Another hair loss question. Help!!

Hi there.

So I have been suffering pretty extreme hair loss over the past 8 months or so. When it all started, I went to the dermatologist and we agreed I had telogen effluvium. At first I blamed it on starting the birth control pill but my derm. was a little skeptical, as I had only started it 2 months prior and he believed the timing was off. (TE usually starts 3-4 months after the 'incident,' I believe).

I thought back to about 3-4 months before I noticed the hair loss, and the only thing I could think of was losing a bit of weight (healthily... I lost about 15 pounds over 8 months), intense stress due to losing my stepmother, and anxiety because of starting college. But I don't feel like any of those things should ignite the ongoing, extreme hair loss I have been suffering for almost a year now. The weight loss was only unhealthy for a very short while, before I upped my calories and made sure to get enough protein/iron/all of that. I definitely eat more than enough now, and I always eat very healthily.

I have lost probably over half of the volume of my hair now and the bald spots are pretty obvious. I definitely think I look sick. When my hair is wet I can see a ton of my scalp. Why is this happening to me, when I eat well, get enough sleep, and exercise all the time? (Iron and everything is always normal at the doctor, too).

If it makes any difference, I'm 19, 125-130 pounds and 5'4".

Thank you.

I would go back to the doctor and ask for their advice.  It could be Alopecia Areata rather than Telogen Effluvium... http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Hair-loss/Pages/ Introduction.aspx?url=Pages/What-is-it.aspx

The only reason I dont think its TE is because you generally dont get bald spots from TE, its normal a diffuse shedding. I would def go back to your doctor because normally you should see a slight improvment after 8 months of eating healthy. Just remember your hair isnt everything and you cant stop living your life because of it. Best of luck!

It is very diffuse ... I am just losing it everywhere and so much that I can see most parts of my scalp when my hair is wet. I wouldn't say I'm losing it much more on one part of my head than in the other... but maybe mostly on the back, come to think of it.

I just re-started birth control after about 6 months of not being on it, and the hair loss seems to have been re-started as well. So B/C probably is the culprit. Pretty unsettling.

Birth control generally doesnt cause hair loss. It is most likely the damage done to your body. Your hair is the last thing to get repaired. I would stop switching on and off meds if you thinkit could be the culprit. There is no harm in staying on birth control so why did you get off of it?? good luck

I got off it because birth control does in fact cause hair loss and if you look it up online there are tons and tons of people with similar problems. Not to mention, the pill makes me extremely fatigued, depressed, and gloomy. Especially now that the hair loss has restarted exactly 6 weeks after starting makes me pretty confident Yasmin is the problem. I got back on it because I am having sex consistently and would like to be protected.