So I'm starting to get concerned. I will be on HRT for 3 month on the 26th. Since a couple weeks after I started, I've noticed a rather large increase in the number of hairs I am brushing out of my hair. I have always been pretty good with my hair care regimen. I've been growing it for a couple years now. Its past my shoulder now. But, since I've started HRT its like hairloss kicked in as well. Is this common? Had anyone else heard of this or have had it happen to them? My followup visit with my doc isn't for a month from now. Currently I'm just on a low dose of estrogen with no T blockers.

-Liv

IDK if it's suppose to do that on low E... I'd imagine not. I do know, however, that on Finasteride, that is common.

I noticed a ton of hair loss initially as well, but my hair was getting fuller and I was growing hairs I had not before.

Don't worry too much about it, wait at least a year before freaking out!  I already did the freaking out for you 

You should be seeing your doctor soon, he or she will check your E levels make sure they are not too high.  My doctor saw me 3 months after starting HRT, to see how it was working out in my blood.  My doctor suggested another T Blocker if I was that scared but I decided to stick with what was working for my hormonal levels and at the end of the day I am glad I did.

I still loose hair, but its normal loss and not scary loss.

I am so nervous about the whole hair issue. I can't wait to go on hormones, but at the same time one of my biggest issues with my body right now is with my hair (losing it on my head, too much on my body), and I really have no idea how much or in what way the hormones are going to affect that.

Quote from: Alainaluvsu on September 21, 2012, 10:47:54 AM
IDK if it's suppose to do that on low E... I'd imagine not. I do know, however, that on Finasteride, that is common.

Finasteride is the active ingredient in Propecia, the hair-restoring pill. So if it's making hair fall out - and not growing back - something's going wrong!

FWIW, it's been very effective in limiting and even reversing my hairloss ... and I now take generic Finasteride, since it's far, far cheaper than Propecia.

Quote from: Carlita on September 21, 2012, 11:14:44 AM
Finasteride is the active ingredient in Propecia, the hair-restoring pill. So if it's making hair fall out - and not growing back - something's going wrong!

FWIW, it's been very effective in limiting and even reversing my hairloss ... and I now take generic Finasteride, since it's far, far cheaper than Propecia.

A common worry on hair loss forums is the initial shed from Finasteride within the first few months of taking it. Many seem to say "That's how you know it's working!" The hair does grow back, however. It did with me... I noticed a strand or 2 every time I ran my hands through (especially the back of my head). After about 4 months it stopped doing that and as time went on my hair seemed thicker even though I've never been thin to begin with.

As you can see in my avatar... I do have a full head of hair... you can barely see my scalp even when you part it!

Quote from: Carlita on September 21, 2012, 11:14:44 AM
Finasteride is the active ingredient in Propecia, the hair-restoring pill. So if it's making hair fall out - and not growing back - something's going wrong!

FWIW, it's been very effective in limiting and even reversing my hairloss ... and I now take generic Finasteride, since it's far, far cheaper than Propecia.

I'm not on Finasteride, but I was going to have my doc prescribe it on my visit ina month. I was aware there is a shedding period with it, but since I'm only taking Estrogen its making me worry. I do however have a full head of hair and the loss isn't noticable or anything. To me it seems to be a lot more then usual pre-HRT. Thank you for your responses so far. I think I might be the case where my body is overproducing T to counter the E I am taking, judging from other symptons since starting E. Hopefully this will get sorted on my next visit.

- Liv

About DHT blockers... This may sound strange, but... It's being only a week on dutasteride. The first days I was panicking about massive hair loss. It was a matter of trying to comb it and it would fall down to the  point of covering the whole sink. Now it has stopped, and the daily amount of fallen hair after shampooing seems to have reduced. I know it is too early and sometimes the real shedding does not start until the first month, but it seems like a small improvement.

T Blockers are more important than estrogen imo,  T-Blocking is like using a giant ram to take down a door which allows the estrogen to do its job efficiently.

I saw this one girl taking insane amounts of estrogen and it worked to some extent for years.  When she started taking a T-Blocker, many major changes occurred.  It was the difference between sorta passing to fully passing as her face filled up.

Quote from: Crt.rnA on September 21, 2012, 11:58:11 AM
About DHT blockers... This may sound strange, but... It's being only a week on dutasteride. The first days I was panicking about massive hair loss. It was a matter of trying to comb it and it would fall down to the  point of covering the whole sink. Now it has stopped, and the daily amount of fallen hair after shampooing seems to have reduced. I know it is too early and sometimes the real shedding does not start until the first month, but it seems like a small improvement.

Oh my! That would be devastating to me. Maybe it would be a good idea to cut it shorter for the shedding period? Sheesh starting to freak out over this, I LOVE MY LONG HAIR!! How bad is the shedding? Like, has anyone had it to the point to where it is visably noticbly thinner? As far as vanity is concerned my hair is really important and I would hate to lose the 2yrs growth I have. Its finally getting to my target length. What are your opinions on just getting on t blockers first and seeing if that will be enough before I go with Fin? Thanks!

-Liv

I wouldn't be too worried...  so what you loose a few more hairs.  In the grand scheme of thing I doubt its going to be too noticeable and will end quickly.

as far as cutting it shorter, I wouldn't suggest it.

