<p>Ugh, I noticed this awhile ago, but it’s getting worse. It’s not so much at the crown, although it is thinning at the crown but it’s not like my scalp shows. It’s breaking off, too. My hairdresser can’t help, she says she can’t see the breakage. Try another shampoo, keep the heat low, etc. It’s fine and straight to begin with, so it takes work to look ok. But the ends are much thinner than the crown. Stringy and wispy now. It’s probably age, I’m 57, but my twin’s hair hasn’t changed much at all! And we’re both on methotrexate, she for years before I started. I’ve been on it for 5 years. But, as I said, it’s not so much at the scalp as the ends. It’s getting really bad. I know I shouldn’t complain, but, sheesh, I hate it! Anyone have any solutions (besides a wig which would be a last resort).</p>
<p>How long is your hair?</p>
<p>A good friend of mine has this problem…kinda. All her hair falls out if she keeps it too long. The longer it is, the more weight is pulling it down, which could explain part of it.</p>
<p>It could also be stress-related.</p>
<p>They make hair and nail vitamins…you could try taking some of those. (could be vitamin K, but I’m not entirely sure.)</p>
<p>I sympathize. Several years back, my then chin length hair was so broken off in the back that I could sometimes see my neck through my hair. For months, I could not figure out what the problem was. I finally learned that it was the round styling brush I was using with my blow dryer. The brush had soft, rubber-like bristles. I thought that using a brush with soft bristles would protect my fine hair. I was very leery of most round brushes. The majority have a metal core and short, very stiff bristles. Many of the bristles on my soft, rubbery brush had boken off over time. Apparently those broken bristles were breaking my hair!! When I switched to one of the metal core brushes I’d been so afraid of, the breakage stopped. After a few months of growing out, my hair looked normal again, thank goodness!</p>
<p>I hope that you find out what’s causing your problem. Maybe it’s your brush?</p>
<p>My hair almost reaches my shoulders and turns under. I did use a cheap metal brush 5 years ago on vacation, and it broke off my hair. It took awhile to grow back. It was similar to now. So I did buy a soft round brush. You think that might be that? Ok, I’ll go shopping tomorrow. I’ll buy a good metal one. And it isn’t the length, there is no weight to it! Both sides are really wispy, the back isn’t quite so bad, but I have a whorl, so it splits down the back. I feel ridiculous complaining; this should be my biggest problem. It’s harder being a twin because everyone compares us. “You’re taller, you’re rounder, you look younger, your hair is thinner!!!” (jk!)</p>
<p>In my case the metal brush got very hot and broke my hair. My hairdresser suggested no flatironing, letting the hair go “natural” part of the week, and conditioner that you leave in. For me this seems to work.</p>
<p>Have you tried Hair One or any other sulfate-free shampoo/conditioner? I just started using it in part because I was loosing so much hair with each shampoo. </p>
<p>Hair One recommends you rinse your hair for one full minute, then work their product first into your scalp, then your hair. The bottle recommends a lot of pumps of the product but I"m using 1/3 the recommended product and getting a nice result. My hair is soft but not falling out in the shower or on my brush so much.</p>
<p>Change your parting. Do less ‘work’. Let it dry naturally. Don’t keep it pulled back 7 days a week (if you do). Don’t use metal barrettes or headbands (if you do). Take Biotin…a commonly found supplement. It won’t help with the ends but it may strengthen the new growth. If none of this helps, it may be time to try a Rogaine-type product. </p>
<p>Most importantly: See your doctor as a change in hair can be a sign for a variety of issues. Have your thyroid hormones checked. Don’t let them dismiss you with a ‘it’s just menopause’ answer.</p>
<p>Mechanical damage may be the culprit. Synthetic brushes or plastic combs typically have seams on the bristles/teeth that shred when they pull through the ends. Have you tried a boar bristle brush or a wooden comb or something that is not injection molded?</p>
<p>I like all of these hair brush suggestions…my 14 year old deals with this. We believe the cause of her brittle hair and thinning is hypo thyroid.</p>
<p>So, we will look at some new hair brushes to help her.</p>
<p>But, to the OP, maybe have a full thyroid panel run - just in case?</p>
<p>Have you had your thyroid checked? Losing hair is a key symptom of having hypothyroid.</p>
<p>If physical causes are ruled out, you might consider your blow dryer (if you do blow dry your hair). I was having scary breakage and my hair stylist suggested my blow dryer might be the culprit. Cheap blow dryers use a heating element similar to that of a toaster. I switched to the same blower dryer my stylist uses, and the problem has completely resolved.</p>
<p>It is the Super Solano professional dryer. I bought it through Amazon. It is relatively expensive, but considering that a woman’s hair is very important to her, it was well worth the cost.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Thanks to all for the useful suggestions. I have not had my thyroid checked lately, so I will ask my internist about that. My hair is straight and fine, and I wash and blow it dry daily. My hair dresser suggested that the blow dryer was too close to the hair so I’ll watch that. I’ll look into that suggested hair dryer, too. I never pull my hair back or put anything like a clip or hair band in it. I do use hairspray, which probably isn’t great either. Today I tried a metal brush (that I used to use but thought a big round brush might be better so I had switched). I didn’t feel the stretching or snapping. This cold, dry, weather (yes, even in Florida!) can’t be doing it any good. I do use a conditioner for thinning hair (color treated, it’s highlighted). I’m going to try each suggestion. Something has to help. I will try Rogaine if nothing else works, if I’m a candidate for it If all else fails, I’ll ask where Orthodox Jewish women get their wigs. I watched The Doctors yesterday, but they only talked about men’s hair loss.</p>
<p>As hairstylist in another life-my first thought is I do not think it is mechanical-
I don’t know why you are on the methotrexate, but it sounds like a very strong medication- however while I would agree that often medication that works for one family member is appropriate for another ( & in the case of twins, you have good reason to think so ) , it still could be the cause of your hair loss.
