hair loss

i need serious advice as soon as possible. im currently suffering with my ed and trying to get healthy. we dont have the money to go visit a nutritionist, and i am a vegan with a high emphsis on raw foods. my hair is falling out, and i thought that by eating more grains, beans, ect. that my hair would improve. i just took a shower and my mom combed out my hair and i lost more than ever!  im so scared, i dont want to be bald i just want to be healthy. i am up like 8 pounds from two weeks ago which is so hard because it is all flabby and i cant stand looking in the mirror because i look disgusting. currently im wearing my hair in a long braid and washing/touching it as little as possible. how do you guys deal with this. ill take any advice! thanks

you need to eat more of anything but especially fats-oils, nut butters, avocados, nuts, full fat everything

also, your health is more important than eating beliefs regarding animals

good luck

i try to eat some form of fat per day like 1/2 an avocado or nuts/seeds. i try to use olive oil too but i dont want to use to much but i am trying! im sorry but i also have to disagree with you. i know that my health is important but there is no way that I could eat any animal products, i would probably just end up throwing it up because the idea repulses me.

fine but you need more fat, u can get plenty thru all i mentioned and i dont know how underweight u r but obviously the faster u gain, the faster ull get healthy and hair and everything else will return.  basically, u need more, the whole avocado, double ur servings, their is no "too much" when gaining.

Have your Doc rule out other health issues like autoimmune disorders.  Also, you only mentioned the shower and combing -- do you notice hair on you all the time?  How about on your pillows when you wake up in the morning?  Hair loss becomes noticeable in those ways first...and it usually does grow back IF you address the reason for the fallout.  If this is dietary, then make sure you are eating well...don't worry so much about counting calories, but DO keep track of nutrients.  Please make sure you are getting enough of the things you need.

You need to eat more...and it doesn't necessarily have to be animal products.  There is a protein supplement called New Whey and it gives you 42 grams of protein.  You need to eat a balanced meal, even if you are vegan.  It can be done!!!

If you want to talk about this further, please send me a personal mail here.

:)  Best to you!:)

BTW, you can enjoy more olive oil (it's a good fat and you sound like you need to gain)...I wish I could! :) 

Hi Mifizzle,

I have a friend who is vegetarian and experiencing hair loss.  While their are a number of causes: autoimmune issues, genetics, stress, there are also dietary links to iron deficiency and anemia, which in my friend's case I happen to think is a major issue, as even being a vegetarian she just does not get enough nutrients and eats very, very badly.  

Obviously it's a very complicated issue.  You don't necessarily need to see a nutrionist, a general doctor should be your first port of call if your concerns with your hair loss continue it needs to be treated and advised on by doctors. 

If also you find you are often tired, bruise easily and pick up colds you might be anemic and lacking iron so I would really suggest seeing a doctor.

While it's admirable you are sticking to your eating beliefs, I agree with Agruskin. The best thing you could do if the hair loss is going to be a big issue, you might need to compromise your eating beliefs and do what's best for your body and your health.

On a blatantly honest note (and I tell my vegetarian friend), the best thing you could do is to eat meat, particularly red meat.  

It's one of the best sources of iron and sometimes even the most balanced vegetarian/vegan diet, all the spinach, beets etc in the world wont give you what your body needs.

Hope you get on okay x

I'm a bit torn on this one, as I was a pretty hardcore vegan for over two years (initially not ED related, but with time as my ED did develop, I used it as justification for my warped eating patterns). But truly, I ate a very well-balanced and wholesome vegan diet and truly, I thrived. I'm not sure if it was just because my diet was so well-balanced or whether it was just very well suited to me personally, but I know that my hair was always luscious and plentiful and that my skin glowed. I am tempted to assume that mik's vegan diet isn't quite so balanced as was mine, and yet I get the feeling that she knows her stuff where veganism is concerned. So my conclusion therefore is that she simply is not getting enough. Whether if she was on an omnivorous diet this would change is unlikely in my opinion - I think for her, this is a case of malnutrition. Would it be easier for her to meet her caloric needs on a non-vegan diet? Probably. But I don't think that veganism itself is at fault here. Malnutrition is. You can be healthy and properly nourished on a vegan diet, but it takes work. Add an ED to the mix and it's a recipe for disaster.

Mik, I really think you need to keep upping the fats here... I'm sorry hon, but agru's right. There is no "too much" when gaining. We want you healthier faster. And the faster you get healthy, the faster your hair will grow back. There is no magic cure here. Food, nutrition, renourishment is your medicine... xox

Okay, Veganism is hard enough to follow and stay healthy without an ED to complicate things.  You really need to make sure you are getting enough protein.  Try to get at least 6 oz of protein a day.  The above suggestions on nuts is good, but also eat a lot of beans, boca burgers, tofu, tempeh, etc.  You need protein and fat to maintain healthy hair.  However, even if you increase these nutrients, you will still lose your hair if you are not consuming sufficient calories.  Your body's priority is to supply your essential organs with nutrients, so if you aren't getting enough fuel overall, you will still lose your hair.  Remember that you hair will reflect your health 6 months ago.  Just keep eating and get the fat and protein intake up and your body will be able to repair itself.

