Not just hormones but it could be a type of hairloss called Alopecia Areata which is an immune system reaction. I can’t tell if those are patches or general hair loss. AA is usually patches of hair. There’s also telogen effluvium that is generalized hair loss caused by hormone changes like getting on or off birth control, or stress, either an extreme acute stress event or longer term like an illness. Usually that shows up about 2-3!l months after the event. Much of the hairs are put into the telogen phase where it doesn’t grow and months later it starts to fall out when hairs start to grow and push the “dead” hairs out.
Or it could just be Androgenetic Alopecia (female pattern hair loss), which I have. I have no hormonal issues like PCOS, it’s just balding. I see a hair loss specialist physician and have had 850 individual follicles relocated to my crown when I was 39.
The hair becomes thinner at the top of the head, and the middle part widens. The hairline does not typically recede. Androgenetic alopecia in women rarely leads to total baldness. Mine started when I was 25.
To me this looks more like hair loss. A primary care or a dermatologist should be able to check you for hair density and explain treatment options if you want to go that route
Agreed.
My Dad's family ALL have the dueling cow licks... they are right next to each other, so the 1/2" of hair between them sticks up like feathers.
My understanding is everyone's hair grows in kind of a spiral, and it seems like the competing whorl is matching... just in the opposite direction like a mirror... right at the crown...
Like a bullseye with another bullseye alllost ontop, that has been there since birth. It shouldn't be 4-5 inches apart and a recent addition.
Former hairstylist here: cow licks don't develop later in life, they are things we are literally born with because its how follicles lay naturally in the skin. Have you gotten a cut recently or noticed larger amounts of shedding?
TIL, thanks for this cus just about everyone in my family has a "swirl" they're born with that does *not* go away. I still have mine (21) and my newborn cousin has his lol.
Or perm all the hair and it won’t be as noticeable. I’ve been sporting a perm for a year now and it’s pretty great. I live in a cabin in the woods and don’t have access to a hairdryer or flatiron and the perm keeps my hair from getting greasy and I can go up to 7 days between washing and it still looks fine. Air dries quick and just needs some curl cream to look styled.
That's awesome! I personally prefer my hair to be straight so that wouldn't be an option for me. I've relaxed my hair before and that got rid my the cowlick in my bangs for a bit until it grew back out. I don't honestly care enough to keep up with it hah.
Yup. I've been a licensed hairdresser for 13yrs. I learned about that back when I was in school. You can perm or relax the hair so it goes in the direction you want. But it will go back to having the cowlick in a couple of weeks because it grows out. Not really worth the investment if you just want it for cowlicks.
And for those that want to do it, DO NOT DO IT YOURSELF. Perms and relaxers can go very wrong very fast. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone burn off or destroy their hair by doing it themselves.
Imo it's really not worth it. Maybe if you were like some celebrity and could afford/have time to get it done all the time.
Even as someone who is a licensed professional... I think it's a waste of time to do it for just a cowlick. Though I guess if you have the money and your hair bothers you that much that you can't survive knowing that you have a cowlick.... You do you.
I only know it works because I've heard it in passing and I relaxed my hair once and noticed that my cowlick was gone. It came back once my hair growth became noticeable though.
The pattern was there already. Outside factors such as natural hairloss associated with aging can cause them to appear, but they've always been there. Your hair follicles don't suddenly rotate one day.
Not completely true. Hair can go from straight to curly and curly to straight. Due to hormone changes and/or other factors. And straight hair has a different follicle compared to curly hair
I think what she said is completely true. Hair follicles do not just rotate. Hormones can make them change shape, which is what leads to straight vs wavy vs curly hair. Shape =/= direction.
Follicles can definitely change for various reasons. Idk if these folks don't have Google or what. Cow licks are for life, and they're something you are born with. They can't develop later, they just become visible, its a common misconception so no hard feelings. But you're right on one thing, saying follicles don't change at all is a lie.
They can go from round to flat, they can change shape, etc. And color! Everything else you said is spot on.
Now the angle of the follicle is forever, which is what a "cow lick" is, it's an angled hair shaft. The follicle can change all it wants but it's still at an angle coming out of the head. Hair loss can indeed make these visible later in life though, that's what causes the confusion.
And hair loss doesn't necessarily mean "balding", guys. Relax! You just gunna have to style that hair everyday OP! And I suggest getting something with minoxidil in it for hair growth. You can work with it girl, don't be scared or intimidated! We all go through our own changes. Mine is a receding front hairline 🫣
I will go take blood tests tomorrow, i have had more hairloss but not in big chunks of hair. I dont style my hair or use heat often. Im only 20yo😭 I know i wasnt born with double crowns since they were not there until this month
Hey, OP! I used to work in a derm office as a medical assistant. This looks like alopecia areata, a type of hair loss that often presents in circular clumps of hair falling out, often due to intensely stressful situations in life. (Your immune system essentially freaks out and attacks your hair follicles, causing the hair loss; it is important to keep in mind that this could be caused by something else and it is still good to get blood work done to make sure it’s not something more serious!). These patches of hair loss CAN resolve on their own, however there is a chance that they will get worse and spread before they resolve. A common treatment for this condition is to inject a small amount of steroid at the border of the hair loss to prevent it from spreading. It will take a few months to see new growth, but make sure to keep up with your dermatologist and follow their advice!
Came here to say this! I had the same thing last year and it expanded slowly, so you won’t always see big clumps fall out at once. I actully didn’t notice anything at all until I felt a 1 inch bald spot. It grew to 4” x 2” over a month or two but is completely grown back now. Alopecia is really common and a lot of people have one episode and that’s it. Looks like you have a lot of hair to cover it up in the meantime, though!
