According to Dr. D.J. Verret in the "Patient Guide to Hair Loss & Restoration," 21 million American women and 35 million American men are experiencing hair loss. Your genetics play a major role in your hair's longevity, determining whether you'll become a part of that statistic. Unfortunately, there is scant evidence that any changes in diet can change the course of nature.
Male Genetic Hair Loss
The Bernstein Medical Center for Hair Restoration reports that male pattern baldness, called "androgenetic alopecia," remains the number one cause for hair loss in men. If you have this condition, the hair follicles on the front and top of your head are vulnerable to a hormone called dihydrotestosterone and may eventually fall out. Scientists don't yet know whether you receive this gene from your mother or father. The Bernstein Medical Center feels more than one gene is probably involved; science, they note, is a long way from establishing a cause for male genetic hair loss---let alone a cure.
Female Genetic Hair Loss
According to the Bernstein Medical Center, about 30 percent of women experience thinning hair as they age. Whereas men tend to lose hair on the front and top of their heads, women tend to lose hair all over without the drastic hairline alteration many men experience. Female hair loss usually occurs more slowly than male hair loss, but it can speed up during pregnancy or menopause.
Effect of Diet on Hair Loss
As Clarence Robbins notes in "Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair," no scientific studies exist that prove vitamins spur hair growth. Whether you get those vitamins from supplements or food, there is little chance they'll change your genetic code. However, if your hair loss is caused by something other than genetics---such as a crash diet or vitamin deficiency---it's possible that healthier eating or a vitamin supplement can return your hair to its normal growth pattern.
Hair Loss Treatments
According to Verret, only two drugs are approved by the FDA to treat hair loss. Men can treat hair loss with minoxidil, sold as Rogaine, or finasteride, sold as Propecia. Women can treat hair loss only with topical minoxidil. In all cases, Verret notes, early detection and treatment is key. These drugs can slow down or halt hair loss in a matter of months, and they can even stimulate new hair growth---but they will not regrow hair in an area that's already completely bald.
Consideration
The Bernstein Medical Center notes that for women in particular, hair loss may be caused by something other than genetics. If you're a woman experiencing thinning hair, talk to your doctor. If there's an underlying cause that needs to be treated first, only your doctor can prescribe the right course of action. According to the Bernstein Medical Center, treating the underlying problem can actually often reverse the pattern of hair loss.
Member Comments