Well put mtnbikegirl. Highlighting protein was a good call. With sufficient nourishment and due time your hair will grow back. I know it's frustrating to feel like you're putting in the effort now to see no tangible gains, but they will come - just try to be a little patient.

thank you so much everyone for your advice. i know everyone on here has there own personal situations and are dealing with their own issues so i really appreciate that you guys can take the time to give me advice. im just so worried that my hair will keep falling out, and that it wont ever stop. also im not sure about how much weight i should gain. Im 5'6 and my lowest weight was around 105. Now im around 114-ish.

Today I did eat more fats than usual, almond butter and im going to have an avocado with dinner tonight.

Ninafish do you have any idea on how long it might take me before i start to see some results with my hair? thanks

Hey mikky :)

You know you really may begin to see some improvements in a couple of months time, or even beforehand, if you have been implementing some of these new dietary techniques earlier than now (say a couple of months prior). It really depends on numerous factors, many of which are largely metabolically related. I know that for me personally I tend to notice changes very rapidly (both negative and positive alike), but I have an odd metabolic system - (like within a couple of days my nails noticeably grow longer and my hair grows at a pretty rapid rate generally too - necessitates a lot of clipping on both counts!) I just say hang in there - I am doubtful it will take as long as six months for you to see SOME improvement. Granted it may well take this long for complete regeneration but I am quite confident you will see marked improvements prior to this time. I'm really happy you're taking such positive steps - good on you! And look, at your current height and weight your BMI status is still in the underweight category (though much better than it was!) But at this stage it would certainly pay to continue increasing - for your health and your hair's sake! So keep up with those healthy fats :) Trust me, I do really understand that this must be very distressing for you - but one day you may look back upon it and consider yourself lucky in the sense that it truly did provide the much-needed impetus for change (albeit a not so pleasant impetus). But this is your immune system's way of letting you know it's not happy. And it's doing so in a way that can CUT THROUGH the ED bullcrap (via targeting our womanly "vanities"). But hair will grow again - I have seen it happen with others, and I have talked to others who have experienced it. While VERY distressing when it occurs, rest assured that theirs did grow back. That's the cool thing about hair eheh. And when it does... the rest of you will also be glowing with health.

I've read multiple places that your hair/skin/nails are about 6months behind your nutrition, so it might take awhile to see results. Like right now I'm recovering, and getting to a healthy weight, but my hair loss is the worse it's been. It's frustrating, but I just have to keep telling myself it will get better.

thanks nina for the advice.

my hair is still coming out in huge clumps, its getting so thin. last night was horrible my mom and i both cried about it and i didnt know what do to. I just dont know how long this is going to take and I have senior pictures coming up and start school again in about a month. How do I deal with hair loss in school?

oh mik hon xoxox and ecwk too xoxox geez... I understand how distressing this must be. The restoration will take a while, but while it is still in the process of falling out in clumps this isn't really heartening news, is it? It WILL grow back, but what you're dealing with in the here and now is still very alarming for you. So we need to think of alternative strategies for the current situation. Has the loss become so extreme that there are obvious "patches" to the naked eye? Are you able to sort of style it cleverly at present, or at least disguise it partially with the help of something like a bandana or wrap? Is it so extreme that you would consider getting something like a hair piece to temporarily supplement it? (I know this isn't an ideal long-term solution, obviously, but some can be very effective and convincing... And remember this is just a potential temporary measure until it does grow back). Could you possibly cut your hair short in a nice new style that could be styled in a way to make the loss less evident? And that way, when it does start growing back properly, it will be like starting afresh... Gosh my heart really goes out to you - I wish I could fix it right away! But please do try to take some comfort in the fact that this is something fixable - it is not permanent. I want it to be better for you ASAP too, but I am grateful this is something that will, given time, be redeemed. You have a month before school starts - we can find something that works in that time.

all the advice everyone has given is great. bit of a fact: 1 brazil nut has ALL the recommended selenium required for 1 day. Selenium is what helps to keep our hair and nails strong. They have good fats which would certainly help too. Load up on those brazil nuts hahah

I do know what you're going through, i used to have the thickest hair ever! Now it's thin and lost all its volume and shine. It WILL get better as you get more nutrients and gain weight. i remember when i first started refeeding, i was in hospital, when i washed my hair i would just like cry by myself in the shower cubicle because it was just like pulling clumps of hair off my head:( but now i never have that problem! I hardly get any hair come off when i brush my hair anymore! I also couldn't keep up dying my hair blonde anymore because my hairdresser said it would pretty much totally damage my hair completely...and guess what... 2 days ago she was able to dye it back to my lovely blonde, i feel so confident again:) it'll get better darling

xx

tessafairy im so glad that you have nice hair again, i hope i can get there too someday! :)

nina its getting noticeably thinner but thank god there are no visible bald patches yet. I have very long hair and recently I have been wearing it in a big braid, and wearing some headbands. Ive also been wearing scarves and things but it just looks weird to me. I have thought about getting a hair piece or something like that but i don't know the first thing about them or where to even find one around here. I was also debating getting my hair cut, maybe about shoulder length with some layers or something. I was just worried that cutting it short would make it even more noticeable? thanks

It's ok, I totally understand your situation!