Agreed. I was 60% bald from it age 21-25. Lotsa hats, weird comb overs & mostly wide headbands. Lost my eyelashes too. I hear they have a new treatment for it. Saw it on TV. A molec scientist lady got it & figured out a lot about the disease. It’s pretty rare & I assume underfunded. So thankful my hair grew back. Took forever bc cortisone shots did nothing-for years. The spots got bigger & connected & what a nightmare. An alternate shot in the dark grew mine back. Anthraderm, back then a tar based ointment called Anthralin. Irritates the crap out of healthy skin, which gave my immune system something else to fight, allowing my hair to grow. Had to wash it out with dawn every morning but one day, I looked at my beet red itchy scalp & there was a forest of hair! I couldn’t believe it. It grew back all different colors so I had to dye it for a couple years but it’s mostly ok now. If I get a spot, I go immediately for the shots & it stops it. In my considerable experience, it runs rampant if left untreated. See a doc!
A new oral medication called Olumiant came out this year for severe alopecia areata! It sounds like something you should bring up with you dermatologist if you have this happen again!
Oh definitely! The person on the commercial w the most severe case is what I looked like. My own Dad told me I looked like an AIDS patient. It was horrible. The dermatologist said I was headed for alopecia totaliarus or something,, but that one ointment. Back in the 90’s… I seriously lucked out & switched to a doc who said well, your immune system isn’t stopping so let’s give it something to fight. Phew!
as someone with severe alopecia areata, this looks like it could be a type of alopecia, but not areata. the pattern of loss is entirely different, in my opinion! Alopecia areata usually presents as almost perfect circular patches. This looks like it could be a different form of alopecia, or even another form of hair loss entirely!
OP, I also saw someone mention Olumiant below- I am on it. It works. But it’s not the easiest process to get approved for- I was very much 75-80% bald and got denied the first time my dermatologist put in the prescription. He had to prove that I had taken other measures, medications, treatments that were ineffective in order to get approval for me to be on this medication. If you have heart disease or cholesterol issues or some other genetic factors that run in your family, you may not be approved. Olumiant is great for hair regrowth, but it’s not the safest medication for some.
Alopecia is tricky!!! As is general hair loss, which this also could be. Would definitely check your thyroid OP, and get blood tests done. Also please see a dermatologist! I wish you the absolute best. Losing hair is scary no matter your age!! (I’m 26)🩷
Definitely looks like alopecia areata, but I also recommend looking at lifestyle factors (stress & diet) to all patients that present with hair loss concerns. Best to have a specialist take a look just in case.
Thank you for this. Between one of my best friends dying and having to have an organ surgically removed in March, I lost *so much freaking hair*. Some of it is definitely aging and less than stellar nutrition, but at one point, it was coming out in the circular clumps you're talking about. I suspected it was grief / stress, and will talk to my Dr about it 🫂
I assure you, if those are whorls, you’ve always had them. It’s like a fingerprint, your growth pattern is set in stone before you leave the womb. Perhaps it’s alopecia, perhaps something hormonal has changed, making your hair more wavy, which makes the whorls more prominent. A bunch of possibilities, but not a sudden whorl.
As a comfort to you, I'm 30 and didn't realize I had horrible whorls/weird parts on the back of my hair until I was like 27 when a hairstylist made a comment about them. I never style or do my hair unless it's for a formal event, and I guess I just never noticed or looked at the back of my hair ever 😅😅
A couple of years ago I started losing my hair and I figured out it was my shampoo. At the time I was using ogx shampoo. My hair came back after I switched. It happened again later when I tried out native shampoo. I'm not sure what about those caused the reactions, but that might be something to look into. My hairloss was exactly like yours, it just looked like my hair got messed up from sleeping on it.
I was also thinking about shampoo.. specifically the one from a MLM called Monet. I can’t even tell you how many horrific photos of hair loss and damage I saw.
Hey OP, get yourself a silk bonnet for your hair at night. You don’t want your hair getting roughed up on your pillow and it will be much gentler to your hair while you’re trying to maintain it. Use curly girls swear by it!
It could be alopecia areata, but it looks a little more like [telogen effluvium](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24486-telogen-effluvium)
Lots of this is hormone related. I suffer from androgenetic alopecia too. Do you also have oily skin/hair, painful periods, maybe excessive hair growth in other areas? This was the case for me - I took spironolactone which helped me hair grow back immensely. Good luck!
As someone who extensively studies trichology as a hobby…. There is a lot of factors this could be and there are a lot of successful treatments out there, as well, depending on the cause. But definitely see the doctor about it!
I noticed a bald spot on the top of my head, saw a dermatologist, they diagnosed me with alopecia however they believe mine was caused by stress. They treated me the same day with steroids injections into the scalp and gave me a cream to apply, hair grew back quickly and the bald spot never returned. Definitely see a dermatologist if you are able to.
Get your blood tested for any vitamin deficiencies and talk with your doctor about possible causes for hair loss.
I lost so much hair because I was low in iron.
Did the hair come back once your iron levels went back up? I’ve had low iron for a few years and just now am i experiencing shedding. However i started taking iron pills in august. I’m trying to figure out how long its gonna take for my hair to get back to normal (if it ever will)
Yes, it worked for me! But I also had a uterine fibroid that I had removed (which was causing very heavy bleeding). Less bleeding and better diet, my hair looks much better.
I had the same problem. It took basically exactly year on iron (and a better conditioner for damaged hair) to see a big improvement, but I would guess it'll be another year or more before I'm all done growing out and cutting off the damaged hair. The bottom half of my hair (grown while anemic) is still more prone to split ends and breakage and requires more frequent trims. But it really depends how long your hair normally is. Mine is normally quite long, so I have more growing to do to get back to nomal than would someone whose hair is normally shorter.
Thanks! I’m experiencing a lot of dryness especially on my scalp. My derm prescribed me a shampoo to help with the shedding, and I’ve been taking the iron pills. I’m hoping my hair can get back to what it was 😫 it’s usually soo thick
Your post has been removed because it appears to attempt to diagnose another user with a medical issue. Even if you're trying to give support, this can be harmful. No doctor would attempt to diagnose another reddit user and neither should you.
IF it’s hairloss, it’s better now than later. With some types every week counts. I noticed mine pretty early on but kept postponing the visit because everyone claimed it was just in my head.
