Hair, menopause and general long sighs...

[indysteel]

Minor threadjack: Hi, Red!!!! I've been wondering how you are and missing you on TE!!! I'd love to hear how you've been doing.

@Dogmama, I have always had fine hair and my thyroid issues have, at times, really messed with it, especially in terms of texture. I agree that color can help. I also find that wearing it no longer than shoulder length, and preferably a bit shorter than that, can help make it seem fuller and less stringy. I hope you find a solution for you.

[Miranda]

+1...Nioxin...it's great stuff!

Use tips & misc...

Yes, it is expensive, but it's well worth it, imho. I've tried in the past to change back to regular shampoo, and I definitely noticed the difference, i.e. more hair loss / no new hair growth.

You need to give it about a month of regular use. Then you can see the results. I call them "baby hairs or sprouts", of new hair growth will show up. In your part-line, and forehead area. Plus, it just seems to make it fall out a lot less.

When you shampoo and condition, give your scalp a good massage with the pads of your fingers tips and work it in well. Try to let it sit on your scalp a few minutes while you do other needed things in the shower, i.e. shave legs, etc. Then rinse the Nioxin out last. This just gives it more time to work.

You also might notice a tingling sensation on your scalp. I think it's part of whatever is in it, at work. Tho recently the look of it changed slightly (opal to gel), and I notice the tingling less.

Btw, smells fresh/unisex, sorta minty...if you have never tried it before, I think you will love it!

General hair thoughts...

A good cut can do a lot for us fine thin hair ladies. And no, I do not think you have to get it super short. Just so it's well maintained. I recently went from my bra strap, to just past my shoulders, and it feels fuller. It's blunt cut, with very very few Jennifer Aniston type layers.

I googled "fine thin hair over 40" and looked at some pics on line. Hopefully this link will work to show you what I found...
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...electedIndex=0

Lastly...

While I'm just in peri-menopause, I understand the symptoms (ugh). As a natural red-head, it's my one gift of unique beauty; and I'm fighting to keep it looking it's best.

Good Luck!



EDIT ADD:

Coloring...

Currently I have just a few gray hairs, but I plan not to color them. I had some highlights added to my natural red hair once, and it ended in a color disaster. I swore to never color again.

BUT, my stylists told me if I ever wanted to try color as I gray I might do some low-lights in the underneath layers of hair. If you add the color *not* in the top section of head, then the top layer of hair covers the roots as they grow out. Hope that makes sense.

Coloring in general is hard on your hair. As any chemicals are. I try to avoid things that stress my fine thin hair. As we put it up also, that doesn't help.

Fwiw, here's a book title I read a while back and enjoyed the lady's story... "Going Gray: How To Embrace Your Authentic Self With Grace And Style" by Anne Kreamer.

[Bike Writer]

I am another happy user of Biotin and the B supplement group. I had a bout of hair loss that was really getting me concerned. I've had thick hair with a wave to it all my life so thin and limp hair was a brand new thing to deal with. The loss was getting quite significant and I was having a hard time pinning it down. (the culprit, not the hair) I do have RA and take meds for it, but I've had RA for a few years and those meds before the hair loss. I went through an incredibly stressful time that lasted for about a year and a half and that's when the hair loss got quite significant. I suffered from fatigue in addition to the hair loss after this stressful period. Because of my heritage I have Mediterranean anemia and my body does not make good use of the iron it gets. The B complex has helped with iron absorption. I take a regular multi-viatmin plus this other product with Biotin. I've been taking the Biotin for about 6 months and I have a healthy head of thickening hair and it came back curly like when I was a kid. My family is amazed at the regrowth that's taken place. I am post menopausal and have been since my late 20's, but that was due to surgery and something for a different story at a different time.

Hair loss can be devastating, I hope you find something that works for you.

I get the vitamins from Costco and they are labeled Hair, Skin and Nails supplement and if I am an example, they are great.

[lor]

Pureology stopped working for me, too. I switched to a sulfate free shampoo. I use Thermafuse. There's also N4 shampoo, it's too pricey for me to want to try it, but it's supposed to be very good.

For hair color, thickening, covering grey and doing no damage to your hair, try henna! It doesn't have to be flaming red. Go to mehandi and read up. Hours worth of info there. I've bought body-art quality henna from there for several years. Do not go to Sally beauty, it's not the same henna!

Good luck. I was anemic last year and suffered quite a bit of hair loss. I had to start combing over bare spots. Very depressing. It's coming back nicely, though.