Hair Loss

kathyww09
kathyww09 Posts: 5 Member
edited November 15 in Food and Nutrition
im 4 months out and 2 weeks ago noticed my already thin, fine hair was shedding at am alarming rate. Cant afford to lose anymore hair so good to know it may slow down again. I use Mens Rogaine (per derm dr) plus 5,000 Biotin per day. Im only eating about 700 cal a day but thx to what i read here i will eat more protein. Thx.

Replies

  • ktekc
    ktekc Posts: 879 Member
    I'm just guessing but your body has probably decided if it was only going to get 700 calories a day it would keep your brain and other organs going and ditch the hair health.
  • Talan79
    Talan79 Posts: 782 Member
    700 is extremely low and dangerous. Why so low? Hair loss is most likely because of that. Lack of proper nutrition and protein. I stopped getting periods back when I was in high school and had ED issues and ate like that. Please be careful.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    ktekc wrote: »
    I'm just guessing but your body has probably decided if it was only going to get 700 calories a day it would keep your brain and other organs going and ditch the hair health.

    ^^This. OP, your ticker indicates you have 100lbs to lose. It's very likely you could eat triple of your current intake and still lose. Clearly, your body is telling you that you need much more.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    700 calories per day will do more damage than Rogaine can cover. If you were pre-menopausal, you probably would have lost your period as well from your dangerous and unhealthy intake level.

    Here's a link to what you'll need if you follow your current path.

    http://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1575987-eating-disorder-resources
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    edited April 2015
    You need to eat at least 2x your current calories. Sounds like an easy fix to me. Now where did I put that peanut butter..?
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    Recalculate your goals and eat what MFP says you should eat. It will be double or more than what you're eating now. Eat that.
    You're not feeding your body's nutritional needs. Eat more.
  • lulucitron
    lulucitron Posts: 366 Member
    I think you know your answer....fix your diet.
  • Laurend224
    Laurend224 Posts: 1,748 Member
    What? Did you happen to mention to your Dr that you are basically starvng yourself before your Dr. recommended the Rogaine? Eat more food.
  • jnv7594
    jnv7594 Posts: 983 Member
    kathyww09 wrote: »
    im 4 months out and 2 weeks ago noticed my already thin, fine hair was shedding at am alarming rate. Cant afford to lose anymore hair so good to know it may slow down again. I use Mens Rogaine (per derm dr) plus 5,000 Biotin per day. Im only eating about 700 cal a day but thx to what i read here i will eat more protein. Thx.

    You need to eat more food, not just protein. You are losing your hair because you are only eating 700 calories a day.

  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Hm, weight loss or hair.... weight loss or hair...... such a difficult decision. I mean, on the one hand, eating so little means I get to be super skinny! On the other, eating to little means that I also get to lose my hair and do serious damage to my body!


    Oh well, I can wear a wig right?

    :/
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,839 Member
    Very Low Calorie Diets (and 700 calories a day certainly qualifies) are quite dangerous and should ONLY be undertaken under the close supervision of a physician and then only with the addition of specialized vitamin and nutient supplements, some of which may need to be injected to work. You hair is telling you that you are damaging your body by your lack of a sufficient and well-balanced diet. You see your hair falling out. What you don't see is the damage you are doing to your heart AND THAT CAN KILL YOU.
  • lulucitron
    lulucitron Posts: 366 Member
    Skinny is not attractive. Toned, healthy with muscle is and to accomplish that you need to eat. You don't lose permanent weight by starving yourself.
  • valente347
    valente347 Posts: 201 Member
    Improper Very Low Calorie Diets can permanently damage your body and health. Please seek help from a doctor.
  • kathyww09
    kathyww09 Posts: 5 Member
    Oh my! Thank you to all of you who responded to what i wrote! My gastric dr is forever canceling on me. And his nutritionist as well. Ive been put out to pasture it seems. I see him on april 21 (if this appt sticks)and i have a running list of what i eat plus all the calories, carbs, fat, sugars etc. I just honestly am not hungry. But yes! I realize now what my body is saying. Thank you everyone for being so sweet and kind. You all rock! Now.. Where IS that peanut butter??!!!!!
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,535 Member
    K, so you're checking in w/the doc, awesome. Looks like a calorie thing, but prob wanna get the thyroid checked too. But definitely lose the Men's Rogaine!! OMG woman, That's for men with testosterone! ;) what you want to use on your scalp & hair is Nioxin. Nioxin is for women. Get it from your salon. (I use it, it works great.)
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Good luck. :)
    Check in with the nutritionist about fat and oils. Those are necessary too.
  • joycej9
    joycej9 Posts: 2 Member
    I'm sure the others are correct, it could be the extremely low calories, but I agree with the above comment to get your thyroid checked. Mine has been out of whack twice in my life and both times the ONLY symptom I had was my hair falling out at an unusually high rate! It's a simple blood test so talk to your doc about ordering one for you!
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    A gastric doctor's involvement is a key detail omitted from the OP.
  • washbellymare
    washbellymare Posts: 18 Member
    A friend st work drinks " nettle tea or"stinging nettle tea"for hair loss. Dhe swears by it
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    kathyww09 wrote: »
    im 4 months out and 2 weeks ago noticed my already thin, fine hair was shedding at am alarming rate. Cant afford to lose anymore hair so good to know it may slow down again. I use Mens Rogaine (per derm dr) plus 5,000 Biotin per day. Im only eating about 700 cal a day but thx to what i read here i will eat more protein. Thx.

    You need more calories, more protein, and more fat. Hair and (to a lesser extent) fingernails are the "canary in a coal mine" for overall health. If your hair is shedding more than normal, something is wrong.

  • tinky452
    tinky452 Posts: 20 Member
    Hi i hope this helps im 34 and last year changed my diet and started running im 9st11 at present was 9st 3 at yhe time after a visit to the hairdressers she told mevi had started with alopecia i had a small bald spot underneith my hair smooth as a babys bum she told me to go see dc which i did the patch had frown from a 50pn piece size to the size of a fist i was heartbroke which made it worse and it kept growing my doctor too 9 blood samples in total and found i was low in iron and vitamin d since takin these my hair is starting to grow back veryyyy slowly it now feels like stubble and is visable check ur vit d and iron x x
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Please don't starve yourself!!! I know people with gastric surgeries have very low-calorie diets, but they are doctor supervised to make sure their nutritional needs are met. It sounds like you've just let yourself become malnourished. I'm sorry your dr is ignoring you though..grr :(
  • kathyww09
    kathyww09 Posts: 5 Member
    Thx for your support. I did speak to my heart dr yesterday. His only concern about my eating was not drinking enough water. He saw my food logs and said that i am getting the nutrients i need. I am still seeing the gastric dr on the 21st to double check. Meanwhile im up to 1,000 cal day. I love MFP and this awesome community!!!
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