Keto Hair Loss: Temporary Or Long-Term Side Effect?

The ketogenic, or keto, diet is a high-fat, low-carb, and moderate-protein diet that has been used since the 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy. In recent years, it has also been used for rapid weight loss. However, one of the side effects of the keto diet is hair loss, which is likely due to nutrient deficiencies and the body's response to cutting calories. The good news is that keto hair loss is usually temporary and can be prevented by ensuring adequate nutrient intake and reducing stress levels.

Keto hair loss is temporary

Hair loss is one of the possible side effects of the keto diet. It is usually temporary and often due to nutrient deficiencies.

The keto diet is a very restrictive diet, drastically reducing carbohydrates and replacing them with fat. This means you are losing out on essential vitamins and minerals that encourage hair growth.

If you are experiencing hair loss on keto, it is important to consult a doctor to rule out any other causes of hair loss. If keto is the cause, you can take the following steps:

• Add more nutrients to your diet: Berries, spinach, eggs, fatty fish like salmon, avocados, nuts, and meat are all good sources of nutrients that promote hair health.
• Reduce your stress levels: Heightened cortisol (the stress hormone) can contribute to temporary hair loss. Try meditation, yoga, getting enough sleep, and avoiding stressful situations.
• Take a multivitamin: This can help cover any potential deficiencies.
• Get enough protein: Protein is important for hair growth and to prevent hair loss. Include high-quality sources of protein in your diet, such as eggs and poultry.
• Gradual changes: Instead of drastically reducing carbs, try reducing them slowly. This gives your body more time to adjust to the new diet.

Keto hair loss is usually temporary and typically happens within the first half year of starting the diet. After this transition period, your hair follicles will begin to grow new, healthy hair.

It's a symptom of the keto flu

Hair loss is one of the many side effects of the keto diet, and it's usually temporary. It's often one of the lesser-known symptoms of the "keto flu", which also includes symptoms like reduced energy, headaches, and body cramps.

The keto diet is extremely restrictive, and it's this very nature that can lead to hair loss. It's a low-carb, high-fat diet, and the body's response to cutting calories is to ensure that the energy that's available goes to the most important functions first, like cell growth and the functioning of vital organs. This means there may be less energy for hair growth.

The keto diet can also lead to nutritional deficiencies, which can cause hair loss. By limiting your carb intake, you're also cutting out higher-carb fruits and vegetables that are a good source of various nutrients your body requires for healthy hair. A lack of vitamins B12 and D, biotin, riboflavin, and iron will likely result in a change in your hair health.

Additionally, a rapid drop in carb intake can mean you're missing out on essential vitamins and minerals that encourage hair growth. It can also mean that your calories are too low, which puts stress on the body, and heightened cortisol (the stress hormone) levels can contribute to temporary hair loss.

Furthermore, a standard keto diet keeps protein to a small percentage, and inadequate protein levels can slow the hair growth cycle.

To prevent hair loss, it's important to ensure you're getting enough nutrients. A multivitamin can help cover any potential deficiencies. It's also important to get enough protein from high-quality sources, such as eggs and poultry.

Other tips to prevent hair loss while on the keto diet include reducing your stress levels, getting enough sleep, and using gentle hair products.

Nutritional deficiencies can cause hair loss

Zinc is an essential mineral required by hundreds of enzymes and transcription factors that regulate gene expression. While the exact mechanism of action is unclear, one possibility is that zinc plays a role in the Hedgehog signalling pathway, a critical component in the pathways that govern hair follicle morphogenesis. Selenium is an essential trace element that plays a role in protection from oxidative damage and hair follicle morphogenesis. Rats deficient in selenium display sparse hair growth, while knockout mice lacking specific selenoproteins exhibit progressive hair loss after birth. Vitamin D plays a role in hair follicle cycling, and vitamin D deficiency has been linked to hair loss. Vitamin A is a group of compounds, including retinol and retinal, and while vitamin A deficiency has not been linked to hair loss, hypervitaminosis A (overdose) may result in hair loss. Tocotrienols and tocopherols are members of the vitamin E family and act as potent antioxidants. Deficiency is rare but may occur with fat malabsorption disorders. Folic acid deficiency mainly results in megaloblastic anaemia, without hair loss. Biotin serves as a cofactor for carboxylation enzymes, and deficiency can result in alopecia, eczematous skin rash, and conjunctivitis.

Stress can cause hair loss

Stress can be a factor in hair loss, and it is known to be a trigger for the most common type of hair loss, telogen effluvium. Stress-related hair loss is often temporary, and in most cases, hair will grow back in a few months. However, it is still important to speak to a doctor about it, especially if it is bothersome.

Stress is linked to the body's "fight, flight, or freeze" response, which is a survival reaction to stressful or possibly dangerous situations. Our bodies release stress hormones such as cortisol to help us through these situations. However, if the stress is ongoing or chronic, there may be an excess of these stress hormones circulating in our bodies, which can have negative effects, including hair loss.

Stress pushes a large number of hair follicles into the resting phase, where they stop growing. Within a few months, these hairs might suddenly fall out, which may be noticeable when brushing or washing the hair.

Types of hair loss caused by stress

The different types of hair loss that can be caused by stress are telogen effluvium, alopecia areata, and trichotillomania.

Telogen effluvium

Telogen effluvium is the most common type of hair loss caused by stress. It occurs when more hairs move from the "anagen" (growing) phase into the "telogen" (resting) phase. This results in increased hair shedding, with people with this condition losing up to 300 hairs per day, compared to an average of 100 for healthy hair.

Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is believed to be related to the immune system and usually causes small coin-sized bald patches across the scalp, face, and body. Stress is thought to be a trigger for this type of hair loss, with people often recalling a stressful event a few weeks before noticing the hair loss.

Trichotillomania

Trichotillomania is the compulsive urge to pull out one's hair, including eyebrows and eyelashes. While the exact cause is unknown, stress is believed to be a factor for some people.

Treatment for stress-related hair loss

In cases where there is no regrowth or incomplete regrowth, several treatments are available depending on the type of hair loss. For telogen effluvium, a medication called minoxidil (Regaine) can be applied topically to the scalp. Alopecia areata can be treated with steroid creams, lotions, tablets, or injections, usually prescribed by a dermatologist. Trichotillomania, being related to anxiety or OCD, is often treated with psychological therapy such as CBT.

Consult a doctor to rule out other causes

If you're experiencing hair loss while on the keto diet, it's a good idea to consult a doctor to rule out other causes. While keto hair loss is usually temporary, there may be other reasons for your hair loss, such as:

• Nutritional deficiencies: For example, a deficiency in the mineral zinc, which is also associated with very dry skin and a reduced sense of taste and smell. Other nutrient deficiencies linked to hair loss include low iron, zinc, niacin, selenium, and fatty acids.
• Thyroid conditions: Your healthcare provider can test you for thyroid conditions, which have been linked to hair loss.
• Autoimmune diseases: There may be an underlying autoimmune disease that is causing your hair loss.
• Medication: You may be adversely reacting to certain medications, which can lead to hair loss.
• Rapid weight loss: Telogen effluvium, a common type of hair loss, can occur after rapid weight loss. This is because weight loss signals to the body that there may be a scarcity of food, leading to a diversion of resources away from non-essential functions like hair growth.
• Stress: Heightened levels of the stress hormone cortisol can contribute to temporary hair loss. This can be caused by life stress, physical or emotional trauma, or the stress of a drastic diet change.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Hormonal shifts during and after pregnancy can lead to temporary hair loss.

It's important to note that hair loss can have various causes, and a doctor can help determine the specific reason for your hair loss and provide appropriate advice and treatment.

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