Losing Hair

[Sinenox]

I'm not sure this is where I should be posting this or if I've somehow missed another post on the same topic, I apologize if either of those is off.

I've been off of gluten for a few months now, cheated here and there, but overall feeling much better and almost positive that was my problem. I've always had very thick mane-type hair, though it's fine so it looks very normal, but my stylist is always tempted to charge me for multiple haircuts. I usually keep it short but I grew it out again recently and for the past few months I've been losing hair almost constantly. Every time I run my hand through it I get a minimum of five strands back with it. I am eating a balanced diet. It isn't leaving in chunks but I've never experienced this before. Is it possible that having way too much hair had something to do with Celiac's, or that there's something new wrong? I know this is a long shot but I managed to miss a lot of noticable symptoms so I figure if I'm so acutely aware of this there must be something to it. Any help, anecdotal or otherwise, will be appreciated!

[CarlaB]

I know when I have long hair it LOOKS like I'm losing more hair because five strands seems like a lot more hair than five strands of short hair, which you may not even notice since it wouldn't get wrapped around your fingers. Could it just seem like you're losing more when you're really losing the same amount? I know this is the case for me. If you don't have real thinning, it's probably just an illusion.

[AshleyE]

It's not really related to celiac, but my mom had the same problem a few years ago and asked her hairdresser about it. Apparently we humans actually lose a lot more hair in the winter than in summer. Now that she made me aware of it, I notice that I start losing more hair around this time of year. It makes no sense, since you would think that we would need more hair in winter to keep us warmer, but it's true nonetheless. I'm not sure if this is your problem or not, but it could just be a seasonal thing that will pass. I hope this helps.

[Lisa]

I have fine, thin hair. It has not always been that way.

I would suggest that you check you folic acid and b-12, and perhaps take supplements and perhaps some iron.

It is an ongoing process for me as I have been loosing my thin hair and noticed a lot of breakage.

I am hoping that my suppliments will help.

Also struggling with this as well.

Lisa

[Michi8]

I'm not sure this is where I should be posting this or if I've somehow missed another post on the same topic, I apologize if either of those is off.

I've been off of gluten for a few months now, cheated here and there, but overall feeling much better and almost positive that was my problem. I've always had very thick mane-type hair, though it's fine so it looks very normal, but my stylist is always tempted to charge me for multiple haircuts. I usually keep it short but I grew it out again recently and for the past few months I've been losing hair almost constantly. Every time I run my hand through it I get a minimum of five strands back with it. I am eating a balanced diet. It isn't leaving in chunks but I've never experienced this before. Is it possible that having way too much hair had something to do with Celiac's, or that there's something new wrong? I know this is a long shot but I managed to miss a lot of noticable symptoms so I figure if I'm so acutely aware of this there must be something to it. Any help, anecdotal or otherwise, will be appreciated!

I too have a very thick head of hair, but the strands are fine. I remember noticing way more hair loss when my hair was long rather than when it was short. Part of it is that long hair doesn't fall free as easily (gets trapped with the other hair, or sticks to clothing, etc.) so will be more noticable when you brush it or wash it.

My experience now is totally different. I noticed thinning along my hairline & part when my hair was still long. now it is very short, and I am constantly loosing a lot of hair. There are at least a hundred hairs in the bathtub after a shower, more all over my bathroom from blowdrying, hair left on my pillow in the morning, and hair falling free when I run my fingers through it. I'm totally freaked out about it as I'm noticing more thinning around my part and the hair that it growing back is even finer.

I've just started the gluten free diet, so we'll see if it helps. I don't know if I'm actually celiac...haven't received my biopsy results (not enough samples were taken anyway!) and blood work was negative. I do strongly suspect I've got thyroid issues, because it runs in the family...and there is a long history of GI issues too. My iron was low too, so I'm supplementing now. I really hope that this hair loss thing slows down and reverses itself!

Michelle

[Nantzie]

Well, I guess it isn't very common, but for me, hair loss is directly related to my gluten intake. I've got a lot of hair too. It's not the normal hair loss. It's significantly more. Not handfuls, but way more than normal. Like 3-4x the normal amount. Up until recently my hair was very long, so I was used to the normal "shedding" of long hair that just seems to get all over everything.

The only time it happens now is when I get glutened. Usually the day after I get glutened it's bad, and then improves over the next day or so. It's been one of those "confirming" symptoms a couple times, where I didn't know if I got glutened, the food just didn't agree with me, or if I was coming down with something.

In the case of it being related to gluten intolerance, my guess at one point was that it was related to the malnutrition that goes along with it. But I'm not sure anymore because I've been gluten free since Jan 06 and I still get it as a one or two day symptom.

