Best ways to solve diffuse thinning?

helpmyhair

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I have MPB, particularly in a diffuse thinning way.. where my hairs are getting thinner and my scalp is starting to show. I know this is different than the typical receding hairloss, so I figure it may require a different approach. Has anyone solved their diffuse thinning, if so, how did you do it?
 

redsun

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I have MPB, particularly in a diffuse thinning way.. where my hairs are getting thinner and my scalp is starting to show. I know this is different than the typical receding hairloss, so I figure it may require a different approach. Has anyone solved their diffuse thinning, if so, how did you do it?
MPB is when you have receding hair line. Diffuse thinning is not related to this. It can be caused by thyroid disorders (both prolonged hypo and hyperthyroidism can cause it). Its also referred to as telogen effluvium which is where the hair follicles are forced into their resting phase (telogen phase) early. This is always happening but is not noticeable. But when too many follicles enter telogen phase, then it becomes noticeable as diffuse thinning.

"Emotional or physiological stress may result in an alteration of the normal hair cycle and cause the disorder, with potential causes including eating disorders, crash diets, pregnancy and childbirth, chronic illness, major surgery, anemia, severe emotional disorders, hypothyroidism, and drugs."

So any kind of stressful event or trauma or undereating due to anorexia or digestive distress can cause this. The treatment is you need to eat and feed properly, plenty of calories and proteins (your hair is literally made of protein), nutrient dense foods as well and avoid major stressors.

With time more hairs will grow back but this will not be the case if you do not eat properly and avoid further sources of major stress because this will continue to signal more diffuse thinning. Telogen phase on the head last 100 days or so which means it will take months to see noticeable improvement because of the length of the hair cycles but you need to start with the right steps as soon as possible.
 
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helpmyhair

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MPB is when you have receding hair line. Diffuse thinning is not related to this. It can be caused by thyroid disorders (both prolonged hypo and hyperthyroidism can cause it). Its also referred to as telogen effluvium which is where the hair follicles are forced into their resting phase (telogen phase) early. This is always happening but is not noticeable. But when too many follicles enter telogen phase, then it becomes noticeable as diffuse thinning.

"Emotional or physiological stress may result in an alteration of the normal hair cycle and cause the disorder, with potential causes including eating disorders, crash diets, pregnancy and childbirth, chronic illness, major surgery, anemia, severe emotional disorders, hypothyroidism, and drugs."

So any kind of stressful event or trauma or undereating due to anorexia or digestive distress can cause this. The treatment is you need to eat and feed properly, plenty of calories and proteins (your hair is literally made of protein), nutrient dense foods as well and avoid major stressors.

With time more hairs will grow back but this will not be the case if you do not eat properly and avoid further sources of major stress because this will continue to signal more diffuse thinning. Telogen phase on the head last 100 days or so which means it will take months to see noticeable improvement because of the length of the hair cycles but you need to start with the right steps as soon as possible.

Thanks for the info. Interesting you say that as I am going through a stressful time (breakup) for the past 4 months and that is when this all started. Also in that time, I have been having stomach/gut issues (stomach pains, GERD, poor digestion, constipation). I was also travelling recently in Asia when a lot of this started happening, so I thought it could maybe be a bacterial infection or parasites. What would you recommend I do to fix the stomach issues? I also did an endoscopy/colonoscopy. Waiting on the results. The doc might give me some antibiotics. I also was gonna try Wormwood in case its parasites.

Also what should I do for the stress? I have pretty extreme anxiety and get really panicked a lot cause I can't handle this break up. Maybe there's a good supplement that can help?
 

redsun

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Thanks for the info. Interesting you say that as I am going through a stressful time (breakup) for the past 4 months and that is when this all started. Also in that time, I have been having stomach/gut issues (stomach pains, GERD, poor digestion, constipation). I was also travelling recently in Asia when a lot of this started happening, so I thought it could maybe be a bacterial infection or parasites. What would you recommend I do to fix the stomach issues? I also did an endoscopy/colonoscopy. Waiting on the results. The doc might give me some antibiotics. I also was gonna try Wormwood in case its parasites.

