So I’m a JET who arrived in August and since getting here I’ve been experiencing hair loss. I’m a 22F and I wanted to know if anyone had any advice. It’s silly but it really stresses me out to the point I’ve had panic attacks about it. Which I’ve never had before.
I’ve purchased a filter for my shower head, I exclusively use American shampoo I’ve used at home, I have started to wash twice a week only, I’ve bought a hair oil, and I started taking a once a day multivitamin and Methyl B-12 and Methyl Folate about two weeks ago. I also bought a hair strengthening repair masque from a brand I’ve used before that I use once a week. Then lastly I got a scalp massager I use for about five minutes each night.
I do think my hair fall out is a little less but it’s still quite a problem. I just wanted to hear from some other people if my methods seem appropriate or if there is anything else I could possibly try. Cause if I get a bald spot I think I’ll spiral, and again I know I’m being dramatic but no matter how hard I try to calm down I almost cry whenever I brush my hair. I think in part it’s because I’ve always had thick hair and never had to worry. But since arriving I think I’ve lost around half my hair volume so it feels and looks very noticeable to me.
I really would appreciate any advice or similar stories. I’ve heard that most JETs start to notice fallout lessening around month 9 but like I said I’m scared I’ll be balding by that point. Thank you so much.
18 comments
Please quantify hair loss.
Brushing your hair and seeing hairs in the brush, or a slight uptick in hairs falling out, is fine. Clumps on your pillow? Not.
There’s always insane tinfoil hat worrying here about the water or the hair products or the food making everyone bald, but sometimes you’re just getting older.
I experienced a shock of hair “loss” about 8 months ago now. I saw an uptick in what I was losing when brushing and it was worrying. I’d start to find hairs on my floor, in my bed, etc. Thought I may be going bald, so monitored it. Months later, hair is the same. Girlfriend hasn’t noticed any bald spots. Its just the natural path of hair to begin shedding a bit more often as you age. For context, I’m 32.
Do you know if anyone from your family has experienced a noticeable amount of hair loss at any point?
Or it could possibly be stress relates. I’m not sure if it applies to you, but significant changes to your lifestyle such as moving to a new country can increase stress and can cause hair loss but doesn’t always happen to everyone. Or maybe your work environment could be stressful.
This is actually a topic that has been somewhat frequently discussed in the japanlife subreddit. It seems there is yet to be a consensus as to what actually causes this phenomenon of noticeable hair loss in foreigners that move to Japan. Some say it must be the water, whilst others say that it is the simple result of moving to another country and all the stresses contained therein.
I’m now a male in my late 20s, but I also noticed some significant hair loss towards the end of my time in JET. That being said, hair loss is caused and affects males and females differently.
I hope you can find a product or routine that will help you! Best of luck!
Dietary shift? (So perhaps you’re lacking a certain vitamin, nutrient from your diet before) Change in hair products? So different shampoo, conditioner etc. Stress/sleep deprivation?
This happens a lot and nobody really knows.
Not entirely sure, but I’ve heard claims that Japanese shampoo may use abrasive elements. High stress could be another factor.
You should go to a dermatologist if you haven’t already. They deal with hair loss regularly. Get help from school or a coworker if you need to.
Happens a lot to people when they first move to Japan, assuming you’re not actually just going bald then it’s likely the water if its just kicked in after moving here. You can get a shower head that holds a filter which lasts around 3 months and a twin pack is only 2k so it’s a cheap thing to do.
I can’t remember for sure but I think it’s higher levels of chlorine in the water, also can play havoc for people with eczema as it dries the skin out more.
[Here’s the filters ](https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/gp/aw/d/B006HW2L0M?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title)
[And here’s the shower head that fits them ](https://www.amazon.co.jp/Mitsubishi-Chemicals-Purified-Shower-SY102-IV/dp/B006HW2L9S/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=11GND1MPRX7MR&keywords=sy102&qid=1674656666&sprefix=sy102%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-1)
Seconding a dermatologist.
One important thing to figure out is is your condition hair loss or hair shedding.
They’re different things with different causes and treatments.
A dermatologist can help you determine which it is with a pull test (literally gently pull and see if hair comes out) and/or a scalp biopsy.
I have pretty extensive experience with hair shedding due to a condition that was diagnosed in Japan by a dermatologist.
Feel free to reach out if you have questions or want to hear more about my experience.
I experienced hair loss when I moved to both Japan and Korea.
