One of the most common triggers of hair loss is a hormonal imbalance. But what does that actually mean? Let’s take a step back and explain how hormones work. Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. They travel in your bloodstream to tissues or organs and work slowly to affect many things including growth and development. Hormones are powerful. It only takes a tiny amount to cause big changes in cells, or even your whole body. That is why too much or too little of a certain hormone can be serious.
This is why hormones get a bad rap. And rightly so, when hormones go haywire, they can cause all kinds of issues with your health and appearance. Your health care provider can measure the hormone levels through a simple blood test and give you insights on changes you may need to make.
Hormones related to hair loss include:
DHT – otherwise known as Dihydrotestosterone, DHT is a male hormone present in both males and females that can inhibit the scalp’s ability to support new hair growth. The hair follicles shrink resulting in a shorter lifespan and the abnormal production of hair.
Insulin – helps regulate blood sugar levels and can affect hair growth.
Estrogen – too much estrogen can lead to thinning hair. This can be caused by major body changes like pregnancy or perimenopause, but also through environmental factors and some foods.
Thyroid – when thyroid levels fluctuate, your body redirects the energy used for noncritical processes – like hairgrowth – to more important matters at hand (balancing your hormones). Low thyroid is often the cause of thinning hair in women as they age.
How to handle hormones and bring it all into balance is a question best handled by your doctor. But here at Allusions, we can help you identify workable solutions to give you the appearance of thicker and fuller hair.
And you thought hormones were just for teenagers…
