Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD Dieting can cause hair loss. Hair loss from dieting is especially common with extreme dieting, strict calorie restriction and quick and large amounts of weight loss. Dieting can cause both physical and emotional stress on the body. That stress on your body, and your hair follicles, increases if you lose a large amount of weight in a short period of time, if you’re not eating a balanced and nutritious diet and if your weight loss is triggered by an underlying physical cause, like an illness.
Dieting and Telogen Effluvium
The most common way that dieting can cause hair loss is through a process called telogen effluvium. Normally, the majority of your hair is in the growing (anagen) stage, and only about 15% of your hair is in the telogen (resting) phase. In telogen effluvium, however, a lot more of your hair is shifted away from growing and into resting (telogen phase), and you’ll eventually experience a lot more shedding than normal.
You can think of it like this: When your body is under stress from dieting and nutritional deficits, hair growth is not really a top priority. Therefore, your body ‘shifts its resources’ away from your hair, towards more essential functions. Your hair follicles interpret this shift in resources as a stress, and a significant amount of your hair exits the growing stage and enters a resting stage and is later shed.
There are other causes of telogen effluvium, including childbirth, illness and emotional stress. You can read more on telogen effluvium here.
Extreme Dieting, Calorie Restriction and Hair Loss
Dieting can cause hair loss more frequently when you’re losing a lot of weight very quickly. Also, if you’re following a very restrictive or fad diet that limits certain key nutrients like iron, protein and zinc, you’re more likely to experience hair loss. You could also have hair loss if you’re not getting enough biotin.
Avoid Hair Loss During Dieting
1. Don’t restrict calories too much.
Too much calorie restriction puts your body into starvation mode, and is more likely to cause telogen effluvium and hair loss. Many experts recommend no more than 2 pounds of weight loss per week. Any more than this and you’re more likely to notice hair loss.
2. Eat enough protein.
Lean meats, fish, eggs and beans such as lentils can all be sources of protein. If you’re not getting adequate amounts of protein, dieting can cause hair loss for sure.
3. Don’t neglect the fruits and vegetables.
Remember that many key ingredients for hair growth such as vitamins A, C, and E are found in fruits and vegetables, as well as seeds and nuts.
4. Consider a supplement.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can definitely cause hair loss. In darker skin people, vitamin D deficiency is relatively common, and can cause hair loss. Low iron and zinc can also cause hair loss. If your diet is lacking in certain key vitamins and minerals, you may benefit from a multivitamin or other nutritional supplement. Always check with your physician before starting a supplement though—just to make sure it’s right for you.
5. Work with a registered dietician and physician.
A registered dietician can work with you, and your doctor, to make sure that you’re not limiting calories too much. A dietician can make sure that you’re getting adequate amounts of protein, iron, zinc and other vitamins that are essential for healthy hair growth as you lose weight. Worried about the cost? Check with your employee benefits office or health plan. Consultation with a dietician might just be a covered benefit!
Prognosis for Diet Associated Hair Loss
If you’ve lost a lot of weight and are already noticing hair loss, don’t despair! Once your your body reaches equilibrium and things balance out, your hair should start growing again, and the shedding should stop. Telogen effluvium associated with weight loss generally resolves on its own. Some doctors do recommend an over-the-counter product, minoxidil, which might help get the hair growing again. You can read more about minoxidil here.
As always though, if you’re losing hair, always see your doctor first. You need to make sure that nothing more serious is going on.
