A skyline of high-rises whose glitter outshines your diamonds. Gourmet meals from around the world every night. The latest fashions at your doorstep. And the world’s engines just revving to take off. Living in Dubai is for the movers and shakers, redefining what it means to live the good life.
Except for one small aspect. Why is your hair falling? Life is as fuss free as possible and yet something isn’t quite right if you’re finding clumps of hair everywhere. It’s never happened before, and suddenly the basics of self-care are eluding you.
But hold on, not everything is a doom and gloom scenario. There are many reasons behind hair loss and there are equally many solutions too. The functional medicine approach to treating hair loss is to look for the root cause of the hair loss and fix that.
Here are some of the main reasons that could be responsible for your hair loss:
Hormonal Imbalances: Thyroid and adrenal hormones play a major role in hair growth, On top of hormonal imbalances in the male/female hormones.
Sex Hormone Imbalances: Androgens have a big role in the hair growth cycle. If Dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, is present in high amounts, it can affect hair follicles cycles, causing thinning and hair loss. An imbalance of estrogen also contributes to hair loss, like a drop in estrogen after pregnancy or during menopause can cause hair thinning.
Environmental Toxins: Hard water, heavy metals from air pollution, BPA from water bottles, or pesticides from food can irritate the scalp and cause hair loss. These toxins can also cause changes in the gut microbiome, insulin resistance, and create other hormonal disruptions, which can lead to hair loss.
Chemical Hair Products: The use of harsh chemicals like chemical dyes, hair treatments, and shampoos can also damage hair.
Vitamin & Mineral deficiencies: Nutrient deficiencies are one of the biggest contributors to hair loss. These include vitamin D, B12, biotin, zinc, and iron.
Zinc: A mineral that our bodies cannot produce and must get it from food. A zinc deficiency results in hair loss, and intake of zinc increases hair regrowth. It also plays a big role in thyroid health, which can affect hair quality.
Iron: Iron is needed to make hemoglobin (part of red blood cells) that carries oxygen. And oxygen is needed to stimulate hair growth. Symptoms of iron deficiency include hair loss.
Vitamin D: This is a fat-soluble vitamin required for various body functions. It plays an important role in the development of new hair follicles and improves hair growth.
Biotin: Biotin stimulates keratin production in hair and can increase the rate of follicle growth. It only helps with hair loss in case of biotin deficiency.
Stress (HPA axis dysfunction): Any stress or shock, from events such as childbirth, surgery, high fever, illness, or psychological stress can trigger hair loss. This is because of telogen effluvium, a temporary hair loss that occurs due to the shedding of resting or telogen hair. Physical and emotional stress, either acute or chronic, are the main mechanisms that promote hair loss. Blood circulation is cut off at the hair follicles and is redirected to other areas. The repeated cycle can leave hair follicles without nutrients.
Genetics: Genes or genetic health can also play a role in hair loss, for both men and women.
So what can you do combat these factors and encourage hair growth? While some of these might be within your control, a lot aren’t. However, functional medicine addresses the key causes, leading to long term positive effects and a more holistic approach to health, instead of just treating symptoms.
Here are some effective and practical solutions:
· Your first step is to get a test done to check the levels of your sex hormones.
· Test and correct possible vitamin and mineral deficiencies (Biotin, Complex B, zinc and copper. Monitor close vitamins A and D) through diet and supplementation.
· PRP: Platelet-rich Plasma injections may help stimulate hair growth.
· Peptides: Peptides help to fight inflammation that can affect growth cycles. Zinc thymulin (thymulin is a nonapeptide hormone) has been proven to be effective in treating both men and women for androgenic alopecia.
· Eat nutrient dense foods like meats, organic vegetables, grass-fed dairy and free-range eggs.
· Cut out excess carbs.
· Try to minimise washing your hair on a daily basis—Although it’s difficult when living in Dubai it’s worth it. Don’t use shampoo every day. Try to get a natural shampoo without too many chemicals.
· Use a good shower filter or at the end of your shower, rinse your hair with bottled water.
· When swimming in a pool, rinse your hair immediately after.
References:
Understanding Hair Loss due to Air Pollution and the Approach to Management (greenmebrasil.com)
A Scientific Hypothesis on the Role of Nutritional Supplements for Effective Management of Hair Loss and Promoting Hair Regrowth (thehairphysio.com.au)
The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review (nih.gov)
