Did you lose hair while losing weight? Why?

kiela64
kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I’ve lost about 35lbs since the start of April. (I don’t have a clear initial weigh in because I didn’t have my scale until mid May). Recently my hair has been thinning up front and shedding intensely. I don’t have any bald spots but I can definitely see more scalp than usual. And the overall volume is less.

I am going to the doctor to investigate, but I’m worried I won’t be taken seriously (I still have long, fairly thick hair and the thinning up front is only noticeable to me). It could be a new medication (birth control) or weight loss or something else, I don’t know.

But has this happened to anyone else? Why? How did it get resolved?

I thought it wouldn’t be weight loss because I’ve been losing at about 0.85lbs/week according to happy scale. But other people mentioned that could still cause it. I don’t take a multi or anything and I kinda (always have) suck at eating veggies. My mom suspects it’s “those bars” (protein bars) I’ve been using to help hit my macros/stay on lower calories. But a comment on another post mentioned it could be that, indirectly, because I’m eating bars several days a week for 1-2 meals or snack (never more than 2 a day) I could be taking in fewer vitamins/nutrients.

Just not sure what to say/ask. I feel a bit silly because it’s a superficial concern as I don’t have any spots or anything. But it’s noticeable enough that my mom is super freaked and my SO thought I should go. (They see the shedding, not the thinned area).

And anyone’s experience might give me something specific to investigate. Thank you!
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Replies

  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
    I always lose more hair than usual when I'm eating in a calorie deficit (even one that appropriate and perfectly sustainable, but much worse if I try to cut to 1200). My hair is mid-back and very dark, so of course I find it everywhere and it looks like 10x as much as it really is. It always goes back to normal when I eat at maintenance for a while. I just have those annoying baby hairs around my forehead :lol:
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Hairloss could be a sign that something not good is going on, so it's smart of you to check it out! Ask for blood tests to check vitamins/minerals - I hope others chime in, I don't have any more specific advice.

    Yes, it's always smart to get it checked out! In may case, it's never been more than plain old calorie deficit causing it.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,881 Member
    Have your iron levels tested. When my anemia is untreated, I shed like crazy.

    Iodine deficiencies can cause hair loss as well. If you are eating regular salt, which is iodized, this shouldn't be an issue. Ultra processed foods will use iodized salt as well.

    It's always good if you can quantify things for your doctor. We normally lose around 100 hairs a day. I know this would be extremely tedious, but if you could get a count and it was significantly more than 100 hairs, that would ensure you were taken seriously if the first round of blood test come back normal.
  • app_119
    app_119 Posts: 24 Member
    I have not had any hair loss, although I understand it happens for some. I don’t eat the healthiest diet either. I hope you are able to find the cause of your hair loss.
  • JohnnyQBelleville13
    JohnnyQBelleville13 Posts: 9 Member
    Yes, but that was because I finally decided to shave my head and not rock the 'homer Simpson bald spot' forever (more accurately mine was a hair spot.....)
  • deepwoodslady
    deepwoodslady Posts: 10,769 Member
    Talk to your doctor about seeing a dermatologist. This is who treats hair loss. They can do biopsies of the scalp to look for fungal, bacterial or viral infections or problems. They also know which medicines or vitamins/supplements you are taking could cause it. No matter what the cause, they often have recommended treatments for different problems. It may or may not be related to weight loss. Very important, ask your doctor about checking your A1C blood glucose and your thyroid. Both conditions are famous for causing weight loss. Also consider some daily meditation since stress is also a leading cause. Just a few minutes alone each day to breathe evenly, clear your mind of all thoughts and relax. Also, if you process your hair with perms or color, talk to your stylist about how to make your routine safer for your hair. It may not be causing the problem, but being more careful can help. There are ammonia free colors. Rod to roller perms. 1/2 time perms. Foiling color that never touches scalp or root and much more. Don't fall for all the expensive gimmicks on the market that will make your hair "feel" thicker or "look" thicker. It is cheaper in the end to just see the dermatologist, especially if you have health insurance. Trust me, I've tried all the products and special brushes and nothing has helped. There are also products (at the salon and on the market) that will help your hair grow back quicker. Some of these work for that purpose, but the real question is, Is there ANYTHING that will make it stop falling out in the first place? So please save your $$$$ and see a proper doctor before it is too late. My first appointment with the dermatologist is later this month.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    gebeziseva wrote: »
    kiela64 wrote: »
    I’ve lost about 35lbs since the start of April. (I don’t have a clear initial weigh in because I didn’t have my scale until mid May). Recently my hair has been thinning up front and shedding intensely. I don’t have any bald spots but I can definitely see more scalp than usual. And the overall volume is less.

