Hair loss after weight loss: Causes, risks, and prevention

Hair loss that results from weight loss is a temporary condition that occurs when a person loses weight through restrictive dieting or weight loss surgery. Stress on the body or nutrient deficiencies may be the cause.

This type of hair loss is generally known as telogen effluvium, and it is a common cause of hair loss. It typically occurs about 3–4 months after rapid weight loss and lasts for up to 6 months.

Not all hair that falls out is hair loss. It is normal to lose about 50–100 hairs per day, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. This is known as hair shedding.

During telogen effluvium, however, much more hair falls out.

Some causes of telogen effluvium can include:

• losing a significant amount of weight
• giving birth
• having high levels of stress
• having high fever
• undergoing surgery
• experiencing illness, particularly with high fever
• stopping birth control pills

Telogen effluvium generally subsides within 6–9 months as the body adjusts to the changes.

Telogen effluvium following weight loss is sometimes the result of nutrient deficiencies in the diet and the cumulative effects of weight loss on the body. This is particularly the case if the weight loss is due to crash dieting, weight loss surgery, or restrictive dieting.

Proper nutrition is vital to the formation of healthy hair shafts and the promotion of hair growth. Some studies suggest that diets low in iron and zinc may be more likely to induce hair loss. Other nutrients that may affect hair growth include fatty acids, selenium, and vitamin D.

Hair shafts undergo several cycles during their lifetime. These are as follows:

• The anagen phase: This occurs when hair is growing and can last for several years.
• The catagen phase: This is a short transitional phase of a few weeks.
• The telogen phase: This is a rest phase of 3–4 months. At the end of this phase, the hair will fall out, and new hair will grow in the follicle.

Hair loss happens when stress on the body triggers the hairs to stop growing and enter the catagen phase too early. They will go on to the telogen phase and fall out prematurely.

Weight loss surgery

Although weight loss surgery can lead to reduced overall weight, it can also cause nutrient deficiencies that may lead to hair loss.

For example, one 2018 study involving 50 people who underwent sleeve gastrectomy observed hair loss in more than half.

Also, one 2021 study involving 112 women who underwent sleeve gastrectomy found that nearly 75% of them experienced hair loss. Of those who reported the condition, nearly 80% said that it started 3–4 months after surgery.

Hair loss due to weight loss is neither dangerous nor permanent. Generally, the body adjusts within a few months, and hair production resumes.

However, the nutrient deficiencies of a restrictive weight loss regimen can be damaging. For example, reducing the amount of iron in the diet can lead to iron deficiency anemia, which has several serious health complications.

Iron deficiency anemia can lead to:

• infections
• heart problems
• developmental delays in children
• pregnancy problems
• depression

Additionally, severe calorie restriction can lead to malnutrition and accompanying issues, such as decreased muscle function, cardiorespiratory problems, stomach issues, suppressed immunity, and depression and anxiety.

Telogen effluvium after weight loss can be the result of nutrient deficiencies or losing a lot of weight too quickly.

Prevention and treatment of telogen effluvium focus on proper nutrition and diet. Maintaining a balanced diet while avoiding crash diets and quick fixes is important to long-term weight loss success as well as avoiding telogen effluvium.

If someone is already experiencing telogen effluvium but is no longer trying to lose weight, they will most likely find that the condition resolves in time once they address their nutrient deficiencies through diet and, if necessary, supplementation.

A person should look for a paced, balanced diet that provides the essential micronutrients and macronutrients that the body needs each day to function.

Individuals should consult a licensed nutritionist if they are unsure what the proper levels of these micronutrients and macronutrients are.

If following a limited diet, be sure to include foods rich in iron and zinc. Look for:

• shellfish
• seeds
• nuts
• eggs
• dairy
• legumes
• spinach
• quinoa
• turkey
• broccoli
• fish
• cashews
• chicken

Hair loss after weight loss is a common occurrence that may be the result of stress on the body or nutrient deficiencies.

Experts generally refer to this as telogen effluvium. Telogen effluvium begins about 3 months after the initial weight loss.

The condition is usually the result of nutrient deficiencies that arise from severely restrictive dieting or weight loss surgery. It will generally resolve within about 6 months as the body adjusts to the weight loss.

To treat telogen effluvium, a doctor may recommend adjusting the diet to add iron, zinc, and other essential nutrients if a person has a clinical deficiency. At present, there is a lack of research to support the use of supplementation to treat telogen effluvium if a person does not have a nutrient deficiency.

Hair Loss After Weight Loss: Causes, Risks, and Prevention

In some cases, weight loss can lead to side effects, including hair loss.

Your body is sensitive to nutrient deficiencies, stress, and hormonal changes — all of which can happen as a result of rapid weight loss, restrictive diets, or weight loss surgery.

