PDA

View Full Version : Hair loss due to weight loss



vamq
January 3rd, 2012, 04:00 AM
I know there is another thread about this, but it didn't exactly mention what wanted to know (because I never wanted to lose weight in the first place). If this thread isn't ok, feel free to remove it, mods :)

Anyhow..last summer in july I got very ill because I had to deal with a lot of stress in a short time (broke up with BF after 4 years, with last 2 years being not good at all, had to move back in with my parents, which whom I don't have a good relationship, and my best friend turned out to be an s$$). This stress turned into anxiety and panic attacks.
Because of all this, I couldn't eat. I tried, but I just couldn't, and because of that I lost a total of 12 kilograms in 2 months. Considdering I already was quite skinny (52 kg on 1.67 m) this wasn't good at all.
I have been blood checked more than once, but I didn't have any vitamin shortage, and my thyroid is just fine. I was losing my hair like madness back then already, but I considdered it to be a side effect of all the stress, and was focusing more on feeling better in general.
I did cut back from almsot tailbone to a bit above waist in august.

It's been almost 6 months now since my health problems started. I'm happy to say that my health is slowly getting better: I'm seeing a psychologist now to deal with all the stress: my last real panic attack was more than 2 months ago, I'm slowly trying to get back to my schoolwork again, I'm looking for my own appartment and last but not least: I'm gaining weight. I'm at almost 48 kg now.
I'm not completely back to normal again, but I'm slowly getting there:)

But the thing is: while everything is getting better, my hair is STILL falling out like madness. Not as bad as before (back then I lost 300+ a day), but still more than is appropriate (I'm quite sure it's more than the 100 a day one is supposed to shed). It's so bad that you can see my scalp at the temples.
I visited a doctor twice about this because it really worries me, but the first one (not my GP, mine was on vacation at that time) just told me that "when it gets really bad, you can always wear a wig" (I hate him. I really do).
Yesterday, I visisted my own GP for a second opinion (and a general checkup). He told me that while my body is getting better, hair has a "growth delay" of 3 months in comparison to the body (I hope it is clear what I mean here).
I started gaining weight again at the end of October, so my hair is not yet seeing the benefits of it.
(he did check my scalp to make sure it's not a fungus or anything, but that wasn't the case).

So my question is: Has anyone else experienced this? How long did it take for your hair to stop shedding? Did it return to normal?
Is this 3 months delay really what's going on?
Is there anything I can do to hide the bald spots? I'm already being very gentle with my hair, and I also make sure I take enough vitamins and drink and eat enough.

The weird thing is: my hair just grows. It grows really fast actually (it's 5 cm from hip already, and my roots turn up earlier than before). So the good thing is that my hair grows, but the bad thing is that I'm shedding like crazy:confused:


Sorry for the long story (and bad grammar, I'm Dutch).
It's just that I saw myself in the mirror this morning, and while feeling quite unhappy about this, I thought to myself I'd better ask some advice here before I cut my hair back even more;)

Avital88
January 3rd, 2012, 04:19 AM
First of all your grammar isnt bad..

Second.. I've had a similar experience to yours,breakup,moving back to mom, losing too much weight,losing all my hair.. this was 2.5 yrs ago and i had so many check ups in hospitals etc but it really is the stress.
I'm sorry you have to go through all of this but believe me you will be alright, and yes the 3 months delay is true..Just keep on eating healthy, sleep enough and your hair will gain back her thickness soon!
Dont cut :)
Take care and if you want to talk you can pm me, even in Dutch if you prefer,i speak it.

Renate
January 3rd, 2012, 04:38 AM
I've had a case of weight loss (not as intense as yours, though), in wich my hair started falling out a lot, too. I saw my dermatologist and she said I had nothing wrong going on with my health, and that it was probably that normal kind of alopecia people have every x years, but still she gave a medicine to put on my scalp every day, the name was "minoxidil". About 6 or more months past and my hair still falls but much less than before, and where I had put the medicine there were MANY new hairs!

Talk to your doctor about Minoxidil!

