Is your hair thinning? Is your carpet covered in your luscious locks? Are you freaking out about losing everything each time you use a hairbrush?!
Ok first up… don’t panic! The amazing thing is that our hair is actually a window into our health, and really, can be one of the things that makes us pay attention!… I know… we can get aches and pains of all sorts, but if you mess with our locks, it’s serious, right?!
So, what’s interesting is that the WAY we loose our hair can give us a massive insight into what’s up. Here’s what to look for and what it can mean:
Hair loss pattern
- If it happens rapidly and comes out in clumps it may be due to stress, low iron levels, or could be related to rapid weight loss. It’s also commonly seen post- partum. The good news is, this hair can grow back with a few dietary and lifestyle adjustments
- If the centre parting starts to open and hair loss is more at the top of the head, this could be a sign of PCOS, high androgen levels (including testosterone), or high dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This can often come hand in hand with an oily scalp or dandruff
- If there are bald circles on the scalp that appear suddenly it could be related to an autoimmune condition
- If there’s general overall hair thinning you may want to check your thyroid or nutrient levels
- If it’s patchy hair loss it can be related to stress, heavy metal exposure, or low levels of B vitamins and zinc
- If it’s hair loss all over your body, you want to be looking at circulation, or blood sugar levels
Testing
- Ferritin (iron stores)
- Testosterone and free testosterone,
- Cortisol (stress hormone)
- Complete thyroid panel including free thyroid hormones and antibodies
- CRP and ESR (to check for inflammation)
- Blood sugar levels
- Heavy metals
- Vitamin D
How to re-grow your hair
Once you figure out if anything needs work from the test results, then you can tweak your diet and supplements accordingly… BUT… here are some general tips to help with hair loss:
- Don’t wash your hair too much as the ingredients can dry out your scalp & increase oil all at the same time
- Work on reducing your stress levels (I know, it’s easier said than done)
- Get enough sleep (I hear the sleep deprived mums laughing at this one)
- Ensure that 50% of your plate is packed with veggies, as this is where the hair loving nutrients are
- Specifically, get your zinc in as this mineral is amazing for hair health (and skin)… it’s found in pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, lamb and some seafood
- If it’s testosterone- related you can add things in like nettle and saw palmetto, which stops the conversion of testosterone to DHT (the form that’s related to male pattern baldness)
- Add ground flax to your diet as it can bind excess hormones
If you’re experiencing hair loss and want some answers, then definitely reach out as I can help you with testing and finding the root cause! Sometimes the quicker you intervene, the quicker you save your hair!