Anyone, including children, can suffer from hair loss, according to the Mayo Clinic. Hair goes through a predictable cycle of rest and growth. It is common to shed 50 to 100 hairs per day. But these hairs are normally replaced. When actual hair loss is occurring, new hair either fails to grow in its place and/or the rate of hair loss surpasses 125 hairs per day. The loss and thinning of hair are often due to genetics and aging. Sometimes weight loss can contribute to loss of hair.
Types of Hair Loss
The American Hair Loss Council (AHLC) says there are two types of hair loss. Anagen effluvium occurs primarily when toxic medications such as chemotherapy enter the bloodstream and effectively poison healthy hair follicles. The other type of hair loss is known as telogen effluvium, which can be triggered by a number of factors, including emotional and physical stress.
Telegen Effluvium Effects
According to the AHLC, telegen effluvium is often due to a disruption in your normal hair cycle that may occur in response to some type of emotional or physical shock to your system that prematurely sends your hair roots in to a state of rest. The affected growing hairs from these roots react by falling out. Telogen effluvium may follow traumatic events such as a death in the family, after an illness that causes a high fever or due to hormonal changes such as what occurs during pregnancy.
Telogen Effluvium and Weight Loss
Telogen effluvium can also be caused by a sudden drop in weight or when weight loss is excessive. Nutritional deficiencies that often lead to a weight loss can also set off telogen effluvium.
Considerations
The body reacts to stresses that often cause weight loss by shutting down production of hair because it does not consider hair necessary to survival. When its in a survival state, the body prioritizes its energy toward restoring more important body structures.
Prevention
Some diet programs recommend that their clients take vitamin supplements to prevent hair loss linked to dieting. However, the AHLC says vitamins are not able to prevent hair loss that occurs due to rapid and substantial weight loss.
Outlook
It may take as long as three months before hair fallout occurs following extreme stress or abrupt changes such as rapid weight loss. It can take equally as long before there is detectable hair growth once your body stabilizes and recovers from an acute or traumatic event. When the cause of telogen effluvium has dissipated or has been remedied your hair growth should return to normal.
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