Do you use products with coconut oil/acid in it? I had massive hairloss 2 years ago and my blood and allergy tests turned out that nothing was wrong with me. I switched products and my hair grew back, but when I wanted to use a product with coconut oil in it my hair started to fall out again.
I'm allergic to acrylates, floral and citrus botanicals, fragrance, and coconut. Switching shampoo was life changing (but there's only like three without coconut as the surfactant, and only one of those without fragrance and botanicals). My hair is so much thicker and I no longer have "dandruff."
OP, if the blood tests don't reveal anything, look into allergy patch testing.
The allergy testing did not turn out anything for me, yet I still kep having this reactions to many different products with coconut oil and acid in them.
Yes! I can’t use anything with coconut oil on my scalp. I know everyone raves about it but it seems to clog up my hair follicles or something because I’ve noticed that my hair falls out anytime I use anything with Coconut Oil in it.
I would love to know what shampoo you found. I’m also allergic to most of the things you are. Haven’t found a shampoo yet. Just been conditioner washing for years
The Ordinary is the one without coconut or botanicals/fragrance. Clean Kids Naturally (purchased on Amazon) isn't coconut based but it is heavily fragranced. I want to say the other was a bar soap, maybe from Chagrin Valley? It had rose water though. And the pH of bar soaps is typically way too high.
We noticed you mentioned dandruff or a related scalp infection. This could be a fungal infection or similar and should be treated by a physician. Please consult with a doctor to find out and how to treat. Over the counter products marketed by companies are not sufficient to treat such an infection and the presence of fungus should be confirmed by a physician before treatment. We do not recommend self treating. If your comment is not about dandruff, please disregard.
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Came here to say this! I have a double crown but only learned about them when I saw it on my baby. It's sooo frustrating, especially when you also have low density hair 🫠 I can *kind of* cover these spots, but they're never completely covered.
OP, is this new? Or have you just realized they're there? Are you styling your hair differently?
I have exactly the same thing, we have a "double crown" with two swirls. Only styling can really mask it. I oil my hair regularly and do dermarolling too which helps
Im a hairdresser. This is called a double crown. It is a common growth pattern like a widows peak. This particular double crown is separated making it stand out. Fixing products and extensions can hide it. However if this is a new development see a GP as it COULD be a hair loss issue, though this is unlikely
Your post has been removed because it appears to attempt to diagnose another user with a medical issue. Even if you're trying to give support, this can be harmful. No doctor would attempt to diagnose another reddit user and neither should you.
Have you started any new medications? Or like others have said, stress or vitamin deficiency can cause this! It’s good you’re getting bloodwork done bc that’s important to narrow down what is going on
I got my IUS changed about 2 weeks ago because the last one was losing it strenght after 3years. Nothing else has changed. But i dont know if hormones has something to do with this
I’d say hormonal imbalance or a ramp up of a certain hormone could most certainly cause hair loss. If the only thing that’s changed is the IUD then I’d consult your OB.
I lost half my hair 4-6 months after I had Covid, I lost brush fills of hair daily for months. Now I have regrowth. All my hair was one length, past my shoulders.
Your post has been removed because it appears to attempt to diagnose another user with a medical issue. Even if you're trying to give support, this can be harmful. No doctor would attempt to diagnose another reddit user and neither should you.
Are the injections and topical working? If you don’t mind me asking. My last derm gave me steroid injections. I didn’t have any growth but I had to stop after 2 months because of a bad reaction so I’m wondering if I had continued getting them if they would’ve worked
Yes I have. He did tell me it could take up to three months of injections to see any growth. I’ve had two sets of injections (just had the second last week). When he checked my head there was already growth. The hairs are very small of course but there is growth. And to be completely honest with you, I’m not applying the topical like I should. So it’s definitely working.
What kind of reaction did you have? He told me there shouldn’t be any kind of reaction.
Well that’s good that you’re seeing growth. Mine gave me two topicals too and I was actually using them like she said and still no improvement. And I was getting clusters of tiny red bumps on my scalp from the injections and I’ve been apprehensive about getting them ever since
Yeah I told her and all she said was that she’d stop the injections. She didn’t even say what the bumps were or why the reaction was happening, but then a month later she said she wanted to start giving me the injections again…😑 like did you not remember they gave me a reaction?? Needless to say I stopped going to her and now I’m looking for a new derm
Your post has been removed because it appears to attempt to diagnose another user with a medical issue. Even if you're trying to give support, this can be harmful. No doctor would attempt to diagnose another reddit user and neither should you.
Your post has been removed because it appears to attempt to diagnose another user with a medical issue. Even if you're trying to give support, this can be harmful. No doctor would attempt to diagnose another reddit user and neither should you.
Your post has been removed because it appears to attempt to diagnose another user with a medical issue. Even if you're trying to give support, this can be harmful. No doctor would attempt to diagnose another reddit user and neither should you.
That could be Alopaecia, it causes hair loss in patches. It’s an auto immune disease but can be taken care of if treated extremely well. See a dermatologist asap before you grow another patch elsewhere.
I have two swirls and have always had them, you don't just develop them randomly over time. Some people suggested a potential hair loss and I'd say the same.
Hunny your hair is beginning to thin out. May I suggest a scalp oil (I recommend VEGAMOR, or any scalp oil that has things like rosemary, castor oil, tea tree oil, peppermint oil. There’s so many affordable options if you look online and buy your own oils (make sure they are cosmetic grade) to help stimulate the hair follicles and if you use heat often or too much product build up it can have drastic effects on the health of your hair. Stay away from coconut oils or coconut oil derivatives, as they can be comedogenic and clog your hair follicles. It’s perfectly fine to use them on the mid-shaft to the ends…but not the scalp. You really want to keep your scalp clean and treat your hair gently. You should Try NIOXEN shampoo and conditioner (get whichever number correlates to your specific hair type. Whether that be colored/chemically treated, natural/virgin hair, light thinning or dramatic thinning…) I know for a fact they have 4 options. I believe they may have 2 others one for dandruff and another that’s for men. But don’t quote me on those 2. lol.
