hair loss/ shedding.

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prettyface55
prettyface55 Posts: 508 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone experienced hair loss/ shedding? The medical term is Telegon Effluvium.
Can anyone relate?
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Replies

  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
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    Yep! I have really thin hair anyways, so I was so worried when I started shedding during my weight loss. I upped my daily calorie allowance by a hundred calories, and upped my protein at fat (from 20% to 30%, and 20% to 35 %, respectively). I also started using oil on my scalp at night and conditioner cleansing after my workouts. It helped a lot and my hair is even better than before. I've also seen a huge improvement since I switched my birth control pill.
  • rocknlotsofrolls
    rocknlotsofrolls Posts: 418 Member
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    Yep! I have really thin hair anyways, so I was so worried when I started shedding during my weight loss. I upped my daily calorie allowance by a hundred calories, and upped my protein at fat (from 20% to 30%, and 20% to 35 %, respectively). I also started using oil on my scalp at night and conditioner cleansing after my workouts. It helped a lot and my hair is even better than before. I've also seen a huge improvement since I switched my birth control pill.

    I have that problem also. How do you use oil on your scalp at night? I'm assuming you wear a shower cap.
    Sorry to intrude OP.
  • prettyface55
    prettyface55 Posts: 508 Member
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    Did it start suddenly? And did it stop completely?
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
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    I have that problem also. How do you use oil on your scalp at night? I'm assuming you wear a shower cap.
    Sorry to intrude OP.
    I do half castor seed oil and half mustard seed oil in a jar with some fenugreek seeds and let it site (shaking it every now and again) for 6 weeks. Then I have an infused oil. Put some in a dropper bottle and then add a few drops of lavender, rosemary, and clary sage essential oils. At night I just use the dropper to distribute it on my scalp and then massage it in with my fingers. I do a kind of Heidi braid to keep my hair out of my face and then wrap my head in a really thin scarf to wear to bed. I prefer thin ones since the thicker ones are hot!
    Did it start suddenly? And did it stop completely?
    Yes and kind of. I really started to notice it when I lost my first 5 lbs. I still have some fallout if I'm stressed or if I haven't been meeting my protein goals. But the loss I have now is what I would consider normal. I also try to get a lot of zinc and iron in my diet, but that's been easier since I've been eating more vegetables and seafood. It probably took about a month for me to see any difference.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    For me, protein is important as is biotin. I take extra biotin every day. I deep condition it several times a week before I shampoo with a heated mixture of cocoa butter and jojoba oil. I leave it one for about 20 minutes and then shampoo and condition per usual.

    Please be mindful that some essential oils are contra-indicated for certain medical conditions, especially when applied directly to the body. Rosemary--for those with high blood pressure. Clary Sage--pregnant or trying to become pregnant (it can raise estrogen ad progesterone levels int he body).

    Cedarwood, Ylang Ylang and Sandalwood can also help with hair loss. Please know that Sandalwood, real Sandalwood, is VERY expensive. If you're buying something that claims to be Indian Sandalwood, the bottle should be very small and it should cost a couple hundred dollars or it's synthetic or a blend.
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
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    I experienced that after I'd lost about 50 pounds, and it seems to be better now. I started taking a multivitamin for vegetarians around that time, so maybe that helped.
  • rocknlotsofrolls
    rocknlotsofrolls Posts: 418 Member
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    I have that problem also. How do you use oil on your scalp at night? I'm assuming you wear a shower cap.
    Sorry to intrude OP.
    I do half castor seed oil and half mustard seed oil in a jar with some fenugreek seeds and let it site (shaking it every now and again) for 6 weeks. Then I have an infused oil. Put some in a dropper bottle and then add a few drops of lavender, rosemary, and clary sage essential oils. At night I just use the dropper to distribute it on my scalp and then massage it in with my fingers. I do a kind of Heidi braid to keep my hair out of my face and then wrap my head in a really thin scarf to wear to bed. I prefer thin ones since the thicker ones are hot!
    Did it start suddenly? And did it stop completely?
    Yes and kind of. I really started to notice it when I lost my first 5 lbs. I still have some fallout if I'm stressed or if I haven't been meeting my protein goals. But the loss I have now is what I would consider normal. I also try to get a lot of zinc and iron in my diet, but that's been easier since I've been eating more vegetables and seafood. It probably took about a month for me to see any difference.

    thanks. My co-workers 85 year old grandmama told me she went to the doctor one time for hairloss and he told her to dunk her head in castor oil and leave it on overnight. She said it worked great. I believe her because she wasn't getting paid to tell me that. So I'm gonna do that, but I was wondering how you were able to keep the bed sheets from getting so greasy. LOL!
  • SephiraRose
    SephiraRose Posts: 775 Member
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    Thanks for the tips.
  • Slim_strategy
    Slim_strategy Posts: 199
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    Yes! My hair became thin after about a year of dieting, now that I'm eating more (and I take a biotin supplement each day) it's becoming a bit better xD
  • prettyface55
    prettyface55 Posts: 508 Member
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    I'm going to try the castor oil! Also heard of athan oil and coconut oil.

