Human hair follicles have two states: anagen, a growth phase; and telogen, a dormant stage.  All hairs begin their life in the anagen phase, grow for some period of time, then shift into the telogen phase, which lasts for about 100-120 days.  Following this, the hair will fall out.  Typically, about 90 percent of hairs are anagen and 10 percent are telogen at any given time. Specific stressors can result of a shift in a much greater percentage of hairs into the telogen phase.  The stressors known to result in this include:

• High fever
• Sever infection
• Major surgery
• Acute physical trauma
• Chronic debilitating illness
• Hormaonal disruption (such as pregnancy, childbirth or discontinuation of estrogen therapy)
• Acute weight loss
• Crash dieting
• Anorexia
• Iron or Zinc deficiency
• Low proteing intake

One would be suspicious that hair loss was due to nutrition deficiencies in weight loss surgery patients if:

• Hair loss continued more than one year after sugery
• Hair loss started more than six months after surgery
• A person has difficulty eating and/or has not adhered to supplementation
• A person has more rapid than expected weight loss
• Other symptoms of deficiency are present

Iron is the single nutrient most highly correlated with hair loss.  Zinc deficiency is also correlated with hair loss.  Low protein intake is another factor in hair loss specifically the amino acid l-lysine.

There is little evidencce that early hair loss is preventable because it is mostly likely caused by surgery and rapid weight loss.  Later hair loss, however, can be indicative of a nutritional problem, especially iron deficiency.

Melanie Machado, RD, CD

Source:  Micronutrients for the wieght loss surgery patient.  Jacqueline Jacques, ND