Excessive Hair Shedding

[Love]

I recently transitioned from vegetarianism to veganism about a month and a half ago, eating mostly raw foods (along with cleansing).  I have been feeling more healthy and energetic than I have ever felt.  I have noticed the past couple of weeks I have had excessive shedding (could be some breakage also).  This may not be directly related to my diet; however it may be a good idea to see what may be missing.  Is there anything that could be lacking in a vegan / raw vegan diet that could cause hair shedding?

[ElleX]

I recently transitioned from vegetarianism to veganism about a month and a half ago, eating mostly raw foods (along with cleansing).  I have been feeling more healthy and energetic than I have ever felt.  I have noticed the past couple of weeks I have had excessive shedding (could be some breakage also).  This may not be directly related to my diet; however it may be a good idea to see what may be missing.  Is there anything that could be lacking in a vegan / raw vegan diet that could cause hair shedding?

Do you have a relaxer? If so, are you transitioning to natural?  I ask because when I was transitioning (16 months) I had excessive shedding and breakage.  It didn't stop until I had the big chop.  I used to have enough hair shedding/breakage to put hair on 10 Barbie Dolls.  Now, I barely have enough to cover the palm of my hand.  Also, I stopped using shampoos, conditioners, and styling products with Sodium Lauryth Sulfate (and the variations) and Alcohol.  I have to read the labels on everything.  It has made a big difference in my hair. 

[With Purpose]

Try reading here:

http://www.dherbs.com/articles/hair-problems-138.html

Some good sources of copper: almonds, pecans, avocados, beets, brazil nuts, broccoli, grapes, leafy green vegs, plums, sunflower seeds, walnuts

Some good sources of zinc: pretty much same as copper plus coconut, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, macadamias, kelp, alfalfa sprouts, mushrooms, parsley

Some good sources of silica: horsetail (herb) and alfalfa

Biotin: almonds, mushrooms, walnuts, bananas, green leafy vegs

Sulfur: apples, asparagus, broccoli, nuts, onions, garlic, celery, carrots, spirulina

Personally, I notice when I eat lots of green leafy vegs, smoothies and my high intake of spirulina, my hair and nails grow really well. So there is nothing missing in the raw food diet OVERALL (unless you are omitting certain foods). It could also be a metaphysical explanation as to why your hair is shedding. Could you be feeling tense about something...?

[UltraVioletMix]

I kinda went through the same thing....Well, for different reasons...lol....about a year ago I started experimenting wit making my own natural skin & hair care products. So I was mixing and gettin excited and usin the stuff I made on my hair and scalp. Well, boy oh boy   I didnt preserve them properly (mixed water and oil)...and talk about fungi party on my scalp...for months!!!!....cause I jus didnt put two and two together. I had a itchy scalp, sores, weak hair roots, breaking, falling out....jus a horrid mess!! When I FINALLY figured out what went wrong,  these are the steps I took....

10 Day Blood Cleanse...then started Hair Skin Nails, Green Cell Food, Blood & Lymphatic, eating large salads every day, fruit smoothies every day... As time went on I add more stuff on my insides (Vit C, Iodine, Khemetian Gold, lots of good whole foods) ....i noticed my scalp was getting better, and less hair was coming out. Then, I guess my scalp was goin through a healing crisis...it was gettin super flakey and it wasnt itchy or sore....

So i decided to put some stuff on my scalp to draw out toxins and kill critters, and nourich my hair follicles, a clay mask...yup...for my scalp



Hope you find the root of the problem.  

[Love]

Do you have a relaxer? If so, are you transitioning to natural?  I ask because when I was transitioning (16 months) I had excessive shedding and breakage.  It didn't stop until I had the big chop.  I used to have enough hair shedding/breakage to put hair on 10 Barbie Dolls.  Now, I barely have enough to cover the palm of my hand.  Also, I stopped using shampoos, conditioners, and styling products with Sodium Lauryth Sulfate (and the variations) and Alcohol.  I have to read the labels on everything.  It has made a big difference in my hair. 

Hmmm... this could very well be the problem.  It's been more than I few months since I relaxed... about the same time when these problems could and do occur.  I actually stopped using products with sulfates and alcohols last summer when I began removing chemicals from my diet and beauty products.  My hair is pretty moisturized, but I've never had a handle on this transitioning stuff, which is why I've always failed at at it.  I'm actually BCing soon.  I can't deal with the clumps of hair coming out.