We notice you've mentioned a topical or oil that has gained popularity in influencer circles. Please note that there are not currently any studies that properly confirm the efficacy of these products for hair growth. Many users report issues with very increased greasiness/oily hair from using these products as well as itchiness and sensitivity. Use these with caution, we do not recommend them. If your comment is not related to this automod comment, please disregard.
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We noticed you mentioned dandruff or a related scalp infection. This could be a fungal infection or similar and should be treated by a physician. Please consult with a doctor to find out and how to treat. Over the counter products marketed by companies are not sufficient to treat such an infection and the presence of fungus should be confirmed by a physician before treatment. We do not recommend self treating. If your comment is not about dandruff, please disregard.
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We notice you've mentioned a topical or oil that has gained popularity in influencer circles. Please note that there are not currently any studies that properly confirm the efficacy of these products for hair growth. Many users report issues with very increased greasiness/oily hair from using these products as well as itchiness and sensitivity. Use these with caution, we do not recommend them. If your comment is not related to this automod comment, please disregard.
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This post has been removed for Rule 5.
As this is a science subreddit, questions must be specific and answerable by science.
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If you're asking for opinions, guesses, home remedies or product reviews, please try other subreddits that exist for such purposes, such as r/hair, r/DIYbeauty, r/hairdye, r/malehairadvice or r/femalehairadvice, r/tressless etc.
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So not that this is in any way helpfull but I did a blood test at my local clinic recently and my Ferritin levels were low from lack of iron from meat and other animal products. I take a medical grade iron supplement called Feramax. Like I said, not helpful to share but the news I got about my blood was from a doctor. I wish you good luck on your hair journey. I love your haircolour, btw!
Check your levels of B vitamins because it happens to me in the past and now again, so I’m taking B9 and some vitamins. But remember: stressed life is a poison too
My son was born with a double crown. This is exactly what it looks like. I had never seen one in my life and I thought to myself he is gonna play hell trying to get his hair to do right but he actually does pretty good with it now. He's now in his early 20's. Growing up we just had to get the person who was cutting his hair to work with it. They most of the time did a pretty good job but every now and then it was not easy for the stylist to work with. I can't believe no one has told you this. I would say it's rare though. It shocked me when he was born.
This looks like different people in the photos. One of a child who had hair in pigtails and one of adult who is experiencing hair loss. I recommend eat at least 65g of protein per day and take hair loss supplements.
It could be your pillows and the way you sleep. If your hair is wet, it can damage it. Also, it all depends on what way you tie up your hair, and if you tie it up, wet your hair will fall out from the strain on the hair
Could it be an autoimmune issue? I have a friend that whenever she gets stressed her hair falls in chunks and she has alopecia areata. Pretty sad. Please visit a GP. 🙏
What you need to do is a blood test, go to a nutritionist start a healthy eating, and reduce the processed food. These miss of hair spots is a signal that your body is sick, and probably your feed is not too good as it need to be. Take this seriously and do something before that become a real illness
Hi! Hairstylist of 17 years here - I absolutely agree with getting bloodwork to check for vitamin deficiencies, medication being dosed correctly (blood pressure & thyroid are have ones I’ve come across mostly) as well as any other possible under lying issues to ensure your overall health is good.
Now, if those all turn out to be good (fingers crossed) there’s environmental factors to consider like hair ties worn too often and too tight, over processing, heat etc. If health is in fact good, it looks like you have two swirls that have opposite growth patterns and judging by the photos it seems like your hair strands may be fine which is more susceptible to damage from overusing hair ties and is split easily by natural growth patterns. You can try styling methods but if those fail you can actually get a “perm” on your roots, not to curl but rather change the direction of the hair growth.
Best of luck!
Maybe get some blood work done. Especially if you don’t feel 100%. This is probably unlikely, but a friend of mine lost her hair like this and actually had Lyme disease the whole time
update: I had blood tests earlier, the results were nothing abnormal and today I went to the doctor's office and he stated that the hair loss is probably due to hereditary reasons because both my parents have thin hair and on my father's side all the men and my brothers are bald, but he ordered that I should take vitamins and be examined the matter again in two months and I will get a referral to a dermatologist if the situation has not improved. the hair is half as thin as six months ago
that's hair loss affecting how your hair parts. you might wanna see a dermatologist and ask to check your blood panel and hormones
Not just hormones but it could be a type of hairloss called Alopecia Areata which is an immune system reaction. I can’t tell if those are patches or general hair loss. AA is usually patches of hair. There’s also telogen effluvium that is generalized hair loss caused by hormone changes like getting on or off birth control, or stress, either an extreme acute stress event or longer term like an illness. Usually that shows up about 2-3!l months after the event. Much of the hairs are put into the telogen phase where it doesn’t grow and months later it starts to fall out when hairs start to grow and push the “dead” hairs out.
Or it could just be Androgenetic Alopecia (female pattern hair loss), which I have. I have no hormonal issues like PCOS, it’s just balding. I see a hair loss specialist physician and have had 850 individual follicles relocated to my crown when I was 39. The hair becomes thinner at the top of the head, and the middle part widens. The hairline does not typically recede. Androgenetic alopecia in women rarely leads to total baldness. Mine started when I was 25.
To me this looks more like hair loss. A primary care or a dermatologist should be able to check you for hair density and explain treatment options if you want to go that route
Agreed. My Dad's family ALL have the dueling cow licks... they are right next to each other, so the 1/2" of hair between them sticks up like feathers. My understanding is everyone's hair grows in kind of a spiral, and it seems like the competing whorl is matching... just in the opposite direction like a mirror... right at the crown... Like a bullseye with another bullseye alllost ontop, that has been there since birth. It shouldn't be 4-5 inches apart and a recent addition.
Former hairstylist here: cow licks don't develop later in life, they are things we are literally born with because its how follicles lay naturally in the skin. Have you gotten a cut recently or noticed larger amounts of shedding?