I started undereating without much thought, and lost quite a bit a weight--about 10 pounds. The first few months, I never noticed any difference in my hair, until 3 months later! I was just brushing through my hair with my fingers (like I always do) when a huge blob came out! That's when it hit me that something was wrong. I was terrified of washing my hair because I would lose so much each time.

Now that was about five months ago. Nowadays, I eat hearty meals, and voila, I've stopped shedding! I haven't gotten back to what I used to be, but I can see it coming, especially with all the baby hairs growing out!

So as long as you continue to eat more, eat healthy, your hair will come back. It will just take time. Don't expect anything to happen in one night, or even one week. Just like recovery is a gradual process, so is your hair!

Hey mik - I'm glad tessa related her story for you - very encouraging testimony :)

With regard to hair pieces, it's probably best to find a good hairdresser to give you tips - they also might be able to just style your hair in a fashion that will conceal the loss, or at least enable it to appear minimal. They may also be able to suggest some other alternatives. Just be very open and frank with them about everything that's going on (and be savvy - don't let them try to sucker you in to some bogus product you don't need. Remember, most of this will be rectified given time and adequate nourishment - you don't require a chemical cocktail.)

About a year and a half ago I had a psychotic breakdown (and yes I think this was in large part triggered by ED basically causing a poop out of my brain chemicals). I THOUGHT my hair was falling out. As in, I was so psychotically delusional that I "saw" bald patches etc on my head. I really did see them. Everybody I showed them to told me nothing was there - I thought there was some kind of conspiracy against me. It got so bad that I had two separate appointments with hair transplant surgeons who both looked at me as if I was insane and told me that I had a perfectly healthy head of hair. So when I say I can empathise with the distress I know you are feeling, I really mean that I can, even if mine was totally "in my head" rather than on or... off it. Eventually I came to see my delusion for what it was - mere hallucinations. But I still remember how distressing what I had "seen" really was.

Layer cuts can really add the appearance of volume, by the way, so you weren't wrong in your thinking there. If anything, I think that cutting it shorter would make the loss less rather than more noticeable. The best way to create a look of greater bulk is to have it taper towards the ends in order to create the illusion of more thickness at the top. But truly, I think you could benefit from a consultation with a hair specialist at this point. You would amazed at just how many options there are available - you may find such a revelation very encouraging. In the meanwhile, remember that this isn't permanent - just look at tessa's story :)

icebulefaery thanks so much for sharing your story, it does make me feel a bit better knowing that it can be fixed. Nina the one thing im worried about when going to a salon is usually they are like super rough on hair when cutting ect. and i dont want alot to fall. I want to tell her about my situation but i would rather not tell her my whole life story you know? Im sorry to hear about your experiance with your hallucinations that must have been so scary!

do you think going to a regular salon would be best or do they have special salons that could deal with this type of thing? also should i be using a certain type of shampoo/condtioner to help with the regrowth or to not damage my hair so much.

Hey mikky :)

I don't know if you'll have much luck finding a salon that deals specifically with your problem, but if you phone a few places and provide a little bit of background info, I'm sure you'll find a sensitive stylist who can assist you. Sometimes it just pays to be a bit more open. Hell, I've had to learn that the hard way (and I still struggle). That's one thing ED did - really battered down a lot of my pride (and I was always a very "proud" person - it still hangs around!) But when you are open and honest about your problems you will find that there are actually many people out there who truly are sensitive, receptive and willing to help (not just secretly elated to see that you're struggling). Though having said that, you don't need to tell them your entire life story - they don't really need to know the reasons behind the hair loss, just that it's happening at the moment and as such, you would like them to be very gentle with your hair.

If you phone around in advance and have a few conversations with different people you'll be able to gauge who may be more appropriate for your situation. And there is absolutely no shame in what you're going through hon. Remember, these are hair professionals, they deal with hair (and lack thereof) everyday, all day long - this wouldn't be a huge shock story to them. We just need to try to keep things in perspective, as difficult as it can be at times. As for shampoos and conditioners, I'd try to stick with the most sensitive and least chemically based. So I'd personally opt for either organics (which can be rather pricey), or baby shampoos (most cost-friendly and free of abrasive chemicals). It's going to get better xoxox

This thread has been really helpful and has a lot of great tips and advice :) I already recently cut my hair into a longer bob(it was down past my chest), but recently I've just been pulling it back and putting a scarf around it like I did when I had my dreads. It looks cute and no one can tell it's thin.