First and foremost, I recommend trying to curb some of that stress. Stress will make it worse. I can go through some coping tips with you if you’d like (I took a class on stress management for my degree).
When we experience a big stressor, we sometimes experience that hair loss a few months later. The environment and your diet also may be at play. Check to make sure you’re getting enough nutrients in your diet, since it’s likely changed (vitamin D is usually not in multivitamins.) the US fortifies grains with vitamin D and iron, so make sure you’re getting those from diet, nature, and supplements if needed. Biotin is a good vitamin to try to take.
One word of caution. Don’t try changing your shampoo and adding in new hair care steps a billion times either. It takes a few weeks to see progress or know if you’re just doing more damage. Also it’s stressful.
See a dermatologist as well, to rule out fungal issues from Japan’s humid weather. Even though it’s winter, it may still be more humid than where you’re from.
When I was in Japan my hair loss stopped because I removed a stressor (broke up with bf back home). When I was in Korea I had to evaluate my diet and wash my hair more because of the pollution (so compare levels at home and where you are), but also chronic stress was the biggest issue. I think my hair stopped falling out the most when I stopped worrying about it and was focused on something else.
Edit: Another thing to consider, we shed hair in large amounts in the fall and winter and every few years. You might be experiencing this on top of some additional fall from stress. Definitely go see a dermatologist to determine if it’s fall or loss. 🙂 Either way, you’ll likely be okay and it’ll grow back once you solve it!
It’s actually cultural shock. You may not be aware of the stress you are feeling and it just shows with hair loss. You should find that it stops after a few months and your hair goes back to normal. Google it. A lot of people experience it, even though they are enjoying Japan. If it gets bad, you may be able to go to a skin doctor and get them to give you a prescription for something to prevent hair loss, however Im not familiar with health requirements to do this. It can be stressful losing lots of hair-
I hope that your situation gets better soon. All the best.
I had a friend also mentioned that she was losing hair when we were studying in Japan. It might be worth looking into getting a showerhead with a filter. Water in Japan is treated differently than in other countries (depending on which region your located) and I suspect your hair might not be used to the hard water in that region.
Hi!! This was a hundred percent my situation, there are many reasons for this, like other comments have said: stress, change in diet, environment etc. I just wanted to add while I had all those other changes too, the main reason for my hair loss was undiagnosed androgenetic alopecia. It is actually quite common amongst men and women. At first, I was misdiagnosed in America for having scarring alopecia, but after going to a dermatologist in the USA after coming from Japan, I got a correct diagnosis. For androgenetic alopécica, the treatment is different from scarring alopecia. In my experience in japan, they didn’t have a lot of information at the inaka dermatologists about my condition and I felt lost. If you want more info, you can PM me! I’m not saying this is what you have, but just wanted to let you know it could be a possibility.
Get your iron checked.
I don’t know if you deal with dandruff, dermatitis or psoriasis but I found Head and Shoulders (H&S) made me molt like a dog – it was the shampoo I used back in Australia. Switching over to Merit, I’ve noticed there’s less of that (but once a month I still need to clean up the hairbrushes, just the odd case of seasonal psoriasis when it’s cold and windy, like now so I’m using dry shampoo to avoid needing to wash my hair everyday, which can add to more shedding). Also, if you’re following a particular diet like keto, you can experience hair loss while losing weight. But I definitely second seeing a dermatologist to check it out if it keeps bothering you.
Like some people mentioned before it might just be unchecked stress!
But something I always recommend for hair loss is this: 1) Grab a pot, and boil some pure distilled water 2) Toss is a good handful of rosemary + mint 3) boil for 10-15 minutes and let it cool down 4) Pour the liquid into a spray bottle 5) Store in the fridge and spray onto your scalp after the shower/before putting in any additional product 🙂
If you want to take it a step further you can also craft your own Rosemary oil, just grab a mason jar of almond oil, add in your herbs (mint+rosemary) and let it sit for the next few weeks. Pour your new herb infused oil into a dropper, and apply/massage into the scalp 30-45 minutes before showering
If you’re in Tokyo I know a good dermatologist I can recommend
You’re doing everything right, just give it time. I noticed a decrease in hair loss at about the 9 month mark but honestly i feel like I lost 1/3 of my hair volume in the first year of living in Japan. I spent 3 years there, and been back home for 1.5. I have more volume now, but it’s not like before. It might have to do with being older now, who knows. I’ve just accepted it.