Hair falling out...!
APLAWING
Posts: 36
My hair is falling out & thinning rapidly (not breaking off because I can tell by my scalp being visible) & I'm starting to get concerned.
I've been on my diet for about 160 days (1200-1400 cals/day, excercising about 40 mins/day, 3 days/week). The good news is that I've lost about 55lbs & am close to my goal weight. I started at 240 & this morning was 185. But for the past month or two I've noticed a LOT of hair loss when I wash my hair, brush my hair, run my hands thru it, etc. It's long, at least halfway down my back. And I know that losing some every time you wash is normal... but this has been handfuls. I eat plenty of veggis & proteins. I feel like I get adequate nutrients from my food. The only thing that I can possibly think of is when I stopped taking biotin. I had been taking Biotin for my nails to be stronger (a B vitamin for hair & nails) and stopped taking it a few months ago because I couldn't tell that it was doing any good. Now my hair is falling out like crazy... I don't know what to do. Any ideas or advice?
Thanks:)
I've been on my diet for about 160 days (1200-1400 cals/day, excercising about 40 mins/day, 3 days/week). The good news is that I've lost about 55lbs & am close to my goal weight. I started at 240 & this morning was 185. But for the past month or two I've noticed a LOT of hair loss when I wash my hair, brush my hair, run my hands thru it, etc. It's long, at least halfway down my back. And I know that losing some every time you wash is normal... but this has been handfuls. I eat plenty of veggis & proteins. I feel like I get adequate nutrients from my food. The only thing that I can possibly think of is when I stopped taking biotin. I had been taking Biotin for my nails to be stronger (a B vitamin for hair & nails) and stopped taking it a few months ago because I couldn't tell that it was doing any good. Now my hair is falling out like crazy... I don't know what to do. Any ideas or advice?
Thanks:)
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Replies
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eat back your calories0
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How tall are you? Do you eat back your exercise calories?0
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doctor0
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There are medical conditions that can cause thinning hair. Check with your healthcare provider.0
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Could be from stopping the biotin. I had hair loss problems several months ago (most likely from a medicine I was taking). I began taking biotin and doing some other things. My hair loss stopped and I'm still taking biotiin. I plan to wean myself off of it rather than stopping it abruptly.
But really, you should see a doctor.0 -
Some thyroid conditions will cause your hair to fall out. I have Grave's Disease and currently dealing with my hair falling out. So I suggest you get some blood work done to make sure it's not your thyroid acting up.0
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We all have your best interest at heart here when we reply to this, but you need to simply see your doctor. There is nothing we can say that can diagnose why you are losing your hair. Check in with your doctor to make sure you are a'okay!
Good luck!0 -
Doctor, doctor, doctor.0
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Were you trying to lose baby weight? After my 2nd baby I lost a ton of hair, even my eyelashes fell out. Then, about 9 months out it stopped and everything is good again.
but yeah, like everyone said....DOCTOR0 -
See a doctor, and bring a printout of a few days of your diary and describe your daily activity and exercise. For me, a low fat diet was the worst thing I ever did. Fat regulates your hormones, and hormone imbalances can lead to hair loss. I had to cut out soy, as well - too much extra estrogen. My hair has rebounded since I've made these changes. (But there are lots of causes, and you should cover them all with your GP.)0
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Same thing is happening to me. I lost about 20 lb from April to July. My primary care doctor thinks it is effluvium, but I am following up with dermatology to make sure. It is supposed to grow back eventually, but I'd say I lost about 1/3 to 1/2 of my hair over the last 2 months. No shampoo/not washing regimen is helping. I'm at an ok place right now, but at first it was pretty traumatizing.0
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I thought hair loss was normal. I lose chunks at a time like forever. The thing is now I got all these annoying baby hairs. So, with my kind of hair, I was glad for some of the thinning, but then concerned, but now I got all these baby hairs sticking out all over the place. So I'm still a hairy mofo. UGH. I do think theres thinning involved with aging. Maybe heredetary. My parents hair has thinned and my forehead seems bigger these days. SMH I don't know, I don't worry too much about it unless it's a straight up bald spot you got there. But as they say, doctors would know best.0
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See your doctor to rule out medical conditions
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I experienced a ton of hair loss due to an imbalance in my hormone levels (Estrogen heavy). Weight loss can cause changes to your hormone levels so I'd definitely recommend talking to your doctor. For me an adjustment to my birth control was a big help and now my hair is regrowing.
Also make sure your taking a vitamin, mineral and omega oil supplement. These will help with regrowth of your hair if its due to lack of a particular nutrient.0 -
Excessive calorie deficit can lead to hair loss.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I would say you aren't getting enough protein. Still, it is best to see a doctor just to make sure there is nothing serious going on. I let them look at your eating log and see what they think about food intake. I do not think eating back your exercise calories is the problem, low protein intake can cause hair to fall out. Please let us all know how you make out.
Good luck,
Russ0 -
More then likely you are not fueling your body properly(I was doing 1200 calories and had issues with hair loss, but when I upped my calories and was hitting my proteins, etc. it stopped), but yeah see a doctor. 1200-1400 calories you cannot meet all your nutrition, like proteins.0
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Excessive calorie deficit can lead to hair loss.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Also, inadequate fats can do that the same thing. Actually pretty common to have hair, skin and nail issues with a low fat diet.
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1. Talk to a doctor.
2. Have you transitioned your weight loss goal from 2 lb/week to 1.5 lbs/week to ... etc? As you get closer to your goal, you are supposed to lower how many lbs per week you lose. 1200-1400 is very low for someone close to her goal.
