Weight loss can cause hair loss, temporarily

Don't worry, once the stressful event has passed, your hair thickness will usually return to normal within a few months. — Freepik

My husband successfully lost a lot of weight recently. We are talking about 20kg over the period of three months. He controlled his diet and exercised. However, he also lost a lot of hair. Is this normal, or is the hair loss due to another reason?

If you lose a lot of weight, there is always the possibility of hair loss. This hair loss is temporary.

People can lose a lot of weight through dieting or after surgery, especially if you have bariatric surgery, the kind that restricts your stomach’s capacity and makes you feel full more quickly. At the same time, this weight loss causes stress on your body and makes you nutrient deficient, pretty much like starvation.

So his hair loss is indeed caused by his rapid weight loss! How long will it last?

Hair loss due to weight loss is known as telogen effluvium. It is quite common. You usually lose about 50 to 100 hairs a day in a normal fashion. This is called normal hair shedding. But in telogen effluvium, you lose a lot more than 100 hairs a day. It usually occurs three to four months after you have lost a lot of weight, and can unfortunately last for up to six months.

Why does this happen?

Telogen effluvium as a result of weight loss is due to nutrient deficiencies in your diet that have happened during your diminished calorie intake, and it is catching up with you.

It is particularly bad when your weight loss is due to crash dieting, and not something more gradual, or if you had weight loss surgery and your body is suddenly not used to the sudden diminished calorie intake.

Hair needs proper nutrition to grow.

How does hair grow?

Hair growth actually has four different phases. This goes for all the hair on your body.

The phases are:

1. Anagen

This is the growing phase. This is the longest phase, and can last from two to eight years. The anagen phase is different for different types of hair on the body.It is much shorter for your eyebrow hair and pubic hair than it is for the hair on your head. In this phase, your hair follicles push out hairs. These hairs continue to grow until they are cut, or if they reach the end of their life and fall out naturally. At any one moment in your life, 85% to 90% of your hairs are in the anagen phase.

2. Catagen

This one lasts only two weeks. Your hair follicles shrink and hair growth slows down. That particular hair separates from the bottom of its hair follicle, but still remains in place. Only 1% to 3% of your hairs are in catagen at any one moment in time.

3. Telogen

This lasts around two to three months. Hairs don’t grow or fall out in this phase. However, in those very follicles where the hair still sits, new hairs start to grow. Roughly 9% of your hairs are in this telogen phase.

4. Exogen

Hair is shed here, especially through washing or combing, and this can last several months. New hairs are helping to push out the old ones.

Once you've reached your desired body weight, you can start to maintain a more normal diet so your hair can grow back. — TNS

So in telogen effluvium, let me guess – something went wrong with the telogen phase?

Nutrition is very important to all hairs and in maintaining these phases of hair growth.

The nutrients involved are postulated to be iron, zinc, fatty acids, selenium and vitamin D.

So if your diet is restricted and contains much less of these nutrients, the stress on your body triggers your hairs to stop growing in the anagen phase.

It then enters the catagen phase too early. Many of your hairs will go to the telogen phase and fall out prematurely.

Are diet and bariatric surgery the only causes of this?

Giving birth and having high levels of stress can also cause your hair to fall out.

Additionally, other types of surgery can cause a lot of stress to your body as it attempts to channel its nutrients to repair itself. Illnesses and high fever can also give the same effect.

Some women experience it after stopping birth control pills.

Is there any cure for telogen effluvium?

Your body will adjust to the changes in six to nine months and your hair will grow back.

But don’t forget that continuous excessive dieting can lead to other issues, such as nutrient deficiencies and many other problems associated with not getting enough body fuel.

After you have lost enough weight to reach your desired body weight, you can start to maintain a more normal diet.

Do seek a dietician’s advice in order to get all the nutrients you need.

It is true that people need to maintain a healthy body weight and BMI (body mass index).

But the route to this is to gradually reach your desired weight rather than a crash diet or a quick fix like bariatric surgery.

When in telogen effluvium, you can consult a dermatologist.

Some possible medicines that will help you grow your hair back include minoxidil, but do not take it without a doctor’s advice and prescription.

Foods rich in iron and zinc include shellfish, fish, eggs, milk, legumes, spinach, quinoa, nuts and seeds, broccoli and chicken.

Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health, computers and entertainment. For further information, email [e-mail]. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.