I'm losing my hair! I'm scared! help?

I don't know where to post this so I'm just gonna post this anywhere. I'm 15 and I'm losing my hair. I used to have a head full of hair but now it's really thin. I thought my hair was falling out because I was straightening it too much and I was using too much heat so I stopped using heat about 3 months before school ended. I was still losing hair. A lot of it. To this day I've been losing clumps. Finally I did some research on the causes of hair loss and read that one of the reasons could be lack of nutrients and proteins or bad diet. And then I remembered that I have been starving myself and working out a lot trying to lose weight. I lost about 20 pounds in idk how many months. I also read that my body could be in shock of my weight loss. I'm starting to eat better now. I'm starting to eat as many calories as I can. But I am just wondering if 1200 calories was good/healthy enough for my hair to e healthy again? And how Lon after my new diet will my hair start to grow back? I'm scared to lose anymore hair. I have about 2 months before school starts again. Do you guys think that if I eat well these 2 months it would decrease the amount of hair loss by the beginning of school? Help me please! I'm already insecure about my body... And my hair was the only thing I actually liked about myself... I'm losing confidence second after second. Will my hair take forever to grow back or at least to stop falling so much?

1200 is usually not enough for an adult, much less for a teen. Your hair loss is almost certainly due to lack of calories and nutrients. Even when your body recovers, it might take months for your hair to get better - but it will eventually!

Please, talk to someone if you already haven't. Your insecurity is worrying - or rather the fact that it led you to starve yourself.

So how much calories do you suggest I should be eating?

And thanks for replying to my post. I appreciate it :)

Err.. I'm sorry that is happening to you.. :( But.. I am in the same situation, I mean, not hair loss, but I might have an ED because I am severely underweight.. Everyone tells me that as a teenager you need at least 1800 calories a day.. :/ I know it is a lot.. I get about 400 to 700 calories a day.. :/ lol, so it will be a big jump for me too.. But.. If your hair is falling out because of lack of nutrients I think it is very, very, very worth it.. :/

I've gone through a similar thing.  However, my weight loss was fairly gradual - over 2 years (35-40 lbs).  I am currently weighing in at between 81-83 lbs - 5'6".  Started noticing the hair loss around a year ago...Not only on the top of my head, but everywhere on my body.  I was very malnourished - eating the same thing everyday - My lab results showed low levels of everything.  I began changing my diet so that it included variety - didn't change my calorie intact too much though (I currently eat only around 900-1100 cal/day).  Over six months my lab results showed better - after 8 months they were in the normal range.  It took about 8-10 months before my hair stopped falling out - it was a gradual thing.  After changing my diet I noticed a change (small changes) every month or so and it started to grow back.  My hair use to be SO thick and almost unmanageable! It is so strange to not have this 'problem' anymore - though I would give almost anything to get my 'old' hair back! Now it is thin, lifeless and not so pretty.  I still have no body hair growing (which is very nice I must say...)

So, I now how you feel sweetie and I feel for you.  Your nutrition needs to change.

Keep the faith

 

A teenager to gain weight requires 3,000 cals per day.

A adult to gain requires 2,500 to gain.

These are minium. Unless otherwise advised by a doctor or specalist in nurtional support or re feeding.

Your hair is falling out due to lack of nutrition including fat, proteen and carbs. You need a mix of everything.

Eating a very low diet will damage your growning body both internally and externally.

If you look on the back of a packet of chips or McDonalds, they now print nutritional guidelines. For women the average daily maintaining diet is 2,000, children below the age of 15 years maintaining minimum diet is 1,800. These are for healthy people.

If you are underweight you need to eat more to repair.

Please try to eat more, even if you eat the 1,8000 and see how you feel.  You will not get fat/gain lots of weight on this. You will be healthy.

Aim for a good Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack and plenty of water too.

Nuts are good for hair and nails, so are peanut butters.

Have a look on the weight gain forum what did you eat today for ideas and also the maintaing forum.

Good luck.xx

Original Post by pitsea:

A teenager to gain weight requires 3,000 cals per day.

Yep. Karlytah, what weight are you at now? If you didn't end up underweight and thus don't necessarily have to gain weight per se, you should at least eat at maintenance level until your body repairs. If you did, try your best to get up to at least 3000.

If you have trouble eating more than 1200, maybe you should eat more calorie-dense foods. Drinking some of your calories might help as well.

 

Edit: Just for the record, losing weight won't do jack about your insecurity. You need to do something about that first (and get help if necessary), and then see where you're at weight-wise.

You need to go see your doctor.  You could have a thyroid issue that is SO easy to correct.

You are correct that your diet is reflected in the health of your hair- and skin!  You are on the right track. This website will help you choose foods that are nutrient rich.

Don't worry. Your hair will grow back!  Start eating a healthy diet and see your doctor!