Hair loss

as1807
as1807 Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
I have recently lost 2 stone in weight on a very low calorie diet. Since August I have lost almost 50% of my hair! It's shocking. I am eating proper food now, but the hair loss continues. I am using foltene, plantur hair products, and taking biotin and silica. Nothing seems to help. How long does this go on for? And does the hair grow back? Does anyone have any experience of this?

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Maybe the VLCD is not a good idea, when your hair starts falling out. Eat more.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    edited October 2014
    You know, there have been alot of threads on here with people wanting to go on very low calorie diets. They are usually "advised" very strongly not to do it, for the very reason you are citing. The only thing you can do now is to eat correctly, and watch your macros closely to get all your nutrients. How long it'll take to turn around the trend---I don't know. Anyone else out there----be careful of these diets. I wish you all the best and hope you get back to normal ASAP. :)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Maybe the VLCD is not a good idea, when your hair starts falling out. Eat more.

    +1
  • 50sFit
    50sFit Posts: 712 Member
    as1807 wrote: »
    I have recently lost 2 stone in weight on a very low calorie diet. Since August I have lost almost 50% of my hair! It's shocking. I am eating proper food now, but the hair loss continues. I am using foltene, plantur hair products, and taking biotin and silica. Nothing seems to help. How long does this go on for? And does the hair grow back? Does anyone have any experience of this?
    Low calorie diets are not healthy.
    Try the MFP method of 1 pound per week.
    This is not a race, and steady, lasting results require discipline and patience.
    Just a suggestion... <3

  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    edited October 2014
    I had a major shed a few years ago and discovered I was not eating enough protein and especially fat, which is common for a very low calorie diet. I wasn't very low calorie but my macros were all screwy. I am losing well on a net of 1700 ( average 7 lb a month) and eating 30% fat and 35% of each carb and protein and my hair is actually growing and getting thicker.

    ETA: It takes a while for your body to recover. It will nourish other organs before it nourishes the hair follicles.

    58841349.png
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    This is why you're not supposed to eat a very low calorie diet.
  • Woomytron
    Woomytron Posts: 253 Member
    My hair starts coming out extremely bad when my iron drops, I struggle with my iron levels and it's usually one of the signs that it has dropped to the point I have to start taking pills again. It always comes back though. That being said, I am not sure about the VLCD... most likely you are missing something your body needs (probably more calories!). Are you under doctors care while doing this diet? If you are, I highly suggest you call and talk to him/her. If you aren't under doctors care then up your calories, and eat a balanced diet.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    You should see your doctor. They can get to the bottom of the hair loss and advise you on how to lose weight.

    The obvious conclusion on the hair loss is that you aren't eating enough, but who knows.

    I lost a ton of hair for reasons unrelated to diet. The doctors all shrugged their shoulders over whether it would come back or not. The stylist was very encouraging. Everyone I knew had advice on what to do or take.

    I tried it all. I took Biotin. I stupidly put many stupid things on my scalp. I didn't think it would work, but it desperately wanted my hair back. If it couldn't hurt, I tried it.

    It didn't come back.

    Save your hair while you can.
  • NicoleisQuantized
    NicoleisQuantized Posts: 344 Member
    edited October 2014
    earlnabby wrote: »
    I had a major shed a few years ago and discovered I was not eating enough protein and especially fat, which is common for a very low calorie diet. I wasn't very low calorie but my macros were all screwy. I am losing well on a net of 1700 ( average 7 lb a month) and eating 30% fat and 35% of each carb and protein and my hair is actually growing and getting thicker.

    ETA: It takes a while for your body to recover. It will nourish other organs before it nourishes the hair follicles.

    58841349.png


    I myself experienced this about three years ago when I was under-eating (VLCD) and over training. I was not on MFP at the time and honestly thought my low calorie intake was what was necessary to lose weight. I lost a substantial amount of hair as I was eating ~20-30 g protein per day, and very little iron and fat. As a result I had to cut off all of my hair (1"), and let it grow out again as my body recovered.

    Please, please, please listen to everyone on MFP. The long term physical and mental health effects of VLCD are NOT worth it.
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
    Your hair should grow back but due to the way hair growth cycles, you may lose MORE hair even after you improve your nutrition. It could take up to 8 or 9 months before you see improvement. I did an 800 calorie VLCD for 13 weeks and didn't lose any hair BUT it was doctor supervised and I kept my protein at 80+ grams and still ate some fat from nuts, meat, eggs and avocados. Most people who lose hair on VLCDs are not meeting the macros recommended by their doctor/nutritionist or aren't being supervised at all.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    Can you see a doctor to make sure it's not caused by something else?

    That being said, I've often heard that when your body is short on nutrition, it will often deprive the hair first. If you're not already, consider taking a multi-vitamin. Most multis do not contain enough biotin. I take extra every day. And eat lots of protein.

    I'm lucky that my insurance company posts my blood test results online so I can see things for myself and that I've got a good doc. I take extra B, extra D, extra calcium, magnesium and zinc and extra iron to make sure I get what I need. I eat healthy, but I know I don't eat enough to get the nutrition I need. I think I'd have to pull about 3000 calories a day to do that. :smiley:
  • bokaba
    bokaba Posts: 171 Member
    How low of a very low calorie diet are we talking about? They are generally not recommended unless supervised by a doctor who believes you are at risk of imminent death or disability unless you lose a significant amount of weight very quickly.
  • tishad58
    tishad58 Posts: 110 Member
    edited October 2014
    VLCD can do that due to insufficient nutrients, but I also took a look at your profile and see you are 51... Menopause/perimenopause (hormone changes) can profoundly affect hair growth cycles as can a number of medications, thyroid issues, diabetes, stress, skin disorders...

    As several folks have already stated- a trip to the doctor is a great idea. :) They can help you figure out what is going on and help you get the issue resolved. Hair loss is a symptom of other issues, not the sole problem. NIH.gov has some great information under alopecia and hair loss, but there is no substitute for a good checkup.

    I lost bout 50% of my long hair from a medication ten years ago- and it did grow back after I changed meds.

    Good luck to you!

    (Edited to add this disclaimer- this is educational, not "medical advice"- and a suggestion to go see your doc!)
  • stepkiko
    stepkiko Posts: 10 Member
    After I had lost about 50 pounds I noticed my hair getting thin and dry. I started to make sure that every day I had some type of oil (avocado or olive), dairy and protein. It took a few weeks but the difference was noticeable. I believe I was eating too few calories and not getting those nutrients necessary for healthy hair.

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