Hair loss has become a common issue for both men and women. Statistics show that approximately 35 million men and 21 million women suffer from hair loss for several reasons. These include stress, certain diseases leading to hair loss, and deficiency of some nutrition. Yes, you read it right! Your nutritional deficiencies can also cause hair thinning and, eventually, hair loss.
In this post, we will highlight how malnutrition hair loss is caused and whether it is reversible. So, without any further delays, just hop on below to have a look at further details.
The Science Behind Malnutritional Hair Loss
Most of the time, hair loss is genetic, but it can also be caused due to several non-genetic factors like stress, diseases like diabetes, anemia, and more. In women, low estrogen levels can also be a common reason leading to hair loss during postpartum and menopause. Eating disorders, nutritional deficiencies, weight loss diets, and even unhealthy eating can lead to hair loss. Wondering what science has to say about it?
According to biological research, malnutrition hair loss is caused mainly when the body is suffering from protein depletion. On anticipating protein shortage, our body's internal mechanism minimizes its expending, ensuring the availability of vital organs like the brain. So, where protein shortage stops new hair growth, it also impacts the health of healthy hair follicles, resulting in more than normal hair loss.
However, hair loss isn’t the only condition you suffer from in such a case. You can also observe being fatigued often, dehydrated, suffering from colds, and certain immunity issues.
Other malnutrition and hair loss reasons include Vitamin C, D, and E deficiencies. Where Vitamin D is responsible for alopecia development, Vitamin C and E play as crucial anti-oxidants, necessary for the prevention of damage due to free radicals. Where their depletion causes hair loss, you can rely on the same vitamins to prevent hair loss during weight loss.
Anemia patients usually have reduced levels of zinc and iron in their bodies. This is mainly done due to the unavailability of proper oxygenation, minimizing the transfer of the vital compound to hair follicles. In short, there can be more than one reason behind malnutrition and hair loss.
Is Malnutritional Hair Loss Reversible?
Hear us shouting YES! Malnutrition hair loss is reversible. You can opt for certain strategies to ensure optimal nutrient supply and revive the growth of your hair. However, before opting for anything, it's much more important to identify the cause behind hair loss during dieting. If you suffer from this issue because of protein or vitamin deficiency, or what?
How to Stop Hair Loss from Malnutrition?
Wondering how to stop malnutrition hair loss during weight loss? The following strategies will surely help:
Improve Vitamin Intake
Increase your intake of Vitamins. Here is how and why you should do that:
- Vitamin B is mainly found in leafy greens, seafood, eggs, dairy products, poultry, legumes, etc. Eating this food can support the abundance of red blood cells, which in turn promote healthy hair growth.
- Vitamin C can directly treat this issue by triggering dermal papilla cell growth. These cells are found at the hair follicle’s base and are mainly responsible for hair regeneration and optimal growth. Some important Vitamin C sources include tomatoes, strawberries, bell peppers, etc.
- A healthy scalp supports the development of healthy hair and scalp health is ensured with the natural anti-oxidant effect of Vitamin E. With proper intake of this Vitamin, you fight off oxidative stress and free radicals that cause hair loss. Important sources of Vitamin E include dry fruits, pumpkins, red bell paper, etc.
- Vitamin D intake allows the proper functioning of keratinocytes, cells responsible for creating keratin, the main protein in hair. Some sources of Vitamin D that you can incorporate into your diet include salmon, tuna fish, beef liver, etc.
Eat Protein-rich Food
You can also rely on multiple protein sources to support hair growth. These will ensure normal keratin production. Some common protein sources include chickpeas, yogurt, lentils and quinoa, egg, cheese, etc. Moreover, to compensate for Iron deficiency, rely on tofu, lentils, leafy greens, beans, beef, ham, and chicken. These will limit hair loss due to iron.
Include Collagen in Your Diet
Another thing you should include in your diet is collagen. Where it is required for skincare treatments, it also supports hair growth. Not all the time, collagen deficiency is due to malnutrition; our natural collagen production also diminishes as we age. So, we have to rely on our diet to replenish it. Some important sources of collagen include egg, garlic, egg white, citrus fruit, and more.
Can You Go for Hair Transplant Surgery?
There’s no need for hair transplant surgery for regrowing hair loss during weight loss. A hair transplant is for more severe cases. For instance, dealing with genetic hair loss issues, i.e., Androgenetic alopecia, is more common in men than women. However, if you suffer from this disease or any other with zero to minimal chances of hair re-growth, you can consult Dr. Feinberg.
Excelling in the field of hair transplant surgery, this amazing hair specialist offers multiple hair services, ranging from Surgical Hair Transplant and ARTAS Robotic to Follicular Unit Transplant and Non-Surgical Hair Transplant. So, if you need any of these services from a pro surgeon, contact Dr. Feinberg at HAIRMD.
Wrapping It Up!
Malnutrition hair loss is normally due to certain nutritional deficiencies. These include deficiencies in multivitamins, iron, zinc, and protein. Ensuring their proper intake, you can help your hair regrow, reviving your hair volume. Also, if you are looking for a great hair transplant surgeon, contact Dr. Feinberg.
That was all about malnutrition and hair loss. We have shed light on multiple aspects, including causes, treatments, and more. Hope you found this info worth reading; stay tuned for more of such informative articles.