Female pattern hair loss has skyrocketed across North America affecting millions of women. Many women close to me are currently suffering with this problem.
Hair loss is one of the major complaints I receive as a Holistic Nutritionist both in my private practice and while working at a health boutique. Almost all of the complaints come from concerned women. I sense this is quite embarrassing as it plays a major role in social significance. Hair loss can place additional stress that may lead to the development of depression in women. Often great full voluminous and shiny hair is a sign of youth, health and beauty, and that a potential mate is healthy. Luscious hair is celebrated by many cultures and quite often our hairstyle is seen as our identity stamp that may give insight into our personality. Some women embrace this change and will either cut their hair short or cover the spot up with their longer hair (this is also known as the classic male associated combover), others want their hair to stop falling out and regain their feminine mane.
Initial signs of hair loss include clearing patches on the scalp, excessive hair in brushes or excessive hair found throughout our house. Hair loss may be linked to other symptoms and other health challenges, it is just one of the many physical signs. Often there may be other signs that may not have been recognized or connected. As a practitioner, I connect symptoms and physical signs that are attributed to nutritional deficiencies. Once a connection has been established we can then proceed with a personalized plan to reduce or inhibit hair loss.
Biotin has been and still is a hot seller in health food stores. Biotin supports skin hair and nails. So far, the feedback has been “my nails are growing but I don’t have a full head of hair like I used to”. Other popular supplements to hit the market are collagen protein powders. While they are great for support, they stop short there. Some nutritionists and health practitioners have theorized that as humans we no longer eat whole parts of animals as part of a protein rich diet. I still think that’s not the actual cause, it goes much further than most are willing to look.
Most of the cases I’ve seen stem from nutritional deficiencies and altered lifestyles.
The absolute truth is all life forms thrive on raw materials. That is why we have these wonderful proteins called enzymes within our bodies. One substance gets converted into another with the help of a third substance. Pull one of these out and new structures cannot be supported or maintained. This is where breakdown occurs.
Another factor to consider, and one of the major things that often goes unrecognized is the amount of chemicals we are exposed to and use daily. The average shampoo and conditioner has over 10 ingredients each. Soap/body wash, lotion, deodorant, most forms of makeup and body sprays also have multiple ingredients. Many of these chemicals can cause inflammation and oxidative damage to our cellular structure. For example, “Fragrance” - This world is found in many products and the very name holds the patent of a company’s secret ingredients. Companies are not legally required to expose what exactly those ingredients are. Any chemical that gets absorbed through the skin will have to be detoxified by the liver (that’s if the liver is not bombarded with other issues), or stored in body fat.
It has been published that women put an average of over 100 chemicals on their bodies daily. If medication, BCP (Birth Control Pills), alcohol (including wine), processed foods, non-organic, GMO (genetically modified organisms) are added to the mix, surely problems can arise. Our chemical burden may be at the breaking point. Chemicals that are washed off, or flushed away come back to us in one form or another (rainwater, food, drinking water etc.). The cold hard fact is that we have limited clues as to what these chemicals do once they are inside our bodies. Take some time one day and look at the ingredients on the back of the products you use daily. This should give you a general indication of your chemical burden. Lightening our chemical load will be good for us, our children and our planet.
Regaining luscious healthy hair Holistically can boost confidence, eliminate coverups, increase styling options, and save you money from expensive treatment options that may not work. Find our what you can do about it and the connection to the imbalances in your life. You may be surprised with the connection to other symptoms. It is best to visit your family doctor to rule out any potential illnesses. Before considering hormonal therapy, I strongly encourage taking a deep look into your current diet and lifestyle practices. Hair loss in women requires a complete nutrition and lifestyle approach to lead us back on the path of hair growth. What will benefit us all is to incorporate or add foods that will heal & support the growth of our beautiful hair. Looking at our nutrition & lifestyle challenges and making a few beneficial adjustments will create an environment for the locks to flow.