    It sucks, and feels like a dark and lonely place to be when you lose hair.. Good luck to you all.
  • tech_kitten
    tech_kitten Posts: 221 Member
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    I started taking a multivitamin and it stopped falling out. I had also had some gum recession too though, so I think I wasn't eating right.
  • donnat238
    donnat238 Posts: 309 Member
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    Yes - lost some and my hairdresser advised that I needed to increase my protein and it solved the problem.
  • sherrybaby81
    sherrybaby81 Posts: 257 Member
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    I don't have shedding but I do have some hair loss due to trichotillomania. Ever since I was a child, I have always been twirling my hair and pulling it out one strand at a time, and sometimes even pulling it through my teeth (gross I know...but when I was little I actually chewed my hair in chunks and my hair was always wet and sticky and stunk!) . Thankfully it is not noticeable as I happen to have super thick hair, but I have noticed in the past few years that it is not nearly as thick as it was when I was younger. I have ti put my hair up in tight bun when I am feeling stressed, to help me not pull at it.
  • ThinWhiteDuchess
    ThinWhiteDuchess Posts: 28 Member
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    I can relate, I really can. My hairloss began with my eating disorder recovery (yes, recovery, not the actual disorder). Sometimes, I've been told, it's the body getting into its own rhythm to start again. This might sound silly. Let me explain. If you've gone through a stressful situation, different eating patterns, hormonal change, anything - your body needs to restart. Shedding hair is one of the ways it "starts up" again. Think of it as shedding the old stuff so new, more beautiful stuff can grow. What really helped me was upping my healthy fat and protein intake, along with biotin tablets (those things are the savior of hair and nails).
  • erialcelyob
    erialcelyob Posts: 341 Member
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    I thought it was cos I bleached it two years ago! But yes, I have heard about this a bit recently, my hair used to be very thick and now it just doesn't feel it for the past year
  • erialcelyob
    erialcelyob Posts: 341 Member
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    I've recently started taking iron supplements for it also, shall keep you posted if I notice a difference!
  • toscarthearmada
    toscarthearmada Posts: 382 Member
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    I had hair loss about 6 months into my weight loss. I assume it was from my hair becoming healthier and fuller. If you take a look at my before and after photos, you can obviously see my hair changed color and thickness. It's amazing what our bodies do!
  • toadg53
    toadg53 Posts: 302 Member
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    interesting and timely you bring this us. I've noticed this in the last month or so. I have quite thick hair. But I've never noticed hair in the shower until just the last month or so. I didn't even think of the diet possibility, just figured the winter weather. And my hair has becomes drier too, and I've always had nice hair texture. In fact, the next time I was going for a haircut I was going to ask my hairdresser for suggestions. A friend of mine had gastric bypass surgery a couple years ago and she lost about half her hair and what she kept, turned to straw-like consistency. She started using WEN and her hair grew back and it's beautiful now. I'm not being a commercial for that stuff but her DR said that's very common with weight loss, and especially fast weight loss. But I do eat a lot of protein and have always taken a multi-vitamin, so am in kind of a quandary here?? maybe I'll try the oil treatment at night like some of you have suggested. can't hurt I'm sure. thnx for the suggestions. my plus is that I have thick hair to begin with, but I hate to clean the chair from the shower drain.
  • potluck965
    potluck965 Posts: 529 Member
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    Boy, thanks for posting this. I started noticing what I thought was thinning hair a couple of years ago, about the time I had successfully engaged in this weight loss program. Being in my 60's I never even thought about it in relation to the weight loss.I figured it was just old lady hair loss.

    I even bought a months supply of minoxydil, but being kind of chicken to try new things I put off using it. After a while I thought maybe it wasn't going to be necessary, but I had started using some different shampoo and conditioner. Since it was a product focused on keeping hair (called "Fall Fight" ) I thought maybe it was the change in products. I also wondered if I was just imagining the whole thinning hair thing because it wasn't really loss, just not growing or something. I wasn't noticing falling hair.

    I have been on maintenance for a couple of years and although I must restrict my calories carefully, my hair seems better. Believe me, I am glad I don't have to spend like 40 bucks a month on minoxydil.
  • rocknlotsofrolls
    rocknlotsofrolls Posts: 418 Member
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    I'm going to try the castor oil! Also heard of athan oil and coconut oil.

    It sucks, and feels like a dark and lonely place to be when you lose hair.. Good luck to you all.

    Just in case you didn't know this, you can find castor oil in the laxative department at walmart or the grocery store. That is it's main use, but it's also for hair conditioning. When his grandma told me this, I googled it, and low and behold, I found oodles of info on how it is good for hair loss and to help grow hair back.

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