Good luck Walkerscrisps!
I finished my stint on the Cambridge diet just over 2 years ago. I lost c 6 stone between April 2007 and Oct 2007 and have maintained a healthy bmi since Oct 2007. I am going to dip over bmi 25 for the first time in 2 years in the next month or so but it is to be expected what with being knocked up and all!!!!!
Cambridge will give you results, as will any other diet, as long as you follow the rules and adhere to the guidance from your counsellor. Once you have reached goal I cannot stress how important it is that you follow the maintenance steps closely as this will build the foundation for your future eating habits moving forward to ensure the weight stays off.
Because of the extreme nature of some of the diets options (eg sole source) you might find that people you know may try to put you off from doing the diet. When i was first thinking about doing the diet I read the official literature and spoke to my partner - both of us agreed that risk to my health from being >6 stone overweight was far greater than following a very low calorie diet for a few months which would hopefully reduce my weight. When I started I decided I would give it a go for a month with 100% effort and if at the end of that time I was not happy to continue or unsatisfied with my progress then I had the choice to pack it in. This diet does not suit everyone, in the same way that some people can't get on with slimming world but find that weight watchers really works for them and vice versa
When I was following the diet I made good use of the Cambridge diet section of the Minimins forum - it was nice to have the support and company of other people going through the same experience as me.
As for hair loss - this is a potential side effect of rapid weight loss from any kind of diet. About 4 months into the diet I found that I did shed hairs in greater quantities than usual, and as a result my hair did seem thinner and have less volume for a few months. However, within a 2-3 months of completing the maintenance program and continuing with a healthy balanced diet the rate at which my hair shed reduced and my natural hair thickness and volume returned - as far as I was concerned this was a small price to pay in return for my health, happiness and vitality.
If you ever want to chat about the diet or ask anything feel free to pm me.
Best wishes to you for your journey - I wish you every success