[MsFierceFab]

My hair has been thinning like crazy in the middle of my scalp. At first I thought it was because of my excess use of the flat iron however I stopped using the flat iron for 3 weeks and my hair still seems to be thinning. I'm starting to get nervous, I eat pretty healthy, I don't think it could be malnourishment because I do eat a lot of fruits and veggies. I just hope there isn't anything wrong with my Thyroid. Have any of you experienced hair loss while losing weight?

[KellieGettingFit]

Doesn't too low fat a diet generally cause hair loss? Fruit and Veggies are great, but are you getting a reasonable amount of healthy fats?

[MsFierceFab]

Originally Posted by KellieGettingFit

Doesn't too low fat a diet generally cause hair loss? Fruit and Veggies are great, but are you getting a reasonable amount of healthy fats?

Is fish considered a healthy fat? because I eat a lot of that as well.

[yoyoma]

Make sure you are eating enough protein, bc that's what hair is primarily made from. And make sure you are eating enough calories in general (no crash diet).

Healthy hair also does need healthy fats. Fatty fish (salmon and tuna) has some, but you'd have to be eating a lot of it to get enough (enough to start worrying about mercury poisoning). Fish (or krill) oil supplements are easier but you should also consider adding nuts, avocados, olive oil (on salad or whatever), etc.


Good luck!

[revathi]

Hello!

I have the same problem. I have PCOS and unfortunately I have an elevated amount of free testosterone in my body. I have an endocrinologist and I take metformin and an anti androgen called aldactone. It has helped with hair loss. PCOS hair loss is similar to that of male pattern baldness. Don't be scared though. I have pretty long and thick hair so it is not like your going to be bald. You also might have insulin resistance. These are all my guesses because this is what I have. I have lost a lot of weight and it has really helped with all my blood work coming back in great and also the hair loss. My suggestion is to see an endocrinologist and a dermatologist. I have both of those doctors on speed dial. Also, I found that taking birth control along with my meds is also helpful. I hope your hairloss problem goes away!!!

[Lori Bell]

I have found that the B vitamin, Biotin helps a lot with my hairloss. After a fast and furious bout of thinning hair, it has been filling back in with a faithful daily dose of biotin...BUT, it took a good month before I noticed any improvement...it's definately not a quick fix.

Oh, and according to my GP (and lab tests) I don't have any medical issues like PCOS or thyroid problems. Mine was totally weightloss related according to him.

[ringmaster]

as you can see it can be a number of things. taking vitamins, eating right (like mentioned, protein and fats), biotin, MSM and iron levels can be worth checking if you don't eat enough food with iron and have heavy periods would be a good easy place to start.

for me, with thyroid and PCOS and hormone related hair thinning it kinda came gradually... once it was thick and after a few years it thinned out all over, not in any one spot. it wasn't all of a sudden falling out. maybe it's different for everyone though.

[twinieten]

I'm also going to suggest Biotin. I was losing so much hair, I was worried about going bald. I heard about biotin, started taking it, and saw improvement in a few weeks.

[fadeingangel]

my moms friend uses biotin and it realy helped

[Eruanna]

Might be an idea to see your dr. Mine started falling out a few years ago and like revathi it ended up being PCOS. With a change to the contraceptive pill it stopped falling out within days.

[kaplods]

By all means try the suggestions mentioned, and talk to your doctor about the issue, and whether or not you should have some of the tests to rule out endocrine and other disorders.

That being said, from what my doctors have said over the years and from the research I've read, even on the "healthiest diet" weight loss can still cause hair loss. In fact, there are so many things that can cause hair loss (including generic stress), that without other symptoms, doctors usually aren't concerned about the symptom (which doesn't mean you shouldn't be. If your doctor isn't concerned, but you still want him or her to run the tests for your peace of mind, don't be hesitant to speak up about asking for them).

The good news is that when diet or weight loss is the cause, hair loss is almost always temporary, and usually not severe enough to be noticeable to anyone but you.

In my case, low thyroid probably is playing a role in my hair loss (heredity also may play a role, but I'm adopted so I don't know if female hair loss runs in my bio-family). My thyroid levels aren't at a low enough level that my doctor wants to medicate. He said I could try otc rogaine, but I've not wanted to go that route yet, so for now I have to just "suck it up."

I do use a hair product that is supposed to thicken hair (by adding thin layers of keratin). It doesn't prevent hair loss, but it does seem to help prevent breakage and helps to make it seem like I have more hair, so you don't see the "thinning" at the crown. I don't think anyone would have noticed except me (except for my eyebrows - I used to have very thick eyebrows, and now they're very thin, especially the outer third - which is rather typical of low-thyroid).

[snarkysharky]

Kaplods - what keratin product do you use, if you don't mind telling me? I could use some.

[Thighs Be Gone]

Hi Ladies. I have to confirm what is reported overhead.

I learned about a supplement here and I know many women here and in RL have had success with it. The good thing is that you can get it lots of places--even Walmart and it's cheap.

BIOTIN! It is part of the Vitamin B family. I first learned about Biotin from Lori 259 who has had fantastic success with calorie counting--I think she has lost like 130 pounds or so. Anyway, she was right. Biotin does work. Once my weight stablilized and I started taking the supplement, my hair came back and is probably as thick as ever.

[kaplods]

Originally Posted by snarkysharky

Kaplods - what keratin product do you use, if you don't mind telling me? I could use some.

Of course,

The brand I'm using right now is Liquid Hair Restructurizer by Wella

I believe the active ingredients are hydrolyzed keratin and hydrolyzed silk


I should mention though that I'm not at all brand conscious. I always buy the cheapest brand I can find with the active ingredient I'm looking for. I had gone to the Beauty School to get a perm, and I was told I couldn't get a perm until I had improved the condition of my hair. They recommended a keratin product and I either bought what they had, or bought the cheapest I could find at Walgreen's (I don't recall which).

Whenever someone recommends a product to me, I will always find it on the shelves, and if it's not the cheapest, then compare the ingredients to cheaper versions. Most often the active ingredients are not only identical, they're listed in exactly the same order, and if that's the case (or if the ingredient list is substantially similar) I just buy the cheapest brand.

I've learned that if the ingredients are the same and in the same order, or if all but a few of the ingredients (usually the last few) are the same, especially when listed in the same order (and even more so if those last ingredients are preservatives, coloring agents, thickeners, or fragrances there's a very good chance it's actually made in the same factory than the more expensive brand and the only difference is the dyes, fragrances, and thickeners.

... which is why it can be handy to get a book on food and cosmetic ingredients, so you can look up common additives and ingredients to cosmetics, soaps and other personal care items, so you can tell what the active ingredients are.

This is true of foods as well. Often a company will make ketchups (just as an example) for ten or more brands. For some brands the only difference is the label. For other brands, there may be a "seasoning blend" that is a brand's "secret recipe" that is stirred in at the very end. Sometimes this makes a distinct difference in the flavor between brands, but as often as not it doesn't (and it may not even be seasonings in the blend at all but colors, thickeners, and preservatives).

As a result, I always use the cheapest brand that gives me the results I want. I do choose some better brands, but usually only when the cheaper brand was unsuccessful in some way (and usually this means that the "active ingredient" isn't the same, or the ingredients are listed in a different order). Every once in a while I may choose a brand simply because I like the fragrance better, but usually I just don't care.

[babygrant]

My first thought was thyroid? One day I woke up and had hair on my pillow. Everytime I showered I would lose clumps of hair. Got tested and my thyroid was off! Got on meds, and within a couple weeks no more hair loss.