[Hair</a> Loss with methotrexate - Rheumatoid Arthritis](<a href=“http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/question/630976/104695]Hair”>Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms, Causes, Treatments, and More)</p>
<p>I would get liver support ( as I would suggest to anyone- but especially people who may be exposed to toxic levels of anything)- liver support would include optimum nutrition & something like milk thistle or other supplements to help your body cope with the medication.</p>
<p>I would also look to anything that increases the ability of your capillaries to deliver nutrition to your scalp/skin. The integrity of the capillary wall, is important not just for your eyesight, heart etc, but can also increase blood flow to your follicles.
( co-Q-10 is widely used in Japan to aid in dental care & eye sight)
[Zeroing</a> in on the Beauty-from-Within Market | WholeFoods Magazine](<a href=“http://www.wholefoodsmagazineonline.com/supplements/features/zeroing-beauty-within-market]Zeroing”>http://www.wholefoodsmagazineonline.com/supplements/features/zeroing-beauty-within-market)</p>
<p>& last of the main nutrients I would suggest- would be EFAs which you can take in your diet but also in fish oil capsules.</p>
<p>I have been told that biotin (brand name: Appearex) is excellent for both hair and nails…my daughter took it for 3 months for a nail problem and it’s completely gone; it’s otc and is sold in 28 packs for the month…</p>
<p>I will be following this thread with interest. I sympathize with you threekids - I am the same age and am having the same problem. I have noticed the last few years that I seem to have periods of the year when I have noticeable hair lost. As it seems to run in cycles I had stopped worrying about it too much, but this current cycle has been going on for a very long time so I am now worrying. it is annoying and a bit embarrassing, especially finding hair on everything (for instance on my laptop as I type - yuck). </p>
<p>I changed to a sulfur free shampoo a while. Have not noticed any change in the shedding problem, but my scalp seems much calmer than before. I don’t style mine much, so I know my problem is not mechanical (though I wonder if having it colored contributes to the problem - really not ready to let it go grey 
). I am long overdue a general check up to may schedule one - the test for thyroid stuff when they run blood tests, right? In the meantime I may try some of the suggestions here. </p>
<p>I love CC.</p>
<p>I had alopecia areata (hair loss in areas, not total) several years ago, so I know how upsetting this can be. We think we shouldn’t be so “vain”, but it’s more than that. I truly sympathize.</p>
<p>I think you should really consider foregoing washing and blow drying your hair every day. Hairspray too. Just not good. </p>
<p>I doubt that what you have is alopecia. But just in case, there are treatments for that. Not cures, but various treatments. If there is any chance that you have this, don’t waste time with your internist; see a dermatologist who has familiarity with alopecia.</p>
<p>Rogaine, when I last checked into it, has to be used always and forever, so not a great option even if you do get results.</p>
<p>Ditto the biotin supplement…along with a good quality daily multi for women.</p>
<p>My thyroid tests always come back borderline. I really think there is something wrong - but who knows.</p>
<p>Anyway, I don’t have hair “loss” per se, I just see a thinning of my hair. It is so much finer than it was before. It seems to by cyclical - it is much worse after a period of stress. If I remember to take a good multivitamin, and some EFA’s, it seems to get a little better in a couple of months. </p>
<p>And yes, although it seems vain, it does gnaw away at my confidence. Silly, but true.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It’s neither vain nor silly, but rather a normal reaction to the situation.</p>
<p>Rodney, I keep hearing about Biotin so I’ll look into that. Swimcatsmom, the thyroid screening is separate I think, from the cbc and cmp I have drawn every three months. Emeraldkitty, yes, I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, as does my twin, and my daughter (22 years old). Hers, unfortunately, is more aggressive. She has very thick hair and also has noticed thinning. But hers seems like normal hair loss. We’re all on methotrexate. My twin is on Humira, which my husband does not want me or my daughter using (possibility of leukemia). I do know that it isn’t alopecia. I also think that if I don’t wash it, dry it, and put gel or hairspray in it, it would probably help. But I don’t think I can do that! I hate to go even one day without washing my hair. I try to not touch it all day, and don’t even brush it out at night. The only brushing is in the morning to style, and that’s minimal. I use a thick comb when it’s wet. If my twin’s hair wasn’t normal, I would have thought this was age, menopause. But, because hers is so much healthier, and she has been on methotrexate so much longer (and she started menopause about a year before I did) I think it must be something else. It seems to be an even loss, and not limited to one area or areas. But it’s noticeable to my family. My internist is also a nutritionist, so I’ll talk to her about the diet/supplements.</p>