Also what should I do for the stress? I have pretty extreme anxiety and get really panicked a lot cause I can't handle this break up. Maybe there's a good supplement that can help?
Calcium, zinc, and magnesium are generally effective at reducing anxiety and panic attacks. Probably calcium is the most effective. So dairy products for calcium would be important. Problem is if your digestive issues are affecting your ability to eat and thus you are not eating enough or you eat very restricted than this will make anxiety worse. But you can try those minerals from food and supplements to help with panic and anxiety. Eating plenty of good quality food will also help anxiety so this needs to be worked on as well but those minerals may work temporarily for now as they will reduce actual stress and reduce perceived stress (anxiety). You can use 600mg of calcium a day and 10mg of zinc a day as well as 200-400mg of magnesium a day. Magnesium is tricky so I would not try that first. Some actually get worse anxiety from Mg so try just zinc and calcium first and if thats enough you wont have to try Mg.

I know its rough to deal with panic but these should help somewhat while zinc should also help your digestive issues as well while you wait for results and possible treatments.
 
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helpmyhair

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Calcium, zinc, and magnesium are generally effective at reducing anxiety and panic attacks. Probably calcium is the most effective. So dairy products for calcium would be important. Problem is if your digestive issues are affecting your ability to eat and thus you are not eating enough or you eat very restricted than this will make anxiety worse. But you can try those minerals from food and supplements to help with panic and anxiety. Eating plenty of good quality of food will also help anxiety so this needs to be worked on as well but those minerals may work temporarily for now as they will reduce actual stress and reduce perceived stress (anxiety). You can use 600mg of calcium a day and 10mg of zinc a day as well as 200-400mg of magnesium a day. Magnesium is tricky so I would not try that first. Some actually get worse anxiety from Mg so try just zinc and calcium first and if thats enough you wont have to try Mg.

I know its rough to deal with panic but these should help somewhat while zinc should also help your digestive issues as well while you wait for results and possible treatments.
Actually I've been taking Magnesium recently and found that it has been having a calming effect on me, as well as helping with calcification. Calcium I'm not sure about supplementing with as I might have poor calcium metabolism and I think its calcifying in my body. Zinc I am worried about as I have allot of pre-mature grey hair, and I think it can make hair go grey even faster because it depletes copper.

For my digestive issues, I seem to be getting stomach burning from dairy. What good quality foods can I eat to restore hair? I believe I'm getting enough protein, but getting enough calories, I'm not sure cause I am a T1 diabetic, so can't do much sugar/high carbs. I also suspect I am hypothyroid as I have a very high TSH. Last I checked it was over 4

EDIT: I believe there is also MPB going on because I have receded temples as well, and the thinning is the worst on the top of the head. It could be a combo of TE and MPB as the sides and back are also a bit thinner as well
 
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Mountain

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Sounds like my hairloss pattern. I started aggressively thinning on the vertex between 17-20 years old. I'd say most of the damage was done over the span of two years and has been more or less stable for the last eight years.

Since mine happened aggressively at an early age, I think I can look at my lifestyle during that time for clues - things that I was doing which most people weren't that may have contributed. Maybe you could do the same to gain some insight.

Some things on my list were:
Huge amounts of stressful PC games (sometimes over 12 hours a day, yes really); going long periods without eating much or moving at all; completely inverted sleep cycle (sometimes entirely skipping sleep, though this was rare); masturbating a lot (sometimes like 6 times a day, yes really); large caffeine intake from ages of about 13 onwards; very little sunlight.

There are some others but I think stand out the most as being unusual in my case.
 

redsun

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Actually I've been taking Magnesium recently and found that it has been having a calming effect on me, as well as helping with calcification. Calcium I'm not sure about supplementing with as I might have poor calcium metabolism and I think its calcifying in my body. Zinc I am worried about as I have allot of pre-mature grey hair, and I think it can make hair go grey even faster because it depletes copper.

For my digestive issues, I seem to be getting stomach burning from dairy. What good quality foods can I eat to restore hair? I believe I'm getting enough protein, but getting enough calories, I'm not sure cause I am a T1 diabetic, so can't do much sugar/high carbs. I also suspect I am hypothyroid as I have a very high TSH. Last I checked it was over 4

EDIT: I believe there is also MPB going on because I have receded temples as well, and the thinning is the worst on the top of the head. It could be a combo of TE and MPB as the sides and back are also a bit thinner as well
Calcium supplements do not cause calcification. Avoiding calcium and dairy foods for calcium is what causes calcificiation due to elevation of PTH hormone. Mg may help somewhat but you need calcium if you want to reduce calcification as counterintuitive as it may sound. Zinc does not cause gray hair. Greying is due to hydrogen peroxide build up in the follicles. If your antioxidant system isnt working right you deal with this H2O2 build up. Iron and selenium are necessary to get rid of H2O2. Again this goes back to the importance of nutrient dense food.