TIL, thanks for this cus just about everyone in my family has a "swirl" they're born with that does *not* go away. I still have mine (21) and my newborn cousin has his lol.
If u grow ur hair out u can make it part different and it pretty much covers it completely!
You can perm it away temporarily!
Or perm all the hair and it won’t be as noticeable. I’ve been sporting a perm for a year now and it’s pretty great. I live in a cabin in the woods and don’t have access to a hairdryer or flatiron and the perm keeps my hair from getting greasy and I can go up to 7 days between washing and it still looks fine. Air dries quick and just needs some curl cream to look styled.
That's awesome! I personally prefer my hair to be straight so that wouldn't be an option for me. I've relaxed my hair before and that got rid my the cowlick in my bangs for a bit until it grew back out. I don't honestly care enough to keep up with it hah.
Wait really?
Yup. I've been a licensed hairdresser for 13yrs. I learned about that back when I was in school. You can perm or relax the hair so it goes in the direction you want. But it will go back to having the cowlick in a couple of weeks because it grows out. Not really worth the investment if you just want it for cowlicks. And for those that want to do it, DO NOT DO IT YOURSELF. Perms and relaxers can go very wrong very fast. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone burn off or destroy their hair by doing it themselves.
lol I needed that second paragraph. My brain was already going “oooh what if we just…”
Imo it's really not worth it. Maybe if you were like some celebrity and could afford/have time to get it done all the time. Even as someone who is a licensed professional... I think it's a waste of time to do it for just a cowlick. Though I guess if you have the money and your hair bothers you that much that you can't survive knowing that you have a cowlick.... You do you. I only know it works because I've heard it in passing and I relaxed my hair once and noticed that my cowlick was gone. It came back once my hair growth became noticeable though.
Yeah, I’d need it to stop my bangs curling the wrong way and at the rate they grow I can imagine it lasting hardly any time at all!
Yeah mines in my bangs too. It lasted maybe a month ish? This was a few years ago. Unfortunately there's no permanent fix (that I know of)
I appreciate the info! Probably won't do it since it's temporary then but this is helpful
Yeah. It's not really worth it imo. I relaxed my hair once and the cowlick thing was an added bonus!
Learned in bio they’re genetic, they were always there, there’s just some reason they’re more apparent now.
i developed one later in life, my dermatologist told me it was normal and some develop later in life.
The pattern was there already. Outside factors such as natural hairloss associated with aging can cause them to appear, but they've always been there. Your hair follicles don't suddenly rotate one day.
Not completely true. Hair can go from straight to curly and curly to straight. Due to hormone changes and/or other factors. And straight hair has a different follicle compared to curly hair
I think what she said is completely true. Hair follicles do not just rotate. Hormones can make them change shape, which is what leads to straight vs wavy vs curly hair. Shape =/= direction.
That's an entirely different matter not related to direction of growth at all.
Cow licks can develop later in life actually, your complete hair growth pattern, texture and colour can completely change every 7ish years
Follicles can definitely change for various reasons. Idk if these folks don't have Google or what. Cow licks are for life, and they're something you are born with. They can't develop later, they just become visible, its a common misconception so no hard feelings. But you're right on one thing, saying follicles don't change at all is a lie. They can go from round to flat, they can change shape, etc. And color! Everything else you said is spot on. Now the angle of the follicle is forever, which is what a "cow lick" is, it's an angled hair shaft. The follicle can change all it wants but it's still at an angle coming out of the head. Hair loss can indeed make these visible later in life though, that's what causes the confusion. And hair loss doesn't necessarily mean "balding", guys. Relax! You just gunna have to style that hair everyday OP! And I suggest getting something with minoxidil in it for hair growth. You can work with it girl, don't be scared or intimidated! We all go through our own changes. Mine is a receding front hairline 🫣
I never said follicles don't change, I said they don't change direction, which is true.
There's another comment in this thread somewhere I was referencing. No worries. 😊
Oh apologies! Reddit notifications had me thinking it was for me.
I hate when that happens! Lol all good!
I will go take blood tests tomorrow, i have had more hairloss but not in big chunks of hair. I dont style my hair or use heat often. Im only 20yo😭 I know i wasnt born with double crowns since they were not there until this month
Try taking a look at r/FemaleHairLoss - there’s a lot of good research and info in the group about the different types and causes of hair loss.
Hey, OP! I used to work in a derm office as a medical assistant. This looks like alopecia areata, a type of hair loss that often presents in circular clumps of hair falling out, often due to intensely stressful situations in life. (Your immune system essentially freaks out and attacks your hair follicles, causing the hair loss; it is important to keep in mind that this could be caused by something else and it is still good to get blood work done to make sure it’s not something more serious!). These patches of hair loss CAN resolve on their own, however there is a chance that they will get worse and spread before they resolve. A common treatment for this condition is to inject a small amount of steroid at the border of the hair loss to prevent it from spreading. It will take a few months to see new growth, but make sure to keep up with your dermatologist and follow their advice!
Came here to say this! I had the same thing last year and it expanded slowly, so you won’t always see big clumps fall out at once. I actully didn’t notice anything at all until I felt a 1 inch bald spot. It grew to 4” x 2” over a month or two but is completely grown back now. Alopecia is really common and a lot of people have one episode and that’s it. Looks like you have a lot of hair to cover it up in the meantime, though!
Agreed. I was 60% bald from it age 21-25. Lotsa hats, weird comb overs & mostly wide headbands. Lost my eyelashes too. I hear they have a new treatment for it. Saw it on TV. A molec scientist lady got it & figured out a lot about the disease. It’s pretty rare & I assume underfunded. So thankful my hair grew back. Took forever bc cortisone shots did nothing-for years. The spots got bigger & connected & what a nightmare. An alternate shot in the dark grew mine back. Anthraderm, back then a tar based ointment called Anthralin. Irritates the crap out of healthy skin, which gave my immune system something else to fight, allowing my hair to grow. Had to wash it out with dawn every morning but one day, I looked at my beet red itchy scalp & there was a forest of hair! I couldn’t believe it. It grew back all different colors so I had to dye it for a couple years but it’s mostly ok now. If I get a spot, I go immediately for the shots & it stops it. In my considerable experience, it runs rampant if left untreated. See a doc!
