Hair Loss And Celiac

[Claire]

All those ads on TV for hair restoration products talk about the fact that hair loss is hereditary.

Well - so is Celiac. Wouldn't it be interesting to find out how many people - especially women who are losing their hair - also have Celiac Disease.

My grandmother lost her hair, My mother lost her hair. I am losing my hair. My celiac question remians to be answered.

Just a thought. Claire

[bluelotus]

I am going to see a new dermatologist about my hair loss tomorrow and was planning on bringing up that exact question. Not that there is a guarentee they can answer it, but I will let you know.

In my mind, I can think of multiple ways it'd be connected - hormonal imbalances from celiac disease (ex. thyroid issues), malabsorption, immune system attacking hair (called alopecia aerata sp?), genes contributing to both may be linked (inherited together) and/or influencing one another ...... I bet there's more.

Its a cruel fate. I wish that this aspect of celiac disease would get more airtime in the media/public. There are so many women out there that may be suffering needlessly.

[Eliza13]

My hair has thinned considerably. I also know someone who had alopecia for years....her hair grew back after she went on a no carb-high protein diet to lose weight. Interesting.

[bknutson]

My hair has thinned considerably.  I also know someone who had alopecia for years....her hair grew back after she went on a no carb-high protein diet to lose weight.  Interesting.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

skarlet13 though you ate for 5 did you lose weight? And are you gaining it back? I am wondering if anyone gains it back after they get on the diet and start getting well. I dont want to gain my weight back I was fat anyway. I want to be well but not fat again. my hair is falling out too.

[cornbread]

One of my female cousin's had hair loss due to "stress" a few years ago... She was only in her 30's. It grew back, but it just backs up my feeling that my entire family is riddled with undiagnosed gluten intolerance.

[ravenwoodglass]

All those ads on TV for hair restoration products talk about the fact that hair loss is hereditary.

Well - so is Celiac.  Wouldn't it be interesting to find out how many people  - especially women who are losing their hair - also have Celiac Disease.

My grandmother lost her hair,  My mother lost her hair.  I am losing my hair.  My celiac question remians to be answered.

Just a thought.  Claire

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I lost over half my hair volume, you could see my scalp, and my hair was rapidly turning snow white. Within 3 months gluten-free it was starting to grow back. It is now almost 3 years since diagnosis and my hair is so thick now I had to give up my natural bristle brush, it won't go through it anymore. Oh and what has grown back is brown, I have even found some hairs that are half and half, white on the bottom and brown up to the roots. My hair shafts have also thickened considerably, not just overall volume. My Mom's hair was very thin, she was very tiny, and I was told it just ran in the family, just like cancer does. Well that bunk stops here, it was celiac disease that runs in my family, not baldness, not emotional problems, not cancer. Celiac, and I did not show up on blood test, both kids did. I was married twice and kids have 2 different fathers, how uncommon could celiac be for both kids to show up on blood work when I don't? This tells me they also got the gene from their fathers, one Castillian Spanish and the other Scottish and Norwegian mix. Don't trust blood work, trust your body on the diet.

[Carriefaith]

I was starting to get some hair loss before I was diagnosed. The gluten-free diet cleared that up though

[bluelotus]

I talked to my derm this morning. Although his knowledge of celiac disease was limited, he said that he thinks celiac disease is linked to women's hair loss by Telogen Effluvium and celiac disease-related stress on the body. TE is a disruption in the hair cycle based on hormonal or nutritional problems and will cause a fluctuation in hair loss as well (with or without gluten, with or without celiac disease).

His overall recommendation was to get my gluten intake under control (which it hasn't been) and that it will take up to a year to notice the regrowth. He said he doesn't see me going bald in one year or ten years or decades, so that was good to hear.

Hope this info helps some of you.

[Claire]

Well that bunk stops here, it was celiac disease that runs in my family, not baldness, not emotional problems, not cancer. Celiac, and I did not show up on blood test, both kids did. I was married twice and kids have 2 different fathers, how uncommon could celiac be for both kids to show up on blood work when I don't? This tells me they also got the gene from their fathers, one Castillian Spanish and the other Scottish and Norwegian mix.  Don't trust blood work, trust your body on the diet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I like that 'bunk' line. I am sure you are right. I truly believe that the ads have it only half right. It is the genetic disease that causes the hair loss - not that the hair loss itself is genetic. Wonder when someone 'significant' will grasp this idea. Claire

[Eliza13]

