Weight loss offers many benefits to an overweight teenage girl including improvements in the self-esteem, blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. However, too much weight loss -- or doing it in an unhealthy manner -- can cause serious damage to the body and all of its functions.
Delayed Growth
Unhealthy weight loss can delay the onset of puberty, which can discourage height and the growth of breasts. This is especially true if weight loss is obtained through an unhealthy diet -- lack of minerals, nutrients and calories can discourage the body's production of estrogen, which promotes puberty and growth. In addition, if you exercise excessively or do not eat enough food, you can experience bone mineral loss, which can discourage bone growth and height.
Hair Loss
Although a normal girl loses between 50 and 100 hairs every day, unhealthy weight loss can discourage hairs from growing back -- or can cause more than 100 hairs to fall out every day. This is because unhealthy weight loss causes the body to lack the protein, minerals and vitamins required to maintain hair growth. According to the KidsHealth website, if you exercise excessively to lose weight, you are more likely to experience iron-deficiency anemia, which can lead to hair loss.
Cardiovascular Problems
Too much weight loss can cause serious cardiovascular problems such as severe high blood pressure, slow heart rate, fat accumulations around the muscles of the heart, low blood pressure, abnormal thickening of the heart muscles and permanent heart damage. These cardiovascular problems can all lead to serious complications such as angina, arrhythmias, circulation problems, cardiac arrest, vision impairment, kidney failure, abnormally low body temperature and even sudden death.
Loss of Menstruation
A low body weight disrupts the functions of a teenage girl's hormones, which can cease menstruation. In addition, excessive exercise can interrupt the menstrual cycle due to low body fat levels and high energy expenditure. The stress that can accompany the desire to lose weight can also temporarily alter the performance of the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that is responsible for controlling hormones and regulating the menstrual cycle.
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