Help! Why is my hair falling out?

I have had so many enquiries recently about hair loss and one of my clients has kindly agreed to share her story with you in the hope that if you are suffering, you can tackle it correctly, quickly and minimize the distress and anxiety associated with it.

She started noticing significant all over shedding and breakage but put it down to a seasonal cycle. Only when she was vacuuming every day and finding a lot of hair in the bed each morning did she realize that she needed to address it. She contacted me after consultations with two doctors and two well known hair clinics in the UK left her frustrated and upset.

Blood work doesn’t lie!

One doctor prescribed anti-dandruff shampoo, despite admitting there was no evidence of dandruff, the other prescribed Rogaine without explaining that the treatment has to be applied indefinitely. 

Neither offered blood tests in the first instance, but she insisted on some standard markers (thyroid, sex hormones, Vitamin D and iron) all of which came back ‘normal’ according to the doctor. 

At the same time she visited two specialist hair clinics in London - again, neither were interested in discovering what was causing the ‘female-pattern hair loss’ or doing blood tests, but both were keen to start immediately a £3,000 Minoxidil based treatment. One of the clinics even told her that she would be bald within a month if she did not start it the next day! 

Thankfully, despite such a horrifying diagnosis, my client reached out to help her find out what was causing the shedding, rather than applying a temporary or expensive fix!

Firstly, anyone going through this is not alone - approximately 50% of women will experience noticeable hair loss.

Female-pattern hair loss is predominant in women over 40

The most significant type is female-pattern hair loss - which is gradual thinning on the top of the head - and is predominant in women over 40, menopausal women, those who have just had babies and women who have had chemotherapy or been affected by other medications. 

The most common causes of female-pattern hair loss are:

1. Hormonal changes 
2. Nutrient / vitamin deficiencies
3. Extreme emotional or physical stress
4. Medications and supplements
5. Abnormal thyroid
6. Family history

Under 40, the most common reason of hair loss is an autoimmune disease

These include:

1. Alopecia Areata (bald patches)
2. Hashimoto’s Disease
3. Graves Disease
4. Crohn’s and Inflammatory Bowel Disease
5. Lupus
6. Psoriasis

And, if you have read enough of my blogs or posts, you will know that chronic inflammation leads to serious illnesses, many of which are autoimmune diseases.

Blood work is critical to determine the root causes of hair loss

There are so many possible factors that cause hair loss such as age, diet, lifestyle, family history, medications and major stress events, that a detailed bio profile and lifestyle assessment along with blood work are critical to help determine the root causes. 

In the case of my client, her bio profile gave me some indication of what might be causing the sudden hair loss - in the couple of months prior to noticing it, she had increased her exercise regime significantly and changed shampoo brand. Coupled with her age, not eating red meat, taking no supplements and wearing sunscreen all year round, I also suspected she was low in key vitamins and minerals.

Sure enough, following a comprehensive blood work panel, her results showed that her hormones were unbalanced and she was deficient in essential nutrients. There was some evidence that she might have had an allergic reaction to the shampoo, but the main triggers were without doubt high cortisol (from excessive exercise), high estrogen (that blocks thyroid function causing hair loss), very low zinc, iron, B and D vitamins and protein levels, all essential for hair growth and immune function.

Within 2-3 weeks of changing her exercise regime to walking and yoga, taking a supplement packed full of collagen, biotin and essential trace minerals including zinc, iron, selenium, silica, B vitamins and folate, as well as a high dose of Vitamin D (10,000 IU daily), using a sulphate free shampoo, washing hair less regularly and eating foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, her hair loss stopped! 

After 6 weeks she started noticing new hair growth and when I last spoke to her, she said that people regularly commented on the texture and quality of her hair in the street!

Everyone is unique and depending on the severity of the condition, different approaches will apply, but blood work is a critical indicator of underlying causes. 

Nutrition and lifestyle play a key role in treating hair loss

Before considering medical treatments, examine your blood work to determine the root causes. In the majority of cases, nutrition and lifestyle changes might be all you need.

My nutrition plans are anti-inflammatory, hormone balancing and full of protein and key nutrients as standard. A personalized plan based on your unique bio profile and lifestyle and blood work results will target the underlying causes of your hair loss.

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If my client’s story resonates with you and you would like to find out more information about blood work analysis and recommendations for a nutrition plan tailored to your specific requirements, please contact me at olga@zestyglow.com or book a free intro session. I will be delighted to help you feel and look better naturally.