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View Full Version : how long does a change in diet show in hair?



jojo
April 9th, 2011, 08:02 AM
I have changed my diet for general health reasons by introducing more lentils, brown rice, vegetables and fruit. How soon after a change in diet will my hair show the benefits?

I understand my body will take which nutrients it wants first and my hair gets the left overs so to speak, but just wondering how soon will i see changes. TIA

UltraBella
April 9th, 2011, 08:14 AM
Well, considering the fact that the nutritional changes will only effect new growth, it usually takes quite some time to notice the changes, if any, in your hair. I think you are likely to notice in other ways, skin and general health for example, much quicker. You may have no hair changes, it doesn't seem to matter what I eat my hair always grows the same, regardless.
Good for you for eating so healthy :)

jaine
April 9th, 2011, 08:18 AM
Only the new growth will be affected (unless the new diet causes a different amount of sebum production and that spreads to your old growth)
Also there will only be a change in your hair if you had some sort of hormonal imbalance or nutrient deficiency and the new diet fixes it. I had a hormonal imbalance that caused my hair to be coarse - then I switched to a diet that fixed my hormone imbalance - hair started growing in with a different texture about 1 month after I started the new diet.

jojo
April 9th, 2011, 08:29 AM
Well, considering the fact that the nutritional changes will only effect new growth, it usually takes quite some time to notice the changes, if any, in your hair. I think you are likely to notice in other ways, skin and general health for example, much quicker. You may have no hair changes, it doesn't seem to matter what I eat my hair always grows the same, regardless.
Good for you for eating so healthy :)

Yes I have noticed a huge change in my skin, I didn't get spots before but had dry skin due to hypothyroidism. My hair is growing painfully slow and was also drying but co washing has helped that. I eat a portion of lentils, brown rice mixed with marmite and peanut butter which sounds disgusting but its really nice! Theres a lot of B vitamins in it and also biotin in the brown rice.

jojo
April 9th, 2011, 08:31 AM
Only the new growth will be affected (unless the new diet causes a different amount of sebum production and that spreads to your old growth)
Also there will only be a change in your hair if you had some sort of hormonal imbalance or nutrient deficiency and the new diet fixes it. I had a hormonal imbalance that caused my hair to be coarse - then I switched to a diet that fixed my hormone imbalance - hair started growing in with a different texture about 1 month after I started the new diet.

Yes diet can not affect older hair, but it will help the new hair yet to emerge! I am hoping for the same as you, is your hormone imbalance restored now?

jaine
April 9th, 2011, 08:40 AM
Yes :) I was previously on a diet which kept my insulin levels on a roller coaster and that gave me higher than normal levels of androgens too. I switched to a low glycemic load diet that keeps my insulin levels low and stable. (the "paleo" diet or "primal" diet is what I switched to) It improved my sleep and my mood and my energy levels and my hair started growing in smoother and finer than before.
Good luck with your new diet!

MsBubbles
April 9th, 2011, 09:50 AM
Hijack - Jaine I wanted to tell you that after reading a recent post of yours describing your dietary improvements and why you did it, it inspired me to drop the junk out of my diet too and even after only 4 days I feel so much clearer-headed. Thanks! I just hope my hair doesn't grow in any finer because then it'd just be invisible. - End hijack

Jojo - did you get your hypothyroidism sorted out by a doctor? I have the same issue and it really makes a huge difference in my hair growth/shedding/thickness.

I don't usually notice positive dietary effects on my hair, but in the past I have noticed the negative ones (since they freaked me out), and it was usually 4 months after a particular diet change, illness or trauma. 4 months was usually the start of it. But I'm talking mostly about shedding, not change in texture.

jojo
April 9th, 2011, 11:13 AM
^^ well ive been on levothyroxine for over a year but my levels fluctuate a lot. It seems to be settling down a bit. I did have a huge shed a month or so back, but *touches wood* its under control. Plus I have very high chloresterol, which is due to hereditary factors rather than diet. Hypothyroidism can also cause a raise in chloresterol which can at times be like fighting a loosing battle, but pulses are excellent in lowering chloresterol. Therefore my theory lower the chloresterol and my thyroid levels should get more stable, when my thyroid is more stable my hair growth should go back to normal. I was upto a month ago getting less than 1/4" a month, last month I got 1/2" but I also use daktarin. I am hoping its a mixture of the 2.

DoubleCrowned
April 9th, 2011, 11:06 PM
Nutritionists say it takes about 4 months to see effects of dietary changes, although energy levels may change quickly. If course everyone's bodies and dietary problems are different, but I wanted to point out that the body is going to put the nutrients to work internally first, fixing organ damage and the like. So, for some, the improved hair can be a by-product of enhanced general health, and may not be obvious for awhile depending on the health's starting point.

racrane
April 26th, 2011, 02:12 PM
Well, I was anemic last summer. I started to eat healthier and I noticed a change in the fall, so about 4-5 months later? I felt better immediately but my hair and skin, etc brightened up and my hair looked so much better. I recommend a change in diet no matter what because you feel so much better!