Ask The Doctor :: Recommendations for Thinning Hair

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ASK THE DOCTOR:

I have noticed that my hair is thinning, what could be some causes of this and what supplements would you recommend?

Incredibly, the scalp has approximately 100,000 hairs with new hair continually emerging. We tend to lose an average of 50 to 100 strands a day; however, hair loss and thinning are much more common then most people believe with many causable factors playing a part: genetics, hormone levels, thyroid, stress, malnutrition, pulling hair in tight pony tail everyday and over- processing of hair. For women, hair thinning is primarily due to stress and fluctuating hormone levels.

Everyday stress with work and family – whether working on a fabulous new work project or organizing a fun family holiday – can make it challenging to find a balance between both. Learning techniques to react better to stresses are extremely important. Engage in deep breathing, yoga classes, nightly walks, journal writing and importantly, feeding the body with whole healthy foods, will help support the body and keep it healthy.

Scalp and Hair Health

As women age, their hormone levels are fluttering from high to low estrogen and progesterone, with even testosterone playing an active role. Finding a pattern with hair loss – noticing more loss during specific times of the month – can be informative detective work that will aid your doctor to determine what lab work to order and find the cause.

Read Labels: Find products that have ingredients that don’t strip your hair like the chemicals like sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, or ammonium lauryl sulfate may do. Your hair dresser will be able to guide you to find plant based shampoos and conditioners that work well with your hair texture.
Treat your scalp with a weekly mask. The scalp is the foundation where your hair follicles grow; keeping it nourished is an important part of having full, shiny hair. There are many products – oils and creams – that you can apply but I have found that coconut oil works extremely well and is economical.
Hydrotherapy: At the end of each hot shower, blast cold water to the scalp. The cold will stimulate blood circulation and bring nutrients to the scalp.

Supplements

Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids: Your body can not make them so you need to get them from your food or by taking a supplement. These fatty acids have many important functions in the body, one being skin. Cod liver oil, an essential fatty acid, has vitamin a and d which are not only supportive to the immune system but to the skin as well.

Food sources: Olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds but also mix in flax-seed oil, cod liver oil and hemp oil.

Vitamins A, B, C, D and E: Look for a multivitamin that has all of these vitamins.

Iron: There is convincing evidence that low iron levels may contribute to hair thinning. It is best to have your doctor check your iron and ferritin levels ( ferritin stores iron in the body) before taking iron.

Food Sources: beef liver, oysters, beans, nuts, beef and lamb, leafy green vegetables.

It is always best to visit your doctor and discuss your concerns with them. You both may decide to begin a simple treatment plan ( as above) while waiting for lab work to be completed. There possibly might be a medical condition that is causing or contributing to the hair loss and thinning that needs to be rules out.

About Heather Manley

Dr. Heather Manley, who in 2001 received her medical degree from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, is a practicing physician whose primary interest is preventative healthcare for families. She is the author of the award winning Human Body Detectives, her children’s educational series of story-telling books, curriculum, eBooks, and iPhone/iPad apps. She also promotes wellness and naturopathic healthcare on her website drheathernd.com. She lives on the Big Island of Hawaii with her husband and two daughters, and is currently at work on the next Human Body Detectives adventure.

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