Toodie

So since I've been drinking heavily I noticed my hair has thinned pretty bad. It's pretty embarrassing. Has anyone else experienced this? Will it thicken up with sobriety. I'm only 31. Sighs. Day #5.

Hope everyone has a good, safe, sober day.

sugarbear1

I also had thinning hair due to my drinking.

Once sober and eating better and actually absorbing the nutrients, my hair did thicken up! (I'm older than you)

Stay stopped and give time time. You may lose more in early sobriety, then it will start to thicken up again.

GreenEggsAndHam

Oh gosh so I'm not the only one! My hair used to be so pretty. Now it's thin and stringy and I hate it. Hope it thickens back up.

Hevyn

Oh yes! It came out in clumps & was so dry - nails broke too & wouldn't grow. It's much better since I quit. We rob ourselves of vitamins & are malnourished when we drink heavily. It will get better though Toodie.

Nonsensical

I thought I was losing my hair, but then I found it...

...on my back and ears.

God sure has a strange sense of humor!

Aellyce

I had that too, probably not as bad as it could have been because I was still eating OK while drinking and took vitamins. I think part of the reason is that alcohol interferes with the absorption of nutrients, and often when we drink we neglect nutrition anyway. And also, alcohol is known to hinder protein synthesis. A different area where people tend to notice, I think, when someone works out rigorously with the goal of gaining muscle, and it does not happen well while drinking heavily. These things are reversible luckily if we keep abstinent.

SayAnything

My hair comes out in handfuls, too. It looks thick when I have it down, but when I gather it all in my hands, it's so thin. I'm 42, so I wasn't sure if it was the alcohol, or my hormones. I'm on day 11, so here's to hoping it comes back!

sulzerpower

I also have experienced this im now quite bald on top and have to wear a hat all the time.

Aellyce

Guys, if you are still having this problem weeks after quitting alcohol completely: have you tried to investigate with a doctor? I think they can assess possible nutritional deficiencies and other metabolic things from a blood test and perhaps advise what could be fixed and how. With supplements, hormonal therapy, diet plans etc. Might be a quicker fix than simply letting the system repair itself and wait? Just a thought...

Beanie25

Yes, I lost a lot of my hair, and thought that was that. I was so grateful when my thick hair came back. I'm sure it will for you also.

Toodie

Thanks. I feel a little better now.

least

Give yourself time, good nutrition, and rest. It will come back.

iam2antsy

i've wondered this too...mine's gotten thinner than has been ~ but i'm 50 so??

cusper

I had the same thing!!! I have almost been sober for 3 months and my hair is fantastic now. I can actually see the growth of the new hair along my hair line. I never accredited the hair loss to drinking if you can believe it. It was actually the first thing I noticed from my physical appearance after quitting.

Wastinglife

If your hair loss is not just from genetics/male pattern baldness, then things could get better by cutting out alcohol. The booze affects hormone production and that has a lot to do with hair loss.

LDT

My hair fell out when I was drinking.....came back in twice as thick when I got sober and got on a healthy eating regimen.

Toodie

But I'm a 31 yr old female. :'(

thatcat

40s female here. Mine got very thin. I was drinking daily and not really eating. It was really noticeable when I washed my hair - my hands would be covered in loose strands. In fact, hair on my legs, etc., stopped growing back in too (the only positive here - lol), or grew in very very slowly, and fingernails didn't grow well and were in terrible shape. After I stopped drinking alcohol and started eating and taking my vitamins and keeping hydrated, everything got better.

Toodie

Great. What a relief. *Wipes forehead* lol. Mine is so thin my scalp can be seen through what few strands are left when i comb my hair back. I walk around with my head up high all day.... My neck hurts geesh. Lol

Goldcoastgirl

Me too Toodie, have been using Regaine as my hair is noticeably thinner on the sides. It is very distressing. I am scared one morning I will wake up and it will all be on my pillow! Had my thyroid and hormones checked and they are ok, so either stress or drinking effects. Also my nails keep breaking even though taking silica. Hoping being sober will reverse this, not fun plus my husband is over my hair being on everything! Hope we get our luscious locks back soon. I even dream about it coming out in handfuls, not pleasant!