My hair is getting as thin as my behind!!!

[Candice 1]

Okay, I knew this was coming, but what exactly is the scientific/medical reason for losing your hair with weight loss? I wouldn't be so worried about it if I knew why it's falling out. Will it stop soon, it's been reeaalllly falling out for about three weeks. Any ideas what I can do to help it stop falling out.

[Banded in KS 0]

My hair fell out for about two months. I was FREAKING OUT!!

But, it did stop (or should I say return to normal??) I also have noticed that some is starting to grow back.

Here is how it was explained to me:

At any time, your hair is in one of three stages: growth, dormant?, and falling out. When your body goes through a major event/shock like child birth or surgery, it puts all your hair into the same stage. Hence, you see the large Hair loss.

I am not sure how much validity there is in this explanation...because I thought it would mean that I would lose ALL my hair...but, luckily, that did not happen.

I did increase my Vitamins during the hair loss stage and it did not seem to make any difference...so hang in there. Just like everything else... this too shall pass.

[paula 4]

Hi Candice!

Some people say that the Vitamin Biotin helps. You can find it at Walmart.

Also - try increasing your protien.

I remember when my hair was falling out post surgery - my mom's wig from 1970 was looking pretty good!

*sigh* if its not one things, its another with us women!

[Wheetsin 714]

There are direct causes, and indirect causes.

Directly, and long story made short - your body is hitting the infamous "starvation mode" and channeling its energy & nutrients into keeping itself going, sacrificing your hair in the process. When fat, our bodies are well fed -- including our hair. Especially if you're Protein intake is not what it should be - muscle, then hair will likely be the first things to go (starving animals will actually pull out & eat their own hair -- protein). The most sifnificant hairloss should peak about 5 - 7 months after surgery, and should stop once your body reaches a point of equilibrium.

Indirectly - your body has a lot of things going on. Weightloss bring a lot of "baggage" -- for instance, hormonal fluctuations. Think of it like "fat = hormones". The more fat, the more this is true. That's why MO women often suffer from atypical Hair growth that "normal" women don't, and atypical usually means growth that we consider "man's" hair: on the chest, beard or moustache area, etc. Your hormones impact your hair, and as your hormones go through wild changes, so can your hair in turn.

Be sure to get in your Protein and keep hydrated. Taking silica complex and even pre-natal Vitamins, as you can, should help.