I lost over half my hair volume, you could see my scalp, and my hair was rapidly turning snow white. Within 3 months gluten-free it was starting to grow back. It is now almost 3 years since diagnosis and my hair is so thick now I had to give up my natural bristle brush, it won't go through it anymore. Oh and what has grown back is brown, I have even found some hairs that are half and half, white on the bottom and brown up to the roots. My hair shafts have also thickened considerably, not just overall volume.  My Mom's hair was very thin, she was very tiny, and I was told it just ran in the family, just like cancer does. Well that bunk stops here, it was celiac disease that runs in my family, not baldness, not emotional problems, not cancer. Celiac, and I did not show up on blood test, both kids did. I was married twice and kids have 2 different fathers, how uncommon could celiac be for both kids to show up on blood work when I don't? This tells me they also got the gene from their fathers, one Castillian Spanish and the other Scottish and Norwegian mix.  Don't trust blood work, trust your body on the diet.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Raven...is gluten the only thing you eliminated?

[gabby]

I used to always have really thick hair. Two years ago, just before getting my celiac diagnosis, my hair had started falling out. I ended up losing about 30% of it rather quickly. Now it grows much slower. Also, my hair is now very fine (almost like baby hair) and it is quite brittle.

[4getgluten]

I too have always had very thick hair and never thought that I would have a hair loss problem. Then, I noticed it coming out in chunks about a year ago - the same time that my previously mild GI problems started to get really bad. Now that I've been gluten free for 8 months, my hair loss is much less. It actually seems to be growing back in the spots where it was thinning out. I have a friend whose sister is Celiac, and she experienced tremendous hair loss prior to her diagnosis. I definitely think it is related.

[elisabet]

I too have always had very thick hair and never thought that I would have a hair loss problem.  Then, I noticed it coming out in chunks about a year ago - the same time that my previously mild GI problems started to get really bad.  Now that I've been gluten free for 8 months, my hair loss is much less.  It actually seems to be growing back in the spots where it was thinning out.  I have a friend whose sister is Celiac, and she experienced tremendous hair loss prior to her diagnosis.  I definitely think it is related.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Karen,

Did you lose your hair in patches?did you eliminate other thing than gluten?

[ravenwoodglass]

Raven...is gluten the only thing you eliminated?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For the first 6 months I also avoided any dairy other than yogert. I added dairy back then and now have no problems with it. My DH has been the hardest to fight, it seems to reactivate very easily, after reading 'Dangerous Grains' I have massively cut my rice intake , I find this harder to do than gluten elimination and haven't cut it totaly, I still consume it in small amounts in Tapioca bread and stuff like that but no longer eat 'whole' grain rice at dinner. It seems to have helped and the DH is now healing nicely. You may want to limit intake of rice for a while just to see if that helps. I also take mega vitamins for my hair and skin called Maxi-Hair by Country Life. I get them from my health food store but they also have a web site - www.country-life.com I think they helped a lot too because I had been undiagnosed for so long I had a lot of vitamin deficencies. Hope this helps.

[4getgluten]

Karen,

Did you lose your hair in patches?did you eliminate other thing than gluten?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Elisabet - I didn't noticed any patches except a little bit in front at my hairline, where it thinned out a lot. That area now seems to be filling back in w/ wispy baby fine hair. I didn't totally eliminate anything except gluten from my diet, but I did cut down on dairy - maybe 1-2 servings a day. I found if I eat too much dairy, I get a little GI discomfort - cramping mostly.

[maxcarr]

I have had continuing hair loss issues as well, they seemed to get better when I went gluten-free, and now they are acting up again, and my thyroid is off, so I think the thyroid balance is thrown off by the healing since going gluten-free, and the thyroid may be the issue now. At least I hope so...just changed the dosage of my thyroid meds, so hopefully it will help.

[floridanative]

My dermatologist recently told me that if I had malabsorption issues which I apparently do, and that gets resolved (through whatever means) that my hair should not continue to thin. Luckily I have not even had wads of hair coming out in the shower but my younger sister did have that earlier this year. She was put on some anti-anxiety med and the hair stopped falling out. Maybe she has celiac disease too.

