Hair Texture Change?

[sillycinder]

Hey everyone!

I've been gluten free for the past month and a half, and so far that's going well! However, my hair texture has drastically changed, even though I haven't changed any of my hair products. I've always had straight hair with a little bit of wave, and all of a sudden about a week ago my hair switched to being curly. Has this happened to anyone else? It's freaking me out a little bit.

[ravenwoodglass]

I didn't have that happen as a result of being gluten free but it did happen as a result of taking a prescribed drug that was being given to me at toxic levels.

This sometimes happens to folks that have gone through chemo or have lost a lot of hair and had it grow back. Mine eventually went back to being wavy instead of curly but I can't say whether yours will or not.

[Takala]

I started out life as a curly with thick hair. And I mean, strawberry dark blonde mixed fuzzola. Jr high and high school was a series of giant rollers and hair dryers trying to smooth it out. High school, every body else it seemed, had straight, slick hair, but mine always tangled at the slightest excuse even after blow drying it. I could not figure out how other people could go to the beach or drive with the windows down, without creating a birds nest and yet leave their hair just hanging. I always had to braid it or pin it back.

By my late thirties, it had stopped growing very much in front, and gotten thinner and just wavy. Layered haircuts came into style. Now I don't have enough oomph to get that curled look. What luck.

I ended up cutting it shorter, finally, because the ponytail or braid was just getting thinner on the bottom end, and the front bangs and sides hardly grow.

Fast forward to years of gluten free. It changed ! Now it's still shorter because it's back to its original unruly curly self and a lot thicker in my 50's than it was in my 30's. Who would have ever thought this would happen ? I let it grow out, out of curiosity, during the winter of 2008 - 09 to see what I had, and I could now wear it shoulder length if I wanted to, but the original color is now moused out. So back to highlighting and a shorter cut.

It's wash, rinse or spray with cider vinegar water so it doesn't tangle, and put a tiny dab of shea butter or coconut oil on it and let it air dry, and it looks styled. Sometimes I do what is called co - rinsing, where you just rinse it and condition, without the soap, because it is older hair now and not as oily a scalp as before, and that's all it needs. There is a hair care forum called the long hair forum, which has a lot of hair care threads that talk about natural hair care stuff. Some shampoos and most commercial conditioners really make me itch miserably, I have sensitive skin and don't want to use a lot of chemical junk on it, nor do I want gluten in the conditioner as I tend to finger my hair a lot without thinking.

I still drive with the windows down, but at least a baseball cap now keeps it out of my eyes.

[MelindaLee]

My texture hasn't changed, but it is the healthiest it has been in years!

[YoloGx]

So what is wrong with a little curly? It means your body is healing and taking in more of the minerals it needs due to your improved diet without the gluten toxins it can't handle. Your nails, teeth, tendons and bones are probably getting a little stronger too.

I have always had a lot of very fine hair. It was always straight and a lot would fall into the sink when I would comb or brush it. I thought that was normal!

After I became completely gluten free my hair has become wavy and has actual body. I no longer get tons of strands coming out when I comb and brush my hair. If my hair is cut short its a lot curlier. To me it seems a minor, unexpected and very appreciated miracle.

Bea

[AZGirl]

I have actually been going through a traumatic event with my hair just lately. I have always had very thick, fine hair, but recently it has been falling out, dramatically. I was cleaning the drain after every shower and then cleaning the sink. At first, it didn't really bother me, but then I noticed it was getting thinner around my face. When I pull it back in a pony tail you can see my head!!! The texture has also changed dramatically. I went to my stylist for a cut and told her about it falling out. She didn't really react until she put her hands in my hair. She told me that I had lost 1/3 to 1/2 of my hair and the texture was very dry. I definitely feel it is dry and very frizzy. She started me using a special shampoo with specific direction to not wash my hair everyday.

It stopped falling out almost as dramatically as it started and I have no answer as to why. My theories are: hypothyroidism, I stopped taking birth control pills and I have read that sometimes after a few months going gluten free you can shed some hair for a period.

