Hair Loss Awareness Month, in association with Viviscal

Hair Loss Awareness Month, which takes place in May, is an annual national health campaign which aims to increase awareness of hair loss and provide sufferers with advice and support. To support the month, this year Viviscal has teamed up with well known TV doctor, Dr Chris Steele to provide an online advice video for hair loss sufferers and the opportunity to pose questions directly to Dr Chris.

Dr Chris comments, “Hair loss is both an emotional and physical problem and is much more common than people may think. There are many reasons why men and women may suffer from hair loss, including our lifestyle habits. A lot of women may find they see a difference in the growth and thickness of their hair because of hormonal changes, after a period of stress or poor diet. Often this can be just temporary hair loss. If you notice your hair thinning or falling out you should always consult your GP to find out the cause and discuss suitable treatments. To support existing hair growth some people may consider taking a nutritional supplement.”

Ask the experts

Throughout Hairloss Awareness Month, Dr. Chris and Hayley Welling, an experienced hair stylist will directly answer 20 selected questions related to the topic of hair loss and styling. If you have a specific question you would like to ask Dr. Chris or Hayley Welling, please fill in the form below.

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Hair Loss advice from Dr Chris Steele

Question. I have recently gone through the menopause and I'm worried that my hair will fall out as many of my friends have experienced hair loss and hair thinning. Am I right to be worried?

No you don't necessarily have to think that your hair will fall out or become thin just because your periods have stopped. Many women do not experience hair loss after the menopause, but of course you don't hear about them - you only hear about the ones whose hair did become thin. To preserve your hair quality and volume once your periods stop, you should consider: - Asking your GP about Hormone Replacement Therapy i.e. HRT. HRT puts back into your body (and hair follicles) the hormones your body has suddenly become depleted in by reaching the menopause. HRT is holding back the years! - Ensure a healthy lifestyle ... highly coloured fruit and veg, low animal fat intake, lots of fish, less red meat, more white meat (poultry). I'm sure all of you know the messages ... you've heard them so many times, but they are still very important. - Do consider a quality hair supplement that's been proven to feed the hair follicles and help hair regrowth. Viviscal is a good example, with a good track record.

Question. I have suffered hair loss after taking Roaccutane for acne. My dermatologist has said my hair should grow. Can I take a hair loss supplement, like Viviscal to speed up the process? I've been on Roaccutane for a month now.

Roaccutane is a powerful acne treatment that is only used in severe acne. Hair loss is a rare side-effect of this treatment, but obviously your dermatologist has seen some cases and it's reassuring to hear his opinion that your hair will regrow. Now does he mean it will regrow even if you continue on the Roaccutane, or will recover once you stop taking the drug? I think it would wise to take a quality hair supplement, such as Viviscal. I presume you're young, because you're suffering from acne, and you will be extremely self-conscious of any hair loss. So feeding your hair follicles, with a good supplement, will give the growing hairs good nutrition to stimulate recovery.

Question. How do you know when you will stop losing your hair? Mine has gone thin since the menopause, and it seems to be getting thinner all the time. Will it stop or shall I just end up bald?

You just can'tforecast when you will stop losing any more hair. Keeping a close eye on the number of hairs in the sink or shower may give you an idea of losing less hairs, and keeping a close watch on your scalp might give you a clue. For example do you see any tiny new hairs growing in the areas where your hair was thinning - that's a sign that new hair growth is happening, but unfortunately you can't easily notice new hair growth, because hair grows so slowly, and each new hair shaft is so fine. Each hair grows half an inch per month - it's a slow process, so you have to be very patient, which of course is not easy when you desperately want your hair to thicken up.

Hair thinning caused by the menopause can be helped by going onto Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Ask your GP. There are many other benefits of taking HRT, especially preventing thinning of the bones, or osteoporosis, which can have devastating effects in post-menopausal women. HRT could thicken your hair and your bones!

Question. My mum lost a lot of hair as she got older. Will I inherit that tendency? What can I do to prevent it?

Yes you may well inherit it. You just can't stop your family genes affecting you, your appearance or medical disorders. I'm afraid if you inherited your mother's genes that affect hair growth and hair volume, you can't reverse the influence of your genetic make-up. However, what you can do is, make sure you look after the health of your remaining hair follicles and hair strands. Hair growth can be quite sensitive to nutrient supplies, so ensure you look after all of your follicles by feeding them as many nutrients as possible. A good reputable hair loss supplement could help you here. Go for the best you can find. When you inherit a genetic problem such as thinning hair loss through ageing, you know you can't stop it, but you can look after the remaining hair by feeding it with the best supplements.