[clarkje20]

My hair also used to be thick, but the past couple of years my hair has been falling out like crazy! I was diagnosed with celiac in August 2009 by biopsy and blood tests. I have bumps only on my arms and neck. I eat ONLY gluten free food. But I think I am getting gluten somewhere else. Make up, shampoo who knows where... I check every stinking label before use. But alot of times gluten, wheat, and every other darn thing we cant have is hiding. This diagnosis sucks. I am so sick and tired of being sick and tired! What do I have to live in a bubble? I have just recently found some great salon products that are 100% gluten free.... Its called surface... Im going to have my aunt who is a sylist order me some. So I will let everyone know how it works out for me... I cant have my hair fall out anymore.... I am too young to have to worry about something else going on with my body.... uggghh this is tough but im sure it will all work out in the end, since I have only been gluten free for 4 months.... I know I cant get better over night.... Can someone tell me how long it could take to look better, feel better, hair stop falling out, no more bumps, etc......

thanks

[mushroom]

My hair also used to be thick, but the past couple of years my hair has been falling out like crazy! I was diagnosed with celiac in August 2009 by biopsy and blood tests. I have bumps only on my arms and neck. I eat ONLY gluten free food. But I think I am getting gluten somewhere else.

Yes, it is hard at first to find all the gluten because it has so many disguises, but it sounds like you are on to it. Pretty soon it will become second nature and you will stop fighting it and being bothered by it. Have you had your nutrient levels checked by your doctor because I found that my deficiencies in vitamins (D, B12, folate specifically) and minerals were causing my hair problems. Once I straightened that out my hair started growing back in. You also need to check your iron levels because your gut has not been absorbing things properly for a couple of years.

At only two/three months you are in the early stages of healing and you will have to be a little more patient with yourself. You may not be ingesting gluten, it's just that it's not an immediate thing, this recovery business. Take note of the gradual changes for the better, and if you are still having particular issues come back and talk to us about them.

[clarkje20]

Yes, it is hard at first to find all the gluten because it has so many disguises, but it sounds like you are on to it. Pretty soon it will become second nature and you will stop fighting it and being bothered by it. Have you had your nutrient levels checked by your doctor because I found that my deficiencies in vitamins (D, B12, folate specifically) and minerals were causing my hair problems. Once I straightened that out my hair started growing back in. You also need to check your iron levels because your gut has not been absorbing things properly for a couple of years.

At only two/three months you are in the early stages of healing and you will have to be a little more patient with yourself. You may not be ingesting gluten, it's just that it's not an immediate thing, this recovery business. Take note of the gradual changes for the better, and if you are still having particular issues come back and talk to us about them.

Thank you so much for your input! I need all the help I can get

[summerteeth]

I used to have way thick, way curly hair. Then, all of a sudden just before I graduated high school, my hair was falling out. It wasn't in clumps, it was just like how a pet sheds... a couple hairs in my hairbrush, a couple more hairs down the drain. And it just increased until it was noticeable that I had thinning hair. So I cut it really short (before dx). Now that I have been diagnosed for almost a yeard, I am noticing that my hair is getting curly again AND it is growing WAY faster. It is so weird thinking back to all of the little things that weren't quite "normal" and possibly connecting them with celiac.

[srthomas21]

Before discovering I had Celiac I found that my hair was brittle and rough. Turns out I was not absorbing iron. My ferritin levels were at 7 when optimal range should be 70. I was not anemic as my crit and other levels were all ok. I've done some research and it turns out that low ferritin levels are a little know cause of hair loss. I went on iron supplements and my hair is back to normal.

[Tigercat17]

Wow! I didn't realize my thinning hair was probably due to the celiac disease. I noticed it about eight years ago & then I was diagnosed with Hasimoto disease. Once I got on the synthyroid it seemed my hair was somewhat back to normal, but then I noticed more hair loss in the last maybe six months & wondered why.

I've only been on the gluten free diet for 2 months & I really hope my hair grows back. It's so thin in the front. I can see my scalp.

[lobita]

Yep. My brother and I both have celiac, and we both have alopecia.

We've both been on the diet more than 10 years, but I still struggle with about 60% of constant hair loss (I mostly manage by wearing head bands to cover the bare spots). My brother never got his hair back. His fell out when he was a lot younger, though (12 years old to my 18 years old).

[Mydietgirl]

All those ads on TV for hair restoration products talk about the fact that hair loss is hereditary.

Well - so is Celiac. Wouldn't it be interesting to find out how many people - especially women who are losing their hair - also have Celiac Disease.

My grandmother lost her hair, My mother lost her hair. I am losing my hair. My celiac question remians to be answered.

Just a thought. Claire

I have been gluten-free since march '09'. I am taking B-12 and Biotin. My thyroid test came back normal. Nothing is helping my hair loss. It's just the top of my head mainly. I don't even feel comfortable going to a salon anymore because it is so noticable when wet and everyone stares. I don't know anyone who can do it privately. I really need a haircut, bad!!!