My Story

[BJohnson]

Hi I am new here. I am 18 and I just recently started experiencing hair loss. During the month of February I was a lot more stressed than usual I had a lot of deadlines that I had to meet, I was applying to college. The next month I started noticing that my hair was thinning.

It started out as just being a little more than usual. I didn't think anything of it but when it got to the point that I was experiencing 5-7 hairs coming out at one time just by touching my hair I started to get worried. I tried to talk to my mom but she wouldn't listen so I had to just hope that it would eventually stop. It continued into April and I got even more worried when I noticed that I could see large portions of my scalp on the back of my head. I went to my doctor and he drew blood but he told me that everything was normal, I didn't have anemia or anything like that. He pretty much told me to deal with it, but not in those words.

It has gotten to the point where I can't even have my hair down when I am around anyone because I am so self-conscious. I am still hoping that it will eventually go away and that I will wake up from this nightmare.

[VictoriaG]

Hi, I'm sorry about what you are going through. So many of us here have seen several doctors, hoping for answers - hoping one will at least take us seriously! You will get tons of support here. Good luck.

[finaleofseem]

I definitely remember being where you are now, and I'm so sorry you have to deal with it, too.

[BJohnson]

It has been nearly 8 months since I first posted to this site and every day has still been a struggle for me. After my first encounter with my doctor, who told me that there really wasn't anything that he could do for me and was half convinced that I didn't really even have anything wrong with my hair, I tried to put losing my hair out my mind. It is there though and sometimes I find myself thinking "can anybody see?" "is the thinning patch visible?" but I know that it really isn't.

Since this first started, nearly one year ago, the hair loss has slowed down a lot. There is still some regular shedding but my hair just isn't growing back in fast enough. I am going to start taking some multi vitamin pills though, and I am thinking of taking small doses of Biotin, my cousin recommended it to me because a lot of the women in my family experience some hair loss. I still don't know what is wrong with my hair but I think that I am going to go back to my doctor and demand that he refer me to someone that can actually help me. I don't trust him to actually do anything that will help me besides recommending Rogaine.

I just wish that everything would go back to normal. I wish that I didn't have to deal with this at 18 but I do and I know that I am stronger because of it. I am lucky though because my hair loss is only causing some thinning and not bald spots. It gets a little bit better each day as I come to terms with what is happening. I am not going to let this completely run my life. I refuse to. I am in college now and I have better things to worry about. :)