Excessive Hair Loss-How To Reverse It?

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  • dablakley
    dablakley Posts: 2
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    I had gastric bypass surgery in June of 2009. They told me that one of the side effects would be hair loss. I figured it was because of the diet (or lack of vitimins from food) etc. Try taking BIOTIN and a "really good" multivitamin.. BIOTIN is supposed to be great for hair, nails and skin.
  • gingerveg
    gingerveg Posts: 748 Member
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    My sister started shedding hair when she tried a vegetarian diet. The doctor told her she needed to eat more protein. Needless to say she's back to her carnivorous way lol

    I've been a vegetarian since I was 15 I'm 39 and my hair is long, thick, and healthy it's totally possible. I know a lot of veg. with great hair. In fact the best heads of hairs that I know are all on veggies (likely because we are diligent about our diet/nutrition). Being vegetarian is not really rocket science. I'm not trying to pick on you at all I just don't want anyone to not consider being veg. because they think their hair might fall out. :)

    Also I just want to clarify a myth: cutting your hair does not make it grow. If your hair is split at the ends cutting it will improve the quality of the ends so that they will not break up the shaft but it does not make it grow. Hair grows from the roots and it grows in cycles.
  • cloud2011
    cloud2011 Posts: 898 Member
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    A couple of things come to mind: if you're in your 40s as I am, some hair thinning is normal.

    Thyroid disorders (even those that are borderline and don't show up in bloodwork) can cause thinning.

    Stress, of course, is one culprit. Extremely low-fat diets can also contribute to the problem.


    I noticed my hair growing in a little thicker after eating better...more monounsaturated fats, including nuts and seeds and guacamole, along with a lot more fruit.

    But that's me. I would bet it's different for everyone.
  • sophiathedss
    sophiathedss Posts: 97 Member
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    Every fitness or dieting site I have been on has had similar issues with losing hair....I have the same problem and I use castor oil, eat lots of protein, and don't shampoo my hair except once a week..I use the conditioner only method. BUT I also have scalp psoriasis so it's been worse in addition to calorie restricting....

    I hope my hair loss slows down once I reach my goal and start maintenance ....popular opinion says it will get better once I am done restricting calories....ugh

    Good luck, lots of good advice from everyone! thanks!

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  • JessLLoser
    JessLLoser Posts: 235 Member
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    How many calories are you eating a day? If you have been on a real low calorie diet, that can also cause hair loss.
    Yes, this happened to me when I started making sure to net my BMR every day my hair stopped falling
    out.
  • Nancy_AZ60
    Nancy_AZ60 Posts: 99 Member
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    I had this problem too.. Have you started or stopped any medications? There are some that do cause hair loss, some beta blockers used for high blood pressure or heart arrhythmia can cause a lot of hair loss. There are drugs to lower triglycerides that cause hair loss.. CRASH diets will too..

    Lower estrogen levels can cause this, even before you are peri- menopausal.. Some meds like atavan will cause hair loss when you stop taking them if you were taking them a while. I would go to the GYN to check your thyroid etc.. a full blood panel with hormone levels

    One product that I LOVE is called ' THE OIL " extra virgin Argan oil.. The other brands are greasy this one you use about a dimes worth daily & message it into your scalp.. stop the blow dryer.. use a towel to get most of the water out then braid your hair in loose braids. Take them out when you get to work or such and fluff your hair.
  • hausofnichele
    hausofnichele Posts: 531 Member
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    I have a number of health issues and am on spironolactone which is supposed to decrease my testosterone and help with my hair loss. In the past I have lost a lot of hair due to starvation but that was years ago under extreme circumstances.I have been experiencing male pattern baldness and hair loss at an alarming rate in the past year due to PCOS and who knows... I've cried to my doc about it and showed her how bad it was and she doubled my spironolactone last August but it hasn't made much a difference with the hair loss.

    I just started eating better than I have before and I am hoping it will help curb the problem.

    I treat my skin and hair very well. It's very difficult to go through this.
  • TheMiddlePath
    TheMiddlePath Posts: 230 Member
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  • bradphil87
    bradphil87 Posts: 617 Member
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    My sister started shedding hair when she tried a vegetarian diet. The doctor told her she needed to eat more protein. Needless to say she's back to her carnivorous way lol

    I've been a vegetarian since I was 15 I'm 39 and my hair is long, thick, and healthy it's totally possible. I know a lot of veg. with great hair. In fact the best heads of hairs that I know are all on veggies (likely because we are diligent about our diet/nutrition). Being vegetarian is not really rocket science. I'm not trying to pick on you at all I just don't want anyone to not consider being veg. because they think their hair might fall out. :)

