Hair: Yesterday I went for my long... - Pernicious Anaemi...

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Hair

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Yesterday I went for my long awaited trip to my hairdressers.

She was fascinated by my colour changes she said all the silver has gone and the roots are so dark it’s amazing.Im an ex hairdresser and I was amazed myself because after the head injury my hair had gone really silver and my scalp really pink so to see the changes was great,even with the dark roots lol,this has just happened since self injecting with b12.My actual hair loss has also stopped so a good positive reaction to the b12 shots.

She was telling me that a high percentage of returning clients had opted to keep their hair colour free and had just gotten it cut short,not good for their profits lol.

I’ve absolutely no intention of growing old gracefully my hair is looking fabulous again I’m so pleased with it and no regrets going ,the salon staff were great they were all fully equipped with aprons and visors and we chatted as normal,the other client sent the junior out for her coffee lol the salon will provide bottled water but nothing else is allowed. I thought the staff were very reassuring and doing there best under the circumstances.

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23 Replies
fbirder profile image
fbirder

I seem to recall reading a blog entry a few years back (possibly Martyn Hooper's) suggesting that hairdressers should be trained in spotting a B12 deficiency.

in reply tofbirder

I get what you mean and yes ideally that would be great but if our doctors are not properly trained what chance would a young hairdresser have,nowadays its all about volume I’m afraid,get the clients in and out ASAP, times money sadly that’s the kind of world we live in now.x

helvella profile image
helvella in reply tofbirder

I think I remember that hairdresser training in France does make observation of health issues an important element. (Their training is longer than in the UK.) I did look for a link but couldn't quickly find one.

There are many issues which hairdressers are well-placed to make initial observations. As well as B12, thyroid and melanoma for a start. The critical thing is for them not to ignore things they see - and to know what to do. Something as simple as a one-page printout to give the customer would be a start.

I think there are several professions which should be so trained. Including manicurists and masseurs/euses.

in reply tohelvella

Maybe as an ongoing thing once the youngsters have qualified as the training can be overwhelming especially the health and safety side due to the chemicals they handle but being honest I think it’s not something that would ever be made mandatory here,if the kids are going straight into a salon and learning their trade there then it’s all about the cut and colour training it’s just too busy in a salon to have a classroom environment.possibly if they were going to college it could be touched on there but again the instructors would have to be trained themselves,I think it’s a big responsibility to put on youngsters and not something that will happen here.x

Nackapan profile image
Nackapan

Oh how wonderful to get to the hairdresser.

I've never dyed mine as I've got silver streaks that people pay to put in lol

My hair fell out badly and got dry and frizzy. Horrid as I've always had a good head of hair .

It's much improved now.

I've never loved the hairdresser . Hate the pulling about.

Also now on ladt few trips have had a wet cut as ni way can my head tolerate the sinks or washing aksi a blindfold because of the lights.

All the same it's such a nice feeling when youve had a good cut.

I go to a local parade now as can park right outside. Hoping the woman who cuts it well will still be there when it opens.

Must be so difficult with visors on all day and to see well.

My friend who is a practice nurse keeps getting infections uo het nose. The doctor said due to wearing the visor all day.

Horrid . Perhaus they will be able to wear paper ones soon as patients are wearing them too.

Do you have to wear a mask too?

Yes a hairdresser told one of my daughters to get her ferritin checked as her hair was falling out . She was right . Of course another indicator I had but had no idea it could be low b12

in reply toNackapan

We had to wear a mask had temps taken on way in and hand sanitiser given but when I was sat there my face was just getting redder and redder with the heat from the mask it was horrible and manager came over and said if you want to remove that mask then please do so we have protective visors on and no one else is near you so I happily took mines off.

The staff can go into the back shop and remove their visors every so often so that’s a relief for them too.

I thought everything considered they coped so well and our safety and comfort was paramount to them,you have one person doing hair from start to finish,no juniors shampooing the stylist does it all.

I know what you mean about the backwash I dread them myself I always ask them to put the foam comfort strip on them it does help as I have a bad disc problem from neck right down spine.

Yes there was talk of banning* them in the states because of neck injuries.Thats the bit I dread in the salon the stylist I have now is happy to let me sit up while she removes the foils and then knows I can’t take any scalp pressure when shampooing due to the head injury I’m still really sensitive there even after all this time.

Penalty’s we pay to look gorgeous eh 🤣🤣

Sleepybunny profile image
Sleepybunny

That's good news that you can see a difference in your hair.

Have you got before and after photos in case your doctors are interested?

in reply toSleepybunny

Hi Thank you and no I don’t have photos I can’t bear to look at the big dent in my head just above my eyebrow so I don’t do photos now.if I can avoid them. X

Ritchie1268 profile image
Ritchie1268

That's one of the things I was hoping for, but no, Silver fox it is 😁

You're right about volume, in & out, all about profits etc etc.

I'd love to live in a world where greed wasn't a thing. Could you imagine what an amazing world we would all live in if greed & profits were never a part of life.

in reply toRitchie1268

Morning Ritchie.I really despair when I look at the way my grandchildren are smothered in material things even during lockdown while I stood at the bottom of the driveway and said where’s the girls it was oh there on their iPads or watching tv ,then they wonder why I moan about giving them too much it saddens me.

