Hair Loss and Weight Loss

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PicoBoulevard
PicoBoulevard Posts: 24 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone else experienced hair loss after a dramatic loss of weight over a rather short period of time? I've lost about 47 pounds in eight months, and the volume of my hair dropped by about 50% over a three month period.

And if anyone has gone through this, what was your outcome? Did your hair grow back?
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Replies

  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
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    Sounds like an under eating symptom (malnutrition). Your body will start doing stuff like that.. I would see a Dr.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    It's common if you're eating a very low calorie diet. How much are you eating?
  • PicoBoulevard
    PicoBoulevard Posts: 24 Member
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    I'm eating about 1300 calories a day.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    I'm eating about 1300 calories a day.

    Net or gross? Do you exercise a lot and only eat 1300? 1300 is low, but I wouldn't think it's low enough to make you lose your hair unless you're really exercising hard and not eating back those calories. Might want to get some tests done and have it checked out by a doctor.
  • Natalie511
    Natalie511 Posts: 75 Member
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    Sounds to me that you are not eating enough protein...
  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
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    I'm bald as hell, began intermittent fasting and actually grew hair back. It was crazy...
  • larsen626
    larsen626 Posts: 99 Member
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    I had wls lost 143 lbs in 14 months I have about 1/4 of my hair left What I can say increase protein take biotin use a keratin shampoo take a multivitamin everyday good luck!!
  • 2hmom
    2hmom Posts: 241 Member
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    The same thing happened to me. Mine did come back,
  • Tessyloowhoo
    Tessyloowhoo Posts: 504
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    As well as eating more get your thyroid checked and a full blood panel... hair loss can be a sign of many different medical problems.
  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
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    edit
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    It could be lack of certain nutrients, or hormonal imbalance. Thyroid problems can also cause hair loss as well as certain medications. Check with your doctor.
  • gabbygirl78
    gabbygirl78 Posts: 936 Member
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    Has anyone else experienced hair loss after a dramatic loss of weight over a rather short period of time? I've lost about 47 pounds in eight months, and the volume of my hair dropped by about 50% over a three month period.

    And if anyone has gone through this, what was your outcome? Did your hair grow back?


    I did low carb several years ago and I lost 85 lbs in 6 months . My hair was coming out in clumps. I started taking vitamins and it did grow back .
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
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    IF you aren't getting enough calories (does MFP tell you that?), that could cause the malnutrition & hair loss as another poster said.
    IF you ARE getting enough calories, but not enough protein (check your daily totals), then that could also cause it.
    That said, there are a number of things that could cause hair loss...stress (of losing so much weight so fast, or from other things), hormonal changes, hypothyroidism (very common in females who are over 40 & overweight), medication changes (you mentioned stopping the meds), & more. I'd definitely consider checking the above.

    BUT in the meantime, to help slow the loss, I can recommend the following. I've always lost a lot of hair over the years, for a while it was so bad that when I washed my hair I had to stop to rinse the hair off of my hands, & had people think I was on chemo. But the lady that cuts my hair recommended Nioxin products & within a week I saw a HUGE improvement. It helps your hair to be healthier, so encourages group & helps prevent loss, & it makes the hair you have develop more volume, so it looks better. I couldn't believe how fast it helped. You can only get it at beauty salons & it's kind of expensive, but you just use a little bit, so it lasts a long time. You can buy a starter kit to see if you like it. You can read about it & find locations to buy at this link...

    www.nioxin.com

    Also, it really spurred my hair growth when I just added an egg to my breakfast, my hair stylist even noticed it. I also take Green Tea supplements & biotin, which are supposed to help & did seem to improve it a little.

    Hang in there, I know it's no fun, especially to women.
  • _crafty_
    _crafty_ Posts: 1,682 Member
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    Call me crazy but if losing weight made your hair fall out you most likely aren't doing it right.
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
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    Def lack of nutrients and maybe iron???

    I would see your doctors and they will probably put you on iron tablets, Or up your fish, Omega oils, Cod liver Oil etc,

    Are you eating plenty of fruit and veggies on your 1300 calories, Maybe up them for a while and see if you notice less hair loss???
  • trixie315
    trixie315 Posts: 95 Member
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    I had wls lost 143 lbs in 14 months I have about 1/4 of my hair left What I can say increase protein take biotin use a keratin shampoo take a multivitamin everyday good luck!!

    This ^ I had hair loss after my weight loss, my weight loss was very slow though. I lost it over a year and a half -about 50 lbs. then I started seeing the loss. I decided to go to a dermotologist. She thought it was due to the weight loss (Ive been overweight my entire life) so my body didn't know what was going on. She recommended me take biotin, a multivitamin and zinc as well as start rogaine. I did and my hair grew back! Make sure to take these with food, make me sick to my stomach w/o or not enough food.
  • LumpySpacePrincess1
    LumpySpacePrincess1 Posts: 388 Member
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    Sounds like you're malnourished. Something important is missing from your diet, and considering the fact it's hair loss I'm gonna say protein.
    My hair has actually grown by a few inches in the last to months alone.
  • grentea
    grentea Posts: 96 Member
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    This doesn't sound healthy. Your body is not getting enough nutrients and whatever it needs to function properly. I would see a health care provider and start eating a more balanced diet. More green leafy vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein would be a good start.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    sounds like malnouishment. It could be too low of calories...or it could simply be that you're not getting the proper nutrition with the calories you're eating. This also tend to happen when people cut out fat and go all low fat/no fat on everything. It's a very essential macro, but one that many have a bad relationship with (thanks in part to the '80s)...so a lot of people cut out the fat when they diet because they think it's "bad" and malnourish their bodies. Might also be protein deficit.
  • hungryhobbit1
    hungryhobbit1 Posts: 259 Member
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    I have struggled with this on and off. I lost quite a bit of hair in my late teens due to extreme low calorie dieting, and now I'm very careful about it when I'm losing weight.

    Keeping up adequate protein is important, but so is biotin. A woman can get most of her daily value from eating one egg a day - but that's *with* the yolk, and adequately cooked. Eating undercooked egg whites on a regular basis without egg yolk will cause the biotin in your body to bond with the egg white and create a biotin deficiency. (Or something like that, lol, I'm no scientist but this is what I read.)

    Also, fat is very important. For your hair, your skin, your nails and your brain. Don't cut it out of your diet.

    I also stay away from shampoos with sulfates (which is most of them) because they strip my hair.

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