Did you lose hair while losing weight? Why?

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Replies

  • hipari
    hipari Posts: 1,367 Member
    kiela64 wrote: »
    Good news re: hair loss (maybe) is that my Thyroid, B12, and Iron are all normal. So after this package I'm going to stop my medication and then see if that helps. I may still try to take the multi. It's probably good for me even if my levels aren't low.

    I was at the dentist today and they take your BP and mine was low tho for some reason. Weird. Anyway.

    If stopping the medication in a month, and upping my calories & taking the multi doesn't help I may ask for other tests. However, I was told that trauma/stress can cause hair loss 6 months + after an Event, and I was hospitalized about 10 months ago. So it could be that, and have nothing to do with the medication or calories, and that's hard to check. The best I can do is just work on this I guess.

    I'm not getting that massive shed anymore, but the front is noticeably thinner now, and that hair along the hairline seems brittle and any gentle tugs seem to cause hair to fall out at the root. I can also feel some tingling on that area of the scalp, which seems ominous.

    If I do experience more thinning, is there any styling or cuts etc that would be recommended, from those of you who've experienced this? I wasn't so nervous before because it wasn't so noticeable, but now it's getting there and it seems to be continuing. My hair is quite long now but if it'll help offset it I might cut it shorter. But idk if that would make it worse? :neutral:

    Hi there! I was in the same boat a couple of years ago. I got tested for everything imaginable (up to and including celiac disease), but the only explanation they could come up with was extreme stress. Within the last 10 months my parents had divorced and my grandma had died. I was questioned on weight loss tho, but my very modest weight loss wasn’t deemed enough to be a factor.

    I did grow a lot of the hair back, and then last year I started getting bald spots. It seems that the bald spots last about 6 months each before they start growing back. The doctor said that’s an autoimmune issue where your body just decides those hairs are the enemy. Currently, I’ve been shedding a lot AND still have the bald spots.

    For styling and cuts: any heat styling, products etc might irritate the hair and scalp even more. If your thinning is very noticeable, cutting your hair shorter might help make your ponytail look less like a sad rat tail. Mine is currently at shoulder length, and I wear it mostly on a low ponytail that covers all the bald spots. Another friend of mine who experienced hair loss wore a lot of scarves and headbands.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    hipari wrote: »
    kiela64 wrote: »
    Good news re: hair loss (maybe) is that my Thyroid, B12, and Iron are all normal. So after this package I'm going to stop my medication and then see if that helps. I may still try to take the multi. It's probably good for me even if my levels aren't low.

    I was at the dentist today and they take your BP and mine was low tho for some reason. Weird. Anyway.

    If stopping the medication in a month, and upping my calories & taking the multi doesn't help I may ask for other tests. However, I was told that trauma/stress can cause hair loss 6 months + after an Event, and I was hospitalized about 10 months ago. So it could be that, and have nothing to do with the medication or calories, and that's hard to check. The best I can do is just work on this I guess.

    I'm not getting that massive shed anymore, but the front is noticeably thinner now, and that hair along the hairline seems brittle and any gentle tugs seem to cause hair to fall out at the root. I can also feel some tingling on that area of the scalp, which seems ominous.

    If I do experience more thinning, is there any styling or cuts etc that would be recommended, from those of you who've experienced this? I wasn't so nervous before because it wasn't so noticeable, but now it's getting there and it seems to be continuing. My hair is quite long now but if it'll help offset it I might cut it shorter. But idk if that would make it worse? :neutral:

    Hi there! I was in the same boat a couple of years ago. I got tested for everything imaginable (up to and including celiac disease), but the only explanation they could come up with was extreme stress. Within the last 10 months my parents had divorced and my grandma had died. I was questioned on weight loss tho, but my very modest weight loss wasn’t deemed enough to be a factor.

    I did grow a lot of the hair back, and then last year I started getting bald spots. It seems that the bald spots last about 6 months each before they start growing back. The doctor said that’s an autoimmune issue where your body just decides those hairs are the enemy. Currently, I’ve been shedding a lot AND still have the bald spots.

    For styling and cuts: any heat styling, products etc might irritate the hair and scalp even more. If your thinning is very noticeable, cutting your hair shorter might help make your ponytail look less like a sad rat tail. Mine is currently at shoulder length, and I wear it mostly on a low ponytail that covers all the bald spots. Another friend of mine who experienced hair loss wore a lot of scarves and headbands.

