My hair keeps falling out??

Question

I'm 17 years old and my hair keeps falling out!

I told my mother about it but she just keeps telling me that it's normal for hair to fall out sometimes. But this is not just a little hair here and there, they fall out in handfuls. Even when I just run a hand through my hair, at least 5 or 6 strands fall out at a time.
When I take a shower, it's unbelievable how much comes out.

I eat normally, I exercise, I'm not overweight or underweight, I'm not under stress- nothing. This has been going on for at least a few months. I used to have really thick and healthy hair but now I am missing at least 1/4 th the hair I used to have, if not more. And it is very thin with many split ends.

What's wrong with me?

Answer 1

Normal hair lose is 50-75 strands a day. If you are loosing more than that, there could be a problem. The longer a persons hair is the more you notice the strands. If your hair is short, 75 strands at most. If you pull your hair up for instance in a ponytail, you will loose more hair by the normal pulling and tugging of the band. Are you loosing weight, that is a sure fire way to loose a lot of hair. If not, then consult your doctor. It is probably a hormonal in balance. This happens to everyone from time to time, but, if it continues for any length of time, call your doctor.

Answer 2

I've lost hair like that (and much worse) since I was 11 years old. Since then I've found out there are a couple of medical issues causing it.

Have a friend or family member check your whole scalp for bald spots. Not thin areas, but areas that are completely smooth and hairless. They start out about the size of a dime, and then grow larger, almost always circle shaped. If you have one or more of those spots, you may have something called Alopecia Areata. You would need to see a doctor for this.

If you don't have any of those spots, I would say not to worry about it for now. Hair loss can happen for all sorts of reasons, everything from stuff in your water to changes in what you eat or what vitamins you take, or even just your hormones as a teenager.

If you start feeling ill in other ways and go to a doctor for that, mention the hair loss. If you aren't getting bald spots and you don't have any other symptoms, hair loss isn't a big deal. But if you're feeling sick in other ways, the hair loss *might* be part of it.

Otherwise, try not to stress about it. Whether it's an illness or nothing at all, stress will likely make it worse. Even the worst hairloss -- I lost 50% of my hair when I was 12, and my school wouldn't let me wear a hat to cover it -- isn't necessarily permanent, and doesn't ruin your life. My hair eventually grew back again (and fell out again, and grew back again), but I would be happy even if I was bald because I learned not to stress over it.

Answer 3

You may want to make a doctor's appt and have a thyroid test. I had a similar situation when I was pregnant my hair was coming out in clumps and I had an abnormal thyroid which is commom during pregnancy with the hormones and such... After I had the baby, my levels went back to normal and my hair stopped falling out... That does't sound normal.. It's a simple blood test that you can get and it will measure your thyroid proteins... You may need some medication to level out an underactive/overactive thyroid.. If you have abnormal levels you may need to see an endocrinologist which is a thyroid specialist.. Nothing scary or to worry about..It could also be nothing.. Hormones at play.. Just to be on the safe side I would check... .Good luck..

Answer 4

I went through the same thing this year and I am seventeen also. What I did was start drinking alot more water. Another thing was that some stress we don't consider stress like if we are excited or looking forward to alot of things. That is stress its just positive stress aka eustress. So relax don't worry about your hair too much and get a strengthening conditioner. Another thing is if you dye your hair or have highlights and all of that type of stuff it, the chemicals make your hair weak. Try not to use so many. You will be fine. Trust me.

Answer 5

MGHT BE YOUR WATER
BECAUSE MY AUNTY USED 2 STAY RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME THEN SHE MOVED AWAY 2 A DIFFERENT COUNTY CAUSE HOUSE'S R CHEAPER OVER THEIR (IF UR WONDERING I LIVE IN ORLANDO)
AND SINCE SHE GOT THIER HER HAIR HAS BEEN FALLING OUT

ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE'S TAKING A SHOWER SHE WAS TELLING MY MOM ABOUT IT AND MY MOM WAS LIKE MAYBE IT'S YOUR WATER.

IF YOUR WATER ISN'T THE PROBLEM MAYBE YOU SHOULD CHECK THE DOCTOR TO FIND OUT WHATS GOING ON

GOOD LUCK

HOPE UR HAIR GROWS BACK 2 BE HEALTY LONG AND BEAUTIFUL

GOD BLESS

Answer 6

You should probably go see a doctor for it because hair falling out in clumps is not anywhere near normal.