The December holiday season is a time of year when we tend to overindulge. So, the New Year is a time of reining things back in again. New Year, new page…and a new approach to food. Plenty of us focus on weight loss, as we try to start January on a positive note.

Of course, weight loss leads to changes in the body. If you’ve ever lost weight before, you know you’re focusing on what your body looks like and what your clothes feel like. Even shedding a few pounds can make a difference to how you look and feel.

But weight loss can also lead to changes with your hair. Hair loss after weight loss is quite common, so if you’re gearing up to get on that diet this New Year and you want to focus on hair loss prevention too, we’ve got some tips for you.

What’s the Name For This Type of Hair Loss?

The official clinical term is telogen effluvium. This type of hair loss is a temporary thinning that occurs across the scalp rather than in specific areas. Telogen effluvium has a variety of triggers and for many, a change in nutrition is one of them. The good news is, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll experience it. It most commonly occurs when someone rapidly loses weight or goes on a restrictive low-calorie diet, i.e., a diet that may severely limit intake of certain foods. While the cause is not 100% clear, it is thought that becoming deficient in certain nutrients may be partially to blame.

According to a review of telogen effluvium made available by the National Library of Medicine, it takes around three to four months for the effects of a change in diet to be seen in this manner. It may last for around six to nine months, so while hair extensions or toppers could help you through this phase if you experience this type of hair loss, it’s better to avoid losing your hair to start with if you can.

How to Lose Weight and Stop Hair Loss

We know that prevention is better than cure – and that applies to your hair too. When you’re planning your approach to healthy eating for the New Year, don’t be too restrictive in the foods you eat. Fad diets rarely achieve long term positive results and they’re tough to stick to. Furthermore, excluding certain foods from your diet makes it more likely that you’ll end up with deficiencies in certain nutrients. For example, zinc, iron, and vitamin B12 are associated with healthy hair, so making sure you eat foods that are rich in these should help you with your hair loss prevention efforts.

Focus on a Healthy Intake of Protein

Our bodies need protein, and while we can get it from various sources, some people don’t get enough when they’re on a restrictive weight loss regimen. So, if you want to prevent excessive hair shedding this New Year, keep this in mind and make sure your healthy eating plan includes varied sources of protein.

For example, eggs are a good source of biotin, a vitamin closely associated with healthy hair. They’re great for protein too, of course, making them the ideal breakfast for a long-lasting start to the day.

Beef, poultry and fish are also ideal sources of protein. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, you may eat a range of green vegetables, grains, seeds, and nuts, that contain essential amino acids that help achieve strong, healthy hair growth and prevent excessive or premature hair shedding.

Eat Sensibly This New Year to Keep Your Hair Healthy

After all the indulgence of the holiday season, it’s understandable that you might want to throw out the pastry, the sweet treats, and everything else you’ve overindulged in. From here on out, it’s clean eating all the way. However, you can eat healthy, lose weight, and still make sure you get all the nutrients you need to keep your body, hair, and skin in top condition. You’ll feel better for it and a well-rounded diet can help towards more gradual long term weight loss. That’s something that will help make sure you keep your hair strong and healthy too, avoiding telogen effluvium along the way.

For more information on how to prevent hair loss, contact the team at Unique Hair Concepts.