Geek033113

Hi, I am an alcoholic. That phrase is still so new to me that I need to start by saying that. Admitting that I have a problem with drinking...a serious problem with drinking is the most important thing that I can do for myself in these first few days. No one but my immediate family even knows that I have a drinking problem because I simply come home from work, pour myself a glass of wine and keep pouring glass after glass until I quietly go to bed. Only they know that its not sleep, its passed out.

I started drinking years ago as an escape from the stress of work and marriage...each of which, I still have. But when my dad died in June 2011, I started drinking a bottle of white wine each evening without fail. Since that time, my hair has fallen out, not just a little but all of it (total body). Tons of doctors have told me that its stress but even as it regrows now, it continues to fall out. There is more to this than stress.

I came to this forum after searching for reasons for hair loss on the web. Now, more than ever, I realize that my drinking is the primary cause for my depression, stress, anxiety, job related problems and all the other excuses that I have been making for my hair loss.

I have spent tons of money on therapy (much needed and appreciated), hair care products, doctors who have told me my hair loss is alopecia due to stress and anxiety. The doctors are right but the root cause of the stress in all aspects of my life is wine...no, it's my drinking the wine in excess.

I have read tons of discussion boards that say alcohol/drinking has nothing to do with hair loss and perhaps alcohol by itself doesn't "cause" hair loss but what it does cause is stress, malnutrition, liver problems, increase in estrogen, and protein loss.

I have no doubt that I am suffering from alopecia and there is NO link between alopecia and alcoholism however, alopecia is linked to stress and in my case, when my stress level went up so did my consumption of alcohol. I believe that it has been the duration of alcohol use that caused my stress which led to the alopecia that I now suffer from.

On 033113, I made the decision to test my theory. I am going to give up alcohol knowing that it will affect all other aspects of my life and see if my hair will grow back. From what I have read, this could take 16 to 30 months. This is day 4 of my journey. I will keep you posted.

Fandy

Hi Geek,
You and i have some things in common....when i gave up wine ( i drank a lot like you did) i had lost 50% of my hair on my head (i'm female with blond shoulder length layers).
Diet , stress,/wine booze is a terrible source of nourishment.
My hair did stop falling out ( it was coming out by the handful in the shower) and grew back after about 18-20 months.
Giving up wine will reduce your stress levels.
How are you feeling on day 4? Are you male or female?
Welcome to sr! This is a good place for support.

Spinach

Hi,G, Apart from the hair issue, when you find out that your life once stress reduced , and your life at work and your marriage become more coherent , would you start again.
So how are you finding not drinking day 4 for many is a strange place, I hope your doing well.
John.

Geek033113

Fandy, I'm female and day 4 was okay. I stayed very busy today and that helped. I did notice my kids spending more time outside their bedrooms tonight. We actively participated in conversations about their interests. I enjoyed that so much. I haven't talked about sobriety yet. If I fail, I don't want to see the disappoint in their eyes. Right now, I just think they see me as being more alert.

Geek033113

Spinach, if I make it through the first couple of months, I couldn't start again. I have a very addictive personality and If I did it would just dissolve back into the same old habits. You see, I've been here before...before marriage and motherhood. I was sober for years and went on vacation with friends, gave into a few mixed drinks and here I am again. The cycle just keeps repeating itself with me but never to the extreme that it has become.

Day 4 was okay but I worry about days ahead.

Fandy

Don't worry about the days ahead right now, just today is good. You will find a lot of people to relate to here.
I asked if you were male or female because i think that women are more devastated (sp). By losing the hair on their head. I know i was. I am 56, but still take a chelated iron gluconate capsule 3x a week on doctors advice.
For additional motivation you might take a weekly picture of yourself. You are going to lose that shiney puffy look from your face.
It took me a few tries, but i am at 22 months sober ( i don't count anymore it makes me anxious).
I'm glad you have interaction with the kids that motivates you too.

JCMalta

Hi Geek, nice decision quitting alcohol. I am no doctor but I am a patient with experience so let me tell you that from my experience your hair is falling due to anxiety and malnutrition. This dose not mean you can drink cause the anxiety/malnutrition you have is most probably due to your drinking. If you stick to your decision staying sober you will start seeing lots of improvements in the coming days, maybe the hair will take longer but trust me there are other important things besides your hair.

Good luck, hope you enjoy your sobriety to the maximum

Elisabeth888

Welcome!

When I drank, my hair came out in chunks in the shower- it was much thinner. I am studying Anatomy and it even mentions in their that lifestyle can dictate hair quality and amount. I have been alcohol free for six months and my hair is back to normal- shiny and thick. I hope yours is too.

Come here for support on your journey. You will get lots of it as well as ideas on other ways to get support.

Hevyn

Welcome Geek. I also found SR searching for health issues caused by heavy drinking. I came here and never left. I'm so glad you're here with us.

