Why Rapid Weight Loss Leads To Hair Loss
When our body goes through an unexpected weight loss, it mostly suffers from the lack of essential nutrients. This can have a direct impact on hair regrowth. A condition called telogen effluvium is also a result of hair fall due to weight loss. Our body follows a hair regrowth cycle with some hair strands being in different stages from others. The resting phase of the regrowth cycle is called telogen, which constitutes about 10% of our total hair at any time.
When our body experiences a sudden weight loss, it disturbs the natural hair regrowth cycle. It elongates the telogen phase and the total amount of resting hair on the scalp increases. As a result, the amount of hair loss surpasses the new hair growth. While the condition is mostly seen on the scalp, it can even affect our facial and body hair growth as well. The rapid hair loss due to weight loss can occur in both men and women of any age.
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How Long Does Hair Fall Out After Weight Loss
Various factors need to be considered when it comes to hair fall due to weight loss. It is normal to have increased hair fall for 3 to 6 months after you started losing weight. You need to give your body some time to acclimatise to the new conditions due to weight loss.
However, should there be excessive hair fall beyond 6 months, you should consider visiting a doctor. Your doctor can diagnose the underlying reasons for your hair fall and prescribe treatment accordingly.
Beware Of A Hair Tourniquet
New mothers also should watch out for hair tourniquets. A hair tourniquet forms when a strand of hair falls out and wraps around a babys toe, finger, or other body part. A single strand can wrap so tightly that it cuts off circulation or causes an infection.
Dont panic. The likelihood of your baby getting a hair tourniquet is very rare. Knowing what to do, however, can be helpful.
If you see a shed hair wrapped around your baby finger, toe, or other body part, you must remove it. Here what you should do:
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Look for a loose end and gently unwind the hair.
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Sometimes you will not see a loose end, so youll need something to gently cut the hair, such as a small knife or scissors.
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If you cannot remove the hair because it is wound too tightly or enmeshed in your babys skin, you need to get medical help. Call your babys doctor or take your baby to the emergency room. Sometimes a doctor has to remove a hair tourniquet.
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Very Low Protein Diets
Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are essential for hair growth. Thats because amino acids are necessary for the production of keratin, the main structural protein of hair.
Protein malnutrition when your body doesnt get enough protein can result in hair loss. Thus, if youre following a low calorie weight loss diet that doesnt contain enough protein, you may experience hair loss as a result .
When your protein needs arent met, your body prioritizes important protein-dependent functions like tissue repair, digestion, pH and water balance regulation, and hormone production. Because hair growth isnt essential to keep you alive, hair loss may occur .
Additionally, deficiencies in specific amino acids, such as histidine, leucine, valine, and cysteine, are common in people with hair loss.
In a study in 100 people with hair loss, researchers observed histidine and leucine deficiencies in large percentages of participants across several types of alopecia, including androgenic alopecia and TE (
10 ).
For example, a 2018 study that included 50 people who underwent sleeve gastrectomy, a surgical procedure that removes a large portion of the stomach, observed hair loss in 56% of the participants. Hair loss was more common in women .
Notably, the participants with hair loss had much lower levels of zinc and vitamin B12 both before and after surgery .
Dont Overdo Your Vitamin A
While you want to increase your protein and iron consumption, too much vitamin A can stifle hair growth. Typically, excessive vitamin A intake is the result of taking medicines or too many vitamin supplements. Its all about moderation when it comes to getting the right nutrients your body requires.
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What Causes Hair Loss During Weight Loss
To identify the reasons behind thinning hair associated with weight loss, a few things need to be considered. Was the weight loss achieved by surgical or non-surgical methods? Were there any drastic changes in diet? Was the amount of weight lost and time taken to achieve it, directly proportional to the amount of hair loss? A few common reasons are elaborated below.
How To Prevent Hair Loss After Weight Loss Surgery
The most important point to keep in mind if you lose hair after surgery is that hair loss is very common and treatable post surgery. In most cases, time will take care of the issue within 6 months or so.
Nevertheless, it doesnt hurt to ensure you keep up a healthy diet after your bariatric surgery, not just for your hair, but also for your overall health and recovery.
If you want to aid your recovery and hair loss, you should make efforts to:
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Is Hair Loss Dangerous
Hair loss itself isnt dangerous, but the underlying causes of hair loss after weight loss can be.
For example, nutrient deficiencies and extreme calorie restriction can lead to serious health consequences like iron deficiency anemia, muscle loss, and more.
Besides potentially causing hair loss, iron deficiency anemia can lead to impaired brain function, infertility, heart conditions, depression, and altered immune system function .
