Major weight loss and hair thinning

sarah4284
sarah4284 Posts: 29 Member
edited November 22 in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone else experienced a lot of hair thinning with their weight loss? I lost a bit over 100lbs in a year, and have noticed a very significant amount of hair thinning. Used to have very thick hair but over the process it just seemed to be falling out much easier while showering or brushing my hair. Which has left me with a much thinner head of hair. Unfortunately I still have another 60lbs to go, but am not looking forward to continuing if I feel like I’m going to end up practically bald in the end. I did go vegetarian over a year ago, not entirely sure if I got enough protein over that time but have introduced a protein powder the last month or so and easily meet my protein goal now.. did your hair grow back in thicker again, if so how long did it take? Hair used to be my only decent feature so now that it’s not so much, and still have quite a bit of weight to lose it’s a bit upsetting to say in the least.

Replies

  • hemlock2010
    hemlock2010 Posts: 422 Member
    I hope you will get lots of responses from people who have lost a lot of weight with no change in their hair! I have experienced a lot of hair thinning beginning the same year that I lost 50 of the 60 pounds I've now lost (2012), but in my case, I think the hair loss is a produce of age (late forties into early fifties) plus menopause, stress, and genetics. I know that's not helpful for your situation, but what I really wanted to say was this: Every single person I asked about hair loss/thinning said that it's a sign of thyroid problems. Apparently it isn't in me, but maybe it is in you. :-) Anyway, congratulations on your awesome weight loss.
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  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    Make sure you get enough fat in your diet aswell. More likely the cause thn protein, Aswell as obviously enough calories
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  • Lesscookies1
    Lesscookies1 Posts: 250 Member
    I used to have hair that would fall a lot, and my hair was also thin as well but I know if the body is lacking nutrients that could be a cause of that. Get your proteins in your food if you can, and also take a mutivitamin.

    I ended up taking a multivitamin, and eating more protein in my diet, and I took a tablet for hair thinning that I won't list because I don't want to seem like it's an advertisement, and my hair grew a TON. Please speak with your doctor about your concerns good luck!!
  • youngmomtaz
    youngmomtaz Posts: 1,075 Member
    Get your blood ferritin levels checked. If you are veg it is possible you are low in iron. After 15 years of fighting to get my iron levels up I am finally being properly treated for my heavy menstration and my iron and ferritin levels have almost normalized. Blood feeritin needs to be at least 70 for follicle strength and hair growth. Mine was between 4-13 for those years. Get checked and see if you need a supplement.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    100 pounds in a year is a pretty fast clip. It's probably worth some bloodwork to rule out nutritional deficiencies and thyroid issues, and taking a few weeks to eat at maintenance before you embark on losing the next 60.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    Here's an interesting study on the efficacy of a product called Viviscal. I've looked into it as my hair has always been quite thin and I worry about it getting thinner during weight loss. It's about $50 a month.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3509882/
    Conclusion: The oral supplement assessed in this study safely and effectively promotes significant hair growth in women with temporary hair thinning.
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    Congratulations on a 100 pound loss!!! That is an amazing accomplishment.

    When I was on a VLCD (600 - 900 calories/day) with very low carbs (Dr. Bernstein diet) my hair started falling out. I had lost about 45 pounds at that point. I quit the diet and gained all the weight back and my hair grew back. This time I have lost slowly over a period of two years and my hair has not changed at all. I'm down 85 pounds. The good news is your hair will likely come back. I would suggest slowing your rate of loss a bit to maybe 1 pound a week or even half a pound. As you get closer to goal it will slow down anyway.

    I agree with those who recommend having your doc test you. Never hurts to be careful.
  • MrsPinterest34
    MrsPinterest34 Posts: 342 Member
    I've actually had the opposite happening now that I'm losing weight. My nails are growing and my hair is growing like crazy. My hair has not grown consistently for years until this year. I'm also anemic and take iron supplement once in a while. I recommend you first visit your primary care doctor to check your lab levels. Then re-evaluate your diet restrictions if any. I pretty much eat any thing I want, combination of nutritious and junk food, within my calories daily limit. Here is more information about Hair Loss from the Mayo Clinic and potential causes https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hair-loss/basics/definition/con-20027666
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    edited November 2017
    I upped my fat and vitamin D (50k IU per week) after visiting the doctor and getting my self checked out with similar symptoms. It's been 6 months and my hair is no longer falling out and thickening back up. I also dialed back my deficit to 1lb per week instead of 2 (now I am at .5 per week with only 10 left to lose).
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  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    Likely it's from restricting calories and probably not getting enough of specific nutrients, but I'd visit a doctor (preferably a dermatologist) to find out WHY it's falling out. It's much easier to save the hair you have than to regrow new hair - the sooner the better - especially if it's hormonal, related to an undiagnosed condition, female pattern baldness, etc.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,622 Member
    I lost hair when I became vegetarian at age 18 - it thinned to more or less normal from crazy thick. That was 43 years ago. I've certainly been getting sufficient nutrition most of the time since, but it didn't go back to its original thickness. The original timing could've been coincidence - no way to know. Lots was going on in my life then.

    I suspect that nutrition or rapid weight loss could be the cause in your case, the latter either because of the loss itself, adaptive thermogenesis, suboptimal nutrition, or stress. However, as others have suggested, other health conditions could also cause thinning/lost hair, so consulting your doctor is a good idea.

    It could be reversible: When I lost my hair from chemotherapy in my mid-40s, it did grow back, and chemo's about as big an insult to your system as most people ever get (totally worth it in my case, BTW).

    Be aware that hair growth products like rogaine can work for women (I didn't use it, but read research finding it increased/accelerated hair regrowth in women after chemo).

  • AgileK9
    AgileK9 Posts: 255 Member
    I agree with the person who suggested getting your thyroid checked. If my thyroid is off, need a med adjustment, my hair starts falling out. Mine grows back after I'm adjusted.
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