Anorexia can cause hair thinning, brittleness, and loss on the head due to dehydration and inadequate protein and iron intake. The body may also develop fine hairs called lanugo to keep warm, which can disappear with healthy eating.
There are many physical effects of anorexia on different areas of the body, but one of the most obvious is the change in hair. For example, the hair on the head tends to become brittle or thin and eventually fall out. At the same time, fine, downy hairs may begin to appear all over the body to keep it warm. These hair effects of anorexia may not be the most obvious symptoms of the disease, but they are often evident to both anorexia sufferers and those close to someone with the condition.
Often, one of the more annoying hair side effects of anorexia includes changes to the hair on your head. One of the first signs is that the hair often becomes thin and brittle. This is typically due to dehydration as those suffering from this eating disorder usually don’t eat enough water-rich food, resulting in dry skin and hair, and even brittle nails. In general, even the consumption of water or low-calorie drinks by the anorexic cannot compensate for the hydration that some foods provide, such as fruit, vegetables and soups. Therefore, only a healthy diet can usually help reduce this effect of anorexia on hair, resulting in shiny, healthy hair.
Another problem that often occurs with anorexia is hair loss on the head. It may not be extreme enough to cause a person to go completely bald, but it can result in less hair overall and even bald spots eventually. While gradual hair loss is normal in a healthy person, anorexic people typically shed a lot more hair than normal. If there are much more hair than usual on a brush, comb or pillow, this could be a sign of an adverse effect of anorexia on hair. It is typically caused by inadequate ingestion of protein and iron, both of which are essential for proper hair growth.
The effects of anorexia on hair usually don’t stop at the hair on the head, but affect the body as well. Many people with this eating disorder tend to develop downy hairs called lanugo, which the body needs to keep it warm. Many anorexics dress in layers, usually to keep warm at first, and then often to hide the fine hairs that cover their skin. This is because fluff, often found even on fetuses and premature babies, is usually a sign of malnutrition that can alert others to the eating disorder present. Fortunately, this effect of anorexia on hair often disappears once healthy eating is resumed.
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