<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
Thanks to everyone who responded to my inquiry about hair loss.  I've listed
a few of the numerous responses to my question, they all sing the same tune:
malnutrition due to undiagnosed celiac appears to be a cause of significant
hair loss and quality, but that after going gluten-free, general health
returns and hair begins to grow in healthy again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
*Been there - done that!  Ton of hair loss soon after I hit the bottom of the
barrel.  As soon as my proteins came back into balance my hair came back - a
little grayer than before (rats) but much curly -er.  Bear with it, I know
how frightening it is - I was afraid to comb or brush it (although my hair
dresser told me it didn't matter 'cause it was just a matter of time with my
health as screwy as it was)  But as I said, get your belly heathly and your
hair will follow.
 
*Hair loss is often found in people during and right after a bodily stress,
such as a severe celiac episode, severe malnutrition  (or sometimes
childbirth).  I am told it usually all regrows after six months of good
health.
 
*My experience was that my
hair loss seemed to be hormonal - related maybe to menopause, iron deficiency
and to a lesser extent gluten sensitivity.  Anyway, the problem is now over.  No
more hair loss.  When I speak of hair loss, what that was for me was lots of
hair falling out though it was immediately replaced.  My hair was never thin.
 
*You should be hearing from lots of people.  Hair loss seems to be a
common problem... Anyway, she might try changing her shampoo, as
well as waiting to see if the problem disappears when your friend
 stabilizes on the diet (it does take time--8 months for me).  I hope so.
 
*I was one that did experience loss of hair prior to diagnosis.  It was about
1 1/2 years before it started to grow faster than it fell out after
diagnosis but I now feel that this was because I was not on a TOTAL
gluten-free diet.  I was not given proper information from the nutritionist
that told me about the gluten-free diet so therefore wasn't totally
gluten-free.  Took awhile of gathering information and sorting it all out
before being totally gluten-free.  Once the diet got sorted out the hair
growth took over and the loss stopped.
 
*I am 51 and was diagnosed 9 months ago with CD.  For many years before when
I washed my hair the sink was full of hair.  My hair became very thin and
fragile - it turned out that I had hardly any protein in my blood and this
was having a drastic effect on my hair and nails.  I have noticed recently,
now that my protein is normal, that my hair has thickened up and I lose
very little and my nails have improved also.
 
*I seem to have triggered my active case of celiac when I was
pregnant with my son. (I was unaware of it at the time.) Hair
loss is normal post-partum but mine kept on coming out until
I discovered my condition and started on a gluten-free diet.
Now, one year and a bit into the diet, I have this sort of
fringe of hair that's about 3 inches long growing in --
regrowth!
 
Of course hair loss =could= be caused by other conditions but
at least in my case, it's not unheard of in association with
untreated celiac sprue.
 
*
YES YES YES!!!  to the hair loss question!!!   Not only did I lose hair but
it BROKE off at weird places!!!  I have the thinnist, more ragged hair in
the world!!!  I have been diagnosed about 7 months, and only really noticed
the hair business about 2 months ago.(Its amazing what isn't important when
you feel like dog dodo!!)...   I was trying to give myself a perm to pick
up my spirits, and because my hair was so thin.....but I had trouble
because I had so many teeny tiny broken off ends!!!  I trimmed it myself
the best I could, went on with the perm, and when I have enough self
confidence I will go to a beauty salon to get it FIXED...but I hate
answering questions..so not sure how I will handle the enevitable WHY DID
YOU DO THIS TO YOUR HAIR??????  When I feel I can handle that...I will, but
in the meantime I keep the trimming scissors handy for those stray ends,
and keep praying my hair will start to grow back....   The perm DID HELP
BTW...I know my hair isn't getting thicker, but the perm gives the illusion
that it is!!!
 
*  Before I was diagnosed, there was usually more hair on the floor than
     on my head! I was really sick and had lost a huge amount of weight, so
     you can imagine my celiac condition was pretty acute during the hair
     loss time. And not only was it falling out, the condition of my hair
     was also very dry and lifeless.
 
     It took awhile to strengthen and come back after I started the GF
     diet, but it DID improve, and today my hair has it's old shine and
     bounce again. While I can't say officially that it was related to
     celiac disease, I've no reason to assume otherwise.
 
*This is very nonspecific, but I read an article in the Celiac Sprue Assoc.
newsletter about a lady who had begun to lose her hair--she had a diagnosed
condition but I do not recall what issue or the name of the condition.  Have
you ever seen a woman with hair so thin it has to be teased to cover the
scalp--you can see the scalp right through the hair?  That is a disease and
I am wondering out loud to you if it is related to celiac like diabetes and
other conditions??
 
Ellen Switkes
Oakland, CA