3. If you recently had a baby, it's totally normal to lose all the hormone-induced hair you got while you were pregnant.
4. Talk to your parents and find out when they started losing their hair.0 -
That's an average of well over two pounds a week. Are you still losing at that rate, or have you been tapering off? My guess (and I don't even play a doctor on TV) is that as you get closer to goal, your body is running out of reserves to fuel such a rapid weight loss and is sacrificing non-essentials like hair, underused muscles, etc. I can't see your diary, so I don't know what your macros look like, but I suspect you're not getting enough protein, at the very least.
As others have stated, there are lots of other reasons with hair loss, but I'd start with ruling out the elephant in the room and work from there.
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i always loose my hair when i diet luckily i have lots of hair so it never concerned me0
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Thanks so much for all of the input everyone. I'm going to try to get to my PCP next week. I usually don't eat my calories back after excercising because I don't trust the amount that it says that I have burned & don't want to over-consume. I don't see how anyone can burn over 450 calories in 40 mins on the eliptical.
Since I have gotten closer to my goal I have started eating more than in the beginning; I've upped it to about 1400 per day for the past week or so. I'm 5'10" & 185. Shooting for around 170-ish.0 -
Thanks so much for all of the input everyone. I'm going to try to get to my PCP next week. I usually don't eat my calories back after excercising because I don't trust the amount that it says that I have burned & don't want to over-consume. I don't see how anyone can burn over 450 calories in 40 mins on the eliptical.
Since I have gotten closer to my goal I have started eating more than in the beginning; I've upped it to about 1400 per day for the past week or so. I'm 5'10" & 185. Shooting for around 170-ish.
Your BMR is in the 1650-1700 calorie range. IMHO, not eating at least that many gross calories is asking for trouble -- you're probably hurting in both the macro- and micronutrient department. Not eating back smallish burns like ~400 calories is your decision; that's unlikely to have health consequences one way or another. 0 -
That's an average of well over two pounds a week. Are you still losing at that rate, or have you been tapering off? My guess (and I don't even play a doctor on TV) is that as you get closer to goal, your body is running out of reserves to fuel such a rapid weight loss and is sacrificing non-essentials like hair, underused muscles, etc. I can't see your diary, so I don't know what your macros look like, but I suspect you're not getting enough protein, at the very least.
As others have stated, there are lots of other reasons with hair loss, but I'd start with ruling out the elephant in the room and work from there.
This^0 -
kangaroux92 wrote: »i always loose my hair when i diet luckily i have lots of hair so it never concerned me
There's usually a reason people have to diet repeatedly. Been there, done that. Permanent weight loss has to do with changing one's lifestyle. Making (drastic) temporary changes won't help you transition to maintenance. It's not just dieting that takes work.....maintenance does too.0 -
That's an average of well over two pounds a week. Are you still losing at that rate, or have you been tapering off? My guess (and I don't even play a doctor on TV) is that as you get closer to goal, your body is running out of reserves to fuel such a rapid weight loss and is sacrificing non-essentials like hair, underused muscles, etc. I can't see your diary, so I don't know what your macros look like, but I suspect you're not getting enough protein, at the very least.
As others have stated, there are lots of other reasons with hair loss, but I'd start with ruling out the elephant in the room and work from there.
I forgot to answer this in my previous post. It has most definitly tapered down... I lost the majority of it in the first 3mos.
I have been so happy with my progress that I was hoping that my hair loss didn't have anything to do with not eating enough/getting the right nutrients. I want to get to my goal but I don't want to be bald or unhealthy.
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My hair is falling out & thinning rapidly (not breaking off because I can tell by my scalp being visible) & I'm starting to get concerned.
I've been on my diet for about 160 days (1200-1400 cals/day, excercising about 40 mins/day, 3 days/week). The good news is that I've lost about 55lbs & am close to my goal weight. I started at 240 & this morning was 185. But for the past month or two I've noticed a LOT of hair loss when I wash my hair, brush my hair, run my hands thru it, etc. It's long, at least halfway down my back. And I know that losing some every time you wash is normal... but this has been handfuls. I eat plenty of veggis & proteins. I feel like I get adequate nutrients from my food. The only thing that I can possibly think of is when I stopped taking biotin. I had been taking Biotin for my nails to be stronger (a B vitamin for hair & nails) and stopped taking it a few months ago because I couldn't tell that it was doing any good. Now my hair is falling out like crazy... I don't know what to do. Any ideas or advice?
Thanks:)
Short answer: you lost weight too fast. Too high of a deficit. 1-2lbs a week is healthy to insure that most if that weight is FAT. above that, a higher percentage is muscle unfortunately for you. 160 days=5 mos which should be around 40 not 55 lbs if you want to keep lean muscle. That's what I've lost and I'm at 160 days tommorriw. Up your cals. Your body is trying to tell you something.0 -
whiskey helps.0
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There is so much information on the internet about hair loss for both men and women. Most of it is backed up by zero actual science, and is simply bad science or myth.
There *could* be medical reasons for your hair loss, so it's important to visit a doctor to rule those out. There are also some common reasons for temporary hair loss, such as right after giving birth, but that usually grows back.
But the reality is, sometimes hair's just gonna do what it does. The most common reason for hair loss is male or female pattern baldness, and what sucks is that it's basically genetic. So yeah, blame your parents.
Minoxidil (Rogaine) is scientifically proven to slow hair loss and regrow some hair. There are women's formulations. That's something you could try if you're concerned.
Other supplements, pills, vitamins, and magic beans are probably just a lot of hooey.
(Disclaimer: Not a doctor. Just a woman with thin hair, in a family full of women with thin hair, who's done my homework.)0 -
My opinion is you have been in to high of a deficit for to long and your body is responding to it. I would first get to your doctor (take copies of your diary including daily calories and your macros). I would request blood work (just to make sure nothing else is going on) and I would request referral to a nutritionist (to make sure that you are getting all the nutrients that you need).0
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