By Ava Alderman
If you're a woman experiencing hair loss, it's probably safe to say that you want to explore and fully rule out every option that could be causing this. There are so many issues that could be the culprit here - genetics, hormones, pregnancy, going on and off birth control pills, thyroid issues, adrenal issues, scalp issues, and the list goes on and on. One thing that I've recently been asked about a lot is vitamin deficiencies. It's really tempting to think that just replacing some nutrients or popping some hair vitamins will solve the problem. There's a couple of reasons why this isn't always the most effective route to go. I'll explain why in this article.
The Vitamin Deficiencies That Can Sometimes Cause Hair Loss: There are a couple of vitamins that do effect your hair. The first is iron. Anemia has been linked to changes in hair. What most doctors will look at are your ferritin levels and they tend to fluctuate wildly during different times of the month. (When you are menstruating and lose blood, your levels will be lower.)
There was a time when I thought that my hair loss could be directly related to my low iron (My iron has tested low ever since I was a teenager.) But, at my lowest level as a teenager, my hair was to die for. And, I've raised my iron level several times over and it often did very little to effect my hair loss. I also need to state that you absolutely should not try to guesstimate your level or take supplements on your own hoping for the best. Too much iron can be as bad for you (and your hair) as too little. It's so important that you work with your doctor here if this truly is an issue. He or she can help you to reach your optimal and healthiest level.
B vitamins and protein can also affect your hair. It's said that vegetarians can have hair issues because they don't take in enough protein. This can be true for some people, but many celebrities are vegetarians with awesome heads of hair. Still, if you think that this may be a concern for you, be diligent about getting enough protein in your diet.
Most experts will tell you though that typically the western diet has very little vitamin deficiencies. We are among the most over nourished countries in the world. Although it's never a bad idea to take a standard multi vitamin to cover all bases, I find the idea of hair loss vitamins to be a waste of money. Most excess vitamins will just come out through your urine, pretty much literally flushing your money down the drain.
What You May Want To Look At In Addition To Vitamins: In my own experience with hair loss, it's often very rare (for women) that we can change what is going on internally. The exception is if you have documented, supervised medical conditions (like thyroid or adrenal issues) that can be fixed. It's more common that there is a DHT or sebum issue that is effecting your scalp and choking out your hair follicles. (This can be genetic or it can be a fixable scalp issue.) It is much more effective (and safe) to deal with this topically.
I am not a doctor, but in my experience as a woman with previously chronic hair loss, It's best to first address the likely inflammation that is usually a precursor to (or the result of) the chronic hair loss. Once you get a handle on the inflammation, the next step is to bring on and support healthy regrowth. You'll need to have a very healthy scalp for this. Because scalps that still have DHT or inflammation result in unhealthy, miniaturized hair that is only going to fall out again.
It can be very tempting to try to change your hormones or throw a bunch of different supplements at the issue. But, in my experience, this often makes things worse. Women who are prone to hair loss are usually very sensitive to even small internal changes. So, I believe that it is important to try the topical method first before changing up your hormones or changing things inside, unless your doctor advices you of this because of a medical condition (in which case topicals can still help with regrowth and inflammation.)
If you're a woman experiencing hair loss, it's probably safe to say that you want to explore and fully rule out every option that could be causing this. There are so many issues that could be the culprit here - genetics, hormones, pregnancy, going on and off birth control pills, thyroid issues, adrenal issues, scalp issues, and the list goes on and on. One thing that I've recently been asked about a lot is vitamin deficiencies. It's really tempting to think that just replacing some nutrients or popping some hair vitamins will solve the problem. There's a couple of reasons why this isn't always the most effective route to go. I'll explain why in this article.
The Vitamin Deficiencies That Can Sometimes Cause Hair Loss: There are a couple of vitamins that do effect your hair. The first is iron. Anemia has been linked to changes in hair. What most doctors will look at are your ferritin levels and they tend to fluctuate wildly during different times of the month. (When you are menstruating and lose blood, your levels will be lower.)
There was a time when I thought that my hair loss could be directly related to my low iron (My iron has tested low ever since I was a teenager.) But, at my lowest level as a teenager, my hair was to die for. And, I've raised my iron level several times over and it often did very little to effect my hair loss. I also need to state that you absolutely should not try to guesstimate your level or take supplements on your own hoping for the best. Too much iron can be as bad for you (and your hair) as too little. It's so important that you work with your doctor here if this truly is an issue. He or she can help you to reach your optimal and healthiest level.
B vitamins and protein can also affect your hair. It's said that vegetarians can have hair issues because they don't take in enough protein. This can be true for some people, but many celebrities are vegetarians with awesome heads of hair. Still, if you think that this may be a concern for you, be diligent about getting enough protein in your diet.
Most experts will tell you though that typically the western diet has very little vitamin deficiencies. We are among the most over nourished countries in the world. Although it's never a bad idea to take a standard multi vitamin to cover all bases, I find the idea of hair loss vitamins to be a waste of money. Most excess vitamins will just come out through your urine, pretty much literally flushing your money down the drain.
What You May Want To Look At In Addition To Vitamins: In my own experience with hair loss, it's often very rare (for women) that we can change what is going on internally. The exception is if you have documented, supervised medical conditions (like thyroid or adrenal issues) that can be fixed. It's more common that there is a DHT or sebum issue that is effecting your scalp and choking out your hair follicles. (This can be genetic or it can be a fixable scalp issue.) It is much more effective (and safe) to deal with this topically.
I am not a doctor, but in my experience as a woman with previously chronic hair loss, It's best to first address the likely inflammation that is usually a precursor to (or the result of) the chronic hair loss. Once you get a handle on the inflammation, the next step is to bring on and support healthy regrowth. You'll need to have a very healthy scalp for this. Because scalps that still have DHT or inflammation result in unhealthy, miniaturized hair that is only going to fall out again.
It can be very tempting to try to change your hormones or throw a bunch of different supplements at the issue. But, in my experience, this often makes things worse. Women who are prone to hair loss are usually very sensitive to even small internal changes. So, I believe that it is important to try the topical method first before changing up your hormones or changing things inside, unless your doctor advices you of this because of a medical condition (in which case topicals can still help with regrowth and inflammation.)
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