Question. I seem to have diffuse thinning of my hair, which I noticed three years into the menopause. My mum also died and at the same time there was a family riff with my sister and problems at work. My doctor put it down to stress and no treatment was given. I'm really scared I will go bald. I just couldn't cope with that. I work nights so my diet isn't very good. I'd appreciate your advice.

Generalised thinning of your hair can be caused by the menopause when your female hormone levels plummet. It can also be caused, at any age, by underactive thyroid disease (hypothyroidism), anaemia and certain other medical conditions, so do ask your GP to do a batch of blood tests on you. You've had a great deal of stress, which can certainly affect hair growth, but sometimes it's often more associated with patches of total baldness (Alopecia Areata) or total loss of all body hair (Alopecia Universalis). Alopecia is often regarded as an auto-immune disease, when the bodies own immune system attacks its own tissues and cells, including the sensitive hair follicles, causing hair loss. Auto-immune disease can be triggered by stress.

The outlook for generalised hair thinning is more positive, than patches of complete baldness. Hair takes months to regrow, so you will have to be patient. For example if an underactive thyroid has caused your hair thinning, and you end up taking thyroid hormone tablets, it may take 3-6 months for you to enjoy a full head of hair again! But it's well worth the wait.

Question. Can I obtain hair loss supplement treatments through my GP on the NHS?

As far as I know ... no, you can't. You will have to buy these yourself, which I know is very frustrating. But as hair loss is such a frightening experience, many patients are willing to spend huge sums of money on hair loss products. Before you spend a penny, check out the scientific evidence behind the product. Have there been scientific trials to back up the product’s claim? Are you impressed and convinced by the scientific evidence? Maybe ask your doctor for his opinion as well.

Question. Could food poisoning be responsible for my hair loss?

It's an unlikely cause, but not impossible. Our hair follicles can be very sensitive to our state of nutrition. Food poisoning causes dehydration and loss of vital electrolytes and minerals, as a result of vomiting and diarrhoea. This can impact on the muscles (severe fatigue), our mental state and even our sensitive hair follicles. But because hair grows so slowly, impaired hair growth resulting from food poisoning may not become obvious till months after the initial episode of food poisoning or gastro-enteritis.

Question. I am 62 yrs old and my hair has thinned mainly at the front. Will a hair loss supplement help me to regrow my hair?

Now I don't know if you’re male or female! If you're male you may be suffering from 'male pattern baldness' and that is due to genetics and falling levels of the male hormone, testosterone. Did your father, grandfather or brothers suffer from 'male pattern hair loss' i.e. receding hair line and thinning on the crown of the head? If so, unfortunately there may not be a great deal you can do. Talk to your GP and they will explain the options.

If you're female, you might gain some benefit from a good hair loss supplement. But also ask your GP to eliminate underactive thyroid disease and anaemia. Even if you use a good hair loss supplement, you'll have to be patient as hair takes 3 months to grow before you'll notice any obvious improvement.

Question. I started losing my hair 15 months ago. I went to a Dermatologist who said it was 'Alopecia Areata' and my hair may or may not grow back ... not very reassuring! I took a 6 month course of tablets and used Regaine, I'm 68 and lost my husband 2 years ago. My hair has almost gone from the back and one side and the other is going. But it does seem to be regrowing back, albeit thinly and white. Do I need to continue with the tablets and Regaine lotion? This treatment is very expensive and I no longer live in the UK?

The very good sign is that your hair is regrowing although white and very fine. That is not unusual, but at least it is growing again. I don't know what tablets you're taking, so I can't comment on them but as they may be helping along with the Regaine solution, I'd advise you to try and continue with your current treatment regime, even though it may seem expensive. At least, it seems to be working. Hair loss is very upsetting and you have to decide if the cost is outweighed by the benefits that you're experiencing. If you can afford to continue with your treatment package - do so!

Question. Thinning hair is one of the symptoms of an underactive thyroid, even when taking the appropriate medication. Can a hair loss supplement help in these circumstances?A. My answer would be yes, it's certainly worth trying. If your hair loss is due to an underactive thyroid, then taking thyroid hormone tablets will certainly reverse the effects of hypothyroidism and the hair thinning. But the return of hair growth will be slow, so any supplement that stimulates hair growth is certainly worth considering. One, it won't do any harm and two, it could aid hair follicles to recover more quickly, stimulating quicker hair growth and healthier shafts of hair. Just by the way, if you're wondering if you do have an underactive thyroid the symptoms of hypothyroidism include ..... tiredness and fatigue, constipation, intolerance to the cold, hair thinning, loss of the outer third of your eyebrows, weight gain, hoarseness of the voice, swelling of the face, puffy eyes, dry thickened skin and heavy periods.