This article explains why some people experience hair loss after weight loss and discusses ways to treat and prevent the issue.

Hair loss during weight loss is commonly caused by nutrient deficiencies as well as other effects sudden and rapid weight loss can have on your body.

For example, sudden weight loss and restrictive diets have been linked to a condition known as acute telogen effluvium (TE), one of the most common causes of widespread hair loss on the scalp (1, 2).

Typically, TE occurs around 3 months after a triggering event like rapid weight loss and lasts about 6 months.

Weight loss and nutrient deficiencies associated with restrictive diets are also linked to other types of hair loss. These include chronic TE, which lasts longer than 6 months, and androgenic alopecia, also known as male or female pattern baldness (3).

Here are some causes of hair loss related to diet and weight loss.

Crash dieting

The link between crash dieting and hair loss has been documented in research as far back as the 1970s (4).

Your hair needs adequate calories and nutrients to grow properly. So, when your body doesn’t receive what it needs, side effects like hair loss can occur.

Many studies have linked hair loss to rapid weight loss, calorie restriction, nutrient deficiencies, and psychological stress — all commonly in people who are following crash diets.

For example, a 2015 study in 180 women with diffuse hair loss found that the most common causes of hair loss were iron deficiency and psychological stress. In eight of the cases, crash diets were the cause (5).

Poorly planned diets, such as crash diets, can lead to deficiencies in essential fatty acids, zinc, protein, and overall calories, all of which can lead to hair loss (1).

Very low protein diets

Amino acids, the building blocks of protein, are essential for hair growth. That’s because amino acids are necessary for the production of keratin, the main structural protein of hair.

Protein malnutrition — when your body doesn’t get enough protein — can result in hair loss. Thus, if you’re following a low calorie weight loss diet that doesn’t contain enough protein, you may experience hair loss as a result (1).

When your protein needs aren’t met, your body prioritizes important protein-dependent functions like tissue repair, digestion, pH and water balance regulation, and hormone production. Because hair growth isn’t essential to keep you alive, hair loss may occur (6).

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 (7).

The study also found that valine and cysteine deficiencies were common among the participants (7).

Weight loss surgeries

Weight loss surgery is associated with rapid weight loss and commonly causes deficiencies in protein, vitamins, and/or minerals, which in turn can spark hair loss (8, 9, 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 (9).

Notably, the participants with hair loss had much lower levels of zinc and vitamin B12 both before and after surgery (9).

In a 2020 study in 112 women who had undergone sleeve gastrectomy, 72% of participants experienced hair loss after surgery. In 79% of those who reported hair loss, the loss started 3–4 months after surgery and lasted an average of 5.5 months (11).

In addition to reducing stomach capacity, some types of weight loss surgery allow food to bypass part of the intestines, leading to malabsorption of nutrients and increasing the risk for deficiencies (12).

Restrictive diets

Just like crash diets, restrictive diets that cut out entire food groups can cause hair loss as a result of nutrient deficiency or stress.

Deficiencies in iron, zinc, protein, selenium, and essential fatty acids have all been linked to hair loss (13, 1).

Very low calorie diets have been shown to cause hair loss as well (6, 14).

Major stress, which sometimes comes along with restrictive dieting, has also been linked to hair loss (15).

Summary

Hair loss during or after weight loss can be caused by nutrient deficiencies, rapid weight loss, and stress.

Hair loss itself isn’t 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 (16).

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 (17).

Other medical conditions, such as autoimmune conditions, can also cause hair loss. Therefore, it’s important to talk to a healthcare provider if you’re 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 you’re experiencing hair loss, it’s important to consult your healthcare provider to rule out an underlying medical condition.

As mentioned, hair loss during weight loss can be caused by nutrient deficiencies or rapid weight loss. As such, it’s important that you aim to lose weight in a healthy, sustainable manner.

In addition to potentially leading to hair loss, crash and restrictive diets can be harmful to mental health and are associated with weight regain (18, 19, 20, 21).

Instead of a fad diet, choose a balanced diet that provides your body with the nutrients it needs to function optimally. Saying no to restrictive diets that promise rapid weight loss is essential for protecting your physical and mental health and reducing the risk of side effects like hair loss.

Additionally, if you follow a dietary pattern that restricts many foods — such as a vegetarian or vegan diet, which may be low in hair loss-associated nutrients like iron and zinc — make sure to include nutrient-dense foods and supplement with nutrients your diet lacks (22, 23, 24).

If undergoing weight loss surgery, ensure that your levels of nutrients like zinc, iron, and vitamin B12 are optimal before the procedure, and supplement with nutrients recommended by your doctor or dietitian afterward. This can help prevent surgery-related hair loss (8, 9).

