If you have diabetes and you start losing your hair, you may be experiencing diabetes related hair loss. Although the connection was long thought to have already been established, the link between diabetes and hair loss needs to be further studied. Looking however at the basic facts about diabetes and hair loss may help you understand why there might be a real connection.
Hair Basics
Before looking into the possible links between hair loss and diabetes, let us first examine and understand both their basics. Human head hair may seem to have no function other than for appearance. Still, the human hair is still a part of the human body, and thus, still stand to benefit or suffer from anything that is going on in the other parts of your body.
A strand of hair grows from a root and from its hair follicle located beneath the scalp. Hair is nourished through the bloodstream which transports hair nourishing nutrients to the scalp and to the follicles. When your body does not have enough nutrients or when there is poor blood circulation in the body, the hair and its growth is also affected.
Hair Loss
It is also possible that there is really no direct link between diabetes and hair loss in some cases. There are several reasons why people lose their hair and it is crucial to be able to arrive at its cause through the process of eliminating other possible causes of the condition.
One other factor of hair loss is through genetics and heredity. 95% of people suffering from hair loss have androgenetic alopecia. This is a hair loss condition brought about by genetic make-up and hormonal activities in the body. Because both conditions have their sources in genetics, it may be more difficult to identify which condition is causing your hair loss.
Diabetes and Hair Loss
The link between hair loss and diabetes may be best identified by examining the nature of diabetes and what it does to the body. Diabetes is the body's condition in which people either cannot produce the insulin that our body needs or cannot respond properly to it. When a person has a diabetes condition, glucose cannot always enter the body cells to provide it with the energy it need. Since there is an excess of unused glucose, it will start accumulating in the bloodstream. Along with high blood sugar levels, fat deposits may now also begin to attach on blood vessel walls, ultimately clogging blood passageways. When blood passageways are clogged, improper blood flow and poor circulation circulation ensue.
As mentioned, the hair's key for growth and nutrition lies in the bloodstream. Having poor blood circulation could mean poor hair health. In addition to this, poor blood flow can also result to skin irritations and infections among diabetics. And since scalp is still part of our skin, it is also stands to suffer from poor blood flow, resulting to hair loss.
The Diet
People with both diabetes and hair loss may have a tougher time dealing with hair loss. Usual cases of hair loss are treated with nutritional supplementation and proper diet. Those with diabetes and hair loss however have to take into consideration the graver condition of diabetes. Eating an unregulated amount of even the most nutritious foods may result in drastic glucose spikes. Consult your doctor first before dealing with your hair loss. - 15437
Hair Basics
Before looking into the possible links between hair loss and diabetes, let us first examine and understand both their basics. Human head hair may seem to have no function other than for appearance. Still, the human hair is still a part of the human body, and thus, still stand to benefit or suffer from anything that is going on in the other parts of your body.
A strand of hair grows from a root and from its hair follicle located beneath the scalp. Hair is nourished through the bloodstream which transports hair nourishing nutrients to the scalp and to the follicles. When your body does not have enough nutrients or when there is poor blood circulation in the body, the hair and its growth is also affected.
Hair Loss
It is also possible that there is really no direct link between diabetes and hair loss in some cases. There are several reasons why people lose their hair and it is crucial to be able to arrive at its cause through the process of eliminating other possible causes of the condition.
One other factor of hair loss is through genetics and heredity. 95% of people suffering from hair loss have androgenetic alopecia. This is a hair loss condition brought about by genetic make-up and hormonal activities in the body. Because both conditions have their sources in genetics, it may be more difficult to identify which condition is causing your hair loss.
Diabetes and Hair Loss
The link between hair loss and diabetes may be best identified by examining the nature of diabetes and what it does to the body. Diabetes is the body's condition in which people either cannot produce the insulin that our body needs or cannot respond properly to it. When a person has a diabetes condition, glucose cannot always enter the body cells to provide it with the energy it need. Since there is an excess of unused glucose, it will start accumulating in the bloodstream. Along with high blood sugar levels, fat deposits may now also begin to attach on blood vessel walls, ultimately clogging blood passageways. When blood passageways are clogged, improper blood flow and poor circulation circulation ensue.
As mentioned, the hair's key for growth and nutrition lies in the bloodstream. Having poor blood circulation could mean poor hair health. In addition to this, poor blood flow can also result to skin irritations and infections among diabetics. And since scalp is still part of our skin, it is also stands to suffer from poor blood flow, resulting to hair loss.
The Diet
People with both diabetes and hair loss may have a tougher time dealing with hair loss. Usual cases of hair loss are treated with nutritional supplementation and proper diet. Those with diabetes and hair loss however have to take into consideration the graver condition of diabetes. Eating an unregulated amount of even the most nutritious foods may result in drastic glucose spikes. Consult your doctor first before dealing with your hair loss. - 15437
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Are hair loss and skin irritations the only effects of diabetes? Find out more diabetes care FAQs from Andy Rowde.
