Healthy Hair and Skin Throughout Weight Loss

Ever had a “bad hair day”? How about a “bad hair year”? Long or short, dark or light, straight or curly, our hair plays a major role in defining how the world sees us and how we feel about ourselves. Hair loss can completely devastate a person’s ability to enjoy social and work activities due to embarrassment and shame, and hats and wigs often seem to be poor substitutes for natural hair. Luxurious, thick hair in a shampoo advertisement may lead some people to think that what you put on your hair makes the difference, but if you are suffering from hair loss or shedding, the solution is just not that simple!

There are many factors that lead to hair loss, and although the science is still incomplete, much of what we do know comes from studies in protein-energy malnutrition, starvation, and eating disorders. In otherwise healthy individuals, nutritional factors appear to play a role in hair shedding. Forty years ago, a scientist named Hård demonstrated the importance of iron supplements in women who were not anemic, but had iron-deficiency with hair loss. A different iron-related test, called serum ferritin, was shown to be a factor in female hair loss. The essential amino acid l-lysine also appears to be important in hair loss. A significant proportion of women with increased hair shedding responded to l-lysine and iron therapy in a study.

Don’t rush out to buy supplements just yet, because excessive intakes of nutritional supplements may actually cause hair loss, and they are not recommended in the absence of a proven deficiency. Your bariatric surgeon, as well as doctors specializing in hair retention, such as a dermatologist or plastic surgeon, can help determine your individual needs and prescribe treatment. Making your own diagnosis and treatment may only worsen your situation.

Nutritional factors affect the hair directly, but they also affect the skin. If you have hair loss, your care providers should help you eliminate scaling problems, provide good hair care advice and explain fully the hair cycle. Why? Because sometimes what seems reasonable isn’t quite right. For instance, many people shampoo less frequently due to fear of losing more hair, but this increases the amount of hair loss seen in subsequent shampoos, whi*****reases fears of hair loss. In fact, increasing blood flow to the scalp by shampooing hair with scalp massage can support and stimulate new hair growth.

Bobby Caliro, a Master Stylist and owner of Salon Excel in Sarasota, Florida, reports that in his more than twenty-five years of experience he can tell when a client has had surgery or weight loss by changes in the hair volume and texture long before the client tells him. Caliro says that increased dryness and shedding is very common, especially if weight loss has been rapid or clients have recently had anesthesia. “I think of the hair as a direct reflection of what is going on inside the body, and if you think about how weight loss occurs with less food intake, there just has to be less nutrition to support healthy hair growth during weight loss.” He reassures clients that when their weight stabilizes, the hair amount and texture will improve nearly every time. The problem is that people don’t consider how slowly the hair really grows. “People get desperate and want to try anything they think will help,” says Caliro.

Dr. Robert Hillstrom, a facial plastic surgeon in Sarasota, Florida, says that patients notice changes in hair and skin after surgery. “Explaining the hair growth cycle to show how much time it will take for regrowth of hair usually helps reassure patients when they have hair reduction after surgery.” He says that in six months’ time, nearly all hair concerns have resolved by just waiting, and that it is rare that more has to be done.

Morbidly obese individuals often have nutritional deficiencies, particularly in fat-soluble vitamins, folic acid and zinc. After bariatric surgery, these deficiencies may increase and others may appear. Most surgeons, however, monitor postoperative blood work to prevent and treat problems early. With follow-up by your surgeon and a registered dietitian, dietary deficiencies can be corrected. The best thing you can do on your own is to simply follow your doctor’s specific healthy diet and activity instructions while achieving your goal weight.

When bariatric surgery is not a factor, a healthy diet of lean proteins, moderate heart-healthy fats from vegetable oils, plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and skim dairy products will ensure you meet your nutritional goals each day to achieve healthy skin and hair. If you have recently lost weight, or are still losing, your calorie level may be low, but the nutrient levels can remain high with nutrient-rich food choices. A multivitamin supplement can also help balance nutrition for healthy hair and skin.

Whatever your situation, with careful planning, treatment and time, skin and hair problems can be overcome!

Did you Know? Vitamin-enriched creams or shampoos which get rinsed off the skin and hair usually have no measurable effect on skin and hair health. While it is true that the skin can absorb some nutrients, the amounts are usually insignificant when compared to the benefits of a healthy diet.

November 2007

Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, ([email protected]) is a Registered Dietitian and a Board Certified Medical Doctor with residency training at Harvard University. She is President of NutronicsTM nutrition consulting firm.