HELP! I am going bald!

[Fat Cat Mama]

No joke and I am not exaggerating. I have bald spots on my head. My hair is coming out in clumps. I had very thick hair and now you can see my scalp. All of my friends and family want me off of Atkins immediately. I am taking vitamins, even one made for hair. I am using shampoo with biotin that says it stops hair loss. Nothing is working. I am getting extremely depressed and don't know what to do. This has been going on for 2 months. I can't do this anymore. My thyroid is fine.

[WetBanana]

My mother started losing her hair after having Bariatric Surgery - it was caused by a lack of protein and fat in her diet. She's managed to stop the loss, and her hair is thinner now, but she stopped losing it.

Have you spoken with your Dr. about it?

[ShannonM]

Are you sure Atkins is the cause? If so, I'd suggest you get off the diet. If you keep losing too much hair it will stop growing back at all, and I don't think Atkins is worth that.

Have you been to a doctor to see if there are any prescription meds that can help you? Maybe that way you won't have to get off Atkins. But if you do, it may be that another low-carb plan will work for you without the drastic side effects.

[Elizellen]

There is a recognised hairloss associated with any sudden change to the body called telogen effluvium
Telogen Effluvium Hair Loss
Though worrying it usually does not last too long apparently and most people do find the hair recovers.
It is supposed to be caused by something happening a couple of months before the hair starts falling out.

No treatment is needed for most cases of telogen effluvium. Remember that the hairs fall out when a new hair growing beneath it pushes it out. Thus with this type of hair loss, hair falling out is a sign of hair regrowth. As the new hair first comes up through the scalp and pushes out the dead hair a fine fringe of new hair is often evident along the forehead hairline.

The most important issue in telogen effluvium is to determine if an underlying cause for the problem is present. Blood tests may need to be done if the cause is not obvious, such as mild iron deficiency. If the telogen effluvium is caused by a medication, the medication needs to be stopped. When the cause of the hair loss is something like giving birth, a transient illness, or other self-limited problem the induced telogen effluvium is also usually self-limited and requires no treatment.

Chronic telogen effluvium is recently recognized and not uncommon. It often occurs in women who previously had very thick hair in their teens and twenties and still have an apparently normal head of hair to a casual observer. It affects the entire scalp with no obvious cause apparent. It usually affects women of 30 to 60 years of age, starts suddenly and has a tendency to fluctuate for a period of years. The degree of shedding is usually severe in the early stages and the hair may come out in handfuls. It does not cause complete baldness and does appear to be self-limiting in the long run.

[goin2befit]

I advise you to see a dermatologist ASAP!!! Hair loss can be from several different things... the last thing you want to do is be FAT and BALD!!!! (and please don't think I'm being mean... just 100% honest) Since with Atkins you can eat as many calories as your body needs and you eat healthy food and can make it as healthy as need to be basically (avocado, essential oils, flax seed, vegetables, fruit especially raspberries) I mean I just can't really imagine it being the diet. It could still be some food choices that you may need to add in but I honestly believe you can continue on your journey with Atkins and get into your size 7 "sexy pants". Just don't give up. I know it is hard especially when love ones start pressuring you, but talk with a couple of doctors first and make sure they know, understand, and support atkins!

Best of Luck

[pinkfusion]

what vitamins are you taking?

[mizski]

I agree with Amanda...go to see a doctor/dermatologist right away. With Atkins as it is written, you get plenty of protein, veg carbs and fats to feed your hair. You're taking biotin and other supplements and using the biotin shampoo (I use Nexxus Vitatress) so that's good.

Rapid weight loss can result in some hair loss in some people especially if you perm or color your hair but it shouldn't be coming out in clumps. Please let us know what the doctor says.

[msanjelpie]

This would probably happen to you no matter what weight loss plan you are on. Your body just can't take the stress of losing weight quickly and hair loss is how it is dealing with it.

Since you are so close to goal, I would try to slow down the weight loss to make it less stressful on your body. Your hair should start to regrow 6 to 12 months after you have reached goal.

And remember... people die every day from obesity... but no one has ever died from hair loss... so in essence, getting the excess weight off is MUCH more important to your long term overall health.

[ziggy]

this link may help

The Atkins Diet and Hair Loss – Is There a Link?

[FwL]

Originally Posted by msanjelpie

And remember... people die every day from obesity... but no one has ever died from hair loss... so in essence, getting the excess weight off is MUCH more important to your long term overall health.

Worth repeating.

It's funny (sad) how we can rationalize being fat if losing weight becomes inconvenient or difficult.