Hair loss and weight loss???

Hotbottom
Hotbottom Posts: 168 Member
edited September 22 in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone else found they have been loosing hair as they have been loosing weight?? I remember my girlfriend coming to stay with us a couple of years ago and she had lost a HEAP of weight over 30lb, but she was complaining that her when she brushed her hair: heaps fell out. I'm now finding the same thing!!!
Has this happened to anyone else? Do you have any suggestions??? Or am I just getting old?? Does hair fall out for girls when you get older???
I'll thank you now for any advise :happy:

Replies

  • sarahleelee
    sarahleelee Posts: 79 Member
    It's normal to lose an average of 100+ hairs a day. You may notice that if you wear you hair in a ponytail, a lot will "come out" when you take it down. Normal.

    However, if you're seeing a lot of hair loss, you're probably not getting adequate nutrition or not eating enough :(
  • lfafnis
    lfafnis Posts: 35 Member
    I have lost 86 pounds and am having similar issues. I hadn't attributed it to the weight loss, so this is very interesting!!
  • scraig77
    scraig77 Posts: 14 Member
    You may not be getting enough protein, that is another reason to lose hair. It can also be from a medication you are taking - blood pressure meds or possibly cholesterol. I started taking a new cholesterol med & my hair really started thinning - I quit taking it & it quit coming out. I also started taking hair, skin & nails - a vitamin that I found at walmart
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    Hair falling out is generally a sign of hormone imbalance. Either you are perimenopausal, menopausal, or you aren't getting enough nutrition. What you eat has a big effect on hormones. If you don't eat enough, it will cause lots of hormonal issues, including hair loss and amenorrhea (stops the monthly cycle). You may even be able to eat enough calories but not get enough of a substrate (carbs, protein, or fat) and have this problem. I've looked at your food diary and a lot of the entries don't have the proper information for me to tell one way or the other. For example, you have bread listed that is 160 calories but no carbs, no protein, and no fat. That's not possible, so you are definitely under reporting your substrates so I can't see what you are really eating in relation to those calories.
  • emills88
    emills88 Posts: 28 Member
    If you happen to be on the Depo birth control shot, it can cause hair loss and increased risk for osteoporosis.
  • GunnyGirlTN
    GunnyGirlTN Posts: 10 Member
    I've lost 45 lbs so far. I find that when taking a multi vitamin I do not have an issue with the hair loss. Now if I forget to take it for a few days then I do notice my hair falling out. Have you tried taking vitamins?
  • spitfire1962
    spitfire1962 Posts: 347 Member
    Hair loss with weight loss means you are not getting enough protein in your diet. It happens to many of us. I had the same problem. Here's a website that has great tips to prevent hair loss. Even though you haven't had weight loss surgery, you have changed your diet and your body has to adjust. The hair loss is totally reversible. This website tells you what vitamins and shampoo you should be using. http://www.ehow.com/how_5830530_prevent-after-weight-loss-surgery.html
  • elainegsd
    elainegsd Posts: 459 Member
    I looked at your diary, you are averaging about 40 grams of protein per day. Anything less than 60 grams can cause hairloss. Vitamin B deficiencies can do this also.
  • muth3rluvx2
    muth3rluvx2 Posts: 1,156 Member
    Hotbottom:

    I'm 37 and a couple of years ago lost tons and tons of hair - by the handfulls. My hair is now 1/4 as thick as it was when I was younger; not that anyone can tell per se, but *I* can tell and it's still emotionally disturbing. I did a ton of research and basically what I've discovered is that it's all guesswork until you go to a dermatologist. Unfortunately, I'm not able to do that so I don't know why mine has fallen out nor do I know if it will ever come back. Hair growth cycles are uneven and can take years (think of babies.. they often don't get "hair" until 2, 3 or 4 years old!). I do know I was under a tremendous amount of stress at not eating properly at the time. However, that's never been terribly uncommon for me so.... who knows.

    My suggestion is that *IF* you can get to a dermatologist, do so. One of the things I discovered is that the sooner you're diagnosed, teh sooner any necessary treatment can be started and the more likely it is you'll "recover" from whatever the problem is. This isn't really something that trial and error is going ot work on because of the slow growth cycles.
  • timbotina
    timbotina Posts: 1,130 Member
    Hair loss with weight loss means you are not getting enough protein in your diet. It happens to many of us. I had the same problem. Here's a website that has great tips to prevent hair loss. Even though you haven't had weight loss surgery, you have changed your diet and your body has to adjust. The hair loss is totally reversible. This website tells you what vitamins and shampoo you should be using. http://www.ehow.com/how_5830530_prevent-after-weight-loss-surgery.html

