Sticky/Oily Hair, and Hair Falling Out

About a month or so ago, I developed a patch of really sticky/oily substance on the crown of my head that would not wash out. I tried everything I could think of it to get it out and finally found this site where they recommended Listerine. I used the Listerine for about 3 days in a row with Sauve Clarifying shampoo, and my hair finally went back to normal. Yay! I figured out from trial and error that my Head and Shoulders shampoo was probably causing the problem, so I have switched to using the Clarifying Shampoo most days, and I use Nizoral Shampoo every 4 days to help with the dandruff that I still have. My hair is back to being soft and natural. However, now, I am having a major problem with my hair falling out. It started right about the time the oily stuff appeared, but it just keeps getting worse. In the shower, when I condition my hair (with Granier Fructis conditioner), my fingers are completely tangled in hair that has come out - to the point that it make a fairly decent handful. If I brush my hair, I have to clean my brush nearly every day for all the hair on it, and I am constantly picking tons of hair off my clothes throughout the day (way more than normal). At first I wasn't concerned because I thought I had just overdried it with all the products that I had tried and that it would grow back in, but now my hair is substantially thinner, and doesn't seem to be healing itself. Has anyone experienced this? What happened? Does anyone have any suggestions of what I can do to stop my hair from falling out?

I appreciate any and all help that I can get.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms the possibility of telogen effluvium needs to be ruled out. It is nonscarring alopecia characterized by diffuse hair shedding, often with an acute onset. There is a chronic form also which persists for a longer duration and starts with insidious onset. Chronic telogen effluvium is hair shedding lasting longer than 6 months. Treatment consists of medications like Minoxidil, surgical approach(hair transplantation) and improvement in diet.

My sincere advice is to consult a trichologist. It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.