Iron deficiency is a common underlying cause of hair loss in women. Correct iron and ferritin (stored iron) levels are essential to hair growth as they support healthy hair cell proliferation and help to keep your hair in the growing (anagen) phase. Iron deficiency anaemia, be it mild or severe, can cause your hair to enter the shedding (telogen) phase sooner than it should, leaving you with excessive hair fall and also hair is not growing to the length it used to. Continue reading
If you have read past articles from my blog, you are probably aware that I am passionate about nutrition, and not just in terms of your hair health, but your bodily and mental well being too. So with the holiday season just around the corner, I would like to speak about pre-Christmas diets – something we find many people are tempted to do in order to prepare for the upcoming culinary feasts and parties.
While a healthy weight-loss plan that has been approved by your doctor or nutritionist can be fine to safely and slowly shed excess weight, crash diets are never a good idea. While most of you may know that extreme diets and exercise plans can make you feel lethargic and cranky, you might not be aware that they can be extremely detrimental to your hair.
No matter your weight, shape or size, quick fix diets and restrictive dieting deprives your hair follicles of the nutrients it needs to grow, and stay growing. While most people have a certain number of reserves (such as iron and fat), when your diet is lacking, your body will only provide energy to your vital organs – not your hair. But while your hair is the last thing on your bodies’ list of things to nourish, it’s also the second fastest growing cell in your body. You really need a sufficient daily intake of proteins, complex carbs, vitamins and minerals in order for healthy hair production.
Due to your hair growth cycle, you don’t usually see extra hair shedding until 6 weeks after a crash diet (right in time for the New Year). This is even true if you make up for what you didn’t eat later on. Associated hair loss can continue for up to a few months, depending on how restrictive your diet was and how long it went on for – and the loss can be quite severe. As hair only grows half an inch a month, and depending on the length of your hair, it can then take a few years for the hair lost to grow to the length they used to be. Really not worth it!
Hair unfortunately gets thinner as you age. A common misconception is that grey hair is coarser, but in fact grey hairs are usually finer in diameter. This is because oils glands tend to produce less sebum as you get older, which dries the hair giving you the appearance of coarseness. Continue reading
I have tried my best to educate and inform some of our illustrious expat productions in Dubai over the recent months. I now realise that in doing this, it is causing my own hair to fall (kidding) its either that or the fact that I am continuously banging my head against a brick wall. If I hear one more person say that there is a link between the water in Duabi and hair loss, I am going to stamp my feet very hard. Quote on ‘expat woman’ today, ” there is strong evidence to suggest the connection of the water in Dubai causing hair loss”…. Where!?! Please show me, point me, take me kicking and screaming to it! The reason they don’t is that there is none. Continue reading
To achieve long, lustrous hair simply takes time. All too used to convenience and immediate results, hair extensions can provide a great solution for thicker, fuller hair. Celebs like Katie Price have made such styles famous, but are also famous for making tabloid headlines when they suffer the problems that can come with them. So to what extent does the quick-fix to length damage your hair in the long term? Continue reading