[Love]

Try reading here:

http://www.dherbs.com/articles/hair-problems-138.html

Some good sources of copper: almonds, pecans, avocados, beets, brazil nuts, broccoli, grapes, leafy green vegs, plums, sunflower seeds, walnuts

Some good sources of zinc: pretty much same as copper plus coconut, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, macadamias, kelp, alfalfa sprouts, mushrooms, parsley

Some good sources of silica: horsetail (herb) and alfalfa

Biotin: almonds, mushrooms, walnuts, bananas, green leafy vegs

Sulfur: apples, asparagus, broccoli, nuts, onions, garlic, celery, carrots, spirulina

Personally, I notice when I eat lots of green leafy vegs, smoothies and my high intake of spirulina, my hair and nails grow really well. So there is nothing missing in the raw food diet OVERALL (unless you are omitting certain foods). It could also be a metaphysical explanation as to why your hair is shedding. Could you be feeling tense about something...?

Thanks sis!  It's comforting to know that it's not from my diet.  I eat tons of nuts (particularly almonds), seeds, avocados, sprouts, apples and green leafy veggies... amongst other things.  I also add spirulina to my juice.  I was starting to panic and ran out and bought all sorts of beans... lol.  There's no way I would have regressed back to eating eggs though.

[Love]

I kinda went through the same thing....Well, for different reasons...lol....about a year ago I started experimenting wit making my own natural skin & hair care products. So I was mixing and gettin excited and usin the stuff I made on my hair and scalp. Well, boy oh boy   I didnt preserve them properly (mixed water and oil)...and talk about fungi party on my scalp...for months!!!!....cause I jus didnt put two and two together. I had a itchy scalp, sores, weak hair roots, breaking, falling out....jus a horrid mess!! When I FINALLY figured out what went wrong,  these are the steps I took....

10 Day Blood Cleanse...then started Hair Skin Nails, Green Cell Food, Blood & Lymphatic, eating large salads every day, fruit smoothies every day... As time went on I add more stuff on my insides (Vit C, Iodine, Khemetian Gold, lots of good whole foods) ....i noticed my scalp was getting better, and less hair was coming out. Then, I guess my scalp was goin through a healing crisis...it was gettin super flakey and it wasnt itchy or sore....

So i decided to put some stuff on my scalp to draw out toxins and kill critters, and nourich my hair follicles, a clay mask...yup...for my scalp...

I mixed (nope didnt give up the mixing )
pink kaolin clay
stinging nettles powder
hibiscus petal powder
amla powder
neem powder
lemongrass EO
lemon EO
tea tree EO
Eucalyptus EO
Lavender EO
Peppermint EO
Castor oil
wild african honey
tad bit of distilled water, jus to make it paste

did it once a wk...20min to 1hr each time for 3 wks (wanted to do it for 4-6wks, but I moved and got lazy..so ill start again)

Hope you find the root of the problem.  

lol @ root of the problem 

I'm glad you found out what the problem was.  What did you do that caused your homemade products to cause problems with your scalp?  Thank God I've procrastinated on making my products... well, I was also looking for some glycerin.  Hopefully I won't make the same mistake.

[UltraVioletMix]

lol @ root of the problem 

I'm glad you found out what the problem was.  What did you do that caused your homemade products to cause problems with your scalp?  Thank God I've procrastinated on making my products... well, I was also looking for some glycerin.  Hopefully I won't make the same mistake.


lol

Since I mixed water and oil (which I no longer do when making stuff that I wont use in the same day) I needed to use a strong, synthetic preservative....I didnt know that. So my products would...spoil, to say the least, just after a few days.

I dont think you will, since now you know.

Oh.... www.fromnaturewithlove.com sells glycerin, thats where I get 85% of my stuff...here is the link...
http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/soap/product.asp?product_id=OTHGLYC

www.newdirectionsaromatics.com is also pretty good....they are cheaper, but so is the quality...still a good site

[Love]

lol @ root of the problem 

I'm glad you found out what the problem was.  What did you do that caused your homemade products to cause problems with your scalp?  Thank God I've procrastinated on making my products... well, I was also looking for some glycerin.  Hopefully I won't make the same mistake.


lol

Since I mixed water and oil (which I no longer do when making stuff that I wont use in the same day) I needed to use a strong, synthetic preservative....I didnt know that. So my products would...spoil, to say the least, just after a few days.