Calorie and protein restriction can also cause dangerous side effects, including decreased muscle function, heart problems, intestinal issues, decreased immune function, and increased risk of depression .
Other medical conditions, such as autoimmune conditions, can also cause hair loss. Therefore, its important to talk to a healthcare provider if youre experiencing hair loss, because it might not be related to weight loss.
Summary
Although hair loss itself is not dangerous, the underlying causes can be. If youre experiencing hair loss, its important to consult your healthcare provider to rule out an underlying medical condition.
Hair Loss Dieting Research
An acute form of the condition telogen effluvium is a well-known side effect of sudden weight loss or decreased protein intake. This condition, which causes thinning or shedding hair, occurs when your hair prematurely enters the telogen phase. Dieting can cause physical and emotional stress, thereby causing more hair than usual to enter the telogen phase.
Protein deficiency: This can impact your skin, hair and nails because they are made primarily of protein. Protein is essential for hair growth, so a lack of healthy protein in your diet can cause broken hair strands that are resistant to growing back.
Iron deficiency: The most common nutritional deficiency worldwide, this is a well-known cause of hair loss. Its unclear what degree of deficiency leads to hair loss and studies are inconclusive. Risk factors include menstrual blood loss, malabsorption , the use of H2 blockers and a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Zinc deficiency: This essential mineral is important for the health of your skin and hair, among other key body functions. Although this type of deficiency is fairly uncommon, risk factors include aging, gastrointestinal disease, anorexia, malabsorption, chronic liver or renal disease, sickle cell disease, diabetes, cancer, alcoholism and a vegetarian diet.
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Include Protein And Iron Rich Food In Your Diet
Protein is an important component of hair, so eat plenty of it. Protein requirements are determined by a variety of factors, including body weight and degree of exercise.
Maintaining a rich iron and protein diet such as whole grains, green vegetables, fiber, etc. Lack of it, cause of hair loss, according to the National Anemia Action Council.
Vitamins A, C, and E, as well as zinc, are all found in fruits and vegetables and contribute to hair growth.
Track your progress every week. For a healthy weight reduction, the American Council on Exercise recommends losing no more than twopoundseachweek. You seem to face a risk of hair loss if you lose more than that.
Protein-rich, iron-rich foods are essential for a healthy body, especially when losing weight. Due to iron deficiency, hair loss can be caused.
To acquire adequate iron when dieting and in general, eat lean meats, fish, nuts, beans, Soybeans, iron-fortified cereals, spinach, and organ meats, etc. This food is highly rich in protein and iron both.
You can also take iron supplements, but consult your doctor to determine the proper dosage.
When To See A Doctor
Hair loss after weight loss is usually temporary, and your hair will generally go back to normal after a few months. But its still best to speak to a doctor if youve lost weight or youre following a restrictive diet and youre getting hair loss, so they can check whats causing it.
You should also see a doctor if you think your weight loss might be driven by an
As well as a low body weight and hair loss, the common symptoms of an eating disorder include:
- restricting your diet because youre scared to gain weight, even though youre underweight
- missing meals, not eating much or avoiding certain foods, which can get in the way of your social life
- taking medicines to reduce your hunger or make you go to the toilet more (
- large amounts of food and then making yourself sick
Remember, losing weight isnt the only reason you might notice hair loss read about other possible
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Follow A Healthy Lifestyle
There’s no doubt that a healthy you begins with a healthy lifestyle that goes beyond what you put on your plate. It also involves managing physical, mental and emotional stress, getting plenty of exercise and seeing your doctor regularly.
Also, if you experience hair loss, you will likely feel stressed about it, which can make the problem worse. Discuss these concerns with your medical doctor, and consider taking a little downtime to destress.
A Little Exercise Helps
In todays society, many individuals lead sedentary lifestyles. Its difficult to get adequate exercise because of the demands of demanding employment and growing computer usage. However, even a small amount of activity may make a significant impact on your hair. Exercise increases blood flow to the scalp and other peripheral regions, which helps to maintain the health of your hair follicles. Dont worry if you dont have time to go to the gym for many hours each day.
Simple, incremental modifications in your health and hair development lead to major gains over time. Choose a simple activity that you can do every day, such as parking at the rear of the grocery store or walking to the end of the block and back after work. Even little modifications will help you maintain your hair healthy, and you may see beneficial results all over!
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Why Does Hair Loss Happen When We Lose Weight
The reasons your hair might start falling out can be down to nutrient deficiencies, if you are trying to lose weight and youve cut out certain food groups, this can lead to hair loss. Its best to make sure youre eating enough food packed full of nutrients to prevent any deficiencies. Another way to keep your body healthy while losing weight is to combat stress and hormonal changes.
