfunction.

Hope you get the answers you need!

[MysticTree]

Has your hair been long during all of this hair loss period? I notice in picture one that you have your hair scraped back in a pony tail and wonder if you sleep with it tied back and also if you wear it in a pony tail or tied back all the time. Hair can become stressed and break/fall out if tied back too tightly or for long periods of time. It may be irrelevant but possibly something to consider along with diet and stress levels.

[RAWCA]

Thanks for all the responses..
i don't sleep in a pony tail..just at work..
any suggestions how to regorw the hair..does it look reversaible?
Thanks for all your help again1

[RAWCA]

Anyone know of any natureal DHT blockers?:)

[Arky]

Maca can be useful for DHT issues but if you have other issues (which you seem reticent to discuss; which is you prerogative), then simply looking to address DHT may not be an effective solution.

DHT issues might suggest hormonal imbalance, which might occur for a number of reasons, 1 key possibility being heavy metal intoxication, but I was asking you about other symptoms in order to ascertain the likelihood or not of metals being an issue in your particular case, rather than jumping the gun suggesting so serious a condition. Other things which can affect hormone levels are things like adrenal fatigue, inadequate thyroid function - in fact anything disrupting endocrine function. Then there's the possibility of impeded liver function (one really basic example being that of cholesterol metabolism - the liver regulates levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream. Cholesterol is used as a building block for some hormones). The acne you mentioned may have related to impeded liver function. One of the natural remedies for acne is the 'apple diet'. At least one of the things apples do is aid cleansing of the liver and gallbladder, not least due to the malic acid content. They also contain pectin - good for drawing toxins from the bowel, and vitamin C, of course, which benefits the skin, but I consider this secondary in the case of their use for acne, since other fruits are richer in vitamin C but don't appear to remedy acne as effectively. More symptoms would allow one to more accurately guess at liver issues etc.

Whilst I recognise you remarked upon a possible genetic factor, this doesn't mean you shouldn't carefully examine your diet for possible nutritional deficiencies leading to anaemia or other conditions such as hormonal or thyroid imbalance; iodine intake might be something else to consider, for example. The anorexia also has potentially far-reaching physiological effects upon the body, but there seems little point in going into detail about these with so few described symptoms to go by.

Please don't make the mistake of simply assuming that because a lot of talk about hair loss revolves around DHT this necessarily means it is the cause of your hair loss. It may be, or it may be due to something else. Also, even if there IS a DHT issue of some kind for you, don't assume that it it is the only factor, and don't assume that simply seeking substances with which to attempt to 'block' DHT will solve the problem entirely. I think I recall that in addition to being present in maca, Di Indole Methane is also present in broccoli sprouts, by the way.

Again, other symptoms are key in figuring this out. The body is a complex machine. There are many non-DHT-related factors which may be at play.
People always want to find some 'magic bullet' substance that solves all their problems in one tablet, but the body is rarely that simple. That's one reason why the pharmaceutical approach is often so woefully lacking in providing lasting and worthwhile solutions to complex health issues.

Also see:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=65574


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[soulvibe]

Most likely caused by stress. Take more time out for yourself and relax! Look up EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) on Google or YouTube. As far as food is concerned, eat LOTS of fruit, especially fruits like pineapple, grapes, and oranges... What I like to call 'electric' fruits, as they literally have that energizing, life-force effect on your body when consumed. Your hair is essentially thin strands of metal, eat more sweet fruits (to stimulate re-growth) along with some leafy greens and nuts, and that hair will be regrowing in no time!

Hope this helps! :)

[therealashland]

....... where are you balding, honestly looks like how your hair is parted.........

[RAWCA]

Thanks to all for the responses..
I think it may DHT issues cus I have hair on my face ( middle eastern descent) not alot..but peach fuzz :)

there is major thinning..
Will saw palmetto have any side effects?
I am also using essential oils for massage and drinking aloe vera..
just started these ..so any input is appreciated:)

Thanks

[Arky]

OK, if you think it is hormonal-related, then I suggest you do some seeking to find possible underlying causes. As already mentioned, liver congestion and heavy-metals-induced alteration of endocrine function are two pertinent possibilities. You could check the heavy metals with a DDI 'Hair Elements' test (the standard version, not the 'Toxic Elements' version), obtainable from DirectLabs.com for approx. $90. This is WELL worth the small investment. Also keep in mind that heavy metals (esp. Mercury) can suppress immune function and this potentially tallies with your kidney and flu infections.

Liver congestion is well-discussed in many recent posts here on the forum, and there's a lot of good info if you dig around on Curezone.

Adaptogenic herbs may be helpful to balance your endocrine system (and thus your hormones), and obviously I've already mentioned one such substance - Maca.

I'm not certain of Saw Palmettos effects within the female body so you'll have to do a bit of research on this for yourself unless someone else reading this has experience of this.


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[January Noir]

When is the last time you had blood work?

I was losing hair (more shedding than normal) and after a check up at my doctor's and having blood work done, I found that my Vitamin D levels were extremely low. He told me to supplement with D right away.

My hair stopped shedding within the week of starting the supplement.

I also read that women, especially for women of color, that there is an epidemic of low Vitamin D. We're supposed to get it from being in the sun, but for me, I rarely get to hang out outdoors. I also read somewhere (not sure if it's true) that sunscreen (if you use it) slows or prevents absorption of Vitamin D.

Have bloodwork done and find out for sure what you are lacking. It could very well be Vitamin D or something else that can be the culprit.

[EscapeArtist]

You could also try cold showers. They are easier on the scalp and can help hair and skin quality as well as circulation. I believe they can slow hair loss, but still look for an underlying cause.