Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Did you have hair loss?

sella

Recommended Posts

sella Explorer
sella
Posted

Hello,

I have been on a gluten-free diet for 2 years after celiac diagnosis. I have had hair loss in the temple and frontal hairline area. It has still has not grown back. Actually, it is fine baby hairs that do not grow longer than an inch or so. Although my hemoglobin is in the normal range at 13, my iron level is low around 40. I don't know if it's due to my iron level or nutritional deficiencies I may be still experiencing two years on the gluten-free diet. 

Did you have hair loss? If so, how long did it take to grow back?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


manasota Explorer
manasota
Posted

I've been gluten free for 5 1/2 years.  My hairline has advanced, seriously!  I have more hair, thicker hair, including lots of hair where it never was before.  My hairline has advanced toward my eyes & down my neck.  Wish I had this when I was younger.

Sorry that I can't help you with your hair loss issue.  Maybe you could have your doctor test for nutrient deficiencies?  Maybe it's not even related to the Celiac?  Could it be age-related?  Or genetic?  Other family members with similar issue?

I know whenever I have a new issue, I tend to jump on the Celiac bandwagon even when it has nothing to do with Celiac.

Celiac can be sooooo frustrating!  There is no real authority for us to go to for answers!  :-(

sella Explorer
sella
Posted
  • Author

How long did it take for your hair to start growing back?

It's interesting that you mentioned hair loss down your neck. I never wear pony tails because I am missing hair on one side down my neck. I don't know if this is called the hairline at back neck.

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

How is your thyroid?  Running hypothyroid can be one reason for hair loss.  

sella Explorer
sella
Posted
  • Author

I often get my thyroid levels checked, which show up in the normal range.

manasota Explorer
manasota
Posted

Sella, I never really suffered hair loss.  I probably had Celiac ever since infancy & my hair was always thin and slightly sparse.  After going gluten free, I was quite surprised to gain thicker hair that also advanced down my forehead, toward my face, & down the back of my neck.  My ponytails became much thicker.  I think I was probably gluten free for 2-3 years before my hair got thicker.  I wish I had a better answer for you.  One of the most maddening things, for me, is that Celiac is so individualistic in symptoms and in recovery.

Babygirl6915 Explorer
Babygirl6915
Posted

Hi Sella,

I know you said you had your thyroid checked but have you had a full blood panel done? While I don't have Celiac (well, I haven't been tested for it), I do have a severe gluten allergy (IgE) as well as gluten sensitivity (IgA). When I started my gluten-free diet, I did experience pretty serious hair loss that I still struggle with today almost 10 years later. Turns out, the hair loss is a symptom of my PCOS (which is what triggered my gluten issues according to my doctors), not the gluten-free diet or gluten in general. In my efforts to get healthier I replaced old symptoms with new ones. Try talking to your doctor about the hair loss & see if there is anything else going on that could be behind it.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


beachbum Newbie
beachbum
Posted

I had hair loss but it was a secondary response to my Celiac disease.  I was so anemic and malnourished that I had significant hair loss, including on legs, forearms, the fine hairs on the finger and toe joints. I also developed thyroid issues which took significant time to diagnose even though I had been seeing an endocrinologist...I had ALL the symptoms of hypothyroid except the test results kept coming back inconclusive. Once I started thyroid Med hair loss stopped but still didn't have regrow the of loss.  That finally happened once my anemia was under control AND my vitamin D was up.  I swear the balancing of my vitamin D was when my hair started to regrow. I now have hair on my arms and legs though more sparse than before.  I also have fine hairs on my fingers and toes again.  My hair on my head is thicker and grows better.  I am female close to menopause, but my hair is fabulous.  

If you find that you're vitamin D is insufficient, I would suggest Super Daily D drops by Carlson.  I have found that I don't absorb tablets as well as liquids due to irreversible gut damage this product worked for me.

TeenaMarie Newbie
TeenaMarie
Posted

I would suggest that you iron levels and Vitamin D levels are tested.  Hair loss is one of my issues pertaining to gluten sensitivity. 

sella Explorer
sella
Posted
  • Author

My iron level is 40, which was noted as low on my blood test. But it is not that low. 

My vitamin D level has alos been low, but fight at the border of normal, which I think is 30. I thought most people have vitamin D deficiency?

 

TONKA Newbie
TONKA
Posted

I lost SO much hair before I was diagnosed.  It stablized but has tecently started to come out a lot.  I had been eating McDonald's fries with no sign of gluten but guess this was my 'sign'.  ?

Gelea Newbie
Gelea
Posted

McDonalds fries contain wheat. They aren't real potatoes. They are made of a slush of a mixture of potatoes wheat and other things then extruded to look like fries. 

