The truth behind hair loss

Our hair reflects the state of our health; hair is very energy-demanding. When our energy levels start to decline, so does our hair health. We should never ignore the state of our hair, as it gives us key insights into what is happening within our body. Just as our skin tells a story about our gut and hormones, our hair can tell us what may be happening in areas of our health we cannot see as easily. 

With rising levels of hair thinning, receding hairlines and hair loss, both men and women are seeing the effects of ill health on their hair. Male pattern baldness is often simply put down to genetics, and women's hair health decline is put down to age, but both are reductionist views. The root causes can be fixed; read on to find out how.

The role inflammation plays

We cannot talk about hair without mentioning inflammation, the prime driver of all hair-related problems. When inflammation levels rise, our hair pays the price. Since hair is energy-demanding, when energy is diverted to deal with inflammation, our hair receives less energy and therefore suffers. 

Lowering inflammation is a broad topic to cover, but the basics of avoiding ultra-processed food, eating organic, reducing exposure to toxins, and supporting your body's detoxification process are all key factors in lowering inflammation in your body. 

A puffy face, aching joints, water retention, and chronic fatigue are all signs of high inflammation; don't wait for hair loss to follow before you act. If a part of your diet is ultra-processed, or alcohol has been creeping back in, cut it out now.

Our kidneys also play an important role in lowering inflammation and keeping our hair healthy. Traditional Chinese medicine points to the kidneys when someone is struggling with their hair health, yet another reason to eat kidneys to aid our own, since TCM also highlights how eating a certain organ helps that same organ within our body.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and declining cellular energy

Our hair also reflects the state of our metabolic health. As mentioned previously, hair is highly energy-demanding. When our metabolism is fired up and our body temperature is warmer, our hair receives this excess energy and grows thicker, longer, and sometimes even becomes curly again. 

Unfortunately, most people under-fuel themselves, restrict carbohydrates, and severely lack the nutrients needed for a strong, functioning metabolism. This isn’t just going to slow hair growth but also cause cold hands and feet, tiredness, weight gain, and even a lower mood. Our metabolism, like our gut health, is a core part of our health. Neglect it, and our vitality diminishes. 

To boost metabolism, don't shy away from carbohydrates; instead, embrace them. Include nutrient-dense foods such as organs, choose fats such as coconut oil that help convert T4 to active thyroid T3, which in turn boosts metabolism through better thyroid function, and ensure sufficient movement and rest. When energy returns, the hair is re-energised.

Blue light exposure, hats and infrared light

Just like our skin, our hair needs sunlight to thrive, particularly infrared light. Infrared light has even been shown to stimulate hair follicle growth. Unfortunately, most people shy away from the sun and spend all day indoors under artificial blue light, with little to no infrared. 

Combining overexposure to blue light with constrictive hat wear, or even just excessive hat wear in general, makes it not hard to see why men and women are both struggling with hair health. Tight-fitting hats often restrict blood flow to the scalp and, of course, also block infrared light from reaching it. 

The more time we spend outdoors, the better our overall health becomes; spending less time in front of screens and more time absorbing natural light is key to a healthy body and, therefore, thriving hair. 

You can also get infrared light from panels that mimic the natural infrared we get in nature, of course, nothing replaces what nature provides, but if you are trying to improve hair health and stimulate new growth, infrared light can be a useful tool. 

Nutrient deficiencies = hair deficiencies

Nutrient deficiencies are the most common cause of hair loss and, thankfully, the easiest to correct. When modern diets left collagenous cuts of meat behind and stopped including bone broth, the population's health began to decline. When we eat a diet rich in collagen, our hair begins to thrive again, and so do our skin, nails, joints, and gut health. 

Glycine, an amino acid found in gelatinous and collagenous dishes, is excellent for supporting the gut, helping to seal the gut lining, and preventing what is known as leaky gut. When we consume collagen, we stimulate our bodies to produce more of their own collagen. This supports better hair, skin, and nails. 

We also need to ensure we have sufficient levels of nutrients, both coming in and already present in our bodies, such as iron, zinc, copper, and selenium, all of which play a key role in hair health, growth, and thickness. Eating a nutrient-dense diet is therefore essential, including foods such as organs, red meat, oysters, bone broth, bone-in meats, and even Brazil nuts for added selenium. 

Toxic hair care 

Supporting your hair health is about removing what’s holding it back, just as much as adding nutrients to support growth. Hair care products are among the most hormone-disrupting and contain ingredients that no one would ever eat, yet are slathered all over the scalp. 

From shampoos to conditioners and styling products, haircare is widely used but often causes more issues; many chase better brands, better-smelling products, or anything that promises to fix, heal, or just make their hair softer. But ingredients like sulfates, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, parabens, fragrances, and silicones aren't conducive to good hair health. Add in hair dye, and it's no wonder so many struggle with their hair health.

Instead, head back to a more natural approach with ingredients you could eat, and treat your hair as you'd treat your skin, that is, gently and with things made from nature, not chemicals.

Why you need to release your fascia 

In a world where everyone is staring down at a phone screen, it is no wonder the fascia in the neck has become tight and stiff, restricting blood flow to the head and, consequently, the hair. 

The fascia in the neck and upper shoulders affects not only our hair health but also how we look; tightness pulls on our facial muscles, tightens our jaw, and restricts facial movement. Prioritising fascial massage, full-body stretches, lymphatic drainage, and adequate mineral intake can help release our fascia and support blood flow. 

A simple, effective way to help blood flow return is to gently dangle your head off the end of your bed or sofa for a few minutes a day to encourage blood flow back to your head; go gently and stop if it becomes uncomfortable. To support fascia health, start at your feet and practise more barefoot walking; keep muscles loose, especially in areas such as the IT band and hips. Our body's stiffness comes from the ground up, so work on each area to release the fascia and stop it from restricting blood flow.

Chronic stress = no hair to pull out 

Chronic stress kills. Stress is normal, but when we are stressed out every day, our health pays the price. If we are stuck in the fight-or-flight state, our energy is diverted to being ready to fight or flee. In the modern world, we aren't being attacked by lions, but by notifications, work, toxic ingredients in our food, and hormone disruptors in our home. 

Doing all you can to lower stress levels and help your body re-enter the rest-and-digest state, also known as the parasympathetic nervous system, is key to healing and helping your hair thrive again. Try to avoid excess stressors such as long-distance cardio, cold exposure, fasting, and anything else that demands a lot from your body when it may already be stressed out.

Summary 

As with all things related to our health, we cannot isolate just one part; our body is one system, all connected. When we begin to feel more energetic, we may also notice our hair improve; our hair often takes the longest to heal, as, like our skin, it is continually regrowing and dying.

Hair loss or thinning stems from neglecting our health in some way; it returns as soon as we prioritise our health once more. And always remember: it’s not simply age, high DHT, or genetics; heal your health, and you heal your hair.