Mesmerise
January 3rd, 2012, 04:57 AM
I've had a case of weight loss (not as intense as yours, though), in wich my hair started falling out a lot, too. I saw my dermatologist and she said I had nothing wrong going on with my health, and that it was probably that normal kind of alopecia people have every x years, but still she gave a medicine to put on my scalp every day, the name was "minoxidil". About 6 or more months past and my hair still falls but much less than before, and where I had put the medicine there were MANY new hairs!

Talk to your doctor about Minoxidil!

I have heard, though, that if you stop using Minoxidil, the hair that has grown due to its use falls out again. Are you still using the Minoxidil or have you stopped? I am wondering if this is true or not, as I have had bad shedding, and have thinning around my hairline that doesn't seem to be recovering (although my usual shed hairs seem to regrow...). I am wondering if it is worth using it just on my hairline area? But I am worried that I'll regrow the hair, only to have it fall out again if I stop using it!!

vamq
January 3rd, 2012, 05:04 AM
Thank you for your reactions :)

Renata: I try not to use things like Minoxidil. First because one of the side effects is acne. I already have quite severe acne, so I avoid everything that can make this worse. Second, I've looked it up, and it is really, really expensive, and I am just a poor student :p.
Third, and that's the most important reason for me: as soon as you stop using Minoxidil, the effect is gone too. I saw this happening to 2 Minoxidil-users I know. I'm afraid that my condition might get even worse.

I hope my body will solve this just on it's own. I just know that it has to be possible. I'm just curious how long it will take...

Renate
January 3rd, 2012, 05:19 AM
Mesmerise: I have stopped months ago and the new hairs are still there. If they would fall I'm certain my dermatologist would have told me!

vamq: I didn't know about the side effects.. It didn't gave me acne, though. It is expensive if you try to buy in a conventional drugstore, but I got it manipulated for much less, and the little bottle lasts a long time. Well, if your doctor said you have nothing wrong with your health, then I'm sure your body will solve on your own :)

vamq
January 3rd, 2012, 05:34 AM
Avital88: I know this is probably different for everyone, but how long did it take before you noticed any sign of improvement?:)

cheetahfast
January 3rd, 2012, 07:51 AM
This happened to me too--twice!

Once from veganinsm, once from stress.

I moved in the Fall and didn't adjust well, I was stressed and anxious. I lost 15 pounds in about 6 weeks, despite eating. My hair started shedding very badly. I started eating more fats and tried to destress. Around the end of November my hair started to thicken up. The stress started in August and I started to fix it in late September.

You have to remember that since you were stressed longer it might take your body longer to recover.
I would also recommend scalp massages, they are relaxing and possibly stimulate growth.
You can just use your fingers or a bit of oil.

vamq
January 3rd, 2012, 08:29 AM
Thanks for the reactions again:)

Let's see my timeline (this might be the only board EVER where I don't feel ashamed to talk about my situation. I love you all for that, really)

I broke up with my BF at the beginning of april, and moved back in with my parents then. The initial shedding started at the beginning of july, thinking back (I remember being at a festival, brushing my hair, and thinking: gee, I'm losing quite some hair here).
Panick attacks started just one week after that, because my best friend turned out to be not so much of a best friend (turned out he was in love with me, and he didn't understand why I wouldn't start a relationship with him. Why, I was single. So I could be in a relationship with him, was his reasoning..)

The crazy amount of hairloss really started around the beginning of august. I cut back to above waist half of august. I got ino therapy (thus, working on stress) around the end of september. My latest panic attack was half november.
Did have a bit of stress last month, but that was normal stress (school deadlines, the regular) not as insane as being unable to eat or sleep because of it-stress.

I hope this will resolve itself soon. My GP says I shouldn't worry too much. He did say that if things don't get better within 2-3 months, I should have my blood checked again. He said he thinks it is telogen effluvium which should solve itself in time. Let's hope so :)

I set myself a 'deadline: I'll let my hair just for what it is until my birthday in march. If my hair still hasn't improved even the tiniest bit by then, I'll cut back to above waist again, maybe even BSL. I always told myself that I really want long hair, but I want it to look good, because I don't want to hate my own hair. (and microtrimming just isn't for me-it never has been).

Amber_Maiden
January 3rd, 2012, 11:41 AM
Happened to me once or twice. I did experience lots of shedding... It took about a year for my body to gain back weight and fix itself.