Does Anaemia Translate to Alopecia?

Nutritional deficiencies may be the cause of some cases of hair loss so if your hair is thinning or excessively shedding, you may be lacking in essential vitamins.

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Are you anaemic?

If you are not yet middle-aged and are struggling with hair loss, it may be due to anaemia. Other signs of anaemia are the following:

• Tiredness

• Lack of energy

• Headaches

• Breathlessness

• Palpitations

• Paling of skin

• Flaking skin around the nails

• Mouth ulcers

Several studies have examined the relationship between iron deficiency and hair loss. Almost all have addressed women exclusively and have focused on non-cicatricial hair loss. Some suggest that iron deficiency may be related to alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium, and diffuse hair loss, while others do not. Several hair clinics screen male and female patients with both cicatricial and non-cicatricial hair loss for iron deficiency. Although this practice is not evidence based per se, we believe that treatment for hair loss is enhanced when iron deficiency, with or without anaemia, is treated. Iron deficiency anaemia should be treated.

So science has not really established whether there is a relationship between iron deficiency and hair loss, but some research suggest that there is. If you have hair loss and any of the other symptoms, see your doctor for a blood test to check for anaemia. If you are anaemic, a course of iron tablets may be enough to assist hair re-growth.

Food sources that contain iron include leafy green vegetables, beans, nuts, dried fruits, fortified breakfast cereals, oatmeal and meat. Make sure your weekly menu contains some of these types of foods in order to avoid anaemia. Reducing your caffeine intake can also improve your iron levels as caffeine inhibits your body’s ability to absorb iron.

Physiological Factors that Cause Female Hair Loss

Causes for female hair loss are somewhat different than those typically found in men, and the emotional effects can be quite different as well. Female hair loss affects about one-third of all susceptible women and usually onsets after menopause although it can begin earlier. It appears that hormone imbalances or fluctuations are responsible for most female hair loss, including those who have PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), recent pregnancy, menopause, or birth-control side effects.

The most common causes of hair loss in women include inherited genes, temporary metabolic problems associated with pregnancy, unusual stress, chemotherapy, crash diets/anorexia, thyroid hormone deficiency, major surgery, severe infection or high fever. Braiding, cornrows, tight ponytails, and extensions are the most common styling causes. There also may be some sort of trigger that initially causes the onset of hair loss, perhaps a virus or an environment contaminant. Nevertheless, severe or protracted stress from emotional, physical, chemical, or dietary causes can wreak havoc on many of the body’s vital hormones.

It’s estimated that nearly 30 per cent of all people suffering from hair loss or hair loss symptoms and in need of hair loss treatments are indeed women. Treatments for permanent female hair loss include medications and follicular unit transplantation procedures.

Treatments for female hair loss such as lifestyle alterations, balanced diet and exercise, stopping of hormone therapy or birth control medicines may also be sufficient to induce the reversal of hair loss. Your aim should be to seek the best professional advice and female hair loss treatments in order to achieve optimum results.

Most cases of hair loss in women are due to inherited female pattern balding, but medical conditions can also be involved, such as low thyroid levels, hormonal imbalances such as elevated testosterone, binge dieting, and pregnancy. The right vitamins and minerals can also work to promote the proper functioning of your thyroids and keep oestrogen levels in the proper balance.

In women, having an over-active or under-active thyroid gland may cause thinning hair. Treating the thyroid disease will usually help this type of female hair loss.

Hair Loss: What Are the Causes and What to Do?

Hair loss is a very common problem. Many people suffer from this condition, which can have a very negative emotional outcome and create anxiety and stress, both in men and women.

But what are its causes?

• Heredity: Hair loss can be inherited from either the mother’s or the father’s side of the family.

• Post-Pregnancy: Some women experience hair loss a month or two after childbirth because of changes in the production levels of certain hormones that affect hair growth.

• Illness or excessive stress: Sometimes the problem appears due to illness, severe stress, loss of weight and iron deficiency. Also, those who suffer from thyroid disorders are likely to suffer from this condition.

• Bad habits: Compulsive hair pulling and wearing pigtails or using tight rollers can cause a condition called traction alopecia. This condition is reversible only if the pulling is stopped before scarring of the scalp develops. You also need to avoid frequently using hot oil treatments or chemicals because they can lead to scalp inflammation.

• Diet: Baldness may be caused by poor nutrition. More often than not, iron deficiency can lead to this condition, and for this reason, you should check the iron levels in your body and take a supplement, if necessary.

So how can I reverse baldness naturally?

