National Hair Loss Awareness Week
January 31st – February 6th
Did you know there are as many women as men with hair loss?
This week sees National Hair Loss Awareness week, highlighting the many issues and questions affecting those who suffer from the various forms and degrees of alopecia as well as the many causes.
There is a lot to say about hair loss: the causes, the treatments on offer and the psychological effects. The first thing to point out is that there is no over-the-counter hair-loss remedy, so don’t waste your money on trying them!
In fact, it is entirely natural for your hair to fall out- your whole head of hair is replaced every four years or so. There are also reasons for extra hair fall: spring and autumn. This extra loss can last four to six weeks, so don’t worry if it does. You need only be concerned about hair fall if it increases over a long period of time, or if you notice your hair is thinner.
Extra hair loss usually results from a combination of circumstances which affect both men and women. However women do not reach the stage a man does in the amount of loss and they rarely go bald. Circumstances leading to hair fall could include nutritional deficiencies or excesses, low iron levels and thyroid disturbances which you can ask your doctor to test for.
Stress is sometimes blamed for extra hair fall. This is not a myth. Stress, though a convoluted route, can produce more androgens, the male hormones that can be responsible for hair thinning.
If your hair is thinning, look first to your diet. Hair consists of protein and a common cause of thinning hair is a lack of dietary protein. The most important meals for protein intake are breakfast and lunch. First class proteins for hair are meat, fish, fowl, eggs, and – to an extent- low-fat cottage cheese.
You can read further information about hair loss here, or can arrange a consultation at one of our Trichological clinics for advice and treatment for the management of hair loss problems and ongoing hair care.
Macmillan cancer support also has further information for coping with hair loss, just click here.
The Institute of Trichologists has further information about National Hair Loss Awareness Week.
