Why is my Hair Falling out all of a Sudden?

[John Galt III]

For the last month or so, I am getting a lot more hairs in the brush after brushing. The hair on top is noticeably thinner. Less of it, and the hairs that are there are very thin, except a few clumps of thick strands here and there. I am 68, male. I guess this could just be what my DNA has decided to do with my hair. I have been using minoxidil for decades, and still do. Haven't changed my diet any lately, except for adding Vitamin D, but only take it once a week (5000 mg pill). Some stress, about starting to date again, lol. Great timing for hair loss to happen, right? Already googled it, can only find generic info. Thanks.

 

[ncbill]

Drugs?

IIRC, steroids caused my dad's hair to "thin"

 

[Chuckanut]

Any recent surgeries? They can cause temporary hair loss.

 

[38Chevy454]

I agree, figure out if something changed. Not just diet but any significant changes in locations, activities, or stress?

Or just accept it as part of your DNA. Plenty of balding or thinning low hair 68 year old guys. So you're not alone. Keep what hair you have cut short and it helps minimize the visual hair thinning.

 

[MRG]

T level?

 

[easysurfer]

What is your family history of hair loss?

The older we get, the more we resemble our parents .

 

[Chuckanut]

Great timing for hair loss to happen, right? Already googled it, can only find generic info. Thanks.

I re-entered the dating pool in middle age. I can assure you that if you are financially secure, keep yourself well groomed, have no drug or alcohol addiction, and bathe regularly, you will be in demand.

Some women will want men with lots of hair. Some like the Captain Picard look. Others want guys who are partially bald with longer hair tied behind their head in a little pigtail. (Seriously!) Most just want the four items I mentioned above for a man to be considered possible relationship material.

 

[yhoomajor]

You still have hair at 68? I'm close to 50 and hardly can find any on my head

 

[ElizabethT]

Another possible reason could be due to having had COVID recently. If this applies, try Googling 'telogen effluvium' to read more about this documented side effect some folk experience.

 

[John Galt III]

Thanks for the replies. No steroids. I have been eating a lot of roasted peanuts lately. I take Synthroid every day, but have not changed my dosage. (Someone mentioned T level, as in T3, T4). Or was it supposed to be Testosterone? Have not had testosterone checked. No surgeries. I started using an old shampoo bottle I found. It has 2 layers, and you have to shake it up to mix them before using. In desperation, I have stopped using this shampoo, as of today. We'll see. Family history is that my dad had fairly full head of hair into his 80's. Men on my mom's side have significant hair loss. Mom's dad had thinning hair on top, but still had some at age 90. And thanks for the hope, that thinning hair dudes get love too, even the picards and the pigtail guys, lol. I would be willing to try it. Whatever works, right?

 

[Freedom56]

I take biotin daily to keep my hair thick and healthy (on my head). My doctor doesn't have an issue with that. I don't think I could deal with losing hair so I would rather take preventive measures. I would see a dermatologist about patchy bald spots. It could be an autoimmune response. I know someone who had patches of bald spots and it was treated with a topical steroids prescribed by dermatologist. It fixed his problem.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

DW has hair loss that she suspects is sleeping pills.

 

[easysurfer]

Thanks for the replies. No steroids. I have been eating a lot of roasted peanuts lately. I take Synthroid every day, but have not changed my dosage. (Someone mentioned T level, as in T3, T4). Or was it supposed to be Testosterone? Have not had testosterone checked. No surgeries. I started using an old shampoo bottle I found. It has 2 layers, and you have to shake it up to mix them before using. In desperation, I have stopped using this shampoo, as of today. We'll see. Family history is that my dad had fairly full head of hair into his 80's. Men on my mom's side have significant hair loss. Mom's dad had thinning hair on top, but still had some at age 90. And thanks for the hope, that thinning hair dudes get love too, even the picards and the pigtail guys, lol. I would be willing to try it. Whatever works, right?

How about siblings? Do you have any (especially brothers) and if you do what was their hair status at about your age?

Myself as an example, there is baldness on my father's side, hair graying on my mother's side. I have a brother about a year older than me and he's the baldest of the family. Me on the other hand, no balding but getting gray hear. As for hair, I must my mom's genes and he our dad's.

Also have another brother about 10 years older than me. His hair is all white, no baldness. I bet 10 years from now my hair will be all white.

 

[John Galt III]

How about siblings? Do you have any (especially brothers) and if you do what was their hair status at about your age?

Myself as an example, there is baldness on my father's side, hair graying on my mother's side. I have a brother about a year older than me and he's the baldest of the family. Me on the other hand, no balding but getting gray hear. As for hair, I must my mom's genes and he our dad's.

Also have another brother about 10 years older than me. His hair is all white, no baldness. I bet 10 years from now my hair will be all white.

