Hair Regrowth

[suziew]

Has anyone who lost their hair, had it grow back? I have been gluten free for a year now. I quit using wheat shampoos, I started taking selenium and my doctor says my thyroid is okay. My hair is still falling out. Is there any hope?

[eKatherine]

How many hairs are you losing each day? Count the hairs in the brush, comb, and shower. It is normal to lose 50-100 hairs in a day. If your hair is thinning, it may not have anything to do with the celiac.

[blueeyedmanda]

My hair grew back, it stopped falling out rapidly almost instantly once I went gluten-free. I was breathing the sign of relief. It really scared me when my hair started coming out in chunks.

[mommida]

Hair growth has three phases, rest, growth, and falling out. Most of the time the individual hair follicles following this pattern are scattered over (the head) and the pattern is not that noticable. If the body has all the hair growth restarted at the same time it is very noticeable. Give it some time and maybe try a shorter style for right now.

L.

[suziew]

It's been at least 5 yrs. since I noticed my hair falling out. When I look in the mirror now, I can see the shape of my head because there is no hair left. I guess I'll go back to the doctors again. The first 2 doctors only checked my thryroid and said it's part of growing old.

[Rachel--24]

I was losing a ton of hair before going gluten-free...I also had thyroid disease at the same time though. I remember counting hairs in the shower and it was well over 400.

It all grew back in time...I still go through bouts where I lose more...especially if I get alot of reactions from things in my diet. Thankfully it never gets as bad as it was in the beginning.

I know you said you've had your thyroid checked but even if the levels are in the normal range....it may not be normal for you...some people need their numbers to be in the low normal range for optimal thyroid levels.

Do you have your most recent test results (TSH, FT3 and FT4)? If you can post them I'd be curious to see what the numbers are...I'm betting high normal.

[eKatherine]

I have heard women who had been anorexic say that even after they recovered their health with proper eating, their hair remained thin. It did not grow back as thick as it had been before their eating disorder.

[elisabet]

Is your hair loss patchy or diffuse?My son had lost alot of hair both in patches and over all.

He had to have a gluten-free cf sf diet and all his hair came back.

[DingoGirl]

I was losing a ton of hair - - my iron and other nutrients were really low. About four months after being gluten-free, it FINALLY stopped falling out. About one month after being gluten-free, I looked like a porcupine, as little hairs all over my head were sticking out from the longer hair. This made me very happy. How long have you been gluten-free? Have you had a complete blood panel? Much of it has to do wtih malnutrition.....

[ravenwoodglass]

  elisabet said:

Is your hair loss patchy or diffuse?My son had lost alot of hair both in patches and over all.

He had to have a gluten-free cf sf diet and all his hair came back.

Elisabeth, I am so happy to hear this!!!!! I know he had a tough time for a while.

[Felidae]

My hair stopped thinning and grew back to a decent thickness since going gluten-free. I also don't use wheat shampoos or conditioners.

[elisabet]

  ravenwoodglass said:

Elisabeth, I am so happy to hear this!!!!! I know he had a tough time for a while.

Thank you so much,and you have been such a wonderful support.

[suziew]

I don't have the numbers from my thryroid tests. The last doctor would never tell me anything. She just said it was normal. My hair is thinning on top, just like a man's head would do. I hate having my picture taken, because my shiny white scalp always shines through.

[ravenwoodglass]

  suziew said:

I don't have the numbers from my thryroid tests. The last doctor would never tell me anything. She just said it was normal. My hair is thinning on top, just like a man's head would do. I hate having my picture taken, because my shiny white scalp always shines through.

First ((((((hugs)))))), second you have a legal right to copies of any tests and notes your doctor has done on you. Don't ask for them demand them.

[Guest southgoingzax]

Hi there!

I don't want to depress anyone who has dealt with hair loss, but 3 years after diagnosis, I am still losing my hair. It seems to start every year between May and July and fall steadily out until December. Then I get baby hairs and then it starts all over again. I have been to a dermatologist and to several GI specialists (one of whom told me forcibly that he had no bald celiac patients), and there's nothing apparently wrong. I have also had my thyroid tested - no dice. However, after some extensive (and very expensive) allergy and vitamin/mineral absorption tests, I have learned that I am still vitamin and mineral deficient due to intestinal inflammation, not caused by gluten but by other allergens (soy, dairy, eggs, beef, salmon, shrimp, cranberries, green and black teas, and lettuce, to name a few!). Now that I have cut all of those out and added to my vitamin-mineral regiment, I am hoping the hair loss will eventually stop.

Some vitamin/mineral deficiencies that may cause hair loss:

Vitamin A

Vitamin B-12

Zinc

Calcium

Protein

I found that weekly B vitamin injections really seemed to help, but then my nurse practitioner and I had a falling out and she refuses to treat me any longer unless I buy custom-made vitamins that cost $600 for a 3-month supply. But anyway, you might try injections, as our ability to absorb anything in the intestines is usually pretty hampered.

Good Luck and Best Wishes,

zax

[LKelly8]

I have age/genetic related hairloss. I was sooo sure it was vit def from celiac or one of the meds I take for rheumatoid arthritis but unfortunatly it's not, I'm just losing my hair just like my mom did, and her mom, and her mom. . .I come from a long line of shiny headed, angry women.

I'm going in for "the" haircut in August, short and a lighter color. Lighter color blends better with the exposed scalp.

I did notice some hair regrowth when I was taking a high dose (Rx 1mg) of folic acid. I was taking it to counteract the methotrexate (arthritis drug), so I don't really know what the deal was there.

[Ellen A.]

  southgoingzax said:

Hi there!

I don't want to depress anyone who has dealt with hair loss, but 3 years after diagnosis, I am still losing my hair. It seems to start every year between May and July and fall steadily out until December. Then I get baby hairs and then it starts all over again. I have been to a dermatologist and to several GI specialists (one of whom told me forcibly that he had no bald celiac patients), and there's nothing apparently wrong. I have also had my thyroid tested - no dice. However, after some extensive (and very expensive) allergy and vitamin/mineral absorption tests, I have learned that I am still vitamin and mineral deficient due to intestinal inflammation, not caused by gluten but by other allergens (soy, dairy, eggs, beef, salmon, shrimp, cranberries, green and black teas, and lettuce, to name a few!). Now that I have cut all of those out and added to my vitamin-mineral regiment, I am hoping the hair loss will eventually stop.

Some vitamin/mineral deficiencies that may cause hair loss:

Vitamin A

Vitamin B-12

Zinc

Calcium

Protein

I found that weekly B vitamin injections really seemed to help, but then my nurse practitioner and I had a falling out and she refuses to treat me any longer unless I buy custom-made vitamins that cost $600 for a 3-month supply. But anyway, you might try injections, as our ability to absorb anything in the intestines is usually pretty hampered.

Good Luck and Best Wishes,

zax