You loose more hair by being stressed out probably...

Quote from: Olivia-Anne on September 21, 2012, 12:21:24 PM
Oh my! That would be devastating to me. Maybe it would be a good idea to cut it shorter for the shedding period? Sheesh starting to freak out over this, I LOVE MY LONG HAIR!! How bad is the shedding? Like, has anyone had it to the point to where it is visably noticbly thinner?

It has never shed to the point where it was noticeable for me. Shedding for me was not major but it worried me a little bit. Keep in mind a full head can have well over 100,000 strands... seeing 200+ shed in a single day is not going to be noticed unless it occurs over a period of weeks or even months. I shampoo my hair once a week and I *regularly* count 50-70 strands every time I shampoo. My mom counts 100 every time she does and she has a thicker head of hair than I do! When I clump it all together, it looks about the same as I see on just about every client that I shampoo (I am a cosmetologist).

Try not to worry about it or it WILL come out. Stress causes (temporary) hair loss.

Quote from: Alainaluvsu on September 21, 2012, 12:45:25 PM
I shampoo my hair once a week and I *regularly* count 50-70 strands every time I shampoo

How can you survive? Sheeesh. My hair is so oily that I need daily shaampoing, and missing one day give me incredible itches and even more hair loss.

Can HRT reduce hair oilyness?

Quote from: Crt.rnA on September 21, 2012, 01:03:04 PM
How can you survive? Sheeesh. My hair is so oily that I need daily shaampoing, and missing one day give me incredible itches and even more hair loss.

Can HRT reduce hair oilyness?

Significantly. Testosterone is the main player in sebum production (what causes "oiliness" on the skin and in the hair). I HAD to shampoo my hair at least every 2 days pre-hrt or it would be disgustingly greasy. Now it's to the point where it's not even oily after a week... I just do it as a routine to get any other debris out of my hair that's been put there over the week.

Quote from: Alainaluvsu on September 21, 2012, 06:38:07 PM
Significantly. Testosterone is the main player in sebum production (what causes "oiliness" on the skin and in the hair). I HAD to shampoo my hair at least every 2 days pre-hrt or it would be disgustingly greasy. Now it's to the point where it's not even oily after a week... I just do it as a routine to get any other debris out of my hair that's been put there over the week.

My barber recommended shampooing only one of every two days, but with the minoxidil for added oiliness it was impossible. The effect would be quite appreciated.

hmmmm idk. I cut my hair after one month hrt. To start over. Naturally. I have notice my hair has become; overtime, softer. Patients is actually what everyone told me about hrt...its soooo true. Now one year and four months on hrt....a lot has changed. One day ima do a time line...im going to wait after my srs next march tho

Quote from: Crt.rnA on September 21, 2012, 06:41:31 PM
My barber recommended shampooing only one of every two days, but with the minoxidil for added oiliness it was impossible. The effect would be quite appreciated.

You really should only shampoo when your hair feels greasy. Shampooing too soon strips the hair of sebum (which soothes the cuticle and makes it look healthier and shiny).

I may try to go back to only every two days, and rinse only the rest of the days. I keep a high level of cardio almost every day, so I sweat at insane levels.


BTW, Ketakonazole shampoo is the most dangerous thing I have seen. It was recommended to be used with DHT blockers a few times per week to reduce scalp itchiness, but dries the hair to new limits, making it impossible to comb without pulling half the head.

And since we are talking about HRT and this name seems to pop a lot...

http://shop.genhair.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=8&zenid=b9fd3bff589044645255d3e8ce006da9

Any opinions on this? Topical spiro mixed with Retin-A  and caffeine. At least it has to be more powerful than minoxidil.

I've never used it on a client or otherwise... so I'm not sure how it would effect hair health.

am using Ketakonazole shampoo daily, since I used to get  really BAAAAD dandruff since I caught a bad case of some bacterial infection about 10 years ago, that resulted in the excess sebum coating the base and roots of my hair.

the bacteria and the consequent ketakonazole shampoo treatment combined with rise in T levels due to onset of puberty, ruined my hair and I lost MOST of it as a result which led me to horrible cases of depression and anxiety.

Even today I still have to use the thing regularly to make sure and to prevent any chances of recurrence. Although HRT has massively helped me in getting my hair back...

the trick is to find the most mild or the least damaging level of ketakonazole to use. Too less and theres a possibility of the problems that were there earlier coming back - in which case the hair fall would get MUCH MUCH MUCH more worse. Too much and you would end up dry dull hair that sooo fragile that it easily falls or breaks.

Ketakonazole is used to treat bacterial infections and insane dandruff and seriously bad skin problems.

Using it for anything else is pointless, and it is a very good drug/shampoo if used wisely. DO NOT USE it if the problem is very mild.

Also for some insane reason I sweat through my scalp than the rest of my body so its easy for me to get an infection out there... one of the reasons I have become a germophobe.

I cant believe I am sharing all of this - even reading it am grossed out by it.

edit: yes it is has AA properties but using it for AA ruins your digestive system and you get up with stomach ache and all sorts of digestive problems as a result. So dont even think about using it as anything other than a shampoo/soap/external body wash.