Hair Loss and its Relationship With Your Health

As a child, I usually thought that hair loss was associated with normal aging, but growing up, I got a different understanding, and I realized that hair loss has a lot to say when it comes to health than just aging. I have a neighbor who has been visiting the hospital because he has patches on his head and was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata. He has been receiving treatment and hopefully will get his hair back, I hope. So in this post, I will be discussing what hair loss could mean with your health.

Talking about Alopecia Areata; it is a condition where the immune system mistakenly attack the hair follicles. Yes, that's the condition that Will Smith's wife, Jada Smith is suffering from. It is not an uncommon thing, as 1 in 50 people will experience it at one point in time or the other happening at any age. When it comes to treatment, the patients are injected with Steroids directly into their scalp to calm the immune system but in severe cases, the treatment prednisone will be required to supress the immune system.

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Another autoimmune condition that can lead to hair loss is Discoid Lupus. With this condition, while the hair is being removed, there is massive inflammation in the scalp which can lead to scaring and the destruction of the hair follicle which leads to permanent hair loss. SEAL, a musician suffers from Discoid Lupus but with Discoid lupus, the skin is only affected while with Systemic Lupus, the immune system attacks the internal organs and tissues of the body.

When there is a major stress to the body's organs or tissues, such as in the case of surgery, childbirth, infections, or even with crash diets, the hair follicles can be affected. This is because with shock to the system, lots of hair will go into the resting phase and the same time, in a condition known as Telogen Effluvium. This condition is actually temporary, but takes time. When there is a shock to the scalp as well, it can lead to hair loss due to allergic reaction which can put the hair in a resting phase.

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Syphilis is a disease that can lead to hair loss, and while it is a sexually transmitted infection which can cause almost any type of symptom, mimicking other diseases. You might then wonder why it leads to hair loss, well, a rash in your hair can affect the hair follicle, leading to loss of hair.

Biotin Deficiency is another thing can that lead to hair loss, and while it is very rare, eating too much egg white can lead to a deficiency of biotin as Egg white contain Avidin that can bind with Biotin to block Biotin Absorption. Iron Deficiency Anaemia can also lead to thinning hair but then with supplement, medication, and transfusion, it can be treated.

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Some people will have hairs at different stages of regrowth as well as patches of hair loss as a result of people repeatedly pulling off their hair. This is common with Trichotillomania which is a condition that goes along with depression, anxiety, and other type of obsessive compulsive disorders. While some people have the urge to pull out their hairs, others have their hair pulled out by fashion of way of life. This is common with Traction Alopecia where the hair is pulled tightly causing hair loss.

When discussing hair loss, it becomes evident that from autoimmune conditions like Alopecia Areata and Discoid Lupus to the effects of stress, surgical shocks, and dietary imbalances, our hair serves as a canvas reflecting our internal well-being. Syphilis, Biotin deficiency, and Iron Deficiency Anaemia join the roster of health issues manifesting in hair loss, this emphasizes the interconnectedness of our body's various systems as most of this conditions have other symptoms asides hair loss. Conditions like Trichotillomania has to do with mental health but then it shows the relationship between mental health and hair loss, as it is possible for our emotions to be manifested physically.

^Reference

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