Many systems in your body are affected by diabetes. People with diabetes don’t speak much about it, but hair loss can be distressing for many. Because thinning hair can happen with diabetes, you might wonder if there’s a possible link and what you can do to help.
We at Avant Medical Group know that diabetes may damage both your hair and skin in addition to other health concerns. We look after more than blood sugar in diabetes care by also helping people address problems such as hair loss that can cause you to feel less healthy. This article looks at how diabetes can lead to hair loss, what to look out for and what choices you have to treat the problem.
How Does Diabetes Cause Hair Loss?
There are several paths by which diabetes can trigger hair loss.
1. Poor Blood Circulation
Chronic high sugar levels lead to damage in blood vessels which leads to poor circulation. A shortage of blood supply to the head decreases nutrient and oxygen delivery to hair follicles which makes hair weaker and causes it to thin or fall out.
2. Hormonal Imbalance
Disruption of insulin and androgen hormones in diabetes can alter how hair is controlled. Unbalanced hormones can cause hair loss in the same ways as other hormonal disorders such as those of the adrenal glands.
3. Autoimmune Responses
In Type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks the cells that produce insulin. A damaged immune system may then cause the hair follicles to be attacked, resulting in alopecia areata.
4. Stress and Inflammation
Long-term high blood sugar may cause hair follicle damage and shorten hair growth, making your hair thinner.
5. Medications and Nutritional Deficiencies
Some diabetes drugs and problems like kidney disease may make people not get enough zinc, biotin and iron which are necessary for healthier hair.
Symptoms of Diabetes-Related Hair Loss
Look for these symptoms if you have diabetes and think you may be losing hair due to the disease:
● Hair becoming gradually thinner all over the scalp
● Patches of baldness appear all at once, most strikingly in those with autoimmune disease.
● A lot of hair being shed when brushing or when washing
● Hair taking a while to return after it has fallen out
● When your hair becomes brittle or dry
If you experience any of these signs, it’s wise to talk to a healthcare provider about it.
Treatment Options for Diabetes-Related Hair Loss
Hair loss due to diabetes should be handled by managing diabetes as well as caring for the hair:
1. Optimal Diabetes Management
The main thing you should do is keep your blood sugar under good control. Avant Medical Group’s diabetes specialists Group creates personal treatment plans to help reduce any negative effects the disease may have on your hairstyle and general health.
2. Nutritional Support
The experts in nutrition help you include protein, vitamins A, C, D, E, zinc and biotin in your meals. Taking care of any nutritional shortcomings can encourage stronger and longer hair.
3. Medications and Topical Treatments
When the loss is due to an autoimmune disorder or caused by medications, your doctor may prescribe treats like minoxidil (Rogaine) or corticosteroids. We involve dermatologists in our patient’s care when more advanced treatments are necessary.
4. Stress Reduction and Lifestyle Modifications
Both your blood sugar levels and hair loss can be made worse by stress. We walk you through activities such as meditation, yoga and exercising, to help manage your stress and improve your wellbeing as part of our primary care or chronic care programs.
5. Advanced Therapies
Together with dermatology specialists, Avant Medical Group helps provide patients with innovative therapies such as PRP therapy or low-level laser therapy, to encourage hair growth.
How Avant Medical Group Supports Your Hair and Diabetes Health
We have a group of endocrinologists, nutritionists and diabetes educators at Avant Medical Group who work together to customize care for each person we treat. We:
● Monitor and manage blood sugar in the most accurate way
● Recognize and treat low levels of essential nutrients.
● Personalize the plans you give to help prevent and look after the effects of diabetes, including hair loss
● Help you learn and follow healthy habits that are good for your diabetes and hair.
Helping you enjoy life and avoid the extra problems that diabetes causes is our goal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Ans: While not everybody loses hair, it is an acknowledged complication of diabetes, particularly when blood sugar is poorly controlled or when other factors such as stress and nutritional deficiencies are involved.
Ans: In many cases, controlling blood sugar and treating any underlying cause can at least slow down or even reverse hair loss. A switch to early intervention produces better outcomes.
Ans: Some medications might contribute to hair loss as an adverse effect, but this varies from patient to patient. Always take any concerns to your healthcare provider before making any changes.
Ans: Contact a healthcare professional as soon as possible for assessment and treatment if you see massive hair shedding or patchy hair loss.
Ans: Yes. A healthy diet with lifestyle elements that stress management, powerful in promoting good exercise, and dependability in taking care of one’s own diabetes management are very vital aspects in preventing and controlling hair loss.
Conclusion
Someone with diabetes might find hair loss surprising and upsetting, though it’s usually easy to treat if you know how. If you keep your blood sugar under control, eat well and get healthcare from experts at Avant Medical Group, it will help protect your hair and body.
If hair loss is a problem for you and you have diabetes, see a professional without delay. You can call or go online to Avant Medical Group now and book a visit to get tailored diabetes treatment to improve your health.