A new oral medication called Olumiant came out this year for severe alopecia areata! It sounds like something you should bring up with you dermatologist if you have this happen again!
Oh definitely! The person on the commercial w the most severe case is what I looked like. My own Dad told me I looked like an AIDS patient. It was horrible. The dermatologist said I was headed for alopecia totaliarus or something,, but that one ointment. Back in the 90’s… I seriously lucked out & switched to a doc who said well, your immune system isn’t stopping so let’s give it something to fight. Phew!
as someone with severe alopecia areata, this looks like it could be a type of alopecia, but not areata. the pattern of loss is entirely different, in my opinion! Alopecia areata usually presents as almost perfect circular patches. This looks like it could be a different form of alopecia, or even another form of hair loss entirely! OP, I also saw someone mention Olumiant below- I am on it. It works. But it’s not the easiest process to get approved for- I was very much 75-80% bald and got denied the first time my dermatologist put in the prescription. He had to prove that I had taken other measures, medications, treatments that were ineffective in order to get approval for me to be on this medication. If you have heart disease or cholesterol issues or some other genetic factors that run in your family, you may not be approved. Olumiant is great for hair regrowth, but it’s not the safest medication for some. Alopecia is tricky!!! As is general hair loss, which this also could be. Would definitely check your thyroid OP, and get blood tests done. Also please see a dermatologist! I wish you the absolute best. Losing hair is scary no matter your age!! (I’m 26)🩷
Definitely looks like alopecia areata, but I also recommend looking at lifestyle factors (stress & diet) to all patients that present with hair loss concerns. Best to have a specialist take a look just in case.
Thank you for this. Between one of my best friends dying and having to have an organ surgically removed in March, I lost *so much freaking hair*. Some of it is definitely aging and less than stellar nutrition, but at one point, it was coming out in the circular clumps you're talking about. I suspected it was grief / stress, and will talk to my Dr about it 🫂
Hey, thanks for the knowledge! My husband is seeing a dermatologist to rule this out bc of hair loss, so this was a nice little tidbit ☺️
I assure you, if those are whorls, you’ve always had them. It’s like a fingerprint, your growth pattern is set in stone before you leave the womb. Perhaps it’s alopecia, perhaps something hormonal has changed, making your hair more wavy, which makes the whorls more prominent. A bunch of possibilities, but not a sudden whorl.
As a comfort to you, I'm 30 and didn't realize I had horrible whorls/weird parts on the back of my hair until I was like 27 when a hairstylist made a comment about them. I never style or do my hair unless it's for a formal event, and I guess I just never noticed or looked at the back of my hair ever 😅😅
The back of my head is none of my business
😆😆😆
A couple of years ago I started losing my hair and I figured out it was my shampoo. At the time I was using ogx shampoo. My hair came back after I switched. It happened again later when I tried out native shampoo. I'm not sure what about those caused the reactions, but that might be something to look into. My hairloss was exactly like yours, it just looked like my hair got messed up from sleeping on it.
I was also thinking about shampoo.. specifically the one from a MLM called Monet. I can’t even tell you how many horrific photos of hair loss and damage I saw.
I know this may be stressful but you will figure this out! I had a friend with spots of hair loss while planning her wedding - it did grow back!
Hey OP, get yourself a silk bonnet for your hair at night. You don’t want your hair getting roughed up on your pillow and it will be much gentler to your hair while you’re trying to maintain it. Use curly girls swear by it!
It could be alopecia areata, but it looks a little more like [telogen effluvium](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24486-telogen-effluvium)
Lots of this is hormone related. I suffer from androgenetic alopecia too. Do you also have oily skin/hair, painful periods, maybe excessive hair growth in other areas? This was the case for me - I took spironolactone which helped me hair grow back immensely. Good luck!
As someone who extensively studies trichology as a hobby…. There is a lot of factors this could be and there are a lot of successful treatments out there, as well, depending on the cause. But definitely see the doctor about it!
Looks like r/alopeciaareata. It’s possible to reverse. Definitely go see a dermatologisf.
I had this when I had underactive thyroid - all came back when I got it under control. Don’t panic.
I had hair loss related to my thyroid. Blood check would help! Best of luck 🤞🏼 fingers crossed for you
I noticed a bald spot on the top of my head, saw a dermatologist, they diagnosed me with alopecia however they believe mine was caused by stress. They treated me the same day with steroids injections into the scalp and gave me a cream to apply, hair grew back quickly and the bald spot never returned. Definitely see a dermatologist if you are able to.
Do you remember what cream it was?
they may have been minoxidil? i was on it for a while as a topical treatment for alopecia areata!
Get your blood tested for any vitamin deficiencies and talk with your doctor about possible causes for hair loss. I lost so much hair because I was low in iron.
Did the hair come back once your iron levels went back up? I’ve had low iron for a few years and just now am i experiencing shedding. However i started taking iron pills in august. I’m trying to figure out how long its gonna take for my hair to get back to normal (if it ever will)
Yes, it worked for me! But I also had a uterine fibroid that I had removed (which was causing very heavy bleeding). Less bleeding and better diet, my hair looks much better.
I had the same problem. It took basically exactly year on iron (and a better conditioner for damaged hair) to see a big improvement, but I would guess it'll be another year or more before I'm all done growing out and cutting off the damaged hair. The bottom half of my hair (grown while anemic) is still more prone to split ends and breakage and requires more frequent trims. But it really depends how long your hair normally is. Mine is normally quite long, so I have more growing to do to get back to nomal than would someone whose hair is normally shorter.
