Today’s health stories is a paid collaboration with Oxford Pharmacy who asked bloggers to share their hair loss stories. Erica, who writes as The Incidental Parent, was diagnosed with Crohn’s in 2012 and has been blogging about living and parenting with Crohn’s for two years. Today she shares her journey with chronic hair loss-and then back again! Please note, this is all Erica’s words-other than the sponsor message at the bottom of the post.
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s in 2012 at the age of 35. The following year I had a bowel resection which, unfortunately, was not without complications and I developed a leak. The leak was undiscovered for several days so I developed septicaemia and had to have emergency surgery resulting in an ileostomy (stoma) and mucus fistula. I spent a week in ICU and a total of 27 nights in
“What has this got to do with chronic hair loss?” I hear you ask. Well, three months after surgery my hair started to fall out. Not small amounts, but handfuls. The sort of stuff you see in films. When I got up from my chair there was hair surrounding me. I avoided washing my hair as that’s when the majority would fall out. It would actually block the plughole!
I asked my GP who advised it’s not unusual after traumatic surgery. Hair grows on a three month cycle and it was shedding exactly three months after my surgery. An assumption is that as well as the trauma my body put all of its resources into keeping me alive. My organs were shutting down so they were more important than making hair I guess – nice work body!
What did I do?
After trying expensive shampoos, lotions and potions that I could ill afford (I had a toddler and obviously wasn’t working, I was still recovering from the surgery) I decided to have my hair cut off.
This was a huge decision for me. In my twenties I had hair down past my waist. My hair was my “crowning glory” it was my one redeeming feature. After my surgery my self-esteem and body confidence took a huge blow. I had a foot long wound down my abdomen and two stomas along with scars from drains. Not to mention the mental scars. Cutting my hair was a massive step at that time.
Cutting my hair for the first time
I remember my hairdresser asking if I was sure while she held up the shoelace of hair that had become my ponytail. “Just do it” I said, and she did. I loved it. I loved the style, it suited me and, what’s more, it was so easy to care for. I was very lucky that I didn’t have to straighten it or anything. I could just wash it and it fell into place.
I got so many compliments which
I went through it a bit after the initial operations. I had the stomas reversed but developed incisional hernias, they were repaired but the mesh used became infected. It was removed. I fell pregnant – I don’t do things by halves!
My symptoms were much better during and immediately after pregnancy but about a year later I was in a flare and developed a fistula. I had to have several operations and I was incredibly poorly again. I stared taking Mercaptopurine and having Infliximab infusions. Then the hair loss started. Whether it was the illness or the medication I couldn’t say. I’m still on the medication now and have a thick head of hair!
I decided much more quickly to cut my hair this time
In fact I had it shaved on one side – thankfully it was in fashion! I loved it, but by heck it’s cold in winter! Having been through it before it was a less painful experience emotionally.
People handle hair loss in different ways. Friends of mine had wigs made, I had my hair cut and kind of embraced it, but I did have *some* hair left. I was kind of looking forward to having different style wigs but luckily, I had no need for them. You must deal with it as best you can for you. It’s a very personal thing.
Other Options/Sponsor Message
There are many different, personal solutions to hair loss. Some embrace it like Erica did; others try wigs, medication or hair loss treatments. Oxford Pharmacy
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