⭐️ Not Enough Nutrition
When the body isn’t getting enough energy or nutrients (during malnutrition, weight loss, or during recovery from an eating disorder) it will shift into survival mode – focusing on sending energy to essential organs like the heart, brain, and lungs, while deprioritizing non-essential processes hair growth.
⭐️ The Hair Cycle “Rests”
Instead of staying in the normal “growth phase,” hair will prematurely enter the shedding phase (the telogen phase). Here you will see hair loss and/or thinning. This process is called: telogen effluvium.
⭐️ Hair loss can occur even once someone is further along in recovery.
This can be really surprising for people! But as the body gets enough energy to restart normal processes, it will push out the resting, dormant hair and begin to form new hair. This is a sign of healing but can be overwhelming and very distressing.
⭐️ Common hair loss triggers
- Significant or rapid weight loss
- Eating disorder
- Energy imbalance
- Stress on the body (including exercise, illness, or psychological stress)
- Refeeding after malnutrition
- Medical condition
- Vitamin/mineral depletion (iron, zinc, B-vitamins)