How to facilitate hair regrowth

If you’re experiencing hair loss, it’s critical that you identify the cause before you try to treat it.

Remember, hair loss can have many causes, not just rapid weight loss or nutrient deficiencies.

If the hair loss is caused by a deficiency in one or more nutrients like zinc or iron, correcting the deficiency or deficiencies may stop the loss and lead to hair regrowth (1).

If a restrictive or crash diet that’s not giving your body enough calories or nutrients is to blame, it’s essential to stop the diet immediately and begin fueling your body correctly with a balanced diet rich in nutrient-dense foods.

If you have a nutrient deficiency, food alone may not be enough to replenish your nutrient stores and a supplement may be necessary. However, research suggests that if you don’t have a nutrient deficiency, supplements might not benefit hair loss (1).

A healthcare provider can identify the cause of your hair loss and help you come up with a plan to get your hair growing again.

Summary

To prevent hair loss, avoid crash and restrictive diets, fuel your body properly, and supplement before and after weight loss surgery. Work with a qualified healthcare provider to identify the cause of hair loss and to find a plan to facilitate hair regrowth.

Hair loss during or after weight loss can be caused by a number of factors, including nutrient deficiencies.

However, hair loss can also be caused by underlying health issues, so it’s important not to self-diagnose your hair loss as weight loss-related.

Work with a qualified healthcare provider such as a doctor or registered dietitian to identify the cause of your hair loss and to come up with a treatment plan to facilitate hair regrowth.

Products for strengthening hair: what you need to eat for hair growth

Strong healthy hair decorates a person’s appearance. With age or as a result of stress, improper care, diseases, hair loses its strength and natural shine, begins to fall out, and becomes brittle. The problem is not always the use of inappropriate products – the human body may lack useful micro and macro elements, vitamins and minerals that help strengthen and grow hair. To replenish the supply of essential substances, you need to eat hair products saturated with various components.

What the body needs to strengthen hair

Strengthening of hair and their growth depends on the ingestion of a sufficient amount of the following elements:

• fiber;
• protein;
• vitamins of groups A, B, C, D, E;
• iron;
• zinc;
• antioxidants;
• folic acid;
• beta-carotene;
• omega-3 fatty acids.

A balanced diet, in which products for hair growth are included in the diet, restores lost shine, natural strength, and restores scalp health. In addition, the right food helps to strengthen the hair follicles, thereby reducing the likelihood of hair loss. A high-quality professional hair care will help the specialists of our salon. Sign up for a consultation to receive recommendations on the selection of products and complete a course of restoration of hair health.

Master Product List

The list of useful products that provide the necessary nutrition for hair is quite extensive. Therefore, the diet is balanced, tasty and varied. This includes whole grains, dairy, seafood, fruits and vegetables, meat, eggs. It is worth familiarizing yourself with the top 10 most useful products.

Eggs

Rich source of protein and biotin. These elements help strengthen hair follicles. Biotin is needed to reproduce keratin, protein is required by hair follicles. Eggs also contain selenium, choline, lutein, vit. A, D and zinc. It is better to eat them boiled. You can make masks from eggs and rub into the scalp.

Oily fish

These anti-hair loss products are high in omega-3s, proteins and antioxidants. The following types of fish should be included in the diet:

• salmon;
• mackerel;
• herring;
• sardine;
• trout.

Fish contains selenium, vitamin D, iron, protein. It is recommended to cook fish dishes for a couple or eat boiled fish fillets.

Berries

These are not only healthy, but also very tasty products. The use of berries in food has a beneficial effect on the health of the body as a whole. They are high in vitamin C, which helps scavenge free radicals. Antioxidants protect hair follicles from damage, prevent hair breakage:

• grapes improve cell health;
• strawberries help collagen production;
• cherries and cranberries contain many vitamins.

Berries are best eaten fresh, but you can make natural juices and compotes from them.

Spinach

Good nutrition for hair loss helps to cope with the problem. The diet should include spinach, rich in iron, folic acid, vit. A and C. Broccoli, greens (dill, celery, parsley), asparagus and green beans should also be added to the diet. They contain calcium, which stimulates hair growth. From vegetables and herbs, you can prepare salads seasoned with linseed oil.

Poultry meat

Meat contains the highest amount of protein. Chicken and turkey meat is rich in zinc and iron. Properly cook a healthy product for a couple or use in a boiled form. Protein helps:

• strengthen follicles;
• nourish hair;
• restore healthy shine.

You can add meat to vegetable salads, but it is strongly not recommended to season such dishes with mayonnaise.

Legumes

When choosing what to eat for hair growth, legumes cannot be bypassed. Beans, beans, lentils contain a large percentage of vegetable protein, Zn, Fe, folic acid and fiber, which serve as food for follicle cells.