Exercise is your key to stopping getting stressed and making sure your hormones are balanced out. You can also practice meditation, relaxation breathing, and yoga to keep your stress levels under control. Its important to lose weight gradually and not rapidly, as this might confuse your body and stress you out. Weight loss surgery and restrictive diets can lead to hair loss. Making sure you avoid controlling your diet too much will mean hair loss is less likely to happen when youre losing weight. Stock up on vitamins and eat the crucial foods you need for a balanced diet.
How Long Does Hair Loss Last After Gastric Sleeve
How long does hair loss last after gastric sleeve? On average, your hair loss after gastric sleeve may last for about six months, but individual results will vary. The hair thinning and gradual hair fall may begin within three to four months after your sleeve gastrectomy. In a few cases, the gastric sleeve hair loss may continue for up to one year after surgery, but with an increased focus on nutrition supplements your hair cycle may normalize faster.
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Im Trying Derma Stamping
While researching potential ways to speed up my hair regrowth, I came across the idea of derma stamping. Its similar to dermarolling, a technique that uses microneedles to pierce the top layer of your skin to encourage collagen production to help form a new, fresh layer.
Many people do this on their face for anti-aging but some studies have shown positive results in helping with hair loss as well. Ive only just started doing this so its far too early to tell what effect it will have, if any, since results are said to take upwards of nine months.
Can Being Overweight Cause Hair Loss
Hair loss is also known as alopecia or baldness, it can be caused by a number of factors, including hormones, medications, diet, stress, genetics, and hormonal imbalances. One of these underlying causes is obesity. Obese people are often due to the accumulation of fat in their body which leads to an increased level of insulin that can interfere with other essential hormones that are crucial for hair growth.
Fat also produces a male sex hormone called testosterone which indirectly affects hair growth. Men who have a higher level of testosterone have a greater possibility of baldness. Hair loss can be caused by genetic factors, stress, and diet.
According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women with diabetes as children had a significant increase in hair loss as opposed to those without diabetes. In addition, women who were stressed as teenagers had more bald spots later on.
The researchers found that stress can be linked to hair loss which is solely caused by genetics. Hair loss can also be caused by hormonal imbalances. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women with polycystic ovary syndrome were more likely to suffer from hair loss than those who did not have the syndrome. When you are constantly stressed, you will experience more breakage of hair, and this will cause hair loss.
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Hair Loss After Weight Loss
Your body needs adequate calories and protein to feed your hair follicles. According to some experts, the more weight you lose, the more likely youll experience some degree of hair loss. Losing and regaining weight over many years can impact your metabolism and hair growth. Some people may experience hair loss within 3-6 months of starting diets . Typically temporary, a balanced, healthy diet should reverse hair loss within six months.
Bariatric Hair Loss: Telogen Effluvium
Weve already talked about how there are different forms or types of hair loss and that the Telogen Effluvium is the most common cause for hair loss after bariatric surgery, but taking it a step further we can understand the true root cause.
When it comes to Telogen Effluvium research suggests that there are five factors that primarily contribute to this phenomenon:
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Incorporate A Protein Source At Every Meal
Protein after surgery is imperative for recovery, healing, sustained weight loss, and prevention of muscle loss.
Some sources of high-quality protein include eggs, fish, poultry, legumes, or dairy, as long as you can tolerate them well. Your stomach size is smaller following surgery, making it important to eat a solid protein source at every meal throughout the day. Find some of my recommended protein-rich, bariatric-friendly recipes here.
Generally speaking, protein intake should be between 60-100 grams per day, but your surgical team and registered dietitian will offer personalized guidance for your recovery. Its possible that supplemental protein drinks will be recommended to help you meet your needs temporarily.
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Have A Wholesome Diet
The need of a wholesome diet with enough calories and macronutrients such as proteins is vital for healthy hair growth and prevention of hair fall. It is advisable to avoid crash diets or extreme diets such as liquid diets, fruit diet or keto diet. These may lead to nutritional deficiency, elevating hair loss.
A diet rich in complete proteins such as legumes, soybeans, dark green vegetables or fish and meat should be consumed to meet your bodys daily requirements. Also, have fresh fruits and vegetables, and drink plenty of water.
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How To Stop Hair Loss Due To Weight Loss Final Thoughts
Hair loss due to weight loss is temporary. If you are experiencing it, talk to your doctor first and get a health check.
Next, take a look at your new diet plan and ask yourself honestly if it really is a good one.
Aim to change your diet habits safely and slowly, swopping out bad foods for healthier options. This helps you develop a healthy eating regime that is sustainable for a lifetime.
If you have experienced increased hair fall, try out these recommended hair loss prevention products for men and women.