    I am going to the doctor to investigate, but I’m worried I won’t be taken seriously (I still have long, fairly thick hair and the thinning up front is only noticeable to me). It could be a new medication (birth control) or weight loss or something else, I don’t know.

    But has this happened to anyone else? Why? How did it get resolved?

    I thought it wouldn’t be weight loss because I’ve been losing at about 0.85lbs/week according to happy scale. But other people mentioned that could still cause it. I don’t take a multi or anything and I kinda (always have) suck at eating veggies. My mom suspects it’s “those bars” (protein bars) I’ve been using to help hit my macros/stay on lower calories. But a comment on another post mentioned it could be that, indirectly, because I’m eating bars several days a week for 1-2 meals or snack (never more than 2 a day) I could be taking in fewer vitamins/nutrients.

    Just not sure what to say/ask. I feel a bit silly because it’s a superficial concern as I don’t have any spots or anything. But it’s noticeable enough that my mom is super freaked and my SO thought I should go. (They see the shedding, not the thinned area).

    And anyone’s experience might give me something specific to investigate. Thank you!

    There are about 18 weeks since the beginning of April. You lost 35lbs. Therefore you lost at around 2lbs per week.
    Which is quite a rapid loss.
    gebeziseva wrote: »
    kiela64 wrote: »
    I’ve lost about 35lbs since the start of April. (I don’t have a clear initial weigh in because I didn’t have my scale until mid May). Recently my hair has been thinning up front and shedding intensely. I don’t have any bald spots but I can definitely see more scalp than usual. And the overall volume is less.

    I am going to the doctor to investigate, but I’m worried I won’t be taken seriously (I still have long, fairly thick hair and the thinning up front is only noticeable to me). It could be a new medication (birth control) or weight loss or something else, I don’t know.

    But has this happened to anyone else? Why? How did it get resolved?

    I thought it wouldn’t be weight loss because I’ve been losing at about 0.85lbs/week according to happy scale. But other people mentioned that could still cause it. I don’t take a multi or anything and I kinda (always have) suck at eating veggies. My mom suspects it’s “those bars” (protein bars) I’ve been using to help hit my macros/stay on lower calories. But a comment on another post mentioned it could be that, indirectly, because I’m eating bars several days a week for 1-2 meals or snack (never more than 2 a day) I could be taking in fewer vitamins/nutrients.

    Just not sure what to say/ask. I feel a bit silly because it’s a superficial concern as I don’t have any spots or anything. But it’s noticeable enough that my mom is super freaked and my SO thought I should go. (They see the shedding, not the thinned area).

    And anyone’s experience might give me something specific to investigate. Thank you!

    There are about 18 weeks since the beginning of April. You lost 35lbs. Therefore you lost at around 2lbs per week.
    Which is quite a rapid loss.

    This is where the number came from. Is the math wrong? I’m not good enough to check it myself

    z3e9owkblmfk.png
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
    You're averaging about 2 pounds per week for the last 90 days. I don't use that exact app, but might you have earlier weight entries in there than April that are skewing your overall rate?
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,881 Member
    pinuplove wrote: »
    You're averaging about 2 pounds per week for the last 90 days. I don't use that exact app, but might you have earlier weight entries in there than April that are skewing your overall rate?

