What Your Hair Says About Your Health
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Did you ever stop to think about the connection between your hair and your health? Sure, we all get a positive sense of well-being with a good cut, a color we prefer, or the fact that we have a pretty full head of hair! But here’s a health fact to consider: thinning hair can be a symptom of a lifestyle or medical problem. (It’s not usually the cause for the often-observed male-pattern baldness, with a gradually receding hairline.) With extreme dieting that includes both calorie and protein restrictions, hair can thin dramatically. A protein-deficient diet is often directly reflected in thinning hair. And a poor quality diet — enough calories, but low in vitamins and minerals — can also be a problem. Poor stress management is another reason you might be losing your locks. Some of this is hormonally based, as well as the nervous habit of absently twisting and pulling on hair, resulting in loss. Medical conditions can be related to thinning hair. A...