Your diet is a very important factor. Studies show that baldness and the quality of the food we eat are inextricably linked and that people who don’t eat enough food with certain nutrients tend to lose their hair at a faster rate than others. Malnutrition and rapid weight loss are 2 situations that can equate to insufficient intake of vitamins, which can trigger baldness. What is more, low water intake is associated with poor health and with an increased risk of baldness.

The most important nutrients for hair health are vitamins A, C and E, copper and zinc, iron and folic acid. Vitamin A is essential for the good health of the scalp. It’s found in meat, fish, carrots, green leafy vegetables, pumpkins, apricots and peaches.

Vitamin C is essential for the synthesis of collagen and has antioxidant properties. Fruits (especially citrus) and vegetables (celery, peppers, carrots) are good sources of vitamin C. Vitamin E neutralizes free radicals and is found in vegetable oils, nuts, eggs and some cereals. Copper and zinc are useful in protein synthesis. Foods rich in zinc are seafood and mushrooms.

Copper is found in many legumes and in dark chocolate. Iron is a vital element for healthy hair. Dietary sources of iron are liver and red meat and also spinach and lentils. Folic acid holds a key role in the replication of cells including those of the hair. Foods rich in folic acid are red meat, beans, cabbage and lettuce.

Natural and Abnormal Hair Loss

Many people in the world today, whether teenagers or adults, suffer from hair loss problems. Relax, folks! This is a completely normal and natural phenomenon. On an average, men and women lose about 50 to 100 strands of hair each day. However, beyond this average is considered to be a problematic scalp condition.

People with excessive hair fall or hair loss then keep on experimenting with various hair regrowth methods such as the use of harsh chemicals, pharmaceutical drugs and even surgery. But often these methods prove to be ineffective or too costly.

Hair loss is one thing that disturbs both men and women. Before you get panicky, however, you should know that it’s not the end of the world for you. Hair loss is indeed problematic for most people, but the good thing is that there are many natural and medicinal remedies available. These days, many hair growth treatments are available in abundance in the market. All you need to do is to choose the right kind of treatment that will suit your type of hair loss.

Having healthy and lustrous hair is an indication of good inner health. To have beautiful and thick hair, intake of a nutritious diet and proper care of hair are needed. Before going into detail on how to prevent excessive hair fall, we should first discuss the most possible reasons of hair loss.

Some of the common hair loss reasons are stress, frequent hairstyling, genetics, hormonal imbalance, medications, unhealthy diet and over-exposure of hair to the sun. We all are different and have unique needs and hormone levels and enzymes; therefore, our hair and scalp react differently to various treatments. A certain product may be effective for one individual in stopping hair loss and stimulating hair regrowth, but ineffective for another.

Keep in mind that obtaining hair growth is not something that will happen overnight, it requires complete attention and products that can help you with it.

Going Organic for Healthy Hair Growth

Hair grows differently from one person to another. But the rate of hair growth can be improved if people know to how to properly care for their mane and use the right products.

Using a shampoo is important in cleaning the hair. Today, there are specially formulated shampoos that not only clean but promote hair growth as well. Many brands are in the market nowadays but what matters most is being able to pick the one that suits your hair type.

The attitude shouldn’t be to just try out the most popular or most expensive shampoo because in the end, you still might not get the results you want. If you choose the one that fits your hair type, you’ll have a greater chance of keeping your mane healthy and even boosting its growth.

Mild and gentle shampoos are the most ideal to use. This is highly recommended for people experiencing hair loss so as not to damage their hair and scalp any further.

Organic shampoos have lesser chemicals that are commonly used in the traditional man-made shampoos. They are known as organic because they only use natural ingredients that can properly nourish the hair and make it grow faster. These products include some of the famous herbs.

• Chamomile – known as a hair tonic, this helps in keeping the hair shiny and strengthening it to prevent split ends.

• Thyme – this is helpful in nourishing the scalp and preventing dandruff.

• Rosemary – stimulates the hair follicles to promote proper hair growth and helps prevent dandruff as well.

• Lavender – cleans and soothes the scalp as well as gives a nice smell.

• Aloe vera – this helps nourish the scalp and promotes hair growth. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties as well.

• Jojoba – removes blockages from the follicles and hastens hair growth.

• Soy protein – boosts hair growth and improves volume.

The following are other considerations when looking for a hair growth product:

• It contains amino acids and botanicals to help hasten hair growth.

• Nourishes the roots of the hair to make them grow properly and healthy. It also contains vitamins to stimulate hair growth.

• It not only helps hair grow healthier but strengthens it and gives it a unique shine. It contains moisturizers and emollients for gentle cleansing and nourishing.

