SOMA Living August 2021

FROM THE DOCTOR

RAISE THE ROOF!

HAIR LOSS IN WOMEN

We all lose about 50-100 hairs every day, but seeing increased hair in the shower drain, a thinning ponytail, a widening of your part, or even a bald spot is worrisome for sure. This is beyond normal shedding and should be looked into. Our hair grows in phases: the anagen phase is the growing phase and lasts 2-8 years, the catagen phase is the transitional phase and last 2-3 weeks, and the telogen phase is the resting phase and final cycle of the hair follicle before it falls out and lasts about 3 months. There are many factors that can affect this normal cycle and cause hair loss- and topping this list are stress, hormones and nutrient deficiencies. Stress is a major trigger for hair loss. This has been demonstrated during the pandemic where stress levels have been super high and hair loss has been a big concern. The stress can be psychological or physical. The body will divert blood supply, energy and nutrients away from the hair follicle when feeling stressed or ill. The hair loss can be seen a few months after an extremely stressful event or time period. When we are stressed we also tend to fall into less than optimal sleeping and eating patterns which can lead to inflammation as well as poor nutrient intake. Stress causes us to use up more nutrients like B vitamins too. Hormonal changes are a big player in hair loss. Low functioning thyroid, high prolactin, elevated insulin, and high androgens can all contribute. Loss of estrogen with peri/menopause can cause the hair follicles to shrink and hair may then fall out. And postpartum hair loss with its hormonal fluctuations can lead to hair loss too. Your doctor can check these hormone levels in the blood. Nutrient deficiencies that can affect hair loss include iron, zinc, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, Vitamin E and tocotrienols, omega 3 fatty acids, amino acid deficiencies and possibly vitamin D. Nutrition related hair loss can often be due to mild deficiencies of multiple nutrients rather than a more severe deficiency of one nutrient. If nutrient deficiencies are discovered it’s important to figure out why - are you not getting enough in, not able to digest or absorb the nutrient properly, or have a loss or increased need of that nutrient? Looking at the underlying cause of hair loss can guide treatment. In general, make sure you are eating a whole foods anti-inflammatory diet that is full of protein, healthy fats, fiber, fruits and veggies to ensure you are getting optimal nutrition. This will also help to decrease inflammation and balance hormones, as well as help even out blood sugar and insulin levels. Replenishing nutrient deficiencies is key and I always suggest going on a good multivitamin with a nice amount of B vitamins. Making some of these changes can start you on the road to reversing hair loss.

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Daniele Merlis, MD Functional Medicine Certified Physician Firefly Health

www.fireflyhealthmd.com dmerlisMD@gmail.com

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