What should you know about malnourished hair loss?

Hair follicles need adequate energy, protein and micronutrients to maintain their growth cycle. Reduced intake, rapid weight loss, digestive problems or an illness that affects absorption can shift many follicles into a resting phase. Shedding may become noticeable later rather than immediately, and it often appears across the scalp instead of as one sharply defined patch. Nutrition-related shedding is not the only explanation: inherited pattern loss, alopecia areata, scalp ringworm, traction and telogen effluvium can have overlapping features.

Arrange an assessment if shedding is persistent, sudden or upsetting. Tell the clinician about recent weight change, restrictive eating, bowel symptoms, heavy menstrual bleeding, medicines and any major illness. They may examine the scalp and decide whether blood tests or other checks are appropriate. Aim for regular meals with sufficient protein and varied foods; a supplement is not automatically helpful and excessive doses can be harmful. Handle hair gently and avoid tight styles, repeated heat and harsh chemical processing while the cause is being clarified.

Seek prompt medical advice for bald patches, scalp pain, scaling, pus, broken hairs or swollen glands. Arrange earlier review if hair loss comes with marked fatigue, fainting, persistent vomiting, diarrhoea, rapid weight loss or signs of an eating disorder. Sudden extensive shedding or loss of eyebrows and eyelashes also deserves assessment rather than self-treatment.

Does the pattern suggest nutrition-related shedding or another diagnosis? Which dietary history and tests matter? Should I see a dietitian? How much protein is suitable for me? When should I expect shedding to change after the underlying problem is treated?