    @kiela64 how many pounds do you have left to lose? If less than 75, 2 pounds per week is an overly aggressive rate of loss.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    Yes. I was under eating and had a vitamin D deficiency. I was given a fuckton of vitamin D supplements and started eating more (had a lower deficit).
  • emcclure013
    emcclure013 Posts: 231 Member
    My hair thinned a few months after I started eating at a deficit, but once I started really watching my macros I realized I wasn't getting nearly enough protein. Bumped up my protein levels and it seems to be working and fixing itself, but I know it's going to take some time!
  • workinonit1956
    workinonit1956 Posts: 1,043 Member
    When I first started eating at a deficit and logging, I didn’t realize I had to eat to my net goal. (Dumb on my part, but I literally didn’t know at that time and what’s more I had not even noticed the ‘net’ button). ::hangs head::
    I became dizzy and tired a lot and my hair did shed. I would find a noticeable wad of it on the shower floor, between my fingers when shampooing and in my comb.
    By reading around the boards I figured out I wasn’t eating enough and corrected that. It’s been several months now and the hair shedding (and the rest) has stopped.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    deepwoodslady wrote: »
    Talk to your doctor about seeing a dermatologist. This is who treats hair loss. They can do biopsies of the scalp to look for fungal, bacterial or viral infections or problems. They also know which medicines or vitamins/supplements you are taking could cause it. No matter what the cause, they often have recommended treatments for different problems. It may or may not be related to weight loss. Very important, ask your doctor about checking your A1C blood glucose and your thyroid. Both conditions are famous for causing weight loss. Also consider some daily meditation since stress is also a leading cause. Just a few minutes alone each day to breathe evenly, clear your mind of all thoughts and relax. Also, if you process your hair with perms or color, talk to your stylist about how to make your routine safer for your hair. It may not be causing the problem, but being more careful can help. There are ammonia free colors. Rod to roller perms. 1/2 time perms. Foiling color that never touches scalp or root and much more. Don't fall for all the expensive gimmicks on the market that will make your hair "feel" thicker or "look" thicker. It is cheaper in the end to just see the dermatologist, especially if you have health insurance. Trust me, I've tried all the products and special brushes and nothing has helped. There are also products (at the salon and on the market) that will help your hair grow back quicker. Some of these work for that purpose, but the real question is, Is there ANYTHING that will make it stop falling out in the first place? So please save your $$$$ and see a proper doctor before it is too late. My first appointment with the dermatologist is later this month.

    She didn't refer me to one, but if it's continuing and none of the tests figure it out then I will. She tested thyroid but not A1C.

    I never go to salons and I don't use heat or dye on my hair (occasionally a hair dryer in the winter but not often).
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    Hair loss doesn't show up immediately.

    Your current weight loss of less than 2lbs a week implies that your earlier weight loss was much more than 2lbs a week to arrive at an average of about 2lbs a week over the past 18 weeks.

    Which is fast for someone who is not over 300lbs.

    So just take it easy. And don't be surprised if caloric restriction had something to do with it

    Okay, thanks. To be fair to the math, my initial high weight could be very off, which is why I always say "about" even though I have this number. I weighed in at the gym on a rickety old upright scale that seemed accurate-ish but with shoes/clothes and definitely after drinking and eating in the day. MFP says I would need to eat below 1200/day to lose 2lb/week. I do not think that happened. My logging is fairly consistent except at restaurant meals, and those days are over anyway. I'm also still obese, even if I was never 300lbs. I was "class 2 obese" according to the chart. Now I'm class 1.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    Diem78 wrote: »
    I do know that weight loss can mess with your hormones, even if you are losing at a steady but healthy pace. Ask your doctor. Hormone fluctuations can cause hair loss. It happens to many women during and/or after pregnancy, due to hormone fluctuations.

    Thank you! That's what I read. It may also be the medication - also hormones - :neutral:

    She's checking my B12, Iron, and Thyroid. If it's neither of those things, I am going to stop the medication.

    Thank you for all of the feedback guys!! <3

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