Diet Change, Hair Loss & Dandruff

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Q: I am 18 years old. A few years back I changed my diet to reduce weight. I was successful in losing weight but another problem started after that was that I'm suffering from severe dandruff and hair loss.
 
Now I have brought my diet to normal and have used many shampoos but my problems of hair loss and dandruff persist. I want to know whether these problems are caused by diet change or because of another reason?
 
A: While I have never heard of dandruff being the result of dietary change and weight loss, I do know that hair loss can be triggered by those factors. Since the hair on your body follows cycles of growth - growth phase, resting phase and shedding phase - changes that can cause stress on the body, such as strict dieting and weight loss, can cause the hair to trigger a shift from one phase to another.
 
As these shifts in growth cycles occur, the hair can be seen to begin to be expelled prematurely, and can result in thinning hair. The good news is that a return to a healthy, well-balanced and protein-rich diet will result in the hair returning to it normal state as the new hair grows in. Just keep in mind that the return to "normal" may take months, depending on the rate of growth for your hair.
 
You may want to consider opting for a shorter hairstyle. This will reduce the time needed for the new growth to catch up to the existing hair and will help the hair to look fuller in the meantime.
 
As to the dandruff problem, I can only suggest that you keep trying different dandruff formula shampoos (they do not all use the same ingredients) until you find one that helps to control the flakes causing you problems. You may also want to visit your physician or dermatologist and speak with him if the problem is severe. If may not be common dandruff, particularly if there is any irritation or redness on the scalp.
 
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See also:
 
Hair loss
 
New hair growth diet
 
Dandruff causes and treatments
 
Is it true that yogurt promotes hair growth?
 
The growth phase, resting phase and shedding phase of hair