There are many expected and unexpected benefits of losing weight – smaller-sized clothes fitting better, improved lab profile, improved self esteem are just a few obvious ones from a whole bunch of amazing things that comes with slimming down. But there are a few side effects that can show up as well, especially when you have followed quick fixes or fad diets to shed the extra pounds; hair loss is one such downside. Along with weight loss, some people also notice extreme hair fall that can dampen their enthusiasm. Seeing clumps of hair going down the drain and bald patches can cause anxiety and social phobia in some cases, and that’s why it’s important to address the issue of hair fall, particularly with respect to weight loss. Extreme dieting can result in a condition called as acute telogen effluvium which can lead to severe hair fall that can last up to 6 months. Deficiency of protein, iron, zinc, vitamin D can trigger such a condition, and that’s why while trying to drop a few kilos, you should make sure it’s a balanced diet that does not compromise on nutrients. Hair follicles need protein and other nutrients to grow, and when you compromise by cutting out nutritious food, it pushes hair to enter into the shedding phase (telogen) prematurely; even extreme stress can make this happen. The problem is that hair growth goes through a cycle and any treatment might take 3 to 6 months to show results, so it’s prudent to concentrate on following a diet that would help you eat the right kind of food while putting you in a calorie deficit, such as the Rati Beauty diet. In this post, we list down 6 Ways To Prevent Hair Loss While Losing Weight. But before that, here’s a little info about telogen effluvium.

What is Telogen Effluvium?

Telogen effluvium is a condition where there is severe hair fall as a result of illness, traumatic event, stress, and shock. It’s just a temporary hair loss condition where one loses hair from the crown area mostly and after a period of time hair grows back normally. Telogen effluvium is the main reason one loses hair during dieting and once nutrients and vitamins get added back into the diet, telogen effluvium gets resolved.

6 Ways To Prevent Hair Loss While Losing Weight

1. By Following a Nutrient-Dense Weight Loss diet: When you eat fewer calories and burn more through physical activity such as exercise, the body starts to burn extra fat, but when you do not eat a balanced diet and skimp on nutrients to cut down calories, such as protein, chromium, selenium, iron, biotin, zinc and antioxidants, hair follicles suffer and shedding of hair begins.  Making sure you are consuming nutrient-dense food even while cutting calories is important, and Rati Beauty diet is a weight loss diet which helps you lose weight and makes sure you are having nutrient-rich meals while doing so. Download the Rati Beauty app for more details.

2. Increase Protein in Diet: Protein is a macronutrient that functions as body’s building blocks; keratin which is needed for hair growth, and for its synthesis, protein, biotin, and several other nutrients are required. When your body doesn’t get enough protein, it can definitely result in hair loss. Thus, if you’re following a weight loss diet that doesn’t give importance to protein, you may experience hair fall. Greek yogurt, lentils, beans, chicken, paneer, tofu, peanut butter, egg whites, etc. are all good sources of protein that you can include in your diet.

3. Amp up Healthy Fats: Research has shown that including omega-3 fatty acids improve hair health, density, thickness, and overall growth and the good news is omega-3 fatty acids found in healthy fats such as fish, chia seeds, walnuts, flaxseed, etc. also boost fat burning! That’s a good reason to make a conscious effort to include healthy fats in your diet now.

4. Don’t take multivitamins on your own: There’s so much hype surrounding how certain hair vitamins boost hair growth and can prevent hair fall, but when it comes to supplements, always consult a doctor because overdose of some nutrients, particularly vitamin A can result in hair fall and thinning!

5. Exfoliate Scalp To Clear Buildup and Stimulate Hair Growth: Just as we exfoliate skin to clear clogged pores, experts say scalp exfoliation can clear product buildup, stimulate blood circulation, and de-congest hair follicles to stimulate hair growth. Apart from scalp scrubs available in the market, you can prepare your own scalp exfoliator by mixing equal quantities of lemon juice, olive oil and salt, massaging in a circular motion, leave the scrub for 10 to 15 minutes, and rinse off with a mild shampoo.

6. Apply Onion Juice To Stimulate Hair Growth: Over the years, onions have become quite popular in their ability to control hair fall and in promoting hair growth. Onion contains elements like folic acid, vitamin C, E and B, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, carotene, magnesium and these elements are highly beneficial for hair growth and to stop hair fall. You can get amazing benefits by applying onion juice directly on to the scalp.  In this post, we show you 5 different ways to use onion juice to stimulate new hair growth and reduce hair fall.

Last but not the least, chronic stress can lead to extreme hair fall, and no amount of hair serum, shampoo, hair oil or supplements can balance out the ill effects of stress. People have noticed how reducing stress helps to combat hair fall and grow out new hair. There are simple ways to fight stress – listening to music, going for walks, stretching, exercising, and relaxing are some effortless ways to do so.

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