Everyone gets different symptoms, so you'll notice as you go along in the process that you'll start recognizing your own symptoms. I've heard that there are around 200 different symptoms of celiac / gluten intolerance, which is why it's different for everyone. So after a while of gluten-free, you'll be able to tell if it's gluten related or not.

Nancy

[mn farm gal]

I had very noticable thinning especially toward the back of my head. I am a sever anemic person at the time of my diagnosis and was put on liquid iron, after about 3 months it has slowed down alot. Now I think the hair amount that I lose now is about right.

[ravenwoodglass]

For me hair loss is directly attributed to celiac. I had lost almost half my hair and it had turned almost all white by the time I was diagnosed. It began growing back in a few weeks after I went gluten-free, and what is growing in is brown. I attributed it at first to vitamin deficincies but as I have come to realize it is just for me another part of the gluten reaction. Within a couple days of being glutened it starts coming out in handfuls and continues to fall for about 2 weeks. My autoimmune system was very compromised by the time I was diagnosed, the celiac antibody reaction attacked quite a few of my organs including my skin and hair.

I should also note that the loss is severe if I use a gluten containing shampoo or hair color and will continure as long as I continue to use the product.

[lynney88]

I also have significant hair loss attributed to being "glutened". Before being diagnosed, I was loosing my hair by the handfulls, mostly in the front, making me basically bald. Doctors thought it was due to having graves disease; however,we know now that it is a direct result of being contaminated with gluten. It is the same for me, when I am glutened, it falls out by the handfulls, and continues for weeks. I usually end up wearing bandanas on my head due to the baldness in the front. This does not happen often anymore, as I have been gluten-free for nearly a year and am very careful; however, the occassionaly mishap makes me bald...

[jerseyangel]

I had terrible hair loss prior to being diagnosed. Actual bald spots. I feel this was due to my severe anemia. After about 3-4 months on the gluten-free diet, the hairloss began to stop, and now at 18 months, it's all grown back and I'm only losing what I would say is a normal amount.

[CarlaB]

I had terrible hair loss prior to being diagnosed. Actual bald spots. I feel this was due to my severe anemia. After about 3-4 months on the gluten-free diet, the hairloss began to stop, and now at 18 months, it's all grown back and I'm only losing what I would say is a normal amount.

And look how nicely it's growing in. I noticed that since you had it straightened you've stopped talking about getting it all cut off!!

[nmw]

My hairdresser explained to me that when you are ill or extremely stressed, especially any illness that affects your nutrition, you will lose the most hair 3 months following the start of your healing process. I cannot recall the specifics, but it takes that long for the shaft of the hair to loosen and drop. Alopecia is one of the symptoms of celiac disease - random bald spots and general thinning are very common.

[Canadian Karen]

Although celiac is quite often a contributing factor in hair loss, another culprit that must be explored is thyroid disease. Hair loss is a common symptom of thyroid disease. Have you had your thyroid checked?

Karen

[Michi8]

For me hair loss is directly attributed to celiac. I had lost almost half my hair and it had turned almost all white by the time I was diagnosed. It began growing back in a few weeks after I went gluten-free, and what is growing in is brown.

It's interesting to hear your colour is coming back with new growth. I've been greying since I was 18, and now, at 38, probably have more grey/white than dark brown hair...so I've been colouring it. I would love it if some of my white returned to brown!

Michelle

[CatandCanary]

It's interesting to hear your colour is coming back with new growth. I've been greying since I was 18, and now, at 38, probably have more grey/white than dark brown hair...so I've been colouring it. I would love it if some of my white returned to brown!

Michelle

I had a lot of hair falling out before I went Gluten free. Handfuls at a time. I thought it was because I color my hair, I started getting white hair at 17 years old and by the time I was 25 I was all white. It took about 4 weeks of no Gluten before it stopped falling out and if I get sick or weak from Gluten it start all over again. I thought I might go bald but the hair is not falling out anymore and new hair is coming in.

[ravenwoodglass]

It's interesting to hear your colour is coming back with new growth. I've been greying since I was 18, and now, at 38, probably have more grey/white than dark brown hair...so I've been colouring it. I would love it if some of my white returned to brown!

Michelle

I also started going gray in my teens. And while it is far from totally gone I am so thrilled that it is now more brown than white. It also seems that it is more of the white than the brown that falls when I get glutened but that is most likely because they are older hairs. Most of my loss was in the front and temples so the brown hair is most noticeable there. There are cases of people with alopecia that have their hair grow in a different color or curly where it had been straight. I never expected to lose the gray though, it's nice I haven't been offered a senior citizen discount now in months.