I dont think you will, since now you know.

Oh.... www.fromnaturewithlove.com sells glycerin, thats where I get 85% of my stuff...here is the link...
http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/soap/product.asp?product_id=OTHGLYC

www.newdirectionsaromatics.com is also pretty good....they are cheaper, but so is the quality...still a good site

Great advice!  Thank you!  And thanks also for the site... I love it!  I will be bookmarking.

[With Purpose]

Do you have a relaxer? If so, are you transitioning to natural?  I ask because when I was transitioning (16 months) I had excessive shedding and breakage.  It didn't stop until I had the big chop.  I used to have enough hair shedding/breakage to put hair on 10 Barbie Dolls.  Now, I barely have enough to cover the palm of my hand.  Also, I stopped using shampoos, conditioners, and styling products with Sodium Lauryth Sulfate (and the variations) and Alcohol.  I have to read the labels on everything.  It has made a big difference in my hair. 

Hmmm... this could very well be the problem.  It's been more than I few months since I relaxed... about the same time when these problems could and do occur.  I actually stopped using products with sulfates and alcohols last summer when I began removing chemicals from my diet and beauty products.  My hair is pretty moisturized, but I've never had a handle on this transitioning stuff, which is why I've always failed at at it.  I'm actually BCing soon.  I can't deal with the clumps of hair coming out.

You're welcome! 

Is your hair breaking from the root or is it the relaxed hair that is breaking? I know that when transitioning, there is a point where the relaxed hair meets the natural hair...that is the weakest point of the hair strand. If left like that too long it will pull and the hair breaks. That's one reason why people who transition too long without protecting the hair see more breakage.

[dreamsun8985]

Hey Love, your post made me think of Living Arts natural hair e-class.  It seems like it may be beneficial during your transition.

http://plantfolk.wordpress.com/e-class/#comment-235

[ElleX]

Do you have a relaxer? If so, are you transitioning to natural?  I ask because when I was transitioning (16 months) I had excessive shedding and breakage.  It didn't stop until I had the big chop.  I used to have enough hair shedding/breakage to put hair on 10 Barbie Dolls.  Now, I barely have enough to cover the palm of my hand.  Also, I stopped using shampoos, conditioners, and styling products with Sodium Lauryth Sulfate (and the variations) and Alcohol.  I have to read the labels on everything.  It has made a big difference in my hair. 

Hmmm... this could very well be the problem.  It's been more than I few months since I relaxed... about the same time when these problems could and do occur.  I actually stopped using products with sulfates and alcohols last summer when I began removing chemicals from my diet and beauty products.  My hair is pretty moisturized, but I've never had a handle on this transitioning stuff, which is why I've always failed at at it.  I'm actually BCing soon.  I can't deal with the clumps of hair coming out.

Love, what styles have you been wearing while transitioning? You have to be extra delicate and patient with your hair while transitioning.

[Love]

You're welcome! 

Is your hair breaking from the root or is it the relaxed hair that is breaking? I know that when transitioning, there is a point where the relaxed hair meets the natural hair...that is the weakest point of the hair strand. If left like that too long it will pull and the hair breaks. That's one reason why people who transition too long without protecting the hair see more breakage.

I think my hair was breaking at the "line of demarcation."  There was definitely some shedded hair, but I think it was a normal amount.  It's hard to tell because they literally came out in balls.

Love, what styles have you been wearing while transitioning? You have to be extra delicate and patient with your hair while transitioning.

I was wearing my hair pulled back mostly in buns and sometimes I wore a braidout.  It may have only been once or twice that I flat ironed it since last December.


But... I am no longer transitioning!!!  )  I joined the Sisterhood of Natural Beauties on Saturday morning.  Pics below.  It does not look like any hair fell out from the roots judging by how THICK my hair is...

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs385.snc3/23537_1392042209376_1481771649_31036898_8194735_n.jpg

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs385.snc3/23537_1392026528984_1481771649_31036893_8377422_n.jpg

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs385.snc3/23537_1392025488958_1481771649_31036892_2024714_n.jpg

[dreamsun8985]

   Congrats you look great!!!

[Love]

  Congrats you look great!!!

Thank you.    I'm still learning how to do my natural low-cut hair, but I'm getting the hang of it.  It's only about an inch long stretched...   I'm sure with each inch it grows it will be a whole new learning process.