Dr. Cheryl Reichert Newbie
Dr. Cheryl Reichert
Posted

I lost SO much hair before I was diagnosed.  It stablized but has tecently started to come out a lot.  I had been eating McDonald's fries with no sign of gluten but guess this was my 'sign'.  ?

Hair loss is quite common with gluten sensitivity. Make sure that your hair products don't contain gluten. Some hair products like Andalou claim to be "gluten free" but actually contain hydrolyzed barley protein and/or wheat germ. This can be especially damaging to someone with non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Also you must avoid anything that has been fried in oil where battered foods are also cooked or your food will be coated with an invisible layer of flour that bubbles up from the bottom of the fryer. In addition, some "reformatted" french fries may contain gluten to hold the fake fry together. If you are going to eat french fries, I suggest making your own with sweet potatoes and coconut oil.

sella Explorer
sella
Posted
  • Author

Manasota,

Just curious if you are using a gluten-free shampoo?

manasota Explorer
manasota
Posted

Sella, all of my personal products are gluten free.  Most of them are Certified Gluten Free.  The shampoo I use is by a company called EO.  It is a gentle daily shampoo French Lavender for normal hair.  I don't put anything else on my hair, except a tiny bit of EO unscented everyone lotion to tame the flyaway hairs.  I try to use gluten free everything--to the best of my ability anyway!

Have you seen a dermatologist?  Your hair issues are much more serious than mine ever were.  I didn't even know I had any hair issues until it started growing in thicker.

The EO products can be purchased by the gallon to save money.  Also, Whole Foods frequently has them on sale.  I buy them online when they're on sale too.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,685
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    tdouglas2901
    Newest Member
    tdouglas2901
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I'd go with a vodka tonic, but that's just me😉
    • Rejoicephd
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Rejoicephd · Posted

      That and my nutritionist also said that drinking cider is one of the worst drink choices for me, given that I have candida overgrowth.  She said the combination of the alcohol and sugar would be very likely to worsen my candida problem.  She suggested that if I drink, I go for clear vodka, either neat or with a splash of cranberry.   So in summary, I am giving ciders a rest.  Whether it's a gluten risk or sugars and yeast overgrowth, its just not worth it.
    • Inkie
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Inkie · Posted

      Thank you for the information ill will definitely bring it into practice .
    • Scott Adams
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      While plain, pure tea leaves (black, green, or white) are naturally gluten-free, the issue often lies not with the tea itself but with other ingredients or processing. Many flavored teas use barley malt or other gluten-containing grains as a flavoring agent, which would be clearly listed on the ingredient label. Cross-contamination is another possibility, either in the facility where the tea is processed or, surprisingly, from the tea bag material itself—some tea bags are sealed with a wheat-based glue. Furthermore, it's important to consider that your reaction could be to other substances in tea, such as high levels of tannins, which can be hard on the stomach, or to natural histamines or other compounds that can cause a non-celiac immune response. The best way to investigate is to carefully read labels for hidden ingredients, try switching to a certified gluten-free tea brand that uses whole leaf or pyramid-style bags, and see if the reaction persists.
    • Scott Adams
      Inconclusive results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This is a challenging and confusing situation. The combination of a positive EMA—which is a highly specific marker rarely yielding false positives—alongside strongly elevated TTG on two separate occasions, years apart, is profoundly suggestive of celiac disease, even in the absence of biopsy damage. This pattern strongly aligns with what is known as "potential celiac disease," where the immune system is clearly activated, but intestinal damage has not yet become visible under the microscope. Your concern about the long-term risk of continued gluten consumption is valid, especially given your family's experience with the consequences of delayed diagnosis. Since your daughter is now at an age where her buy-in is essential for a gluten-free lifestyle, obtaining a definitive answer is crucial for her long-term adherence and health. Given that she is asymptomatic yet serologically positive, a third biopsy now, after a proper 12-week challenge, offers the best chance to capture any microscopic damage that may have developed, providing the concrete evidence needed to justify the dietary change. This isn't about wanting her to have celiac; it's about wanting to prevent the insidious damage that can occur while waiting for symptoms to appear, and ultimately giving her the unambiguous "why" she needs to accept and commit to the necessary treatment. This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease. One test that always needs to be done is the IgA Levels/Deficiency Test (often called "Total IGA") because some people are naturally IGA deficient, and if this is the case, then certain blood tests for celiac disease might be false-negative, and other types of tests need to be done to make an accurate diagnosis. The article includes the "Mayo Clinic Protocol," which is the best overall protocol for results to be ~98% accurate.    
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.