If you are type 1 you just need to be mindful to match your insulin use to how many carbs you are eating. Meat, seafood, dairy, and eggs either have no carbs or very little (like milk, yogurt) and they are good source of nutrients and calories. There is also fruits, starchy foods which are a good way to get more calories. Eating the right foods for nutrients and calories should improve TSH as well. Food is the best medicine. Meat (preferably red meat), milk/dairy, eggs, fruits, vegetables, starches like rice, potatoes, oats, etc. Work on transitioning to more of these whole foods in your diet especially animal products to start seeing improvements.
 
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helpmyhair

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Calcium supplements do not cause calcification. Avoiding calcium and dairy foods for calcium is what causes calcificiation due to elevation of PTH hormone. Mg may help somewhat but you need calcium if you want to reduce calcification as counterintuitive as it may sound. Zinc does not cause gray hair. Greying is due to hydrogen peroxide build up in the follicles. If your antioxidant system isnt working right you deal with this H2O2 build up. Iron and selenium are necessary to get rid of H2O2. Again this goes back to the importance of nutrient dense food.

If you are type 1 you just need to be mindful to match your insulin use to how many carbs you are eating. Meat, seafood, dairy, and eggs either have no carbs or very little (like milk, yogurt) and they are good source of nutrients and calories. There is also fruits, starchy foods which are a good way to get more calories. Eating the right foods for nutrients and calories should improve TSH as well. Food is the best medicine. Meat (preferably red meat), milk/dairy, eggs, fruits, vegetables, starches like rice, potatoes, oats, etc. Work on transitioning to more of these whole foods in your diet especially animal products to start seeing improvements.

Thanks for this. I have been eating meat, dairy, eggs, vegetables, rice, and potatoes. Still no luck. Which fruits do you suggest? I gotta be mindful of what I eat as everything is making my GERD/gastritis bad.

I really need something to combat this anxiety/panic/stress as its gonna make it hard to recover from this TE otherwise. Need some supplement. I was taking ashwaghanda but stopped as I didn't notice much effect.
 

redsun

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Thanks for this. I have been eating meat, dairy, eggs, vegetables, rice, and potatoes. Still no luck. Which fruits do you suggest? I gotta be mindful of what I eat as everything is making my GERD/gastritis bad.

I really need something to combat this anxiety/panic/stress as its gonna make it hard to recover from this TE otherwise. Need some supplement. I was taking ashwaghanda but stopped as I didn't notice much effect.
Tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, kiwi, etc. generally have more nutrienta than other types of fruits. They are generally good sources for vitamin C, B1, copper, manganese that are not as present in animal foods. When your dietary choices provide adequate nutrition and you are getting plenty of calories you are on the right track to recover your hair but you will not notice the difference until at least a month later, probably several months.

Like I said you can try those supplements I suggested to reduce panic tendencies. But you also need to process the emotions behind it. Yes it is a breakup and it will take time but it will be much harder if you don't process it and nothing will hide the feeling 100%. You can reduce the severity of the panic and anxiety surrounding it with supplements and better eating but the negative emotions are still going to be there.

Chewing food more thoroughly will help GERD. If you have a habit of barely chewing, this can make it way worse. Chewing triggers release of digestive secretions. And like I said as well zinc will help digestion as it is very vital in making digestive enzymes, digestion in general as well as immunity from pathogens.
 
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helpmyhair

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@redsun
That's great advice thank you. What other fruits would you suggest? Not always easy to get tropical fruit, especially this time of year. Oranges? Berries?

So the focus for diet is meat, dairy (probably cheese due to digestion), eggs, fruits, vegetables, starches like rice, potatoes.

I've been doing my best to process the breakup. Not drinking and stopped smoking weed since it happened. Gonna start 4 sessions of counselling starting next week. But the anxiety/panic I have is a lot worse than a regular person. I've always had extreme anxiety.. I think I'm just a really sensitive person. So I think some supplements would be helpful. If I try calcium and zinc, in what forms do you suggest, and will it help that much?

I do chew my food well, but I feel that I eat too quickly. I think being a diabetic, I like ravish my food when its in front of me and I don't know how to slow down. I think the cause of the GERD is the high anxiety/stress. I still am not sure how to fix my stomach health.. still waiting for an antibiotic from the doctor. I have been experimenting with wormwood in case of parasites/dysbiosis, but its giving me very vivid dreams and making me wake up with even more intense panic... not sure if I should continue it as it could help my stomach situation, but is the added panic gonna make my hair worse? It would only be for 3-4 weeks. I could also discontinue it when I start the antibiotics. What about probiotics?
 
