B12 and Hair Loss (Fixed) ?

[Ryaan]

I’ll do a short post.

Any male notice reversal of Male Hair Loss (Baldness) with B12 injections. I’m 42 and I’m last few years my hair got very thin as in when you get male baldness.

I’ve been injecting over 2 years and my hair’s gone much thicker, stronger and a lot has grown back. It’s a huge difference. I started injecting once a week and then after first year I’ve been on once every 2 weeks.

I’ve always used Hydroxocobalamin 1ml.

Anyone else noticed this ?

For women with thinning hair your hair will grow much thicker and stop falling from my experience.....It’s definitely the B12 injections as I haven’t taken anything else apart from Folic Acid since I’ve been injecting as my diets not too good, but I know Folic Acid won’t do this on its own, it’s the B12.

Sorry.....post is gone long.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

One of the symptoms of B12 deficiency is thinning and loss of hair

Its also a symptom of a number of other conditions - including hypothyroidism.

B12 is promoted as a treatment for balding ... but reality is that its only going to work if B12 deficiency is the cause.

[JMN2017]

As Gambit62 has mentioned, thinning/loss of hair can be caused by many things.

I have had very thin hair on the top of my head, although I don't consider I shed much hair at all. In fact, my hairbrush rarely catches any hair. I have Minoxidil foam on prescription, which has helped considerably. I then tried without the foam as I had been on B12 injections for some time but noticed my hair started looking thin again, so re-started the Minoxidil. It's improved again now. I'm also on Levothyroxine as Hypothyroid but, in spite of this, my hair continued to become thinner

So, in my case, it's seemingly not due to being hypothyroid, nor due to being B12 deficient. Perhaps I should ask for a referal to a relevant specialist to try to discover the cause ...

[deniseinmilden in reply to JMN2017]

You could also try getting your iron levels checked. Don't supplement with iron unless you need to.

[JMN2017 in reply to deniseinmilden]

Thanks deniseinmilden

Yes, iron levels are good, and always have been, so clearly not due to that either

[deniseinmilden in reply to JMN2017]

You are so sorted I thought that would be the case but just mentioned it as just one of many, many things.

Selenium, zinc and methionine affect the thickness, growth rate and strength of the fibres and copper alters the hair's colour and vitality... Etc, etc!

And then there are hormones and so on!

[JMN2017 in reply to deniseinmilden]

Again, thanks, deniseinmilden

As you say, there are loads of causes for female hair loss, hence I feel it would be appropriate if GP were to refer me to a 'specialist'. It can't be a cheap option to prescribe Minoxidil on a permanent basis, unless all other options were eliminated so, once another health issue is 'sorted', I'll bring this issue to the forefront

Thanks, I appreciate your help

[Livemusicians in reply to JMN2017]

My experience of thinning hair started about 4 years before I was diagnosed with PA. The top of my head was nipping, and it felt very sensitive. When I used the hair dryer, it used to feel like it was blowing cold air, I had to test the dryer with my hand just to make sure it was hot, which it was. I went abroad, and instead of being able to ditch my hat about 4 days into the holiday, I wore it for the 3 weeks I was in the sun. My head was on fire when I went out in the sun with my hat on. The tenderness eventually died down, and that’s when I found out that my hair had thinned substantially. I was heart broken. I have hypothyroid, but it wasn’t the cause. I inject once every two weeks, and I have NHS injections once every two weeks, and there has been absolutely no change with my hair. Has anyone else had this experience?

[JMN2017 in reply to Livemusicians]

So sorry to hear this

Maybe ask your GP if you can try Minoxidil (quite expensive if you have to buy it yourself, though, hence ask for prescription???)

[deniseinmilden]

Great post - thank you: it's good to hear positive stories.

It's not just males - my hair is loads better now too.

In some ways it's worse for females coz these days thin hair in men is generally recognised as plenty of male hormones and therefore quite sexy so you guys get away with it!

[Bluedragon]

Maybe worth a try for those of you with male pattern baldness- Saw Palmetto (which all you guys should take anyway over 50 to protect your prostate) - Serenoa repens- is reputed to also help.

[Cherylclaire Forum Support]

My hair changes rapidly for no apparent reason, even in the course of a day, but usually follows this pattern: goes very frizzy and wiry, sheds a lot when washing it, then improves a lot in quality albeit a little thinner, then frizzy etc etc etc. My mouth does a similar thing: looks a little red especially at corners, then gets very sore and looks awful, skin dries out and splits at corners, then peels and heals and looks fine for a while. Always a pleasant surprise to me when both are looking good !

First noticed my thinning hair when my parting started to burn and peel on holiday years ago. First noticed my sore mouth over 10 years ago, when it became a permanent feature until B12 treatment started .

I see the fact that both now alter, and can look fine for a while, as a major plus and an encouragement - anything that can improve might eventually do so permanently.

I definitely see both of these as B12 deficiency indicators in my case.

These can also be iron or folate deficiency symptoms, I believe. Both of these were low-range with me (this is not unusual for those with a B12 problem) and I have improved both with supplements. Takes a long time sometimes to get these levels up, and keeping them up is difficult too. This is in spite of my healthy (but vegetarian) diet, daily vitamin & mineral supplements, additional folic acid, vitamin D on prescription and every other day B12 injection !

I have heard that sometimes when hair returns, it is the original colour and not the premature greying that can accompany hair loss/ thinning with B12 deficiency..... so keep hoping !