I recently saw my endocrinologist and he assured me that it is growing back in. He is testing me for hypothyroidism, vitamin deficiency and hormone levels. I don't know what else, but that is where we're starting.

I did start taking Biotin immediately when hair started falling out and that may have made a significant impact on my hair growing back in so fast.

I hope my experience helps you a little. I should mention there were a few others new symptoms at the same time as my hair falling out, so it is likely related to something other than gluten. We'll see.

Good luck, I hope you're hair texture turns into something you can manage and enjoy.

Best Wishes.

[lynnelise]

My hair has been awful for years! It's always been very fine but a few years ago it started shedding and breaking off really bad. It was so bad I was starting to seriously thing about what I would do if I went bald!

I stopped eating gluten in November of 2009 and I am cautiously optimistic that it may (fingers crossed) be growing back in properly! I notice that when I pull it back in a ponytail I don't have to carefully arrange it so little peeks of my scalp aren't showing. Also the ponytail part feels a bit thicker. There are some short hairs around my hairline where I think breakage is growing back. I've never seen that happen before so I'm hopeful.

As to the curly hair, I have a friend with spina bifida. As kids we both had straight hair. She had back surgery when she was in her teens and her hair grew in so curly it was literally unmanageable! Two years ago she had another back surgery and now her hair is straight again! The human body is a really funny thing!

[Loey]

I have actually been going through a traumatic event with my hair just lately. I have always had very thick, fine hair, but recently it has been falling out, dramatically. I was cleaning the drain after every shower and then cleaning the sink. At first, it didn't really bother me, but then I noticed it was getting thinner around my face. When I pull it back in a pony tail you can see my head!!! The texture has also changed dramatically. I went to my stylist for a cut and told her about it falling out. She didn't really react until she put her hands in my hair. She told me that I had lost 1/3 to 1/2 of my hair and the texture was very dry. I definitely feel it is dry and very frizzy. She started me using a special shampoo with specific direction to not wash my hair everyday.

It stopped falling out almost as dramatically as it started and I have no answer as to why. My theories are: hypothyroidism, I stopped taking birth control pills and I have read that sometimes after a few months going gluten free you can shed some hair for a period.

I recently saw my endocrinologist and he assured me that it is growing back in. He is testing me for hypothyroidism, vitamin deficiency and hormone levels. I don't know what else, but that is where we're starting.

I did start taking Biotin immediately when hair started falling out and that may have made a significant impact on my hair growing back in so fast.

I hope my experience helps you a little. I should mention there were a few others new symptoms at the same time as my hair falling out, so it is likely related to something other than gluten. We'll see.

Good luck, I hope you're hair texture turns into something you can manage and enjoy.

Best Wishes.

I've had thin hair since I was 18 but it is falling out a lot more now. I don't wash it every day and use gluten-free hair products. I remember when I was growing up my mother would go to the beauty parlor once a week and not wash her hair. She'd just pin curl it at night until the next appointment. I think al of the years of blow drying and curling my hair haven't helped plus one of the auto immune illnesses related to celiac is hair loss. I've actually been considering a wig for when we go to a party. I'm having my thyroid tested in a few weeks.

God luck to everyone. I've always wanted thick hair.

Loey

[MariaOfColumbia]

I've had slightly wavy light brown hair all my life. After 5 months off gluten (except for accidental exposures) the new hairs on the top of my head are coming in dark, thick and twisty like cork screws! They won't smooth down to meld with the rest of the long wavy hair. The rest of my hair is very long, so I'm kind of worried that I'll have to cut it and let the short twisty stuff be the new texture of my hair.

I like having hair past my waist. I don't want to cut it just because the new hairs are so different, but as more and more wirey stuff comes in, I may have to. Or put up with looking like a clown with a cloud of wirey dark hair on the top of my head and long wavy light brown stuff hanging down beneath.

I've been using anti frizz shampoo for several months now, but the new hairs seem to be immune to anti-frizz technology. Sproing! Like corkscrews.