Chronic Soreness In My Scalp

[Francisco]

I have had chronic soreness in my scalp for about a year now. It got significantly worse over the winter. It has been accompanied by flaking and itchiness as well as some hair loss. What could be causing this? Could any nutritional deficiencies be at play? I suspect so, but I’m not sure what. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Kelj]

I have had chronic soreness in my scalp for about a year now. It got significantly worse over the winter. It has been accompanied by flaking and itchiness as well as some hair loss. What could be causing this? Could any nutritional deficiencies be at play? I suspect so, but I’m not sure what. Any help is appreciated.

Dear Doctor: Your patient has an eating disorder. — The Eating Disorder Institute

Under-eating relative to energy requirements drastically impacts gut motility, digestive enzyme production and the resilience of the gut mucosal layer. Symptoms of IBS, GERD, pruritus, skin rashes, distention, flatulence, severe constipation, so-called food sensitivities are all common signs of under eating relative to energy requirements. 11, 12

Pruritus......An uncomfortable, irritating sensation that creates an urge to scratch that can involve any part of the body......can have causes that......include hair regrowth.

FAQ — The Eating Disorder Institute

You may find your hair is falling out

There is a natural cycle of cell death and new cell production throughout our bodies and that includes the hair follicles.

The condition of telogen effluvium is when a large amount of hair loss is noticeable and it can be traced to a severe stressful condition about 3 months prior. In those conditions the patient's hair cycle is essentially fast-forwarded to early follicle death, rather than experiencing the usual prolonged growth phase and resting phase.

This is one way in which patients may experience hair loss while they are in fact in recovery -- it is a delayed response to starvation because the normal follicle growth and renewal process is running about 3 months after the stressful starvation period occurred.

However, patients may also experience an elongated catagen phase (the regressive phase of the follicle) during their starvation period. In this situation, the hair is not aging and falling out as it should normally (about 100 odd hairs a day). And in these cases the apoptosis (natural cell death) that the catagen phase is supposed to induce is halted. The body simply doesn't have enough energy to have the cells go through their natural process.

As soon as you begin refeeding, then the process of having the follicle die and the hair fall out can now proceed and there is a back log. In these cases you may have noticed your hair was becoming increasingly brittle and opaque during the restriction phase of your condition, but did not really note much increased hair loss (if any).

While of course it is distressing, it is not a permanent state and new healthy hair will.

Kelj: If you feed yourself daily the correct MINIMUM food requirement for height' sex and gender.

Dear Doctor: Your patient has an eating disorder. — The Eating Disorder Institute

Know that average energy requirements for adult females and males are not 2000 and 2500 kcal/day respectively. Average intake for sedentary adult females is 2500 kcal/day and 3000 kcal/day for sedentary adult males. Between the ages of approximately 12-25 females require on average 3000 kcal/day and males 3500 kcal/day. Don’t hold back, and ask your patient to tell you what they eat on average each day and have in your mind a sense of what a 2500 or 3000 kcal/day meal plan would look like so you can compare and contrast.

 

[Francisco]

Dear Doctor: Your patient has an eating disorder. — The Eating Disorder Institute

Under-eating relative to energy requirements drastically impacts gut motility, digestive enzyme production and the resilience of the gut mucosal layer. Symptoms of IBS, GERD, pruritus, skin rashes, distention, flatulence, severe constipation, so-called food sensitivities are all common signs of under eating relative to energy requirements. 11, 12

Pruritus......An uncomfortable, irritating sensation that creates an urge to scratch that can involve any part of the body......can have causes that......include hair regrowth.

FAQ — The Eating Disorder Institute

You may find your hair is falling out

There is a natural cycle of cell death and new cell production throughout our bodies and that includes the hair follicles.

The condition of telogen effluvium is when a large amount of hair loss is noticeable and it can be traced to a severe stressful condition about 3 months prior. In those conditions the patient's hair cycle is essentially fast-forwarded to early follicle death, rather than experiencing the usual prolonged growth phase and resting phase.

This is one way in which patients may experience hair loss while they are in fact in recovery -- it is a delayed response to starvation because the normal follicle growth and renewal process is running about 3 months after the stressful starvation period occurred.

