Vitamin/Mineral deficiency & hair loss

Post your questions about hair loss here.

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Yasmin249
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Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2014 9:00 pm
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by Yasmin249 on Tue Oct 17, 2017 4:14 pm

Vitamin/Mineral deficiency & hair loss

I have suffered from hair loss most of my life as have my sisters and mother. I have read about the connection between anaemia and hair loss, I have been taking iron supplements for the past 3 months but still suffer from hair loss. I would like to know if any other vitamin or mineral deficiency can cause hair loss. Thank you in advance.

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Dr Sharon Wong
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Joined: Wed May 10, 2017 11:43 am
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by Dr Sharon Wong on Wed Oct 18, 2017 11:25 pm

Re: Vitamin/Mineral deficiency & hair loss

Dear Yasmin249

Thank you for your query.

Ferritin is the blood test that is used as a marker of your body's iron stores and where studies have supported that a level maintained above 70 is optimal for supporting hair growth. Recovery of hair growth lags behind correcting nutritional deficiencies so it is not surprising that you have not seen any improvement in hair growth yet. Normally I advise that once the target level has been reached, it can take a further 6 months or more to see visible results in terms of regrowth/thickening.

Usually Vitamin D levels and zinc are checked as part of a standard work up to investigate hair loss and whilst their exact role in hair growth remains unknown, deficient states can be associated with hair thinning so it is best to keep levels within normal range. There is also evidence in a few studies that Vitamins B5 and 6 many be helpful in patients with hair shedding (even in those with normal blood levels)

However it sounds that there may be a genetic component to your hair loss and it may be worth getting a formal assessment from your dermatologist as treatments for this would be different from nutritional supplements.

I hope this helps and best of luck

Best wishes

Sharon
Dr Sharon Wong
Consultant Dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson
http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... n_wong.php

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