Can Weight Loss impact Hair Loss?
Most of us would consider losing weight to have an overall positive impact on our health, but can the same be said for the effect this has on the health of our hair? There are cases in which the loss of weight can have negative effects, especially on our hair. However, this is rare for most people and only really occurs when weight is lost under specific circumstances; although there are ways, with the correct care and knowledge, that this can be prevented.
Sustainable, healthy weight loss, in which an individual undergoes a healthy calorie restriction under the directions of a medical professional, is the only way in which it is considered safe to lose weight while maintaining your overall health. Restricting calorie intake too much and failing to focus upon the nutritional values of the food you consume can leave you dealing with many negative side effects; including a heightened rate of hair loss. In most cases, this will not happen straight away; usually occurring if a lack of nutrition is experienced for at least a period of three months. This is due to the fact that when hair enters the resting phase, it normally takes about this long before, three months, before it begins shedding from the scalp.
Once hair starts to shed, this process can last for numerous months, even if a proper nutritional diet is resumed within this time.
When the body is lacking nutrients, it responds by shutting down all unnecessary functions in order to focus on those most important; this is what causes hair loss. There are a number of various deficiencies found to be likely to contribute towards higher rates of hair loss, including protein and calorie malnutrition that, commonly, both cause excessive hair loss within women. However, if levels of nutrition are restored to healthy levels, hair loss should also slow down after a few months; creating a noticeable difference in the thickness of your hair. While it may take a while, your hair should eventually return to its usual thickness and appear to be much healthier overall.
But, what do you do if your hair doesn’t grow back?
While this is rare and usually requires input from other factors additional to those caused by weight loss, some individuals may find that the rate at which they’re losing their hair does not begin to slow down; instead getting increasingly thinner as opposed to becoming thicker. In cases such as these, you may have to begin looking for other solutions in order to help you achieve a thicker, and healthier, head of hair.
One option commonly opted for to combat this issue is the use of a hair transplant, masking the look of thinning hair with effective and long-lasting results.
If you’d like to learn more about this hair loss treatment, visit our dedicated hair transplant page and discover what our Birmingham hair loss clinic can do to help you achieve the perfect head of hair.
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