Thinning Hair

I have had over the past 4 years about 3 bouts of hair loss, I think telegen effluvium.  It's receding in the front and side but the shedding is all-over.

The first happened 3 months after surgery,
The second time was stress (I think?) I went through a divorce, and my mother, father and brother died - all this happened within 5 months),
The third time was from being on the the birth control pill which I stopped taking end of January 2002.

Now its happening again and this time I don't have anything to contribute it to.  Nothing serious happened 3 or 4 or 5 months ago!  I have allergies and seasonal asthma which may explain my itchy head?  And I am a marathoner - can the training have anything to do with hair loss? I am thin and have always been thin (5'10" and 125 lbs.) and when I train for a marathon I do lose about 5-8 lbs. but I eat healthy and take vitamins every day - multivit. calcium pills, extra vit B.  

I am such a healthy person - do not smoke, or drink and eat healthy and exercise and this hair loss/or thinning makes me feel so unhealthy.  

I am 44 years old with blonde hair which has always up to know been so thick!  

PLEASE HELP!

Thanks.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Telogen effluvium refers to a rapid shedding of resting (telogen) hairs.  Instead of 10% of the hairs being in the resting state, certain stressful events can increase the percentage to 30-40%, resulting in lots of hair coming out for a while.  This can thin the hair but not cause baldness.  More important, it is reversible, as the body's rhythm reasserts itself.  I assume that's what happened the other times.

It's possible that the rigors of training can increase the rate of fall for a while.  There's not much to do except wait for regrowth.  If you have any doubts that regrowth is occurring in 3-5 months, you should see a dermatologist.  Keep in mind that we all thin as we age, even if we aren't "going bald," so you may not be as thick as you were at 20.

Regular shampooing, conditioning, and coloring are all OK.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff