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ninjarambohd
September 7th, 2017, 06:35 PM
Hello everyone. I have a small question. When I was about 17 or 18 I had extremely thick hair all over. I am now 23. Back in 2013 I became extremely sick and I was diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). I lost a lot of weight. Went from 55KG to 47 and eventually I slowly went back up again but due to some reasona I didn't eat properly in 2015 and went from 64 kg to 52.

Now in 2017 I have committed to gaining weight and managed to get myself from about 52 KG to 59.

Anyways in 2012 I had extremely thick hair but this all changed when I became sick in 2013. Since then my hair has become wispy lifeless and less dense even on the sides and back.

So I was wondering if I always had thick hair can that change or is whats happening to me because of me keep restricting calories on and off?

If so is it permanent?

Thank you everyone.

vega
September 7th, 2017, 07:25 PM
I have no advice but wishing you the best, I would recommend asking this question to a doctor they are qualified to help

diddiedaisy
September 7th, 2017, 10:43 PM
Hi, yes it can change thickness. Illness and being underweight are big factors. If your body isn't get enough nutrients whatever the reason it diverts what it needs to the places it needs it most. Unfortunately that means your hair is not getting what it needs so you will shed heavily, and the new hair will not be as good quality.

As for it all coming back when the issues are solved, due to your age it probably will. There is a small risk though that some of your follicles may have died. This is very personal from person to person though and depends on many factors. But like I said you are young so I would be optimistic that all or most of your hair will grow back.

Make sure you are eating a healthy varied diet, possibly topping up with a good multi vitimin if your body struggles with absorption due to ibs. Your doctor would be able to advise on the absorption matter.

Good luck ,)

ninjarambohd
September 8th, 2017, 04:09 AM
Hi, yes it can change thickness. Illness and being underweight are big factors. If your body isn't get enough nutrients whatever the reason it diverts what it needs to the places it needs it most. Unfortunately that means your hair is not getting what it needs so you will shed heavily, and the new hair will not be as good quality.

As for it all coming back when the issues are solved, due to your age it probably will. There is a small risk though that some of your follicles may have died. This is very personal from person to person though and depends on many factors. But like I said you are young so I would be optimistic that all or most of your hair will grow back.

Make sure you are eating a healthy varied diet, possibly topping up with a good multi vitimin if your body struggles with absorption due to ibs. Your doctor would be able to advise on the absorption matter.

Good luck ,)

Thank you very much. I will definitely start a multivitamin asap. Here in Ireland the best one is one called vitabiotics perfectil. I think I will give that a try. Would you know how long it will take for me to go back to normal? As in how long after taking multivitamins and eating properly maintaining a normal weight?

lapushka
September 8th, 2017, 04:51 AM
Thank you very much. I will definitely start a multivitamin asap. Here in Ireland the best one is one called vitabiotics perfectil. I think I will give that a try. Would you know how long it will take for me to go back to normal? As in how long after taking multivitamins and eating properly maintaining a normal weight?

Depends on how deficient you were, IF you were deficient.

For me it took 2 years to recover from a hormonal imbalance that took a lot of my hair. It has to regrow from nothing / bald, you see.

ninjarambohd
September 8th, 2017, 05:20 AM
Depends on how deficient you were, IF you were deficient.

For me it took 2 years to recover from a hormonal imbalance that took a lot of my hair. It has to regrow from nothing / bald, you see.
Oh wow. I'm so sorry to hear this and wish you all the best. I still do have hair but if its wet or if I don't shower and its oily I can see some scalp and overall it has gone a bit wispy. I wish you all the best.

lapushka
September 8th, 2017, 05:55 AM
Oh wow. I'm so sorry to hear this and wish you all the best. I still do have hair but if its wet or if I don't shower and its oily I can see some scalp and overall it has gone a bit wispy. I wish you all the best.

That was when I was 13/14 years old and going through puberty. By the time I was 15/16, I was OK again with the hair.

I'm 45 now, so long time ago. ;)

Wish you all the best too; and don't worry too much. Right? :)

diddiedaisy
September 8th, 2017, 06:00 AM
How long is a piece of string haha. I lost about 40% of my hair due to absorption issues and being underweight, plus stress. It's actually what brought me here. Once you stop shedding you're hair will start growing back. The speed it will grow back is anybody's guess to be honest.

In my case although I stopped the excessive shedding in February 2015, I haven't regained my previous thickness. However, I lost it over a period of roughly ten years and secondly I'm now 47, so I'm at the age when hormones won't be kind to me.

You are at an optimal age for recovery, so if you concentrate on stopping the shedding you should be fine.

One other thing, and I know a lot of people on here don't like it, but biotin has been my friend. It is fantastic for digestive issues, and really helps me digest my food which in turn helps keep the nutrients inside. Three weeks after starting biotin at the beginning of 2015 I started putting weight on quite rapidly. I took 10,000 mg daily which is very high. I told my gp and dietician the dose and as far as they were concerned it was ok to take as it was working. Do not take this amount without checking first as it can be dangerous. But as you have ibs you very well could have a shortage. I don't take it all the time anymore, but when my digestive system starts playing up I get myself back on it.

Sorry for long post....again!!! :)

ninjarambohd
September 8th, 2017, 06:20 AM
That was when I was 13/14 years old and going through puberty. By the time I was 15/16, I was OK again with the hair.

I'm 45 now, so long time ago. ;)

Wish you all the best too; and don't worry too much. Right? :)

Oh thats great then! Glad you are doing well again! Thank you so much for your kindness and time as always!

ninjarambohd
September 8th, 2017, 06:21 AM
How long is a piece of string haha. I lost about 40% of my hair due to absorption issues and being underweight, plus stress. It's actually what brought me here. Once you stop shedding you're hair will start growing back. The speed it will grow back is anybody's guess to be honest.

In my case although I stopped the excessive shedding in February 2015, I haven't regained my previous thickness. However, I lost it over a period of roughly ten years and secondly I'm now 47, so I'm at the age when hormones won't be kind to me.

You are at an optimal age for recovery, so if you concentrate on stopping the shedding you should be fine.

One other thing, and I know a lot of people on here don't like it, but biotin has been my friend. It is fantastic for digestive issues, and really helps me digest my food which in turn helps keep the nutrients inside. Three weeks after starting biotin at the beginning of 2015 I started putting weight on quite rapidly. I took 10,000 mg daily which is very high. I told my gp and dietician the dose and as far as they were concerned it was ok to take as it was working. Do not take this amount without checking first as it can be dangerous. But as you have ibs you very well could have a shortage. I don't take it all the time anymore, but when my digestive system starts playing up I get myself back on it.

Sorry for long post....again!!! :)

Thank you so much again for this post. I will definitely invest in a biotin supplement. Thanks so much and wish you all the best!

The-Young-Maid
September 8th, 2017, 08:13 AM
I was also underweight/restricting for a while and my hair is growing back amazingly thick. I think you'll be fine. Of course it will take a while to see the regrowth and you must be consistent with your intake. A multi vitamin or Hair,Skin,Nails is a good idea(I'm taking both). You don't have to take them every day, just days you didn't get quite enough. I think you'll definitely see results in about 6m-1y. I started really eating again back in Jan and my hair has been growing like a weed. My longest regrowth is between collarbone/armpit.

tealeafdancer
September 8th, 2017, 08:29 AM
I did lose some of my hair around the time I was 18 and pretty much regained it all just a few years down the road, but that was due to lots of illnesses back to back and being pretty much poisoned by antibiotics.

But I'd like to share with you a little story of my daughter. She has literally *just* been diagnosed with celiac disease (can't eat gluten) a month ago. We started her immediately on gluten free diet and her hair - just a month in - is thicker, shinier, has more life and bounce in it ... she also gained a full kilo (which previously took her a full year to gain) and even her skin has a much healthier color and glow to it ... It's all about nutrition and absorption for sure. I'm absolutely ecstatic about my daughter's improvement ... gotta share wherever I can :o

ninjarambohd
September 8th, 2017, 08:53 AM
I did lose some of my hair around the time I was 18 and pretty much regained it all just a few years down the road, but that was due to lots of illnesses back to back and being pretty much poisoned by antibiotics.

But I'd like to share with you a little story of my daughter. She has literally *just* been diagnosed with celiac disease (can't eat gluten) a month ago. We started her immediately on gluten free diet and her hair - just a month in - is thicker, shinier, has more life and bounce in it ... she also gained a full kilo (which previously took her a full year to gain) and even her skin has a much healthier color and glow to it ... It's all about nutrition and absorption for sure. I'm absolutely ecstatic about my daughter's improvement ... gotta share wherever I can :o

So glad that you and your daughter are both doing so well! I wish you both all the best and thank you for sharing this!

ninjarambohd
September 8th, 2017, 09:05 AM
I was also underweight/restricting for a while and my hair is growing back amazingly thick. I think you'll be fine. Of course it will take a while to see the regrowth and you must be consistent with your intake. A multi vitamin or Hair,Skin,Nails is a good idea(I'm taking both). You don't have to take them every day, just days you didn't get quite enough. I think you'll definitely see results in about 6m-1y. I started really eating again back in Jan and my hair has been growing like a weed. My longest regrowth is between collarbone/armpit.

Thank you very much! So if I managr to maintain my weight I should be ok in terms of hair?

lapushka
September 8th, 2017, 09:52 AM
Thank you very much! So if I managr to maintain my weight I should be ok in terms of hair?

It's not just about maintaining weight. It's about getting enough calories in, and getting healthy things in too. A multivitamin might help, but if you don't get enough calorie intake it's not going to solve much. You need fuel to burn.

The-Young-Maid
September 8th, 2017, 10:45 AM
You definitely need to consume enough calories in order to maintain and, in my case, hopefully gain weight. I started at 95lbs, I'm now 100lbs. This was over 9 months. It will take a while so you must be consistent. I could MAINTAIN my weight at 95lbs by eating just enough to get by. I only GAINED weight(albeit slowly) when I ate in abundance (SURPLUS). This is when my hair began to grow because my body had plenty of nutrients to use and plenty of extra fuel to burn. Look for the suggested caloric intake for someone your height/weight.

And lapushka is correct - it's important that you're eating healthy foods. The vitamins you get from your meals are often better absorbed than taking a vitamin separately. But they are helpful because there will probably be days where you haven't eaten enough. Or you don't feel like eating. Just don't eat a ton of junk food because that won't be healthy weight.

Cherriezzzzz
September 8th, 2017, 11:36 AM
Unconventional method of thickening hair but pregnancy LoL

ninjarambohd
September 8th, 2017, 11:38 AM
This awesome! Thank you very much everyone for your amazing support! I hope my issue will resolve soon. I started off at 52KG back in November of 2016. This may sound very weird however, my dietitian said because I am very underweight for my age and height I should eat McDonalds 3 times a week. So I started doing that back in July and in July of this year I was 56 KG and now I am up to 59. For some odd reasons my hair shedding has decreased quite dramatically thankfully so I'm guessing I am doing something right, I don't know really.

lapushka
September 8th, 2017, 02:00 PM
You definitely need to consume enough calories in order to maintain and, in my case, hopefully gain weight. I started at 95lbs, I'm now 100lbs. This was over 9 months. It will take a while so you must be consistent. I could MAINTAIN my weight at 95lbs by eating just enough to get by. I only GAINED weight(albeit slowly) when I ate in abundance (SURPLUS). This is when my hair began to grow because my body had plenty of nutrients to use and plenty of extra fuel to burn. Look for the suggested caloric intake for someone your height/weight.

And lapushka is correct - it's important that you're eating healthy foods. The vitamins you get from your meals are often better absorbed than taking a vitamin separately. But they are helpful because there will probably be days where you haven't eaten enough. Or you don't feel like eating. Just don't eat a ton of junk food because that won't be healthy weight.

Believe me, I learned this the hard way. There was a time when I was 16/17 years old that I was bordering on anorexia. I lost my period for 3 months in a row, and my mom said to me, you either shape up or I'm taking you to the doctor, and I did... slowly shape up, but I did get my period back the next month and it went from there. In women there's often extra "signs" when things are going downhill fast. I was getting good foods, just not enough of them. I restricted my food. And that was something I shouldn't have done. My hair *immediately* fell out, and it took *again* 1 to 2 years to get back. I had lost hair due to hormonal changes when 13/14, and now it was like all happening again, to a lesser extent but still... I lost about 1/4 of my hair at that time. I remember never being able to wear or close a barrette and now my hair was slipping from it.

Dendra
September 8th, 2017, 02:06 PM
Believe me, I learned this the hard way. There was a time when I was 16/17 years old that I was bordering on anorexia. I lost my period for 3 months in a row, and my mom said to me, you either shape up or I'm taking you to the doctor, and I did... slowly shape up, but I did get my period back the next month and it went from there. In women there's often extra "signs" when things are going downhill fast. I was getting good foods, just not enough of them. I restricted my food. And that was something I shouldn't have done. My hair *immediately* fell out, and it took *again* 1 to 2 years to get back. I had lost hair due to hormonal changes when 13/14, and now it was like all happening again, to a lesser extent but still... I lost about 1/4 of my hair at that time. I remember never being able to wear or close a barrette and now my hair was slipping from it.

I went through the same thing at 14 and my hair became ratty and thin. Hair needs good fats and healthy foods to flourish. Hope you can manage this OP :)

ninjarambohd
September 8th, 2017, 03:05 PM
I went through the same thing at 14 and my hair became ratty and thin. Hair needs good fats and healthy foods to flourish. Hope you can manage this OP :)

Thank you so much!

Ondine11
September 8th, 2017, 05:16 PM
If it is due to vitamin deficiencies & under-nutrition, it should be reversible by increasing your caloric intake, taking a multivitamin & possibly an iron supplement (if you need one). Make sure your diet is high in protein, & go easy on the sugars of all kinds. It may take a few months before you see a definite improvement, but, you will notice that the new growth, as well as the new hairs that grow in, are thicker & healthier.

ShahMat
September 15th, 2017, 10:24 PM
Hair thickness can definitely change!
My diet was very poor, unbalanced and restrictive as a teenager (due to eating disorders) and at least twice I experienced huge hair loss, I even had bald spots all over my scalp.
Since I started university things have been a lot better and I was able to keep my weight stable (even if I'm still slightly underweight), but I still wasn't eating healthy.
It's been a year now since I committed to eating healthier food and in a decent amount, and my ponytail circumference has gone from 7.5 cm to 10+ cm. I also take Hair, Skin and Nails supplements and vitamins, since I don't absorm them very well, but I would hear a doctor before taking anything, maybe you don't actually need supplements
Good luck with your regrowth!

Aunt Rapunzel
September 15th, 2017, 10:47 PM
Hair thickness can change. My hair is far more thick than it was when I was a little girl and even into my early teens. And one of my dear friends lost all of her hair due to chemo...Before chemo, her hair was thin and brown. After chemo her hair was SUPER thick and super blonde. I have no idea why...all I know is what I saw.