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Question:
I am a 35-year old woman who is losing her hair. My doctor tells me that it is nothing to be concerned about, but I am. Do you have any suggestions?
Answer:
One of the most common complaints from women patients in my clinical practice is hair loss. I don't mean complete baldness, but rather the perception that hair is falling out at an increasing rate. My patients typically complain that other doctors dismiss hair loss as "nothing to worry about" - after all, minor hair loss is hard to measure and it is certainly not a life-threatening disorder. But they feel frustrated - it is a big deal to them. Fortunately, there are effective strategies for tuning up your hair and keeping it healthy for as long as possible.
There are five common causes of hair loss in women: use of drugs and medications; nutritional deficiencies; low thyroid function; autoimmune reactions; and excess androgens (male sex hormones). I assume that your doctor has probably ruled out all of the medical reasons, but probably has not looked into nutritional factors. A deficiency of any of a number of nutrients can lead to significant hair loss. The treatment of hair loss that results from nutritional deficiency is straightforward: increase dietary intake of these nutrients and supplement appropriately. Take a high potency multiple vitamin and mineral formula that contains iron, and take one tablespoon of flaxseed oil per day.
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