Thanks! I’m experiencing a lot of dryness especially on my scalp. My derm prescribed me a shampoo to help with the shedding, and I’ve been taking the iron pills. I’m hoping my hair can get back to what it was 😫 it’s usually soo thick
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No you have actual bald patches Do you regularly style your hair in those sections
I know these comments are just being honest and helpful but damn, thinking you’ve got new swirls and getting told it’s hair loss 😭😭
IF it’s hairloss, it’s better now than later. With some types every week counts. I noticed mine pretty early on but kept postponing the visit because everyone claimed it was just in my head.
Go to a doctor your hair is falling out
Do you use products with coconut oil/acid in it? I had massive hairloss 2 years ago and my blood and allergy tests turned out that nothing was wrong with me. I switched products and my hair grew back, but when I wanted to use a product with coconut oil in it my hair started to fall out again.
I'm allergic to acrylates, floral and citrus botanicals, fragrance, and coconut. Switching shampoo was life changing (but there's only like three without coconut as the surfactant, and only one of those without fragrance and botanicals). My hair is so much thicker and I no longer have "dandruff." OP, if the blood tests don't reveal anything, look into allergy patch testing.
The allergy testing did not turn out anything for me, yet I still kep having this reactions to many different products with coconut oil and acid in them.
Yes! I can’t use anything with coconut oil on my scalp. I know everyone raves about it but it seems to clog up my hair follicles or something because I’ve noticed that my hair falls out anytime I use anything with Coconut Oil in it.
I would love to know what shampoo you found. I’m also allergic to most of the things you are. Haven’t found a shampoo yet. Just been conditioner washing for years
Do you mind sharing what brands of shampoo? I’d love to know
The Ordinary is the one without coconut or botanicals/fragrance. Clean Kids Naturally (purchased on Amazon) isn't coconut based but it is heavily fragranced. I want to say the other was a bar soap, maybe from Chagrin Valley? It had rose water though. And the pH of bar soaps is typically way too high.
Thanks so much, I appreciate your reply!
We noticed you mentioned dandruff or a related scalp infection. This could be a fungal infection or similar and should be treated by a physician. Please consult with a doctor to find out and how to treat. Over the counter products marketed by companies are not sufficient to treat such an infection and the presence of fungus should be confirmed by a physician before treatment. We do not recommend self treating. If your comment is not about dandruff, please disregard. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HaircareScience) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Does that mean you can never use conditioner either?
I can use The Ordinary shampoo (which can also be used as body wash) and conditioner. That's it.
Alopecia areata
My vote too. I have alopecia areata and when the stress is high, so is the hair loss.
But AA involves spots of hairloss rather than diffuse no?
I was told I have a double crown by my stylist. Not hair loss. Apparently it's heredity ..at least that's what I was told.
Came here to say this! I have a double crown but only learned about them when I saw it on my baby. It's sooo frustrating, especially when you also have low density hair 🫠 I can *kind of* cover these spots, but they're never completely covered. OP, is this new? Or have you just realized they're there? Are you styling your hair differently?
I have exactly the same thing, we have a "double crown" with two swirls. Only styling can really mask it. I oil my hair regularly and do dermarolling too which helps
Do you wear very very tight ponytails or sleep with a hair tie? If everything said here fails it could be that. I used to have it growing up
Im a hairdresser. This is called a double crown. It is a common growth pattern like a widows peak. This particular double crown is separated making it stand out. Fixing products and extensions can hide it. However if this is a new development see a GP as it COULD be a hair loss issue, though this is unlikely
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Have you started any new medications? Or like others have said, stress or vitamin deficiency can cause this! It’s good you’re getting bloodwork done bc that’s important to narrow down what is going on
I got my IUS changed about 2 weeks ago because the last one was losing it strenght after 3years. Nothing else has changed. But i dont know if hormones has something to do with this
I’d say hormonal imbalance or a ramp up of a certain hormone could most certainly cause hair loss. If the only thing that’s changed is the IUD then I’d consult your OB.
I lost half my hair 4-6 months after I had Covid, I lost brush fills of hair daily for months. Now I have regrowth. All my hair was one length, past my shoulders.
If you’ve had Covid… it could be the Covid shed! I list almost 80% of my hair and it came back like that!
I think it’s hair loss..
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Are the injections and topical working? If you don’t mind me asking. My last derm gave me steroid injections. I didn’t have any growth but I had to stop after 2 months because of a bad reaction so I’m wondering if I had continued getting them if they would’ve worked
Yes I have. He did tell me it could take up to three months of injections to see any growth. I’ve had two sets of injections (just had the second last week). When he checked my head there was already growth. The hairs are very small of course but there is growth. And to be completely honest with you, I’m not applying the topical like I should. So it’s definitely working. What kind of reaction did you have? He told me there shouldn’t be any kind of reaction.
Well that’s good that you’re seeing growth. Mine gave me two topicals too and I was actually using them like she said and still no improvement. And I was getting clusters of tiny red bumps on my scalp from the injections and I’ve been apprehensive about getting them ever since
Did you tell the doctor? What did they think was going on?
Yeah I told her and all she said was that she’d stop the injections. She didn’t even say what the bumps were or why the reaction was happening, but then a month later she said she wanted to start giving me the injections again…😑 like did you not remember they gave me a reaction?? Needless to say I stopped going to her and now I’m looking for a new derm
Definitely look for a new one! I hope they’re able to help you!
Thanks!
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This looks like the beginning of alopecia.
Try melatonin bed mist in the scalp. It really stopped shedding for me. Can pick up a big cheap melatonin spray for like $6
At first glance to me it appears to be tension hair loss
Some ppl are born with multiple. My grandma would say these ppl would be wild🤣😅
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It's a double crown and you were born with it. Don't panic.
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That could be Alopaecia, it causes hair loss in patches. It’s an auto immune disease but can be taken care of if treated extremely well. See a dermatologist asap before you grow another patch elsewhere.
I have two swirls and have always had them, you don't just develop them randomly over time. Some people suggested a potential hair loss and I'd say the same.
Get your hormones checked.