However, patients may also experience an elongated catagen phase (the regressive phase of the follicle) during their starvation period. In this situation, the hair is not aging and falling out as it should normally (about 100 odd hairs a day). And in these cases the apoptosis (natural cell death) that the catagen phase is supposed to induce is halted. The body simply doesn't have enough energy to have the cells go through their natural process.

As soon as you begin refeeding, then the process of having the follicle die and the hair fall out can now proceed and there is a back log. In these cases you may have noticed your hair was becoming increasingly brittle and opaque during the restriction phase of your condition, but did not really note much increased hair loss (if any).

While of course it is distressing, it is not a permanent state and new healthy hair will.

Kelj: If you feed yourself daily the correct MINIMUM food requirement for height' sex and gender.

Dear Doctor: Your patient has an eating disorder. — The Eating Disorder Institute

Know that average energy requirements for adult females and males are not 2000 and 2500 kcal/day respectively. Average intake for sedentary adult females is 2500 kcal/day and 3000 kcal/day for sedentary adult males. Between the ages of approximately 12-25 females require on average 3000 kcal/day and males 3500 kcal/day. Don’t hold back, and ask your patient to tell you what they eat on average each day and have in your mind a sense of what a 2500 or 3000 kcal/day meal plan would look like so you can compare and contrast.

This whole time I’ve been focusing on trying to correct possible nutritional deficiencies, but I never considered I’ve just needed to eat more until very recently. I’ve upped my calorie intake but still need to do more. I’ve barely been getting 1500 calories per day for over the past year, and I’m a young 5’11” male. I’m also underweight, as you can probably guess. I never considered that pruritus could be a symptom of underrating, but now my situation makes so much more sense. Thank you for this information.
Sometimes I curse myself for trying to be so healthy, because I end up doing things that make it worse.

 

[lampofred]

probably high serotonin, low GABA from excess estrogen. how is your digestion? do you get enough protein? do you get all the fat soluble vitamins? are your temps/pulse good?

 

[Kelj]

This whole time I’ve been focusing on trying to correct possible nutritional deficiencies, but I never considered I’ve just needed to eat more until very recently. I’ve upped my calorie intake but still need to do more. I’ve barely been getting 1500 calories per day for over the past year, and I’m a young 5’11” male. I’m also underweight, as you can probably guess. I never considered that pruritus could be a symptom of underrating, but now my situation makes so much more sense. Thank you for this information.
Sometimes I curse myself for trying to be so healthy, because I end up doing things that make it worse.

As you say, "healthy" is not healthy. When we tinker with our diet, we can definitely make things worse. As Lampfred indicates, many things can go wrong with our body's production of enzymes, hormones, etc. all caused by low vitamin and mineral intake, all caused by low calorie intake caused by not enough food. You have been severely energy deficient if you are eating only 1500 calories a day. If you are under 25 now, you are still in your developmental years and your development cannot be normal until you eat well above 3500 calories to make up for the energy deficit. If you are over 25 now, but were eating below 3500 calories before age 25, ditto. Over 25 men need 3000 calories but eating well above that is necessary to repair damage. It will not hurt you to eat well above the minimum, it will help you develop and be healthy, but you are accumulating damage if you eat below it.

 

[Francisco]

As you say, "healthy" is not healthy. When we tinker with our diet, we can definitely make things worse. As Lampfred indicates, many things can go wrong with our body's production of enzymes, hormones, etc. all caused by low vitamin and mineral intake, all caused by low calorie intake caused by not enough food. You have been severely energy deficient if you are eating only 1500 calories a day. If you are under 25 now, you are still in your developmental years and your development cannot be normal until you eat well above 3500 calories to make up for the energy deficit. If you are over 25 now, but were eating below 3500 calories before age 25, ditto. Over 25 men need 3000 calories but eating well above that is necessary to repair damage. It will not hurt you to eat well above the minimum, it will help you develop and be healthy, but you are accumulating damage if you eat below it.

Many people on this forum come here because they have metabolic issues, but my metabolism has always been pretty good. I just need to supply my body with the fuel it needs and stop being so picky.
Again, thank you for the insight.

 

[Andy316]

Many people on this forum come here because they have metabolic issues, but my metabolism has always been pretty good. I just need to supply my body with the fuel it needs and stop being so picky.
Again, thank you for the insight.

Have you solved your scalp issues Fransisco? Anything that has helped?