Have you been experiencing hair loss? 😟 Let's talk about it! 🗣️👇🏼
Hair loss with weight loss is extremely common and not necessarily a side effect of the medication itself, but more as a result of how quickly the weight loss occurs. Things like stress on the body or nutrient deficiencies play a significant role in causing hair loss. This type of hair loss is called Telogen Effluvium.
Telogen Effluvium is the excessive shedding of resting or telogen hair. Our hair grows in a mosaic pattern and there are 3 different stages of hair growth.
Anagen, the active stage.
Catagen, the transition stage.
And telegen, the resting stage.
When our bodies experience stress like childbirth, illness, surgeries, and even weight loss it can throw our hairs growth cycle into the resting stage causing excess shedding to happen. Telogen Effluvium affects your hair when it's in the telogen stage. After a stressor, or change to your body (like weight loss) up to 70% of your hair in the anagen (or active stage) prematurely enters into the telogen stage, which causes extreme shedding. So instead of losing the normal 100 hair per day, you lose around 300 hair per day.
I know how scary that can sound! But it’s important to remember it’s only temporary and will usually resolve within 6-8 months. So let's talk about all the ways we can prevent this from happening and help your hair grow back if it is happening.
First and foremost, vitamins!! Certain vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B,C,D,E, Zinc, Biotin, and Iron, help maintain healthy hair, skin and muscle tissue. We need to nourish our bodies from the inside to see the effect on the outside. There are several hair, skin, and nail vitamins you can purchase so you aren’t overwhelmed with too many options all at once.
Eat extra protein. You need at least 40-60 grams of protein each day, a palm full of protein with each meal. A balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, and protein will help minimize hair loss. I know you hear this a lot but let me tell you why. About 85% of your hair is composed of a protein called Keratin. Keratin is a special hair protein that gives your hair strands their strength, flexibility and elasticity. Without sufficient protein in your diet, your hair can become brittle and fall out.
The best sources of protein include fish, eggs, red meat, poultry, cheese, beans, quinoa, tofu, legumes and nuts. The protein found in egg whites is one of the most complete and easily absorbed forms of protein for your body. We suggest eating up to two eggs a day, at either breakfast or lunch.
We also offer several treatments that can help with hair growth! One of my favorites, because holy relaxation, is Hydrafacial’s Keravive. Keravive is like a facial for your scalp! Designed to cleanse, stimulate, nourish, and hydrate the scalp. It’s a great treatment to improve overall scalp health and stimulate the hair follicle.
We also offer PRF (platelet rich fibrin) which is a non-surgical, minimally invasive way to improve your hair. This treatment encourages hair to become stronger, thicker, and fuller. PRF is a concentrated substance derived from a patient’s own blood that contains a high concentration of platelets, growth factors, and other bioactive proteins. In hair regeneration, PRF is utilized to stimulate hair follicles, promote natural hair growth, and improve the overall health of hair. The platelets within PRF are rich in growth factors that play a critical role in tissue regeneration and the natural healing process making it the perfect treatment for thinning hair resulting from telogen effluvium, medications, and iron deficiencies.
If you have any questions regarding our weight loss program or these treatments please call us!
Until next time friends,
Rachel Salinaro
Advanced Cosmetologist
Cincinnati, Ohio
513.620.7185