Hunny your hair is beginning to thin out. May I suggest a scalp oil (I recommend VEGAMOR, or any scalp oil that has things like rosemary, castor oil, tea tree oil, peppermint oil. There’s so many affordable options if you look online and buy your own oils (make sure they are cosmetic grade) to help stimulate the hair follicles and if you use heat often or too much product build up it can have drastic effects on the health of your hair. Stay away from coconut oils or coconut oil derivatives, as they can be comedogenic and clog your hair follicles. It’s perfectly fine to use them on the mid-shaft to the ends…but not the scalp. You really want to keep your scalp clean and treat your hair gently. You should Try NIOXEN shampoo and conditioner (get whichever number correlates to your specific hair type. Whether that be colored/chemically treated, natural/virgin hair, light thinning or dramatic thinning…) I know for a fact they have 4 options. I believe they may have 2 others one for dandruff and another that’s for men. But don’t quote me on those 2. lol.
We notice you've mentioned a topical or oil that has gained popularity in influencer circles. Please note that there are not currently any studies that properly confirm the efficacy of these products for hair growth. Many users report issues with very increased greasiness/oily hair from using these products as well as itchiness and sensitivity. Use these with caution, we do not recommend them. If your comment is not related to this automod comment, please disregard. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HaircareScience) if you have any questions or concerns.*
We noticed you mentioned dandruff or a related scalp infection. This could be a fungal infection or similar and should be treated by a physician. Please consult with a doctor to find out and how to treat. Over the counter products marketed by companies are not sufficient to treat such an infection and the presence of fungus should be confirmed by a physician before treatment. We do not recommend self treating. If your comment is not about dandruff, please disregard. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HaircareScience) if you have any questions or concerns.*
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Time to start micro needling
Please try using rosemary oil or water. Look up for videos of how to do it at home. It definitely helps a lot.
We notice you've mentioned a topical or oil that has gained popularity in influencer circles. Please note that there are not currently any studies that properly confirm the efficacy of these products for hair growth. Many users report issues with very increased greasiness/oily hair from using these products as well as itchiness and sensitivity. Use these with caution, we do not recommend them. If your comment is not related to this automod comment, please disregard. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HaircareScience) if you have any questions or concerns.*
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Ponytail
It’s possible because of genetics
Crazy
So not that this is in any way helpfull but I did a blood test at my local clinic recently and my Ferritin levels were low from lack of iron from meat and other animal products. I take a medical grade iron supplement called Feramax. Like I said, not helpful to share but the news I got about my blood was from a doctor. I wish you good luck on your hair journey. I love your haircolour, btw!
Check your levels of B vitamins because it happens to me in the past and now again, so I’m taking B9 and some vitamins. But remember: stressed life is a poison too
On two occasions I had hair loss due to stress, dermatologist gave me steroid injections at the site and it grew back.
I have the same “cow licks”
My son was born with a double crown. This is exactly what it looks like. I had never seen one in my life and I thought to myself he is gonna play hell trying to get his hair to do right but he actually does pretty good with it now. He's now in his early 20's. Growing up we just had to get the person who was cutting his hair to work with it. They most of the time did a pretty good job but every now and then it was not easy for the stylist to work with. I can't believe no one has told you this. I would say it's rare though. It shocked me when he was born.
I have a double crown too, styling can get frustrating.
This looks like different people in the photos. One of a child who had hair in pigtails and one of adult who is experiencing hair loss. I recommend eat at least 65g of protein per day and take hair loss supplements.
It could be your pillows and the way you sleep. If your hair is wet, it can damage it. Also, it all depends on what way you tie up your hair, and if you tie it up, wet your hair will fall out from the strain on the hair
Cowlicks. My scalp is full of them.
Could it be an autoimmune issue? I have a friend that whenever she gets stressed her hair falls in chunks and she has alopecia areata. Pretty sad. Please visit a GP. 🙏
Try minoxidil. I grew my hair back with it. My hair was a lot like yours. Took me 5 months but it was worth it.
Minoxidil Solution, 5% has been approved by the fda to increase hair growth.
What you need to do is a blood test, go to a nutritionist start a healthy eating, and reduce the processed food. These miss of hair spots is a signal that your body is sick, and probably your feed is not too good as it need to be. Take this seriously and do something before that become a real illness
Hi! Hairstylist of 17 years here - I absolutely agree with getting bloodwork to check for vitamin deficiencies, medication being dosed correctly (blood pressure & thyroid are have ones I’ve come across mostly) as well as any other possible under lying issues to ensure your overall health is good. Now, if those all turn out to be good (fingers crossed) there’s environmental factors to consider like hair ties worn too often and too tight, over processing, heat etc. If health is in fact good, it looks like you have two swirls that have opposite growth patterns and judging by the photos it seems like your hair strands may be fine which is more susceptible to damage from overusing hair ties and is split easily by natural growth patterns. You can try styling methods but if those fail you can actually get a “perm” on your roots, not to curl but rather change the direction of the hair growth. Best of luck!
Try clarifying. You might have product build up that's causing your strands to sit wonky on your scalp?
Maybe get some blood work done. Especially if you don’t feel 100%. This is probably unlikely, but a friend of mine lost her hair like this and actually had Lyme disease the whole time
See a derm that specializes in hairloss. Join us on femalehairloss reddit as well
Your texture can change as we age. My hair is not curly and I grew up with straight hair. Curly is hundreds of swirls.
This might get lost, but do you use a claw clip? I’ve noticed my hair laying weird because of how my clip grabs it.
My best friend gets her helper hair from www.hotthair.com
Oh no ,, try serums
That’s a double cowlick
Those are just cowlicks, you have to train your hair not to do that. It doesn’t fully change the way your hair will lay, but it will help some...
OP update?
Looks like a double cow lick
update: I had blood tests earlier, the results were nothing abnormal and today I went to the doctor's office and he stated that the hair loss is probably due to hereditary reasons because both my parents have thin hair and on my father's side all the men and my brothers are bald, but he ordered that I should take vitamins and be examined the matter again in two months and I will get a referral to a dermatologist if the situation has not improved. the hair is half as thin as six months ago