What Your Hair Says About Your Health

Monica Wilson November 05, 2012

Is your hair dry and frizzy? Does it take a long time to grow? Is it thick or thin? Many people worry so much about the appearance of their hair for purely aesthetic reasons. But did you know that your hair can also give you an idea about the status of your health.

Here are some of the most common hair problems and the message they would like to tell you:

1. Thinning hair

It is normal to shed around 100 to 150 hairs every day. But if you notice that you are losing almost a clump of hair when you brush or shampoo, there may be something wrong. Thinning hair has many possible causes. These include stress, hormonal imbalance, inflectional disease, fever and diabetes. Some medications (such as antidepressants and heartburn pills) may also trigger hair loss. Examine a strand of your hair and check if there is a tiny white bump. This indicates that your hair loss is only temporary. Otherwise, you should see a health professional to diagnose and treat the underlying cause.

2. Dandruff

Having dandruff is not a sign of poor health. Doctors aren’t sure what really causes dandruff but it is believed that dandruff is due to overgrowth of fungus on the scalp. Other possible causes are stress, obesity, eczema, dry weather and psoriasis. Using anti-dandruff shampoo greatly helps. Do you see yellow and greasy dandruff flakes falling from your scalp; you could be having seborrhoea dermatitis. This condition occurs when you have a lot of oil glands in your scalp and face. Seborrhoea dermatitis is treated like ordinary dandruff.

3. Dry, limp hair

A lot of factors such as too much sun exposure, excessive hair treatments (blow drying, dyeing, etc.) and swimming in chlorinated water can leave your hair dry, limp and frizzy. But if your hair tends to stay dry and limp and its texture changes without any known cause, it can be a sign of hypothyroidism. Other symptoms of hypothyroidism are rapid weight gain, fatigue, always feeling cold and more.

4. Brittle hair

Bleaching, dyeing and application of chemicals in the hair make it more prone to breakage. But it could also be a sign of an underlying disease such as Cushing’s syndrome (occurs when the body produces too much cortisol) and problem in the parathyroid.

5. Excessive hair loss

Medications, stress, crash diets, and health problems can lead to severe hair loss. There are various types of hair loss. If some of your hair sheds in small, usually round patches, such condition is known as alopecia areata. This happens when your immune system mistakenly attacks your hair follicles as a foreign or harmful substance. If the hair loss comes in larger “handfuls”, experts call this telogen effluvium. Diabetes and cancer may also trigger hair loss. In males, 90% of hair loss is gene-related. Baldness in men often starts with receding hair at the temples to the crown. In women, thinning starts on top of the head.

Hair Care Tips

- Going to the salon is not the best way to revive the thickness, fullness and attractiveness of your hair. Lifestyle changes are more important. So here are some tips that will not just make your crowning glory more beautiful but also improve your overall health:

- Fill your plate with essential nutrients that your hair needs. They are protein (which constitutes 95% of your hair weight), zinc, iron, and vitamin A, B and E, omega-3 fatty acids, etc. Make it a habit to eat at least five portions of fruits and vegetables of different varieties for maximum nutritional benefits.

- Laughter’s the best medicine. Give yourself time to relax. Go out, watch a movie, dine out with your friends or family and have some fun.

- Avoid exposing your hair to direct sunlight for long hours. Wear a hat or use an umbrella when strolling outside during sunny days.

- Avoid over-styling and minimise your use of blow dryer, curler, hair iron, and the like as they can severely damage your hair.

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