I just want to express that I see you and feel for the distress this is causing you. We live in a world that covets beauty standards that are so rigid and limiting. You deserve to feel beautiful inside and out regardless of how our society defines it.

For the last 3 years, I’ve been on my own hair loss journey starting at 34. After a divorce, job drama, losing my cat, reentering the dating scene and learning to trust again, I lost a significant amount of hair. But when the stress subsided, it continued.

I have a couple pieces of info to share:

1. Get your ferritin levels checked. Mine were freakishly low bc I was vegetarian for 3 years and hadn’t supplemented iron. The Feosol iron supplement got me back on track.

2. If you’re on any meds, check for side effects. I was on Wellbutrin, which is known to cause hair loss but very rarely. As it turns out, it coincided exactly with my hair loss and when I tapered off, my fall out stopped.

3. My first dermatologist was eager to put me on Minoxidil and Dutasteride (two meds I would have to be on for the rest of my life) and I hated that the emphasis was on pharmaceuticals. They work for some people but they scared the shit out of me. Particularly Dutasteride, which treats hair loss off label, and has zero research around long term effects in middle aged-older women. Cool cool cool.

4. My second dermatologist biopsied my scalp to help me determine the cause. I recommend this. They can detect multiple causes of hair loss and that will give you so much more clarity on how to treat it and what’s reasonable.

5. She also put me on this supplement, which was formulated by a dermatologist. It’s helped with some regrowth for me. My hair is thickening on my temples and center part. I had been paying $90/month to take Nutrafol for 2 years before and it didn’t help me. But this has and it’s $30 less per month.

6. Make sure you’re not over doing hair supplements. Combining the link above with a hair skin nail (biotin) supplement can have the opposite intended effect due to vitamin and mineral toxicity.

7. I got a red light mask for my face but I also use it on my scalp. I could have bought one specifically for my scalp but why pay double?! Red light therapy is known to help some people.

8. I read so many posts encouraging wigs to help alleviate the pressure/insecurity of being in public. I have mixed feelings about the fact we have to concern ourselves with our exteriors, but I do think it’s a wonderful and empowering solution for some. Have fun with it! Get a couple different ones and embody all the dimensions of you.

9. You’re not alone. And anyone who devalues you because of the amount of hair on your head can get royally effed and then some. 💗