    WOW< thanks for the website, I will definetly check it out later...I have always had thin hair but now that I have been dieting (no , trying to be healthier)...I have lost about 57lbs and have noticed my hair is more thinner, I have always lost a lot when I wash it, but it seem to be even more...I take a multivitamin and my hairdresser recommended she heard taking fish oil could help so I have been taking it but not long enough yet to see any change...and thought the fish oil would be good for me anyway....and I've tried a million kinds of shampoo's and conditioners and none of them really make a difference.....Plus, I turned 40 this year so just figured it was a combination of all the above.....thanks for the original post Hotbottom..
  • amg_89
    amg_89 Posts: 184
    Hair loss just means you are lacking essential nutrients. Try to up your protein and take a multivitamin. This is why people with anorexia often find their hair is getting brittle and weak and falling out. Their nails get brittle as well and their skin even begins to flake sometimes. Now, I'm NOT saying you are anorexic! It's just to show that if you are lacking vital nutrients, your hair will fall out. Obviously you are a pro at keeping track of calories, so you can probably do that in your sleep. Now, try to focus more on your protein intake and remember to take a one-a-day or something.
  • NYIceQueen
    NYIceQueen Posts: 1,423
    I might as well shave my head at this rate. I have hair loss from not only my medications but also from Lupus...apparently the stress from my surgery is also causing hair loss. Plus now I'm adding the "stress" of dieting and exercising....

    It's definately disheartening to dry my hair and brush it and just see patches of scalp.

    I might try that hair/nails vitamin someone talked about....I take a multivitamin but it might not be enough.
  • NYIceQueen
    NYIceQueen Posts: 1,423
    Hair loss with weight loss means you are not getting enough protein in your diet. It happens to many of us. I had the same problem. Here's a website that has great tips to prevent hair loss. Even though you haven't had weight loss surgery, you have changed your diet and your body has to adjust. The hair loss is totally reversible. This website tells you what vitamins and shampoo you should be using. http://www.ehow.com/how_5830530_prevent-after-weight-loss-surgery.html

    Great link!! Haven't had bariatric surgery, but I did have major surgery 3 months ago, and my hair loss started after the "stress" period.
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
    I know this first hand and ditto to the others. You're not eating enough protein. You should start eating more and try conditioning your hair with an egg. That's right, an egg.
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
    Egg yolks are your friend! A few years ago when I lost a bunch of weight (and regained it) on a very low carb/low fat diet my hair fell out like crazy. It was suggested to eat an egg yolk a couple times a week. Good for you necessary fats contained inside. It also works well as a hair conditioner...just don't let it dry! Wrap the head in a warm wet towel while the egg is on the hair.
  • timbotina
    timbotina Posts: 1,130 Member
    Egg yolks are your friend! A few years ago when I lost a bunch of weight (and regained it) on a very low carb/low fat diet my hair fell out like crazy. It was suggested to eat an egg yolk a couple times a week. Good for you necessary fats contained inside. It also works well as a hair conditioner...just don't let it dry! Wrap the head in a warm wet towel while the egg is on the hair.

    Kinda like protein on the inside and outside...not to be stupid but does it make your hair stink???? If not, I may try it tonight mixed in my conditioner....
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
    No stink. Just make sure you rinse well with lukewarm water, followed with a cold rinse. If you feel the need to wash your hair, at least let it dry naturally first if you can.
  • hingebre
    hingebre Posts: 35
    for those of you who have had hair loss due to a nutrient deficiency, has it grown back once you corrected the problem?
  • DeeDeeLHF
    DeeDeeLHF Posts: 2,301 Member
    Stress is a huge factor in hair loss. My hair dresser knows how things are going just by looking at my hair! Dieting is stressful for the body and the faster that you are losing the weight the more stress.

    Biotin is a great vitamin to encourage the new growth. It has worked great for me.

    D
  • jnbeauch
    jnbeauch Posts: 7
    B5...found ONLY in meat...are you eating enough meat?
  • Hotbottom
    Hotbottom Posts: 168 Member
    Thanks for takin the time to look. A lot of the food I eat is not processed so doesn't come with all the nutrient info.. So I find it's hard to tell with mFP
  • Hotbottom
    Hotbottom Posts: 168 Member
    Thanks to everyone for replying and what you have said makes sense. I've tried to go healthier and be more vegetarian and feel I have been missing something too. A few weeks ago my energy totally dropped and when I upped my protein, my energy came back too. I've also been feeling to take some vitamins as I find I now don't eat as many carbs as I did before.
    Thanks again: I'm going to multivite and eat more protein :) I hope that will help.
    You guys Rock!!! Such a great support group!!!
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