Experts recommend eating at least two glasses of legumes a week. The beans themselves can be added to salads or made into lobios. Compliance with a diet very quickly gives a positive effect.

Shrimps, oysters

Seafood is a source of vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, macronutrients. In addition, shrimp and oysters contain selenium, copper, niacin, and biotin. All these substances take part in the restoration and strengthening of curls, make hair thick and lush. Zinc, which supports the active phase of growth, is especially helpful.

Nuts, seeds

These foods are high in fat, heavy enough to be absorbed by the body. Therefore, it is better to use cashews, almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts for breakfast. Nuts contain alpha-linoleic acid. It gives hair shine, saturates and moisturizes. During the day, it is recommended to eat no more than 7 nuts and continue to adhere to the diet for two months. Flax, sunflower, chia seeds contain a lot of fatty acids, selenium, zinc, vitamin E. To get different nutrients, you need to use a mixture of seeds.

Buckwheat, oatmeal, cereals

A bowl of buckwheat or oatmeal for breakfast will help you forget about split ends. Buckwheat is loaded with antioxidants, magnesium, vegetable proteins and fiber. It does not contain gluten, which some people cannot tolerate. You can supplement the correct diet with whole grain bread. It is rich in zinc, iron and vitamin B, which helps to strengthen the curls, gives them strength.

Dairy products

An imbalance in the intestinal microflora is also a cause of poor hair condition. Cottage cheese, fresh milk, homemade yoghurts, kefir – this is what you need to eat daily for hair growth.

Milk protein casein is present in large quantities in dairy products. You can combine fruits with dairy products.

The most useful means of restoring hair health is the right diet. It is recommended to add fresh carrots, cabbage, sweet peppers to a balanced diet. You can include dishes with peanut butter, tomatoes, sweet potatoes in the menu. Good sleep, a healthy lifestyle and the rejection of bad habits also help hair.

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The secret associated with diets, which is rarely talked about, is that successfully by dieting, losing weight, you can thereby provoke hair loss. As they fight obesity by trying one diet after another, some dermatologists say they are increasingly hearing complaints about thinning hair from unlucky diet victims.

After Darya Sokolova, a clerk in Moscow, lost five kilos using the Atkins diet a few years ago , her hairdresser noticed that her once thick hair was thinning . It wasn’t until after consulting hair health experts that she learned that her diet could be the cause.

Diet can cause hair loss

“Diet was the only new thing in my life,” she says.

Hair loss can be caused by a number of factors, including pregnancy, stress, surgery, age-related hormonal changes – and this is only a small part of the possible causes. However, few people know that hair can also thin out due to weight loss, due to lack of nutrition.

While iron deficiency is often associated with dietary weight loss, deficiencies in many other nutrients can lead to hair loss, trichologists say. Changes in levels of zinc, magnesium, protein, essential fatty acids, and vitamins D, B, and A can trigger hair loss . This problem affects both men and women, but women are more likely to pay attention to it and resort to treatment, doctors say.

The fact that the lack of such a wide range of nutrients can lead to hair loss means that diets are very dangerous for hair.

The threat of hair loss should not deter those who want to lose weight. And to convince them to abandon trendy diets , promising fast weight loss.

These diets are often nutrient deficient, and in general, sudden weight loss is itself stressful to the body, which can cause metabolic changes that affect hair growth.

Weight loss without harm to hair

The best weight loss program for healthy hair, doctors say, is a reduced calorie diet that gradually loses pounds and includes healthy nutrition from all food groups.

Diets low in protein and iron, such as vegetarian diets and very low fat diets, very often lead to nutritional deficiencies . However, high-protein diets, such as the Atkins diet that starts with no fruits and vegetables, can also lead to hair loss. Typically, complaints of thinning hair come from patients who have lost about 10 kilograms in a short period of time.

The Atkins spokesman referred us with this question to the company’s website, where the topic of hair loss is included in the “frequently asked questions” section. He noticed at the same time that any weight loss can lead to hair loss. The company’s website states that the Atkins diet is unlikely to cause hair loss. However, dermatologists say that no scientific studies have been conducted to determine which diet is less dangerous for hair growth.

Hair loss and our food

The hair of a healthy person grows at a rate of about 2.5 cm in two months. The life cycle of a hair consists of three phases. Abrupt changes in diet can disrupt this cycle, causing hair follicles to transition from the growing phase to the resting phase. This means that the rate of daily hair loss will increase by 20-30%.

For many people, diet-related hair loss is a temporary phenomenon that can last from two months to six months. Once a person goes over balanced diet , the hairline is gradually restored. Dermatologists say they often advise dieters to take Iron Vitamins and try to lose no more than a kilo per week.