A year ago I went through an emotionally devastating experience where I started to lose my hair. To some this might sound vain and trite but any women who has gone through significant hair loss will understand this type of grieving. I’ve always had dark, thick, curly hair, lots of body-too much body; hairdressers always raved about my hair.
Secretly, I wanted the hair I didn’t have; silky, straight blond hair. However, when I looked around and saw my hair on the floor, instead of being attached to my head, I surely appreciated what I was losing. At the time, wherever I went, I left a trail of hair behind me. When I washed my hair handfuls of hair would fall out. When I brushed my hair, after a few strokes, the brush would literally disappear in all the hair on it. I felt so vulnerable that I cried constantly. When I put my hair up in a ponytail and its thickness was a fraction of what it used to be I finally decided I had to do something drastic.
My first step was to visit my doctor. There are many medical conditions that cause hair loss such as cushings, hypothyroidism, diabetes, polycystic ovaries, etc. I underwent a number of tests and they all came back negative. Although I was pleased to know I was in perfect health, it did nothing to settle my anxiety about the hair loss. Now I was convinced I had inherited the curse of baldness which runs rampant in my father’s family. This catapulted me into a deeper depression.
My next step was to scan the internet looking for solutions. The internet was filled with all sorts of miracle cures for hair loss and baldness. I was alarmed at how compelled I felt to try something, anything, that would stop this hair loss. Particularly appealing were all those hair transplant clinics offering a permanent head of hair. But none of these advertisements offered an explanation. Why was my hair falling out so rapidly? I did find a sensible solution. Through the internet I found a medical clinic with a dermatologist who specializes in hair conditions.
I called the clinic and was told I had to have a referral from my physician with test results to rule out other medical conditions. Once I called my physician and the results of the tests were sent over we set up an appointment. I saw the specialist and he did a thorough check of my head and my medical history. After talking to me for half an hour he knew the cause of my shedding. I don’t remember his name but he will forever be “GOLDDOC”. Previously that year I had suffered from pneumonia which was very stressful to my body. Mother Nature being what she is, decided my body needed all the nourishment possible and nourishing my hair was not necessary. “GOLDDOC” in his infinite wisdom told me that the loss of my beautiful locks of hair would be temporary.
True to his word my hair stopped falling out after another five or six weeks. Then I went through the opposite experience. No hair fallout at all, not even the normal fallout of 100-200 hairs per day. This lasted for six months or so. Now I have all my hair back and I sure appreciate it.
If you, or any woman you know, are experiencing hair loss, please do what I did. See your physician; get the needed tests done to rule out underlying medical conditions. If these turn out to be negative, find a dermatologist who deals with hair loss. He/she will give you information and options that allow you to make a more sensible choice.
Tags: Hair Loss, hair loss in women, Pneumonia