Also, it is best to seek the advice and help of a hair care professional or a hair loss expert in choosing a hair growth product.

Searching and Researching for the Ultimate Baldness Remedy

Scientists at the Berlin Technical University revealed they had grown the world’s first artificial hair follicles from stem cells.

The leader of the research team claimed that within five years, millions of hair loss sufferers could grow new hair from their own stem cells and have it implanted into their bald spots.

A study by the University of Pennsylvania suggested that bald men were not bald at all — it was simply that their stem cells were producing growths too fine to be visible to the human eye. According to the team leader, Dr. George Cotsarelis, ‘The fact that there are normal numbers of stem cells in a bald scalp gives us hope for reactivating those stem cells’.

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that a chemical called astressin-B showed ‘astounding’ results for hair regrowth after one jab per day for just five days. The tests were on mice, but the researchers were confident that a cure for baldness could be found in 5 to 10 years.

A British company announced that their scientists had pioneered a brand new technology to combat hair loss. The new technology had ‘been designed to improve hair growth and even re-awaken dormant hair follicles’. The company claimed to have developed a new ‘growth factor complex’ (sh-VEGF) which would stimulate hair follicle growth on balding scalps.

Taken together, this seemed to herald a revolution. Over the years, there has been no shortage of unrealistic headlines promising an end to baldness — but most of this new research seemed to emanate from respectable academic institutions, and all of them seemed to be promising the same thing: the end of baldness.

Even if the research proved to be disappointing in the long run, there appeared to be other developments in the world of hair repair taking place, too — not in biochemistry, but in the technology of hair weaving and transplants.

There were rumours that a new hair transplant technique — FUE, or Follicular Unit Extraction, which transplants follicles from the back of the head one by one instead of in a long strip — used robot technology to enable thousands of follicles to be replanted at once, thus producing a more sophisticated and convincing result. Perhaps a new crop of hair could be bought, right now, without having to wait for genetic science to take the necessary leap forward.

Why does baldness matter so much to men? Stories of men — and women — becoming suicidal after hair loss are not uncommon. This is not just about looks, but mortality, the passage of time.

It is a paradigm of ageing, a signal of loss of control over our bodies on a continuum with, say, losing the ability to stand up or the loss of a faculty. We suddenly become describable as just an old biddy or an old fool. Baldness quickly swallows up a person, like ‘just’ a fat person or an ill person.

Therefore, it is no wonder that experiments, research, and clinic trials have become a constant in the hair restoration industry.

3 Tips to Head Off further Hair Loss

There are few things more discomforting than shedding your full head of hair. You may feel like you might be looking at someone else in the mirror if you have a bald spot. You are looking older and your sense of self is becoming distorted. This situation is challenging if you feel insecure because of your bald spot. The restoration of hair is not an overnight process. People have been worried about it, but the process takes time regardless of the method chosen.

It’s not only the older folks that go bald. Age is not a limiting factor for the tendency to go bald. Hair loss may be due to environmental, lifestyle and hereditary factors. There are several strategies you can consider if you want to regain your hair.

1. Precautions

Proper nutrition has done many people a world of good. Your hair is affected by your moods and the amount of proteins and vitamins in your diet. Pressure can contribute to hair loss faster. This is due to biochemical changes that happen inside the body due to stress. Place air filters so that your environment is clean enough and contributes to good health. A filthy environment will lead to more problems besides hair loss.

You may try modifying the way in which you make use of hair products. Hair loss may be due to the usage of shampoo that is extremely strong in formulation. Natural products work well for this purpose. Crush some aloe vera and apply to your hair on the days that you’re not applying your strong anti-dandruff shampoo.

2. Topical Applications

If you look at all the hair thinning products out there, you will find out that there are a few effective ones. But there are some other people who can’t use these things. One reason is antipathy reaction to drugs. It has been discussed that folks applying thinning hair medication for the first time can experience mild problems like undesired hair growth on the other parts of the body. Eye irritation may also be a sign that you are allergic to the product. Some other folks also feel like vomiting or feel woozy all of a sudden. When you recurrently use the product, try not using it for a while to check if the symptoms will go away.

3. Laser and Grafting

Contemporary technology has allowed other people to have their hair restored using laser technology and surgery. There are benefits and disadvantages to these means, of course. Grafting is a process that involves implanting active hair follicles to replace lifeless ones. Some hair roots may still be revived, but need a supplementary therapy to reactivate them. These dormant follicles are treated with laser therapy to stimulate them. When the follicles are healthy again, hair will grow out normally.