Faz is concerned…My hair keeps falling a lot and is getting quite thin, my hair usually falls out while I am brushing it or washing it. My mum says I may be short of some nutrition and may be because I don’t drink enough water. What can I do? 
The Right Brain responds:
Here’s another example of why our Beauty Brains Forum is so fabulous. When Faz asked this question earlier this year, some of our astute Beauty Brainiacs (Marynel, Janis, Purplerules, Tsunamino and others) jumped in and asked Faz if she’d gotten a doctor’s opinion. That’s because her symptoms sounded like they might be beyond a cosmetic “dry hair” problem. Specifically, they suggested she get her thyroid checked. So, we thought it might be helpful to educate all our readers on thyroid and hair loss.
Thyroid and hair loss
The thyroid is a cute little butterfly-shaped gland in your neck which is responsible for producing hormones. When it makes too much (hyperthyroidism) or too little (hypothyroidism), your hair can suffer. Some people feel that their hair changes in texture; it becomes coarse and brittle and looks dull. Others experience hair loss, usually in the form of large clumps. Besides the effects on hair, you may also experience weight gain or the inability to lose weight, constantly feeling cold, constipation, high cholesterol, sharply reduced sex drive, and (my personal favorite)”brain fog.” Since there are many diverse symptoms it’s tough to know for sure if your issue is caused by your thyroid – all the more reason to consult a doctor. (Sources: WebMD/WiseGeek.)
The Beauty Brains bottom line
If Faz was a 36 year old guy with male pattern baldness, we’d probably recommend sprinkling on some Toppik Hair Building Fibers. But since she’s a 15 year old female, we couldn’t agree more with our fave Forum females: she should make a doctor’s appointment! If you’re having severe hair loss, the problem is probably not with your shampoo or conditioner.
Faz, are you still out there? Write back and tell us what you found out about your hair loss.
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I have hypothyroidism. I take medication every day and am technically euthyroid, but I still suffer from dry skin and my hair falls… maybe due to breakage, maybe not.
What has worked for me is to use dry hair shampoo, use coconut oil, dry skin lotion (aveeno has worked wonders for me) and almond oil on my cuticles and nails. Also, I try not to process my hair.. no perms or dying. Try and get diagnosed if you suspect hypothyroidism and pay attention to your moods. Sometimes, “depression” might just be that you are low on your levotyrosine fix…
Treatment for thyroid disease involves carefully regulated doses of thyroid hormone. Too large of a dosage may cause unwanted side-effects so doctors are cautious when prescribing initial treatment.
This happened to me in the first trimester of pregnancy. My hair actually started breaking in large amounts a week or so before i found out and it continued for a few weeks. Doc said it was likely hormonal issues but if it got worse, they would check the thyroid. I did the same as astrobiologiste – switched to moisturizing shampoos (i love Giovanni 50/50 balanced at Wholefoods) and conditioners, and the doc says to drink A LOT of water.
I also went and got about 5 inches chopped off my hair, stopped dying it and try to brush minimally. It has gotten a lot better since i changed shampoo & got it cut.
Hope you find a solution soon, as I know how frustrating and upsetting it can be!
Iron deficiency anemia can cause hair loss. Every few years, I can become anemic and the first sign is that my hair starts falling out. Be sure to have your doctor do a complete blood profile for anemia – including most importantly, your ferritin levels. Iron supplements will bring your levels back up within a few months, but, as my dermatologist told me, it may take a while longer for your hair to return to normal. If I remember correctly (because thankfully the condition hasn’t recurred for some years), if your hair is falling out because of iron deficiency, your hair will stop falling out over the course of a few months.
My GP always checked my thyroid levels, as well as my iron, but in my instance, the thyroid was always normal. And so were my blood levels – until my new GP told me it was the ferritin blood count that matters – which has to be specifically asked for, when an anemia blood panel is drawn. At least, this was the case here in CT, so be sure to ask your doctor if he is ordering your ferritin count, too. Hope this helps. And 3-6 months of iron was, in my case, enough to fix things for years at a time.