    Also I just want to clarify a myth: cutting your hair does not make it grow. If your hair is split at the ends cutting it will improve the quality of the ends so that they will not break up the shaft but it does not make it grow. Hair grows from the roots and it grows in cycles.
    I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry if you took it that way. SHE simply wasn't eating enough protein. That's all, had she eaten more beans or soy or even gotten a protein shake mix it would've been fine. I did not mean to say that being a veg. Would make your hair fall out. I know that it will not. Eating too little protein may cause that to happen (does not matter where you get the protein from what so ever.)
  • jenniferadouglas
    jenniferadouglas Posts: 8 Member
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    I was very concerned with my hair loss also so I went to my doctor and had blood tests done. My blood tests were normal and she recommended prenatal vitamins and biotin. I also saw a dermatologist and she recommended the same supplements! My hair dresser ALSO recommended biotin. SO... needless to say, I found an all natural prenatal vitamin online and biotin. I highly recommend both of them! As soon as I started taking them my hair loss slowed way down. I definitely am still losing hair, but not as rapidly as I was before.
  • jenniferadouglas
    jenniferadouglas Posts: 8 Member
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    I recommend that you go to a dermatologist or a doctor. It SUCKS being a woman and losing your hair... so if there is something that they can do to help you with hair loss, the sooner the better.

    Yet... some women lose hair and it is just genetics. :( stupid genetics.
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
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    Wow, thanks for everyone's help, I never expected such a huge response and I'm sorry for everyone else that is suffering or has suffered from hair loss but it is comforting to know I'm not alone and there is maybe a way of treating this.
    I will open my food diary so maybe you can point out where I'm going wrong. Please be gentle with me, lol!
    Biotin definitely seems to be the most frequently recommended suggestion so I will certainly be trying to find that in the supermarket today or a pharmacy tomorrow.
    Thanks again all you lovely people. :)
  • mymission92
    mymission92 Posts: 97
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    Morrocian oil works so good.
    I would add oil to your food (olive, coconut) as the good fats really help also nuts, fish etc.
    Mine has took months to start growing back, a high (in good fats) diet will help and lots of protein. It is MAINLY diet that affects it.
  • YoYo1951
    YoYo1951 Posts: 370
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  • lawkat
    lawkat Posts: 538 Member
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    First thing you should do is go see a doctor. Either your GP or a dermatologist. It could be an indication of something lacking in your diet. by the time you try everything everyone on here has suggested, you could be out a couple hundred dollars.
  • VMarkV
    VMarkV Posts: 522 Member
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    What is oxeylite pro? I have never heard of it. If I were you I would look into the ingredients and check if there is any evidence linking this with hair loss.
    I'm the same as you though, every time I brush or stroke my hair I get a fist full. When I am washing my hair my hands are just covered in loose hairs, it's disgusting and really frightening.
    I'm almost tempted to collect the stray hairs for a day, well the ones I can anyway, from washing (what gets trapped in the plug hole), blow drying, brushing (I've even thought of collecting the hairs from my clothes on some Sellotape!) and showing it to my doctor byt I wouldn't want to gross him out. :(

    If you so obsessed as to start quantifying your hairloss, I think stress is your biggest problem.
    Other things: get lots of protein (up to 1g/lb bodyweight daily), avoid eating egg whites (biotin binding)- eat the yolks with the whites (oddly enough, provides biotin) and supplement with biotin, avoid surfactants commonly used in shampoo (sodium lauryl suflate, etc.), get adequate amounts of dietary fat as well as fat soluble vitamins (ADEK), sleep long enough/destress, and patience (time).
  • Meggles63
    Meggles63 Posts: 916 Member
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    EAT!!! You a way under even the 1200 minimum cals. No wonder you're losing hair.
  • FitForLife81
    FitForLife81 Posts: 372 Member
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    Yup you are not eating enough calories which will cause hair loss. You net is around 800-900 consistently....
  • tabinmaine
    tabinmaine Posts: 965 Member
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    You are not eating enough and that is causing your hair loss, you are only netting like 900 calories each day..... way way too low.
  • amandammmq
    amandammmq Posts: 394 Member
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    You are not eating enough and that is causing your hair loss, you are only netting like 900 calories each day..... way way too low.

    Not only that, but a large percentage of your total daily calories is alcoholic beverages. Nothing wrong with having a drink, of course, but it means that a big percentage of your daily caloric intake is non nutritive in value.

    I have a feeling that if you bump up your FOOD calorie intake and make sure to get more protein, you'll see that the hair loss will stop. :flowerforyou:

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