I had a brother, and his hair was about the same as mine. They used to say that the mother's genetics determined your hair future, but I guess they have revised that notion. Hair makes such a difference in one's appearance, both men and women.

 

[Pellice]

I re-entered the dating pool in middle age. I can assure you that if you are financially secure, keep yourself well groomed, have no drug or alcohol addiction, and bathe regularly, you will be in demand.

Some women will want men with lots of hair. Some like the Captain Picard look. Others want guys who are partially bald with longer hair tied behind their head in a little pigtail. (Seriously!) Most just want the four items I mentioned above for a man to be considered possible relationship material.

As a woman, I am going to echo Chuckanut's statements, but I must add that qualities of mind and emotion will matter as much or more! I *think* most women are interested in more than appearance and money, and kindness and good, informed conversation (not necessarily education) go farthest! *Hair matters not.

And, John Galt, I'm assuming that you are NOT aiming for Supermodel, Age 23.

 

[OldShooter]

For the last month or so, I am getting a lot more hairs in the brush after brushing. The hair on top is noticeably thinner. Less of it, and the hairs that are there are very thin, except a few clumps of thick strands here and there. I am 68, male. I guess this could just be what my DNA has decided to do with my hair. I have been using minoxidil for decades, and still do. Haven't changed my diet any lately, except for adding Vitamin D, but only take it once a week (5000 mg pill). Some stress, about starting to date again, lol. Great timing for hair loss to happen, right? Already googled it, can only find generic info. Thanks.

Don't you have a PCP/doctor? IMO anything sudden like this should motivate a discussion with someone more than SGOTI.

 

[FloridaJim57]

get a blood test for anemia. Mine thinned out about two years ago and a blood test revealed I was very low in iron. I take iron supplements and the hair grew back. Before taking iron though be sure you need it.

 

[Chuckanut]

A neighbor had some serious intestinal surgery a few years ago. She lost about 1/2 of her hair. Something about the surgery shocking the hair follicles and throwing off their rest cycles. So new hair wasn't growing when it should, and the other follicles were shedding hair too early.

In about a year, the follicles got their act together and she is back to having the lovely silver grey hair of a modern grandmother.

 

[MarieIG]

Thanks for the replies. No steroids. I have been eating a lot of roasted peanuts lately. I take Synthroid every day, but have not changed my dosage. (Someone mentioned T level, as in T3, T4). Or was it supposed to be Testosterone? Have not had testosterone checked. No surgeries. I started using an old shampoo bottle I found. It has 2 layers, and you have to shake it up to mix them before using. In desperation, I have stopped using this shampoo, as of today. We'll see. Family history is that my dad had fairly full head of hair into his 80's. Men on my mom's side have significant hair loss. Mom's dad had thinning hair on top, but still had some at age 90. And thanks for the hope, that thinning hair dudes get love too, even the picards and the pigtail guys, lol. I would be willing to try it. Whatever works, right?

Think thyroid. Also, Covid can cause hair loss for a period of time. (It usually corrects.) A change in medication? I would suggest a quick trip to your PC for some bloodwork. The body rewards some of us by ejecting hair approximately three months post stress (illness, surgery, etc.)

 

[gattara]

Echoing above references to Covid - my sister had Covid in May and her hair is now falling out at an alarming rate.

 

[John Galt III]

Echoing above references to Covid - my sister had Covid in May and her hair is now falling out at an alarming rate.

Well, if I had covid, it was asymptomatic. And I have not been testing for it. Does the hair grow back?

 

[lauradrops]

Hair loss or thinning can be thyroid issue. Also hair loss or thinning is normal after anesthesia and can take a year to get back to normal.

If this is something that came about in a short time, I would see a doctor for a check up just to make sure nothing is going on medically.

 

[John Galt III]

As a woman, I am going to echo Chuckanut's statements, but I must add that qualities of mind and emotion will matter as much or more! I *think* most women are interested in more than appearance and money, and kindness and good, informed conversation (not necessarily education) go farthest! *Hair matters not.

And, John Galt, I'm assuming that you are NOT aiming for Supermodel, Age 23.

Thanks for the encouraging words, Pellice. If a 23 year old supermodel became available to me, I would be skeptical of the whole thing, lol. Today I was out playing Pickleball, and when I checked my hair in the bathroom mirror beforehand, I saw how awfully thin it was on top, since I had the light coming down from above. I girded my loins and went out anyway, and I didn't notice lessening of approval from the females there. The females just want a confident guy, apparently. Actually, I like a confident woman, too.

 

[John Galt III]

Echoing above references to Covid - my sister had Covid in May and her hair is now falling out at an alarming rate.

Hmmm. Yes, June, July, August. 3 months later.

 

[gattara]

Well, if I had covid, it was asymptomatic. And I have not been testing for it. Does the hair grow back?

Yes, her hair will grow back.