Hair breakage

[Sharon]

My hair is constantly breaking off mid-strand, often close to the scalp.
Anyone understand why this happens or know how to treat it?

[irish]

I don't know what is going on with you but the first thing I think of is thyroid issues. I have had bad hair issues the past few months and my beautician has refused to give permanent because I had been on so much steroids. She wants to wait. So, growing my hair as I have lost some and I need to have more on my head in length.

Meanwhile I had my thyroid checked last week and low and behold I am overdosed on my thyroid med or else in Hashimotos flare. My hair is dry, breaking off, feels just hard and really sick. Change in thyroid med and will see what happens.

You may want to pursue this as people with autoimmune diseases often have thyroid issues which is also autoimmune in nature. Good luck. Irish

[Sharon]

Thanks Irish,
I've had extensive thyroid tests in the past year and they came back on the normal range, just on the lower side.
BTW, how do steroids affect the hair?

[meow]

Stop using hair spray.
I have some alcohol-free for only when it's absolutely necessary, but hair spray is drying and is designed to make your hair stiff and stuck together. Stiff= breakage.

Take biotin and collagen, that helps too.

If your thyroid levels are low-normal--or TSH is high-normal, you may still have symptoms. Talk to your endocrinologist, not your PCP. PCPs tend to blow it off as " it's normal, you're fine."

[Sharon]

Thanks meow!
I don't use hair spray, but I do use gel near my scalp to tame flyaways and it does make
my hair stiff, but that's the only way to calm it down. I also use a hair iron which I'm certain doesn't
help with the hair breakage...

Those supplements sound like a good idea as well.
I've also been looking for a good endocrinologist for awhile now.

[meow]

No hair iron. OMG--- Stop the insanity!!!!

Suave makes an anti-breakage serum that is very thick, like a gel. They recommend 6 pumps, but if you use only one, with wet hands, you can tame the hairline renegades.

[bluegardenia]

when i had hair probems i used keratine and it worked wonderful

[Cricket]

bluegardenia where do you get the keratine?  Does it go on your hair or do you take by mouth.  Gonna try this, thanks!

[irish]

I am on daily steroids for 10 years in varying dosages to treat my myasthenia gravis. I have been on the 1000 mgm of solumedrol monthly for 5 months over the summer plus for 10 years I have had 200 mgm of solumedrol IV monthly with my IVIG.

All the meds we are on can cause hair issues plus at times we have larger amounts in our system and they can really affect the hair. Dryness, hair loss, loose luster and breakage. One thing I found that helps my hair to soften up some is Neutragena bar soap. It is almost 3 $ a bar and is a very gentle soap that really softened my hair. It lasts a long time when used for hair only. I rinse it out and use hair conditioner last. The bar soap doesn't strip out the oils like regular shampoo. Irish

[Sharon]

Thank you for all your suggestions!
I have multiple chemical sensitivities so I can't use regular hair products
and keep away especially from fragrances. Makes everything more difficult to manage.

[bluegardenia]

i put keratine on my hair instead of conditioner, i buy it wher i get my shamoo that is kerastase for thin hair