Diabetes can make serious changes to your body. And hair loss can be another byproduct of having diabetes. This is how diabetes can cause hair loss.
Diabetes and Your Hair Growth
Generally, your hair goes through three growing phases. For two or more years, it is growing actively. Your hair will grow about 2 cm a month during this phase. After about 100 days, your hair will stop growing for a while and rest. After this phase of rest, your hair will begin to shed and begin the process again. According to the Mayo Clinic, it is normal to lose 50-100 hairs a day. However, this type of shedding should not cause noticeable hair thinning.
If you have diabetes, this hair growth process can change. You may lose more hair during the shedding process, or lose hair in other parts of your body. Diabetes will also stifle the hair growth rate. And when your hair finally grows back, it may do so at a rate slower than when you had diabetes.
As a diabetic, you are more susceptible to other health problems. One of them is a hair loss condition called alopecia. There are many reasons to develop alopecia. Though experts cannot agree to the exact cause of alopecia, some possible reasons include medical conditions, hormonal changes, heredity, and medications. As a diabetic, you become predisposed to alopecia because of your major medical condition.
Other health conditions associated with having diabetes can contribute to hair loss, including stress or a thyroid condition.
What to Do
If you notice yourself losing hair at an alarming rate, there are a few things you can do. The first thing you can do is speak to your doctor about your hair loss to determine its cause. It can be any number of things. For example, if it is because of poorly managed blood levels, they will help you develop a plan to improve your methods.
Your doctor may also prescribe medications for hair loss, or suggest dietary supplements.
Final Thoughts
Diabetes can cause hair loss, but there are things you can do to slow or stop the process. In some cases, hair loss is reversible. If you are diabetic, and you notice hair problems speak to your doctor to come up with a plan of action as soon as you can.
