Conference quark::human_relations-v1

    About a year and a half into my marriage, I started losing hair at the 
    rate of one to two hundred strands at a time.  No, I am not
    exaggerating.  I didn't even have to brush.  I could just run my hand
    over my hair and come away with a bunch of hair.
    
    What hair I had left was dead to the root in most places.
    
    Now, 7 years after he left, I have a *lot* of healthy, shiny hair.  So,
    yes, I would say stress can cause hair loss.
    
    E Grace
    
    BTW, I have been under some stress the last couple of years, and my
    hair loss has increased a little.  Nothing like during my marriage, but
    more than usual.

    Thanks for your reply.   This loss of hair is making me very nervous.
    I just had a baby 4 1/2 months ago and heard that hair loss is no
    uncommon, but for this long?  It must be stress.
    
    Thanks again.
    

    When my youngest child was about 4, she lost quite a lot of hair,
    leaving several large round bald spots on her head.  We went to the
    doctor, but were told that it was a nervous reaction to stress about
    which nothing could be done (considering that the stress was, in all
    likelihood, due to the various surgical and medical procedures she
    required).  The pediatrician also told us that her hair would grow 
    back (seemed impossible, looking at those smooth, bald
    areas).  He was right, after some months her hair grew back in.  
    
    This happened again (I think when she was 6 and again around 10), but
    for several years now there's been no recurrence.  Whether the
    following is coincidental, I don't know, but she has not needed surgery
    in years.  (Color me glad!)
    
    aq
    
    

    Hairloss after childbirth is VERY common.  If you nursed your baby,
    it wont start until after you finish nursing.  But, it usually grows
    back, so I wouldn't worry about it.  Also, it went on for at least
    3 or 4 months that I can remember.  Same thing happened to my best
    friend.

    
    Yes, I for one know stress can cause hair loss.  A few years back my
    husband got very sick and was in the hospital for almost 2 weeks before
    he passed away.  Starting the 2nd week, my hair started falling out
    literally in clumps.  Strange that it only happened on one side, after
    awhile it all grew back normally. 

If its just after a baby (within a year) its more likely to be due 
to hormonal changes....


my sisters baby is 6 months old and she has been loosing hair since 
the birth, in fact the rate of loss has increased in the last month.


If you are worreid see your doctor...



Xtine

    Yes.

    I think the deal with postpartum hair loss, as I understand it, is that
    you're so souped up with hormones during pregnancy that the hair that
    would normally fall out during those nine months is "artificially"
    retained... then after the pregnancy, the hormones shut off and all
    that hair falls out at once.  (I remember having to rinse off great
    clumps of it in the shower!)  I think my "shedding" season only lasted
    about a month--but it definitely gets your undivided attention!
    
    Leslie

    You know it's funny, my doctor never even mentioned the possibility of
    hair loss after birth.  No wonder I am so concerned.  It is the stress
    of losing my hair that is causing stress.  Can you believe it?  Life is
    funny.
    

    My doctor didn't tell me either... only my hairdresser knew for sure!
    
    Leslie

    ABSOLUTLY!!! I'm living proof! I had this sales job a couple of years
    ago, that had me stressed out to the MAX! I didn't know which end was 
    up & I kept on going like a mad woman! I went through a time where I
    was getting sick all the time. I saw doctor after doctor & nobody could
    tell me what was wrong w/ me. I finally figured out on my own that I
    was suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (The Yuppie Flu). I Quit
    that Job & moved on to a less demanding one.
    
    The day I was getting ready for my new job, I noticed this (IMO) HUGE
    bald spot on the back of my head!!! I couldn't believe it! Tears came
    to my eyes, I had no idea why I was going bald! I showed it to my
    roomie & she gasped, which caused me to cry even more! I tried & tried
    to think of what could have happened, talked to my hairdresser too. She
    asked it I'd had any high fevers lately. No. Had my hair pulled hard?
    no. She was stumped, but told me it was called (something like)
    halapacia earietta (SP? but I'll get the correct spelling in here as
    soon as I look it up in my trusty med journal).
    
    So, Off to the dermatoligist I went. He looked at me for a total of
    2.5 seconds & sed, "That's Halapacia earietta, it's caused from stress,
    are you going thru a hard time right now?" I sed, "Yup & I just quit
    the job that was causing it."  He took this little needle & jabbed it
    around the bald spot about 20 or 30 times. It was some steroid thing. 
    I wish I could remember exactly what he said. But, he did say that
    within 3 months it should start coming back. 90% of the cases do,
    but not all! Luckilly mine did, & it came in healthy & strong. 
    
    HAIR LOSS DOES CAUSE STRESS, TOO! I was soooo paranoid about it!!!
    
    I saw a Sally Jesse Rapheal show on this issue, these people had 
    different forms of (HE?) Some had the "universal" type which results
    in complete bodily hair loss, eyebrows, underarms, pubic, all of it!
    There were two young kids on too. All of the guests had INCREDIBLY
    high self esteem, & a positive outlook on life. They had to come to
    grips w/ their affliction, & have realized that it's not what's on the
    outside that counts, it's whats on the inside!! I agree, but I still 
    like my hair!!!
    
    If anyone needs the number of the doctor that "cured" me, send me mail.
    
    Bonnie
    

    BTW-->I'm in Massachusetts, so If you live in California, you probably
    don't want the number to my doctor! (oops I just think everyone lives
    here!) ;*)
    
    Bon

    re: .12
    
    That's alopecia areata.

    Thanks! I was just getting in here to say that! :*)
    
    Bon

    hi,
    my uncle went thru a stressful divorce, after being married for 27 
    years. His hair completely fell out; all body hair!
    
    Then, when it grew back, it was WHITE.  Then when his life settled
    down, it turned back gradually to his normal brown color.  Its true.
    Stress can really do monumental things to you.
    

    Yeah, after mine grew back (finally) It was *WHITE* in that spot
    for a while, but it eventually came in brown, (my natural color).
    Still....I say, better white than gone! :*)
    
    see ya!
    B

    Years ago, when I moved to California with my wife, who was from
    another country and not accustomed to moving, her hair fell out around
    the temples. For months this went on until she had to cut it all off.
    
    She had every test done in the book: all negative. Finally she returned
    to her country for a brief period to attend her father's funeral. When
    she returned, her hair was growing in fully and has continued to ever
    since.
    
    My aunt once told me that when she moved to California as a young
    woman, she threw up every day for weeks.
    
    These major transitions seem to be very stressful for a lot of people.
    But the symptoms often seem to subside once the transition has been
    passed.
    
    All the best!
    Theo