Lanugo: Anorexia Hair Growth Explained

What is lanugo?

Lanugo is a soft, light coating of hair on the face and body. Lanugo commonly appears on the skin of newborns to help regulate body temperature. But when lanugo shows up on an adolescent or adult, it can be a sign of an eating disorder called anorexia nervosa[1].

In individuals with anorexia, lanugo often appears as “fine, downy, pigmented hairs on the back, abdomen and forearms” [2]. It can also appear on the sides of the face, along the spine, and on the neck and legs [1,3].

What is anorexia?

Anorexia is a serious and potentially fatal eating disorder. People with anorexia often have an intense fear of gaining weight and go to extreme measures (food restriction, severe dieting, excessive exercise) to avoid weight gain. Symptoms of anorexia commonly include:

• A significantly low body weight
• Body image distortion (including body dysmorphia)
• Denial that there is a problem

There are two subtypes of anorexia: the restricting type, where there is no consistent bingeing/purging, and the binge eating/purging type, where the individual regularly binges and purges.

Learn more about anorexia nervosa subtypes here.

How is lanugo related to anorexia?

Lanugo frequently shows up in patients with anorexia and is a sign of starvation [2]. This is because our bodies require a balance of nutrients to maintain physical and mental well-being.

• When an individual with anorexia restricts their food intake, they no longer receive enough nutrients.
• Without proper nutrition, weight loss leads to the loss of protective body fat and the body starts to shut down.
• This can cause a number of long-term side effects of anorexia, including lanugo.

As the body struggles to maintain a normal body temperature, lanugo may appear as a way to help the body conserve heat [3].

Does lanugo go away on its own?

With proper nutrition, lanugo will go away. But people with anorexia are not likely to consume enough nutrients easily. One of the hallmark features of anorexia is the person’s lack of insight into the fact that they have an eating disorder. People with eating disorders often deny that they have a problem and refuse to get help.

For lanugo to resolve, the individual must consume more nutrients and restore their weight. As weight is restored, lanugo will fade and eventually disappear. People typically require intensive treatment to resolve the side effects and underlying causes of the eating disorder.

How do you treat lanugo with anorexia?

The only way to treat lanugo with anorexia is to treat the eating disorder. If lanugo is present, this means that the individual has been restricting food for some time and likely needs intensive eating disorder treatment. Effective eating disorder treatment typically involves a team approach, working with:

• Primary care physicians
• Psychiatrists
• Registered dietitians
• Family therapists and other therapists

Family involvement, multiple eating disorder therapy approaches, nutritional counseling and rehabilitation, and medical management are commonly integrated into treatment.

What are the long-term effects of anorexia?

Individuals with anorexia may display a number of physical signs of the eating disorder. Some signs to watch for include:

• Yellow skin from eating too many carrots (carotenemia)
• Dry skin
• Bluish color of hands or feet (acrocyanosis)
• Brittle nails
• Frequent bruising or rashes
• Brittle hair and hair loss
• Bleeding gums
• Cold hands and feet
• Lack of periods (amenorrhea) without another cause

Anorexia can also lead to a number of serious medical complications. These complications will vary from person to person. They include: 

• Bradycardia (heart rate < 60 beats/minute)
• Hypotension (< 90 mm Hg systolic)
• Edema (ankle, periorbital)
• Heart murmur (mitral valve prolapse)
• GI complications, including constipation and abdominal bloating
• Liver dysfunction
• Osteopenia and osteoporosis, sometimes with permanent loss of bone mass
• Decreased brain size (can be permanent)
• Stunted growth (can be permanent, not reaching height potential)
• Infertility
• In severe cases: seizure, coma and death

As you can see, anorexia can impact nearly every organ system in the body, with devastating consequences. The most serious health risk associated with anorexia is premature death.

How to get help for lanugo with anorexia

Anorexia is a complex eating disorder to recover from. If you have lanugo and anorexia, or know someone who does, know that the ideal standard of care, whenever possible, includes the following:

• Early recognition of the eating disorder
• Timely intervention
• A developmentally appropriate, evidence-based, multidisciplinary team approach
• Medical, psychiatric, psychological and/or nutritional care

Long-term support may be necessary to prevent an eating disorder relapse. To help someone recover from anorexia, you can contact an eating disorder treatment center, such as Eating Recovery Center. When you reach out to our team, we will match you with the exact support you need.

Lasting recovery from anorexia is possible. If you need help, please fill out this form or call us at 866-622-5914 to learn more about your anorexia treatment options.

Sources

1. Mehler, P.S., & Andersen, A.E. (2022). Eating disorders: A comprehensive guide to medical care and complications. 4th Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press
2. Struma, R. (2009). Skin signs in anorexia nervosa. Dermatoendocrinology, 1(5), 268-270. doi: 10.4161/derm.1.5.10193
3. Mehler, P.S., & Brown, C. (2015). Anorexia nervosa -- medical complications. Journal of Eating Disorders, 3(11). doi.org/10.1186/s40337-015-0040-8

Read These Next:

• What Are the Two Anorexia Subtypes?
• Anorexia in Males
• Anorexia in Teens
• Anorexia vs. Bulimia
• Lanugo: Anorexia Body Hair Growth Explained