HELP - My hair is falling out!

Except really.

I seem to have developed a sudden sensitivity to shampoo and conditioner. Literally overnight I went from being able to use whatever shampoo/conditioner I pleased to even my typical stuff making clumps of hair fall out from the root. It is really freaking me out. I shampooed today, but skipped the conditioner because the conditioner is the worst offender.

It started after I bought two big new bottles of Organix shampoo and conditioner from Walmart. I'd used the brand before, but it wasn't my regular and I had never tried the particular scent. My hair started falling out in the shower upon using it. Coincidentally, this also happened to be my very first shower at my new house. I tried the stuff again (same shower), with the same result. I then went and bought Aussie, thinking that some douche might have gone and mixed my organix conditioner with nair or otherwise it was just a crappy batch. I have used Aussie for 6 or 7 years off and on with zero issues. Same thing.

I started to think it might be the water in the new shower???

But then I went to the lake to visit family and used aussie shampoo and conditioner and my hair started falling out again. I then went ahead and retried the Organix. Same result.

I am not happy about this.

I know that some of you women have interesting ways of maintaining your hair. Any ideas? I don't know if I would be willing to try "water only" except as a last resort because I like my hair smelling clean and I don't want to go through the greaseball phase.

I could use recommendations for how I might manage to keep my hair both attached to my head and not greasy. Likewise, I know you all aren't doctors (and I might go see one pronto), but has this happened to anyone before? Could it be connected to chronically swollen tonsils, and sinus issues? Could I have developed a sudden allergy? All I can say is just "ugh."

The good news is that I'm not bald yet and my hair was pretty thick to begin with, so it doesn't really look bad. But it is terrifying to watch hair after hair fall out at the root when this has never happened before. HELP!

Blowing your coat?

No, really.

End of summer, last big bloom of pollen, allergies, sick, just general shedding....

That would be my guess. If your hair isn't actually thinning I would say massive shed. Especially if it happens MORE with conditioner, which would provide more slip for the shed hair to get free.

If it IS definitely falling out and there is definite thinning and definitely not new growth at your roots....Doctor. Dermatologist. Something. That would freak me out.

I would hazard a guess that starting the new shampoo and conditioner was a coincedence and that it is either summer shedding, or perhaps something medical.

I would def go see a doctor.

In the meantime.... Have you tried just using water as a control to see if your hair falls out with nothing? Assuming the water alone is ok, maybe try making a shampoo(I've heard of people using honey & water) or use baby powder to absorb the grease? Maybe a super watered down shampoo might get the grease out without pulling out too much hair? Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with water will help cut the grease but not like shampoo but might still be worth a shot. And then as a conditioner olive oil or coconut oil in the length and ends only(do not put on/near the scalp).

That's all I have.

I hope it's just the end of summer blow out like others have mentioned! Otherwise it sounds very concerning.

Have you tried those no-wash shampoos? I have never used them, but they seem a little gentler than the others?

Mine did that about 20 years ago. Turns out, after talking to some other people, it's a fairly normal occurrence. Kind of like a major coat blow all at one time. My hair is now half as thick as it was back then, and doesn't grow nearly as fast.

Scheduling a doctor's apt. is definitely on my to-do list. I just have to find a doctor first. I've been having chronic issues with swollen, painful tonsils and waking up with sinus congestion... not sure if they could be related. I suppose we'll see.

Water alone doesn't make my hair come out. I can stand in the shower under the running water and run my fingers through my hair with no issues. It starts with the shampoo and then seems to get significantly worse with conditioner. Don't get me wrong, it's not like huge clumps of hair, but every time I even gently run my fingers through, I end up with several hairs in my hands. No pain, but the hair falls out at the root. Enough that by the end of the shower there's a hairball that would certainly be big enough to start a bit of a drain clog. I also had the weirdest headache last night in my temples that came on right after my shower. I've had a lingering headache today, but it's mild enough that I can get my work done and not think about it.

I'd had two headaches the week before as well (and washed my hair twice). I don't remember if the headaches occurred after the hair washing, but I distinctly remember thinking upon having my second headache in a week "well this is odd, I don't normally get headaches, and now I've had two in one week."

And I'm only 22 - my hair shouldn't be thinning that much naturally yet should it? The fact that this seems to only be occurring concurrently with washing my hair makes me think that the products are having something to do with it. I'm not shedding abnormally when I brush or just run my fingers through my hair.

Ugh, this is no fun. I hope it's nothing awful.

That sounds perfectly normal to me. My hair has been coming out like that in the shower forever. At the time my hair thinned out, I was in my 30s, and a lot more came out then usual.

Get your thryoid checked. Hypothyroidism can make hair fall out like that sometimes. Barring a thyroid issue, probably seasonal though I agree it doesn't sound like actual balding unless you end up with patched of bare scalp.

:hail:

3rd suggestion is to do a vinegar rinse and make sure ALL the shampoo and conditioner are out with a good scalp massage. I had a horrific shed, much like this (HANDFULS of hair), when I started CO-washing and left conditioner on my scalp. The conditioner I used is fantastic, but if I get it on my scalp it makes my hair fall out.

Every shower I lose a nice clump of hair. I've never been terribly concerned by it...but now you're making me worry that it isn't normal! I've always had really thin hair and I haven't cut it in 2 years and it maintains the same length. :-/

Hope you find the cause...weird that it started so suddenly.

I also went through a molt a while back (when it really started getting steadily hot ... about the same time Josefina did ha ha :rofl1: ) and my hair thinned out a tad, but I don't have any bald patches (save a scar on my scalp where I was changing the water on the chicken coop and came up too fast while ducking through the door) but it was still frightening to see that much hair coming out, not obligation in the shower, but in my brushes as well!!!

Scary, though! Positive vibes it's nothing.

I'm molting/shedding/going bald myself. I've lost a noticable amount of hair in the last few months and I'm not entirely sure if it's just summer coat blow :rofl1: , the new shampoo and conditioner I've been using, the last dye job I had done or a combination of all three. I'm going to lay off the color for a while and probably just get the ends done to match my roots so I don't get that horrid grow-out that just looks like I haven't washed my hair in months.

I'm sad though. I used to have half-decent looking pony-tails and braids and now it's just like a limp stick when I pull it back. I'm really hoping the new growth I'm seeing come in will stick around and get long.