Getting to the root (sorry) of thinning hair

It can feel really worrying and disheartening when you notice changes with your hair. Although it seems like quite a surface level concern, it can be a powerful signal that something's out of balance. Whether it's not as full as it once was, you're noticing it fall out more when you wash it, or your hairline is thinning, there can be many factors at play.

Although the hair supplements promising a magical quick-fix can work for some people, for others they're just a waste of money. As always with health, the only way to really fix things is to dig around and work out why it's happening. If it's a lack of B vitamins because, say, you're on the pill and you drink alcohol and eat pastries regularly, then yes, maybe a hair supplement might work. But it's not usually that simple.

You need three elements for healthy, strong hair. You need the right nutrients available in your body, you need healthy blood flow to get the nutrients to your scalp, and you need healthy, well regulated hair follicles. If any of these are compromised, your hair will be too.

Hear are four of the most common reasons for thinning hair, and some tips on what you can do about them:

1. Low iron status and/or poor blood flow: In traditional Chinese medicine and Eastern medical traditions, hair is an extension of the blood and therefore an indicator of blood quality. In Western medicine, anaemia or low iron status is linked to hair loss and poor hair growth. To build the blood, it's important to eat specific, often iron-rich, nutrients and to optimise digestive function so your body's able to use them.

   
   

   Good blood-building foods include: pasture-raised red meat (especially liver), fish, eggs, beetroot, seaweed (especially wakame), raw or lightly cooked leafy greens, spirulina, and legumes. General side note: having greens with vitamin C is essential for absorbing the iron.

   
   

   Exercising regularly also supports healthy blood flow and circulation, meaning your scalp and hair follicles are more likely to receive the nutrients they need for growth.

   
   

   

   
   

2. Inadequate B vitamin status: The important B vitamins for healthy hair are B12 (very hard to get if you're vegan), folate, biotin and riboflavin. These vitamins help to produce red blood cells, enabling healthy blood (and therefore nutrient) flow to the hair follicles.

   
   

   Food and drinks high in refined sugar deplete our body of B vitamins as well as other essential minerals we need for healthy hair, like magnesium and zinc. We use them up in the process of digesting the refined sugar and converting it into energy.

   
   

   The pill also depletes our body of B vitamins, as does heavy alcohol consumption, certain medications, and conditions like Crohn's or Celiac disease which affect absorption in the gut.

   
   

   This is a good B complex which I like to take (use code LAJN15 for 15% off.) If you're on any medication, check for interactions before taking it.

   
   

3. Hormonal imbalances: Unlike the points above, hormonal imbalances generally impact the hair cycle. Here are some of the most common hormonal causes of hair loss/thinning:

   
   

   Our thyroid is like the thermostat in the body - it controls everything. If our levels of thyroid hormones are too low, then our body starts to slow down and energy is pulled away from less crucial things, like hair growth.

   
   

   PCOS can also contribute to hair loss and thinning, often due to high levels of testosterone. Testosterone and other androgens impact the hair follicles' growth cycle and can shrink the follicles themselves.

   
   

   Low levels of oestrogen, either during menopause, postpartum, or due to other reasons, can lead to hair loss and thinning. This is because oestrogen increases the length of time hair follicles spend in their growing phase.

   
   

   Hormonal imbalances can be complicated beasts to tackle alone, so working with a nutritional therapist (me!) can really help you to get to the bottom of things.

   
   

4. Stress: There has been a significant increase in both men and women experiencing hair loss in the last decades and stress is a big culprit. Going back to the Eastern medicine perspective, stress depletes the blood, which means cells don't get the nutrients they need. Our scalp often becomes tight - think how nice a head massage feels when you're stressed - which restricts blood circulation so the hair follicles can become malnourished.

   
   

   Stress depletes us of magnesium, vitamin C, zinc and B vitamins - all of which are necessary for healthy hair. If that wasn't enough, high levels of cortisol, a key stress hormone, damage hair follicles directly.

   
   

   Addressing the causes of your stress is important, but things like calming breathwork, scalp massage, spending time in nature, and making sure you're getting enough magnesium and vitamin C can all be really helpful.

   
   

   

   
   

It can be tricky to work out the underlying cause of hair loss or thinning on your own and it often adds more stress to your plate - something you don't need! If you'd like me to support you in getting to the bottom of it, please email me at layla@laylajohansen.com or send me a message on Instagram :)