I was losing my hair, too - nails wouldn't grow - many other signs of alcohol abuse & malnourishment because the drinking was robbing me of vitamins. It's ironic that the thing we use to cope with life slowly destroys us over time. What started out as an escape for me ended up ruling my life - I was completely dependent on it in the end. I am so happy to be free of 'my friend' - and I think you'll feel that way too. The first few weeks off it feel very strange, but I promise each day gets a little easier.

Congratulations for coming here and reaching out for a better life. You can do it, Geek.

Geek033113

Hevyn and Fandy, I'm curious...was your drink of choice, white wine? Was it Pinot Grigio? I'm just curious and sort of playing a detective. I want to know why this happened to me. It would be a very strange coincidence if we all drank and lost hair drinking white wine.

Fandy

I was an equal opportunity drinker...

I drank red wine and bourbon in the winter and white wine and vodka in warm weather.
the end of the day, the end of the bottle...

your age, diet and physical condition have a lot to do with it too (JMHO). I have VonWillowbrands disease, kept a reasonable good diet for most of my life and up until alcoholism took over i was very physically fit/active/strong since I was a child....booze and the sugar in it robbed a lot of my health. good news is...like my hair, it is coming back

Coldfusion

My wife and I drank Cavit Pinot Grigio by the gallon and didn't have much problem with hair loss. It was probably one of the few things that didn't suffer from our alcoholism!

My older brother is bald and my younger brother has less hair than I do.

Geek033113

Got it. I was just wondering. I'm almost glad you didn't say yes, it was the white wine. That would have given me an excuse to try red, beer, or even vodka. Knowing it is just alcohol in general that caused the malnutrition, stress, and depression makes me stronger in my resolve.

Thanks.

ML78

I had a flaky scalp that wouldnt go away no matter what. once i stopped drinking, it immediately went away. congrats on quitting.

miyako

I don't have actually hair LOSS (from the roots) except some that I can attribute to hormonal changes. At the crown, my hair is pretty much all there. But for the last 17 years (which is the amount of time I've been binging) I've noticed the ends get all ratty and dry. My hair breaks and splits up 4 or 5 inches from the bottom. It looks really bad and not healthy. I have a theory that this is alcohol related and one of the things I am watching is to see if a year or so of sobriety makes that go away. After 3+ months, I can definitely say that my hair feels and looks better. The rattiness at the ends is still there, of course, but the new growth feels smoother and stronger. It's easier to comb by hair out in the shower.

I've looked this up on the internet and I haven't found a whole lot of information on hair and alchohol abuse.

SnwFlower

Three years ago I noticed my hair had a period of slight thinning. During that time I was drinking a bottle of wine (sometimes two) per night. I spoke to my doctor and also went to see a dermatologist and was told that the hair loss was temporary (Telogen effluvium) and was caused by stress and would grow back when the stress went away. Well, three years had passed and there was no new hair growth.

So, fast forward to January 2013 when I decide to completely quit alcohol. It's been a little over two months and I'm now noticing several new hairs along the front of my hairline. I've also noticing that my eyebrows are growing back full again, as they had started to get sparse over the last few years. One other thing I noticed that when I was drinking heavily I was getting a few chin hairs (gasp) that are now also gone (yay!). I feel like I'm getting younger after quitting alcohol just two months ago. So my assessment is that the alcohol was effecting my hormones, (I'm in my mid 40's)and they are now balancing out. I don't think it's a coincidence. I think the alcohol affected my hormones which caused my hair to thin.

deeker

Real beauty comes from within! Don't sweat it! (just trying to cheer you up there) God loves you just the way you are and so do we!

Welcome to the forum! Wanna join the 24 hour club? Look for Thread!

deeker

I got those little chinny chin hairs too. Yikes!!! Isn't there a saying that alcohol grows hair on your chest? lol Checking now.

Sorry I know this is serious, I apologize. Little giddy tonight.

Geek033113

I can't wait to see if my hair grows back. I have some hair now because Ive been going to the dermatologist getting shots and steroids but it falls out as quick as it grows back in. I know beauty comes from within but since this happened, I haven't gone anywhere but work and the grocery.

I tried every excuse not to stop drinking but I can't stand not being healthy. I believe my hair falling out is just an outward sign of how poor my health really is. I went to many doctors, all did blood work, all checked my thyroid and liver. Not one doctor asked me if I drank excessively. They All said it was stress...all of them.

I wonder if I went back to school to get my doctorate if I could use this as my thesis?

FreeFall

I'm sure alcohol abuse affects hair growth and health. I've always had thin fine hair, but then again I drank since 17...which came first? Siince stopping (it's been 8 months) my hair is much thicker and more resilient, and is growing faster. I have also been taking lots of vitamins to replace what alcohol took away which may be part of it. I've noticed it also takes color better. Just a nice side benefit of sobriety..,