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redsun

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@redsun
That's great advice thank you. What other fruits would you suggest? Not always easy to get tropical fruit, especially this time of year. Oranges? Berries?

So the focus for diet is meat, dairy (probably cheese due to digestion), eggs, fruits, vegetables, starches like rice, potatoes.

I've been doing my best to process the breakup. Not drinking and stopped smoking weed since it happened. Gonna start 4 sessions of counselling starting next week. But the anxiety/panic I have is a lot worse than a regular person. I've always had extreme anxiety.. I think I'm just a really sensitive person. So I think some supplements would be helpful. If I try calcium and zinc, in what forms do you suggest, and will it help that much?

I do chew my food well, but I feel that I eat too quickly. I think being a diabetic, I like ravish my food when its in front of me and I don't know how to slow down. I think the cause of the GERD is the high anxiety/stress. I still am not sure how to fix my stomach health.. still waiting for an antibiotic from the doctor. I have been experimenting with wormwood in case of parasites/dysbiosis, but its giving me very vivid dreams and making me wake up with even more intense panic... not sure if I should continue it as it could help my stomach situation, but is the added panic gonna make my hair worse? It would only be for 3-4 weeks. I could also discontinue it when I start the antibiotics. What about probiotics?
Calcium citrate and zinc gluconate or glycinate. It will help enough for you to ground yourself instead of being in very bad anxious state constantly. There is research for both of these minerals showing their effectiveness at reducing anxiety.

Try eating your food slowly. If you are eating too fast thats a sign imo that you really need food. But in the end eating fast will also worsen digestion in most people.

As for the wormwood, I don't have anything to add to that except due what your gut tells you to do. If you want you can ride it out for a few weeks. Up to you. Probiotic supplements have been shown to be beneficial to digestion. If you want you can experiment with that.
 
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helpmyhair

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Calcium citrate and zinc gluconate or glycinate. It will help enough for you to ground yourself instead of being in very bad anxious state constantly. There is research for both of these minerals showing their effectiveness at reducing anxiety.

Try eating your food slowly. If you are eating too fast thats a sign imo that you really need food. But in the end eating fast will also worsen digestion in most people.

As for the wormwood, I don't have anything to add to that except due what your gut tells you to do. If you want you can ride it out for a few weeks. Up to you. Probiotic supplements have been shown to be beneficial to digestion. If you want you can experiment with that.

Thanks again! Would Zinc Picolinate work? I already have a bottle of it, but its 25mg I believe. Are you sure I wouldn't need to also supplement with copper if I am taking Zinc? And would supplementing calcium be necessary if I am eating a lot of cheese?

I might stop the Wormwood once I get the antibiotics. While the wormwood could help my stomach, I feel its causing me allot panic/anxiety which is probably not great for me hair and making the TE worse.. hard to say as I also think the thinning is caused by the gut issues
 

redsun

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Yes still try the calcium. I would cut the zinc pill in half if its a tablet which is a more reasonable dose which should still be effect. You do not need to supplement copper because the amount of zinc you are supplementing is low enough which will not have enough of a negative effect on copper absorption and copper itself may actually worsen anxiety.
 

dreamcatcher

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Thanks for the info. Interesting you say that as I am going through a stressful time (breakup) for the past 4 months and that is when this all started. Also in that time, I have been having stomach/gut issues (stomach pains, GERD, poor digestion, constipation). I was also travelling recently in Asia when a lot of this started happening, so I thought it could maybe be a bacterial infection or parasites. What would you recommend I do to fix the stomach issues? I also did an endoscopy/colonoscopy. Waiting on the results. The doc might give me some antibiotics. I also was gonna try Wormwood in case its parasites.

Also what should I do for the stress? I have pretty extreme anxiety and get really panicked a lot cause I can't handle this break up. Maybe there's a good supplement that can help?
To overcome emotional stress, I highly recommend you watching videos of Braco.
View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0op16zZa5qM
 
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helpmyhair

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Yes still try the calcium. I would cut the zinc pill in half if its a tablet which is a more reasonable dose which should still be effect. You do not need to supplement copper because the amount of zinc you are supplementing is low enough which will not have enough of a negative effect on copper absorption and copper itself may actually worsen anxiety.
Thanks so much man. You seem to be really knowledgable. What would you suggest for a regimen for standard Male Pattern Baldness? Both for maintenance, hair quality and regrowth
 

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