HAIR LOSS

Hair loss is a natural process of a strictly defined hair follicle cycle, which takes place in our body continuously and is mostly hardly noticed. It is only when hair loss exceeds a certain volume that we become aware and get concerned. Women especially are particularly anxious about hair loss and being one I do know why: we love our hair; we spend a significant amount of time caring for it daily and it really is part of the aesthetic image we choose for ourselves. Consequently, for a woman experiencing significant hair loss, it’s a major personal problem.

So what can we do and should we see a specialist and if yes, when and whom? Up to 100 hairs per day reflect the standard healthy shedding that everyone experiences and it is nothing to worry about. Keep in mind, that longer hairs are more voluminous and become more visible than short hairs, while the quantity may be the same! Localised hair loss leaving bald spots is more concerning and often a sign of a pathologic process. In this case, I recommend you talk about it with your doctor.

On the other hand, if you notice that overall your hair is thinning, there may be some things you can do.

First, focus on your lifestyle: stress with high levels of stress hormones, sleep deprivation, and anxiety will activate a hormonal circle which increases the speed of your hair cycle causing more hair shedding than usual. Healthy food is key! Our hair follicles require the right amount of minerals and vitamins to function properly.

Iron, Vitamin B12 , Zinc and Aminoacids like Biotin and Praline are the supplements best known in playing a significant role. It is definitely worth diagnosing deficiencies and designing treatment plans together with your doctor.

Antioxidants like Vitamin C are also of major importance and should find their way into your daily supplement routine! The next factor is a bit

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of a downer for all of us women, simply because we end up hearing about it a lot and it is hardly ever fun: Menopause! The hormonal changes, the fluctuating progesterone levels and the increasing testosterone eventually show their effect on the hair follicles. Our hair becomes thinner and falls out more than we would like; a typical fronttemporal hair loss pattern may also become evident! I do recommend talking with your doctor about medication options, and also to check for all potential lifestyle changes and deficiencies as described above! It is also worth changing your diet to slow down the hormonal effect on your body! ›

Another recently discovered reason is COVID-19 infection.

Up to several months later, women noted episodes of increased hair loss which has been attributed to an inflammatory process in the microcirculation of the scalp and the hair bulb. Luckily, it seems to stop eventually!

So what can we do other than eat healthily and maintain a low stress level? What if nothing works and all vitamins and minerals are well substituted?

In that case, you can talk with your doctor about some prescription options: topical or oral minoxidil and oral finasteride are usually the prescribed formulations and work in various cases if used regularly and for a prolonged time period. For those who prefer to stay natural, a variety of pure topical serums and oil preparations are available, some proven to benefit significantly, especially if they carry Vitamin C and peppermint as their ingredients. However, as you can imagine, the offer on the cosmetic market is large and you may have to research extensively to find the right product for you.

The only one thing you should not do is to ignore it. Find the cause and then you should also encounter the solution! Hair loss may not be a life threatening situation but it can cause suffering and psychological problems nevertheless!

DR: MANUELA REISBECK INTERNIST AT REISBECK-MEDICAL PRIVATE PRACTICE AND CARDIOCARE MARBELLA, INTERNATIONAL CARDIO-VASCULAR CENTRE. WWW.CARDIOCAREMARBELLA.COM