My hairdresser is working 12 hour shifts every second week to get through the volume of clients I could barely do 8 hours lol imagine what it’s like for them in all that ppi gear having to do this,they only get a wage the owner gets the profits.we were asked not to take in personal items no jackets no food only refreshments and pay by card only so when I went to pay I said to her take an extra tenner off the card for tips and she couldn’t do it because of the accounting system so now our hairdressers can’t get their tips,especially after such a hard slog of a day I felt bad for not thinking about that but I’ll pop in and drop that tenner off in cash.

My silver fox is a wee cutie I wouldn’t change him for the world even after 45 years lol.take care

Ritchie1268 profile image
Ritchie1268 in reply to

Morning Thrones.

Good for you with the hairdresser.

My daughter's asked me a while ago what it was like in the 80's, (I left school in 84)

I said well, we actually communicated properly, you know that thing where you open your mouth & these things called words came out. We had phones that you could only talk through but they were tied to the house. We'd go outside in fresh air & meet up with friends, explore woods & play football on the park & in fields etc.

Then I took both their phones off them & switched the internet off, that went down really well . Well they did ask 😁

You too.

in reply toRitchie1268

Bet they thought you were torturing them lol.

Your young to be a silver fox aren’t you.I left school at 15 in 1973 got married in 1975 and we’ve had 45 happy years.I have no intentions of growing old gracefully I’ll arrange my highlights get done before my cremation lol.

I feel sad it’s really not the children it’s the parents who make the mistake Of thinking material = love.

They are getting better in that they encourage them to pursue more outdoor sports now but it’s all the bloody designer gear trainers outfits etc that they feel it’s compulsory to have that gets me.rant Over sorry 😂

Felix666 profile image
Felix666 in reply to

My neighbour dress her 2 year old in designer stuff, sending off for this and that everyday, her 15 year old going to school with designer bags hanging of her arm, she dosn't work but her husband does, it sems the husband works his ass off and she sits on her ass on the internet spending money as soon as he makes it.

B12 injections reversed my grey too! Amazing isn't it!

in reply to

Really pleased for you Karen ,my mum used to brag about her lovely dark hair even in her 80s she’d barely any grey so I knew mines wasn’t a genetic thing and it came on so quickly after the head injury.It was the pink scalp I detested and I couldn’t go out in the sun on holiday without a hat so what was the point chasing the sun,I got so badly burnt on one holiday it put me right off and I’d lived abroad previously and sun worshipped lol.

I had the loveliest day yesterday we went to the lakeside had tea at five guys,it was rotten,then went to side of lake and they’d put out deckchairs well spaced out so we sat there in the sun and had a snooze after our tea it was so lovely sun was blazing down on us and I’ve gone a nice brown like I used to,no burning,good old b12 😂x

in reply to

Ah that sounds lovely, glad you had a lovely day ♥️ 😊

I started going grey really early im now 52, even have all white hair in some areas I wonder if it was by b12 deficiency undiagnosed all along. Doubt the colour will ever come back now. I simply dye it regularly. it's growing very long though don't have as much hair loss since I do my B12 Injections regularly.

in reply to

I found that too my hair loss was worrying me but that’s resolved now too.I got mines cut quite short this time,I usually have long hair and long fringe so I could cover the head injury area but I was feeling good about getting my hair done so I told her to do it like a short bob I like to tuck behind my ears but leave the fringe just long enough to cover the dent and scarring.Im still convinced people stare at it lol.its just vanity isn’t it.

The b12 definately increases growth of hair and nails and strengthens them so can’t complain.xx

in reply to

I have been reading about cofactors and plan to buy B complex with biotin and folic acid in as biotin is for hair. so much to learn!

in reply to

My folate was rock bottom so it’s now in double figures I’m sure that’s helped.x

Cherylclaire profile image
CherylclaireForum Support

There are videos about B12 deficiency which show that hair can grow back in original colour despite early greying/ balding from temples. This is a very, very obvious and undeniable sign of B12 deficiency and B12 deficiency repletion. What else would give you that ?

I veer wildly between frizzy, cobwebby hair and hair loss from temples (but more manageable after shedding). When GP said that as you get older, (I'm now 62 but this started 5 years ago) you have to expect some hair-loss, I asked her if I had to bring in my hairbrush and demonstrate.... I don't expect hairdressers, dentists and opticians to be frontline diagnosticians - although I have found that ENT consultants are more than familiar with B12 deficiency, without needing to take 5 tubes of blood from you like haematologists do !

Eventually, GP decided that low folate and/or ferritin was more likely to be the problem, and it did help in reducing dramatic hair loss, but still have recurring problems despite daily multivitamin and mineral supplements and B12 injections every three days.

Hidden , you're right: fingernails also a good (and much-ignored )indicator of B12 deficiency - strangely, not toenails. Why that is, I'm not sure. Really makes no sense at all. As a sacrificial substance, why fingernails not toenails ?

Also, anyone else lost underarm hair completely ? Just me ?

in reply toCherylclaire

Yep no underarm here either and outer third of eyebrows gone and eyelashes following.never had to shave as never had any hair in shaveable places lol X

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