How HAIR THINNING is more than just NUTRIENT issues
IS Hair health a signal of inner imbalance?
If biotin isn’t changing your hair, you’re not alone. There are actually no randomized controlled scientific studies that look at biotin and hair!
When it comes to hair health, there are other issues beyond nutrient status.
So, in this blog post, we’ll dive into inner imbalances that could contribute to suboptimal hair health - such as hormone imbalance, infections, and more.
In addition, I chat about general holistic hair options that you can speak to your doctor about.
Ready to deep dive with me? Keep on reading more!
DISCLAIMER: THIS POST DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AS MEDICAL ADVICE; IS NOT MEANT TO DIAGNOSE, PREVENT, TREAT, OR CURE ANY MEDICAL CONDITIONS OR DISEASE; AND IS MEANT FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IN THIS POST DOES NOT REPLACE THE ADVICE OF YOUR MEDICAL PROVIDER. SPEAK TO YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE STARTING ANYTHING NEW OR SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH ME.
Hormones & Hair: How too much & too little affect hair health
Yup, hormones can affect our hair. Science shows that imbalances in hormones can trigger different types of hair thinning in different people.
Hormones specifically known to do this are: Androgen hormones and Thyroid hormone.
High Androgen hormone + hair:
Androgenetic alopecia occurs when someone has higher androgen hormones.
Some examples of androgens are DHEA, testosterone, and di-hydrotestosterone (DHT). And, researchers indicate that there is a strong genetic component with androgenic alopecia.
Scientists discovered that androgenetic alopecia affects of up 50% of males and females, and it is characterized as progressive hair loss on the scalp anytime after puberty.
Androgenic alopecia looks different between males and females.
In males, hair loss occurs at the vertex (top of the head) and on the sides of the head, close to the temples.
In females, hair loss occurs at the front hairline
Low thyroid hormone + hair:
Low thyroid hormone (or hypothyroidism) has been shown to affect hair health
Researchers suggest that thyroid hormone supports hair growth by supporting hair follicle stem cell differentiation.
Hair thinning that occurs with hypothyroidism can range from brittle hair (called trichorrexis nodosa) to diffuse hair loss (called telogen effluvium). Both of these are mentioned further down in this blog post. In addition, people with low thyroid can experience eyebrow hair thinning!
Other than hair issues, people with hypothyroidism can experience a constellation of symptoms that include fatigue, dry skin, cold intolerance, constipation, difficulty losing weight, and more.
To address hypothyroidism, a doctor may prescribe thyroid hormone medications to their patients.
Telogen Effluvium: How stress (and infections) affect hair
Infections, stress, medications, and nutrient issues could trigger excessive hair shedding, called telogen effluvium.
Telogen effluvium is characterized by sudden, diffuse hair shedding that is more common in females than in males. Researchers say that telogen effluvium is a “spontaneously reversible condition.”
When looking at common triggers of telogen effluvium, researchers list the following:
Acute infections and severe infections
Major surgery
Severe trauma
Postpartum hormonal changes
Discontinuing estrogen-containing medications
Crash dieting
Low protein intake
Heavy metal ingestion
Iron deficiency
Medications (beta-blockers, retinoids, anticoagulants, and more)
According to scientists, in acute telogen effluvium, “shedding lasts less than six months; often the period of shedding is much shorter.” And, the causative event usually occurs 3 months before the start of hair shedding.
Brittle hair: How genetics & the environment impact hair strength
Brittle hair is called Trichorrhexis nodosa (TN), and there are 2 different types:
Acquired TN
Congenital TN
Acquired TN is the most common form, and is usually caused by things we do to our hair or expose our hair to.
Some common causes of acquired TN are:
Chemical damage (from hair dyeing or perms)
Mechanical damage (from frequency brushing)
Physical damage (from excessive ultraviolet exposure or heat treatments)
In addition, Mechanical damage can also be caused by plucking hair, such as trichotillomania. Congenital TN is rare, and can occur because of genetic anomalies that affect the integrity of the hair shaft.
According to scientists, acquired TN can resolve on its own if the cause is addressed. Researchers say that “complete resolution [of acquired TN] may take 2 to 4 years.”
Holistic Hair Care: Combining inner + outer support
Identify inner imbalances for targeted treatment
As mentioned in this blog post, there are many issues linked to hair health other than nutrient issues.
Some inner issues mentioned in this blog post are: androgen hormones, thyroid hormones, infections/trauma, medications, and more. Beyond these inner issues, it should also be noted that autoimmunity could affect hair health too.
So, identifying the specific inner issue contributing to someone’s hair issues can inform your provider how to best address hair goals with targeted treatment.
To identify some of the inner imbalances, a provider may have to do some labs and work-up to truly identify the causative factor of someone’s hair issues.
General hair care Tips:
While someone is addressing their inner health, holistic hair care also means addressing the hair itself.
To minimize hair damage, Practical Dermatology speaks about the 4-Step “Soak and Smear Technique.” This technique is as follows:
Shampoo and/or condition the hair normally and lightly blot hair with a towel.
Follow with the application of a water-based leave-in conditioner to the hair.
Immediately apply an oil or thick, occlusive moisturizer, such as coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, petrolatum or mineral oil, to the hair.
Allow the hair to air dry and style as desired.
To further minimal hair damage, researchers suggest that “excessive brushing, hot-combing, permanent waving, and other harsh hair treatments should be avoided”
Advanced hair care:
Medications: For people experiencing androgenic alopecia, there are topical and oral medications that a doctor may prescribe to support hormone balance.
Red light therapy: A 2019 meta-analysis of 8 studies showed that red light therapy may be supportive in some people with hair thinning due to high androgens. With the study specifically finding that red light therapy of the scalp supporting hair growth in both males and females
As always, speak to your doctor first before trying anything new.
Summary & Takeaways (TL;DR)
While there is science indicating that nutrient issues may play a role in hair thinning, there are deeper inner imbalances linked to hair thinning as well.
First, hormone imbalances could trigger hair thinning. When people experience higher levels of androgen hormones, it could cause scalp hair loss in males and females. And, when people have low thyroid hormone levels, it could cause brittle hair and/or diffuse hair loss.
Second, infections, severe stress, medications, and more can trigger sudden diffuse hair loss in some people, called telogen effluvium. Scientists write that the causative event usually happens at least 3 months before hair shedding occurs.
Third, genetics could trigger brittle hair, making it difficult for some people to grow out their hair. While genetics are a rare factor, researchers suggest that acquired brittle hair is more common due to the things we do to our hair and what we expose our hair to.
As always, speak to your doctor first before trying anything new.
Want to learn about skin health from a holistic & integrative POV? Read these blog posts to learn more:
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