Hair Shedding Like Crazzy Help!

Sep 17, 2016

Avery G.

My hair is shedding like crazy for 1 month what can be the reason help me out.I was kind of aneroxic but now I recovered and eating healthy but y my hair is shedding please help.

Sep 17, 2016

Hannah K.

That might be the reason hun, anorexia can make your vitamin levels drop due to the lack of food you are eating (which contains vitamins). I'd go to the Dr and have a blood test done just to make sure your vitamin levels are okay, and if anything can be done. Anorexia can also make your hair brittle, you could try using deep conditioning masks

Sep 17, 2016

Marleen B.

How long have you been recovered from anorexia? You could be still suffering from the effects of malnutrition if you just recovered recently. And even if you have recovered and are consuming enough calories to maintain a healthy weight, you still may not be getting enough protein, especially if your adhering to more of a vegetarian diet. Protein is necessary for healthy hair and nail growth. Hair and nails are primarily made of protein. When you consume protein, your body will take what it needs for healthy body functioning. But hair and nails are last in line to get the protein. If you're barely getting enough protein, your body is going to use it up and your hair and nails are going to be left with nothing. So when you finally start to see negative effects in your hair and nails, you know that your body has been suffering for awhile. Also, you could also have a hormonal problem which may or may not been have been caused by the anorexia. Thyroid or ovarian can cause hair fall out. Hypo or hyperthyroidism which can be controlled with medication. Some women will temporarily lose hair after giving birth and during breastfeeding. I have a friend who eats minimal meat who has lost hair after the birth of her last 2 children and she breast fed both of them.

Sep 17, 2016

Cara G.

Hi Avery :)
There are many reasons why you might be experiencing hair fall. This is something I've dealt with at varying points in my life too, both dramatic hair loss and an eating disorder. So I'll do my best to tell you what I know :)

A certain amount of hair fall is normal but when you begin to see it happening more than usual, in larger quantities and with greater frequency, it is an indication that something is wrong. What you've mentioned about your history of anorexia can certainly be one explanation because you may be depleted of nutrients that are typically provided by a balanced diet. Even though you are now in recovery and eating healthier, your body may not have caught up yet and you may be experiencing residual effects of your ED.

Another possible explanation is that you might have recently undergone a change in hormone levels, which is also a common side effect of an eating disorder (hence why women suffering with an ED often stop menstruating).

Alternatively, you may be biotin deficient. Most, if not all, supplements that are marketed for hair, skin, and nails contain biotin as an active ingredient because biotin deficiency causes hair loss. However, most of the research and medical literature on this subject says that taking a biotin supplement is only helpful for people who have an actual biotin deficiency. Others who take the supplement will just pass it in their urine, their bodies won't do anything with it.
But it is definitely possible that you are deficient in this particular nutrient, especially since it is a protein present in certain foods therefore it is usually provided by a regular diet.

And also, high stress levels can lead to hair loss because they set off a chemical chain reaction starting in the pituitary gland, which controls a lot of other hormonal functions in the body. So if you've been stressed or anxious in recent months, that could also be the culprit.

And it could be a combination of several of these.

The bottom line here sweetie, is that regardless of the underlying cause of your hair loss, it is still your body telling you that there is something wrong going on inside, something is out of balance and needs to be corrected to stop the hair from falling. You need to see your doctor and tell him/her what's been going on, probably have some blood work done to look at your levels of different nutrients and vitamins and check your organ functions, and from there you both can develop a plan to address this issue. I'd do this sooner than later because I waited until my hair loss was pretty severe before I sought my doctor's help. I'd lost nearly 70% of my hair thinking it would stop on its own. Please don't wait, Avery. It can be corrected by your doctor if you seek assistance.

Good luck!??

Sep 18, 2016

Avery G.

Thanks a ton cara, Marlene and Hanna