    Hi thank you for sharing this, I’m sorry you’re experiencing this ❤️ ! I don’t yet have any spots, the only part that’s noticeable right now is the hairline. The overall thickness of a braid is still in normal levels.
  • atkhorses
    atkhorses Posts: 45 Member
    Girls, I'm reading through your posts and have similar hair loss issues. After thinking it through, I believe mine is a combination of autoimmune and stress. It's hard to conquer because thinking about the loss causes more stress. I don't want to change my eating, but I think the stress of deleting carbs has also contributed. I struggle now with adding in carbs and gaining weight. I know to eat the good carbs and try to stay with those. Ive been trying to get good sleep, but that is a challenge as well, usually wake at one and three and sometimes can't return to sleep. I'm trying to stay relaxed and positive--may get short cut soon!!
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    edited August 2018
    You have to remember that what is happening to your hair now is a result of the stress you were under months previously. It will take time to see the regrowth. I know it is easy to say but hard to do but, the more you stress about the hair loss, the more it will occur. Stop freaking out. The most likely cause is still the rapid weight loss but if you are unsure then make an appointment with your doctor.
  • atkhorses
    atkhorses Posts: 45 Member
    I’m losing quite a bit of hair as well. My endo said you lose hair based on a traumatic event that took place six months prior. I really don’t remember anything that happened then except I did change shampoo to one that has biotin and callagen. I have hashimoto and I think it could be related to that. I have been maintaining my loss for three years, no major weight loss in six months. I know how you feel, I feel I am on a gerbil wheel try not to steer but when I see hair fall out the stress returns. It is scary. I hope you find the trigger.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    Lillymoo01 wrote: »
    You have to remember that what is happening to your hair now is a result of the stress you were under months previously. It will take time to see the regrowth. I know it is easy to say but hard to do but, the more you stress about the hair loss, the more it will occur. Stop freaking out. The most likely cause is still the rapid weight loss but if you are unsure then make an appointment with your doctor.

    Yes, I am going to see her when she comes back from vacation at the end of September. But it feels like a long wait.

    I don’t know that it is the weight loss anymore.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    atkhorses wrote: »
    I’m losing quite a bit of hair as well. My endo said you lose hair based on a traumatic event that took place six months prior. I really don’t remember anything that happened then except I did change shampoo to one that has biotin and callagen. I have hashimoto and I think it could be related to that. I have been maintaining my loss for three years, no major weight loss in six months. I know how you feel, I feel I am on a gerbil wheel try not to steer but when I see hair fall out the stress returns. It is scary. I hope you find the trigger.

    Yes that’s what was told to me as well, but the hospitalization was 10 months. So I’m not convinced it’s that either. I don’t know if you can check that...
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    edited August 2018
    kiela64 wrote: »
    Update: increasing calories is going well. I seem to have set off the hunger machine. Not reigning it in much. Still losing, slower I think though. Happy scale is rounding it to 1.3lb/week now instead of 1.7lb/week, so I think that’s a good sign.

    However nothing else is good. My hair is continuing to fall. It seemed to have slowed but I just washed it and I got so so so much hair. I think my total hair volume is now about half what it was. It feels so small in my hands. Starting to get a little scared tbh. My doctor is on vacation for a month and I was going to see her to investigate some autoimmune things that might cause hair loss when she came back. But now I think I should go see someone sooner. But idk if a walk in clinic would care.

    I’m not sure it’s the calories anymore. I’ll probably stay at the higher levels because it’s more fun - more food yay! But my theory is either it’s the delayed post-traumatic from my hospitalization last fall, or a Serious, Scary disease. 😐

    This might not be relevant to anyone I’m just freaked a little.

    For what it's worth, it's more likely to be a serious but not all that scary disease, such as anemia or thyroid or just plain alopecia. Hope all goes well for you, try not to freak too much. Does your doctor have anyone else at the same practice who might cover her patients?
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    edited August 2018
    kiela64 wrote: »
    Update: increasing calories is going well. I seem to have set off the hunger machine. Not reigning it in much. Still losing, slower I think though. Happy scale is rounding it to 1.3lb/week now instead of 1.7lb/week, so I think that’s a good sign.

    However nothing else is good. My hair is continuing to fall. It seemed to have slowed but I just washed it and I got so so so much hair. I think my total hair volume is now about half what it was. It feels so small in my hands. Starting to get a little scared tbh. My doctor is on vacation for a month and I was going to see her to investigate some autoimmune things that might cause hair loss when she came back. But now I think I should go see someone sooner. But idk if a walk in clinic would care.

    I’m not sure it’s the calories anymore. I’ll probably stay at the higher levels because it’s more fun - more food yay! But my theory is either it’s the delayed post-traumatic from my hospitalization last fall, or a Serious, Scary disease. 😐

    This might not be relevant to anyone I’m just freaked a little.

    For what it's worth, it's more likely to be a serious but not all that scary disease, such as anemia or thyroid or just plain alopecia. Hope all goes well for you, try not to freak too much. Does your doctor have anyone else at the same practice who might cover her patients?

    I might look into that. A month feels long. Thank you ❤️

    I did have my thyroid & iron checked and it’s fine, normal. So it isn’t those.
  • emjay196363
    emjay196363 Posts: 37 Member
    My hair is actually healthier. I assume it's because I've been eating much healthier foods for about 3 months. Also, what's really weird is that my eyelashes are getting a little thicker. It's not really noticeable to anyone but me
  • karahm78
    karahm78 Posts: 505 Member
    I use Happy Scale, those results are the moving average.... looks like lately you’ve been losing at a higher rate if your “current weight” is that 1.69 pounds per week which is higher rate than your overall. It defaults to using a 10-day moving average.

