You started dieting to shed belly and waist fat. You exercise regularly. You've seen tangible results. You've lost quite a bit of weight in a few months. But even though you've lost weight, a new problem has disrupted your sleep at night – hair loss. You thought losing weight would give you perfect skin and thick hair. But exactly the opposite happened. As soon as you lost weight, hair loss problems began. Why does this problem occur? How can you stop hair loss?
Many people suffer from hair loss problems 3-4 months after losing weight. This problem can continue for up to 6 months. This condition is called 'telogen effluvium'. However, this problem is temporary. And this occurs as a result of sudden changes in the body.
Why does hair loss increase when you lose weight?
When you suddenly lose weight or drastically reduce calorie intake, the body receives a tremendous shock. The body then turns on the 'panic button' and goes into 'survival mode'. In this state, the body thinks it's more important to conserve energy for the heart, lungs and other vital organs rather than hair growth. This also causes hair loss.
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On the other hand, hair is made of a protein called keratin. When there are internal or external changes in the body, this keratin often gets damaged. So adequate nutrition doesn't reach the hair and hair loss problems occur. However, this problem doesn't appear suddenly in one day. This problem appears 3-4 months after weight loss.
Reasons for hair loss during weight loss
Nutritional deficiency: Many people restrict their diet while losing weight. If there's a deficiency of nutrients like adequate protein, iron, zinc, biotin and vitamins A, C, D, E and B12 in the diet, hair loss problems increase. Even if weight is lost, various problems appear in the body. Besides, metabolic shock is also a major cause of hair loss.
Hormonal fluctuations: Various changes can occur in the body during weight loss. In many cases, levels of hormones like insulin, estrogen, testosterone and thyroid fluctuate. This also increases hair loss.
How to understand that hair is falling due to weight loss?
According to research by the 'American Academy of Dermatology', losing an average of 50 to 100 hairs daily is normal. But after weight loss, if excessive hair falls while combing or shampooing, then you'll understand you're a victim of telogen effluvium.
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Will hair grow back?
The problem of telogen effluvium is temporary. It gets better with time. But if hair falls at an excessive rate, it's important to pay attention to diet. It's also necessary to check whether there's any nutritional deficiency in the body. Then new hair will grow again.
