Hair loss in Alameda
I moved to Alameda in June 2023 after in living in Oakland for the last 13 years prior. My hair has been falling out like crazy since I moved to Alameda and it never used to fall out at this rate in Oakland. It’s literally everywhere! I only wash my hair every 3 days because of this and when I do so much hair is falling out in the shower. It’s extremely concerning! My health is the same, I’ve changed nothing else as far as products, diet, etc. I’m asian and have always had straight thick hair. I live in an apartment and I can’t change the shower head to put a filter on it unfortunately, but we’re planning on moving out in June of next year. I’m going to wash my hair at my mom’s house in Fremont on my wash days and it is a bit of a hassle, but I’m sick of losing my hair. My husband who recently started growing his hair out is also noticing more hair loss in the shower so I don’t think its me, but the water which does smell super chlorinated at times. Is anyone else in Alameda going through this? Have you done anything that stopped the hair loss? We live in a newer apartment building near the marina. I once read on bpn of something similar of a couple who just moved to Alameda and they were dealing with hair loss, but I can’t find the thread.
Parent Replies
Alameda and Oakland have the exact same water supply (EBMUD) so it's unlikely that a change in water quality is causing the problem.
Have you talked with your doctor about this?
There are a number of medical conditions that cause hair loss. In my case, it was autoimmune thyroid disease, which affects about 10% of women in the USA and generally shows up between ages 30-50. Please be aware that early on, it can be hard to diagnose, because it waxes and wanes.
Many women experience thinning hair with age, sometimes starting in their 40's. Minoxidil helps.
Please call your doctor!
I just moved away from Alameda after living by the marinas for a little over a year. I didn't notice too much hair loss (I routinely lose a bunch of hair in the shower so there was no big change). But I was sick more than usual when I was there. Almost as soon as I moved in I got sick so bad that I was in bed for two days and then coughed for at least a month. It wasn't Covid. I thought maybe it was the building I lived in, which was an old building renovated into an apartment complex. Didn't think about the water though.
I am totally speculating because I don't know how old you are, but I wonder if the move timing could be a coincidence and you could be experiencing symptoms of perimenopause, which can include hair loss? I'm a woman in my 40s and I'm pretty sure perimenopause has just gotten started for me, sigh! Or it could be environmental -- just throwing out an alternative hypothesis.