    Based on that you may want to bump up your calorie goal a little bit to give you more nutrition and slow your loss rate a bit.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    karahm78 wrote: »
    I use Happy Scale, those results are the moving average.... looks like lately you’ve been losing at a higher rate if your “current weight” is that 1.69 pounds per week which is higher rate than your overall. It defaults to using a 10-day moving average.

    Based on that you may want to bump up your calorie goal a little bit to give you more nutrition and slow your loss rate a bit.

    Hi, thank you <3 Sorry this thread is a little old. I've done so and it's bumped it down to 1.3 so it's going the right direction.
  • FluffBGone1975
    FluffBGone1975 Posts: 64 Member
    I am glad you are getting checked out! I recommend taking biotin. It has really helped thicken my hair. You may need a multi and some biotin while you are losing weight.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    I am glad you are getting checked out! I recommend taking biotin. It has really helped thicken my hair. You may need a multi and some biotin while you are losing weight.

    I’m taking a multi, I haven’t tried biotin but I do have it. I’m nervous to start taking a load of supplements. But I am investigating biotin. My B12 levels were fine so idk if I need another B-vitamin checked?
  • Wendyanneroberts
    Wendyanneroberts Posts: 270 Member
    Not sure what else your blood tests have checked, but would like to add a problem I had, which may be worth you checking. Although adding or changing to many things at once may not be helpful. Just want to share in case it may be helpful.

    Before finding & using mfp I was attempting to alter my diet and lose weight. Also diagnosed with a heart condition and advised to eat a low fat diet. I asked "how low" and was advised that not to worry about under eating fat, as it wasn't possible. Fast forward several months, lost some weight but I developed new symptoms. One was really dry, brittle hair and hair loss.

    While I had also developed an autoimmune disease, which wasn't helping. I had also made to good a job of cutting fat from my diet. My "bad fat" levels were now in a healthy range. But my "good fat" levels had dropped to low.

    Just check that since dieting you are still getting adequate fat.

    Since finding and using mfp correctly. Tracking nutrition, making sure I get the higher protein diet I now need along with enough but not to much fat. The condition of my hair has drastically improved. Did take time, but even my hairdresser was amazed in the drastic change (for the best). It's amazing the difference a healthy diet has made.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    Not sure what else your blood tests have checked, but would like to add a problem I had, which may be worth you checking. Although adding or changing to many things at once may not be helpful. Just want to share in case it may be helpful.

    Before finding & using mfp I was attempting to alter my diet and lose weight. Also diagnosed with a heart condition and advised to eat a low fat diet. I asked "how low" and was advised that not to worry about under eating fat, as it wasn't possible. Fast forward several months, lost some weight but I developed new symptoms. One was really dry, brittle hair and hair loss.

    While I had also developed an autoimmune disease, which wasn't helping. I had also made to good a job of cutting fat from my diet. My "bad fat" levels were now in a healthy range. But my "good fat" levels had dropped to low.

    Just check that since dieting you are still getting adequate fat.

    Since finding and using mfp correctly. Tracking nutrition, making sure I get the higher protein diet I now need along with enough but not to much fat. The condition of my hair has drastically improved. Did take time, but even my hairdresser was amazed in the drastic change (for the best). It's amazing the difference a healthy diet has made.

    Thank you for sharing!! Autoimmune stuff looks scary- my physiotherapist is concerned about my knee not improving with my weight loss and wants to look into it later when my doctor gets back from vacation.

    One thing I might take is fish oil. My dad takes it and I don’t think it’s got any negative side effects. I’ve taken it before. (Got fish burps though).

    My fat levels fluctuate, though I do eat dairy and meat often enough that there is some. I don’t do fat free items, but low-fat eg 1% milk, 2% yogurt, leaner meat cuts, etc. I find fat helps with satiety so I do try to get some. But I haven’t tracked good and bad fat - I think I definitely get the bad ones from meat & dairy. Dairy has trans fats that I know were supposed to completely avoid so, not ideal. Nothing about my diet is ideal. I’m definitely open to suggestions.

    Adding things, I might want to talk to my pharmacist. I don’t want stuff to interact with each other.
  • karahm78
    karahm78 Posts: 505 Member
    I notice a huge difference in my nails when I take fish oil regularly... I’d assume it could also help hair given that
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    edited September 2018
    Update: I cut my hair by about 17 inches. My calories have been increased to about 1700/day. The last 3 weeks averages are 1560, 1690, 1714. So in there-ish. I started taking a multivitamin (only my iron & b12 were checked, I thought it was worth a try).

    Still losing quite a lot of hair every day. I don’t really know what it is at this point- but maybe it’s safe to say it’s not the weight loss. Because I’m only about 100cal below maintenance at this point I think,

    Thanks everyone for your help! I do think it’s better to be eating more. I synced my activity tracker to MFP to get a better sense of things. It’s hilarious to see workdays hit 10000-13000 steps and then like....3000 on non work days. Of course those days are the ones I catch up on calories because I have more time 😂 I’d just rather not be bald.....but I’ve gotta wait a month to ask more questions of my doctor 😐 blehhh.
  • longbranch92
    longbranch92 Posts: 22 Member
    My naturopath had me up my B12 as my thyroid and iron were fine and it worked great, no more hair loss!