Update: I found out why my hair is shedding, finally!
I had an appointment with a dermatologist on Thursday and she ordered blood work. I immediately went over to the lab right after my appointment and got one of the results back yesterday morning.
My
ferritin (protein that stores iron and releases it in a controlled fashion) levels are very low, <40, which could cause hair loss. I am NOT anemic, but you can still have low ferritin.
"One of the most common causes of hair loss in pre-menopausal women is not hormones, but a nutritional deficiency, with depleted iron stores being the most important factor.
In a study, one hundred and fifty three women who were diagnosed with telogen effluvium from 1995-1998 were examined. Seventy two percent (n=75) of women in the premenopausal group were found to have iron deficiency as the cause of telogen effluvium. Iron deficiency is defined as having a ferritin level of under 40ng/ml or iron percent saturation under 20%. Iron deficiency is the most common cause of telogen effluvium in premenopausal women. Although medications are the most common cause of telogen effluvium in postmenopausal women, iron deficiency should not be ruled out.
(Janet L. Roberts Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, USA)"
I started a raw vegan, food based iron supplement yesterday hoping that will help. They will check my levels in about a month.
