Newbie-female Hair Thinning-acne-hormones Help?

[Rtm320]

Hi there!
I am new to the forum and generally new to RP protocol.
I have only started to implement it a little over a week ago.
Glad to have found this community and hope to gain some insight and results from the lifestyle change.

I'd like to give a bit of a background on my situation in hopes perhaps anyone can offer a shared experience or some insight.
Thank-you in advance.

Female
Age 30
5'7--apprx 120 lbs

I, like most, have been propelled into nutrition due to a health related experience.
About two years ago I went through an incredibly painful and stressful breakup--extreme anxiety/depression, weight loss (at my worst was down to 104 lbs)--at the same time ceased the bcp and had to take the plan b pill twice in one month. Three months following, my hair started falling out and I broke out in terrible cystic and comedonal acne. Fast forward two years later--I have now been off bcp for over a year--and although the shedding has ceased, my hair never recovered. My hair growth is minimal--the growth I do have is either miniaturized or very coarse, dark and kinky (I am naturally a fine haired, dirty blonde). I am still battling with acne on my forehead and chin/jaw.
I have been to so many doctors who have flippantly dismissed me--suggesting antibiotics for the acne and rogaine for my hair. Awesome. These experiences have disheartened my feelings toward Western medicine and have encouraged my interest in holistic and natural health (which i am thankful for). I had bloodwork done at the initial start and everything came back 'normal'. I realize I should probably have some salivary tests done.
I have never had any issues with my period prior to this or after (aside from an initial delay after ceasing the pill). I can't figure myself out! I am so frustrated and the psychological toll this has taken on me is exhausting. In addition to researching health related topics, I've also been researching supplemental hair options because it may be a reality someday As a young female I am having an extremely hard time accepting that.
I am also having a hard time accepting that this is my destiny or my genetics! I found the research of Peat's via Danny Roddy…I am really wanting to nourish my body so I can be of optimal health, both mind and body. I can't help but know innately that something is wrong here, there's an imbalance of sorts. I've researched Peat's ideas on hormones a bit. His conclusions that androgens aren't necessarily the issue--high prolactin, low thyroid…?

Any information/experience shared would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks again.

 

[ilovethesea]

I know what you mean about doctors not being any help! Although I haven't dealt with hair loss, I had a similar experience with cystic acne after going off the pill. I had never had acne before so it definitely messed up my hormones. It was not finding any answers to that and other hormonal symptoms that led me to find Ray Peat. I don't think we need to accept that sub-optimal health is our destiny at all!

Re: saliva hormone tests , Ray Peat doesn't think those are reliable. So I wouldn't worry about getting them. Have you had your TSH measured and do you take your temperatures and pulse? Low thyroid would be the underlying cause of both the acne and hair loss. Ray has said that a TSH higher than 0.4 contributes to loss of hair. Are you eating a thyroid-boosting diet? Getting 80g of protein per day? If you're already following Ray's dietary suggestions then you might consider thyroid supplement.

Do you take progesterone (Progest-E)? I think it would be very useful for countering the high estrogen you got from the pill.

Ray has also said that topical aspirin and caffeine (in a water or alcohol solution) can help stimulate hair growth. But I don't know what proportions.

 

[tara]

Hi Rtm,
Just quoting this over here so my questions don't take that other thread too far OT.

Hi all. Please forgive the rant that's about to ensue and I swear this is related to the thread but I am feeling pretty desperate and super depressed and detached from myself
I don't feel like I look like or know who I am anymore.
I've been losing my hair for about 4 years now (32 yo Female) although truth be told I noticed changes earlier on but didn't realize what was happening--started out as shedding but has turned into thinning. I just can't grow hair like I used to, it's incredibly thin. Since going Peatish, I've gained some probably much needed weight but it's been an adjustment being curvier than I used to be, I can't fit into my old clothes. I don't know how to dress myself anymore. I guess I am prefacing this to convey a serious state of 'learned helplessness' and a real detachment from my body and what's going on with it. I suppose that makes sense because I was never really satisfied with it, always berating myself for not looking a certain way. I haven't had a good relationship with it in years. I recently started taking Tyromix (1 drop a day) for a couple weeks now. I need to be more vigilant about charting temps and pulse rate (which are normally both low) but I don't feel much different. I am so amazed reading on these forums at how in tune people are with their bodies and changes within. I am always pretty much depressed or have varying degrees of anxiety so it's hard to say if something exacerbates it or not because quite frankly it's my norm. I have noticed dryer hair and skin since taking Tyromix. I've read that some people have felt a relief instantly, I want to manage my expectations realistically. I guess what I'm asking is how do you know whether it's working and how long should you wait to give it a real go? Are temps and pulse the best, should there be a shift in an overall state of being? Again apologies for being all over the place and for the long rant. So desperate to sort myself out

If you want, you could add more information here, and maybe get more ideas.
Do you want to update and tell what you have tried in the last couple of years, and what effect it's had?
Give an idea of what and how much you have been eating lately (including approx daily calories), and whether this is a change from before or has been pretty much constant?

Are you getting regular sunlight on your skin?

I don't know if this applies to you, but if you have been supplementing thyroid without supplying enough nutrition, that can hasten the effect of using up body proteins to provide you with daily energy to live - with effects like thinning skin, less available to grow hair, etc. If you don't have resources to support a higher metabolism, your body has some other mechanisms it can use to oppose the supplement too.
Two weeks of tyromix at a constant dose should get the levels up to stable. If things are not improving, it may be time to look at other factors too.
I know it can be a hassle if you are low on energy, but it's probably wise to monitor temps esp. while adjusting thyroid supplements.

 

[Rtm320]

Hi Rtm,
Just quoting this over here so my questions don't take that other thread too far OT.



If you want, you could add more information here, and maybe get more ideas.
Do you want to update and tell what you have tried in the last couple of years, and what effect it's had?
Give an idea of what and how much you have been eating lately (including approx daily calories), and whether this is a change from before or has been pretty much constant?

Are you getting regular sunlight on your skin?

I don't know if this applies to you, but if you have been supplementing thyroid without supplying enough nutrition, that can hasten the effect of using up body proteins to provide you with daily energy to live - with effects like thinning skin, less available to grow hair, etc. If you don't have resources to support a higher metabolism, your body has some other mechanisms it can use to oppose the supplement too.
Two weeks of tyromix at a constant dose should get the levels up to stable. If things are not improving, it may be time to look at other factors too.
I know it can be a hassle if you are low on energy, but it's probably wise to monitor temps esp. while adjusting thyroid supplements.

Tara thank-you so much for your thoughtful reply. I used to use Cronometer to track my food but fell off with it and have been meaning to start back up again. I definitely suspect I am not eating enough protein/calories. Work has been so busy lately that unfortunately my self-care has taken a bit of a backseat. Once I get my bearings I intend to chart and track things more consistently and share my findings in hopes this all might make more sense. Thank-you again, I really appreciated it.