Question: How common is hair loss?

Hair loss is much more common than people may think. A survey by Viviscal amongst 4,000 people has found that a staggering 40% of women and 50% of men have suffered from hair loss at some point in their lives. However, it’s something that is often not talked openly about. Sufferers feel embarrassed about their hair loss and therefore keep concerns to themselves.

Question: What are the main causes of hair loss in women?

The main causes are stress, diet, post birth, menopause, over-styling and age. However medication, illness, thyroid dysfunction, auto immune disease and hereditary causes can also lead to loss of hair.

After pregnancy and throughout the menopause, the levels of female hormones in the body plummet dramatically affecting many areas of the body. These changes can affect the function of the hair follicle resulting in extended resting phases and notable hair thinning.

Our diet can also have a strong impact on our hair. There are essential nutrients that are necessary for healthy hair, such as protein. A lack of which can lead to weakened hair follicles and hair thinning.

With age the body becomes less and less able to utilise protein consumed via our diet, which in turn affects the rejuvenation of our hair. Likewise throughout periods of stress we can often eat badly which can also lead to temporary hair loss.

Over-styling is very different; this is caused by bleaching, tight pony tails and putting general stress and strain on the hair.

Question: How can poor diet lead to hair loss?

There are millions of hair follicles all over your body and they are sensitive to nutrients supplied to them. Hair thrives on a plentiful supply of protein, vitamins and minerals and any deterioration in nutrient levels can affect the growth of each shaft of hair. Hair is considered non-essential by the body so if you are lacking in nutrients it will often be your hair that suffers first. Eating badly affects new hair growth which can slow or halt it altogether, leading to excess shedding, hair breakage and a weak connection between the hair strand and the root. An extreme example would be someone suffering from malnutrition, where their hair growth is extremely sparse. Hair, skin and nails are all sensitive to poor nutrition and a worrying trend in extreme dieting means that as many as one in eight women put their hair loss down to trying to lose weight.

Question: Why and how does stress affect the health of our hair?

Stress affects every organ and tissue in our body. Some people may experience hair loss during periods of stress however most of my patients tell me they actually notice it after they have recovered. This is because of the hair growth pattern. When going through a period of stress the chemicals in the body transmit messages to the hair follicles, entering them into a resting phase. During this period, hair will shed as normal but new hair will not continue to grow. Once the stressful period has passed, hair will stay in the resting phase for the next few months. This means hair will continue to fall out as normal but without any new growth, leading to overall hair thinning. Eventually, the follicles will restore themselves and hair will start to grow again. Furthermore, throughout periods of stress we can often eat badly which can also damage hair health, leading to hair loss.

Question: How does hair loss affect women emotionally?

From my experience with patients, any hair loss in women; be it generalised thinning or specific areas of complete hair loss (i.e. bald patches), is of great concern for the individual. Their hair loss may be minimal and probably not noticeable to others but to them it will be a much-magnified problem. Women's hair is vital to their appearance and can cause loss of confidence, loss of self-esteem and even feelings of isolation and depression. Some of my patients even start to avoid social occasions as they experience a loss of identity.

Question: How can you identify that you may be suffering from hair loss?

A lot of women identify hair loss by simply noticing that their hair looks and feels thinner. An easy way to tell if you are right is by feeling the thickness of your pony tail. The ‘Tug’ test is also a good way of identifying hair loss. Just grip a bunch of hairs between finger and thumb and pull slowly ... if you pull out more than six hairs then you may have a hair loss problem. Other ways you might identify a change is that you may start to notice more hair in your hairbrush or in the plug hole after a shower. A regular rate of hair loss is 50-150 hairs a day, so if you start to notice more than this talk to your GP, who may check your thyroid levels or may refer you onto a dermatologist for a further assessment.

Question: If somebody thought they were suffering from hair loss what would you advise?

Hair loss affects women both physically and emotionally so it is important to tackle both elements when seeking help. The first thing you should do is try not to panic and instead talk to somebody you trust, either a friend, family member or even your hairdresser. It will hopefully make you feel less alone and more emotionally supported. The next thing is to visit your GP. Most types of hair loss will be easily indentified by your GP who will be able to tell you if there is a medical cause or if there is another reason and may refer you to a dermatologist if necessary. You could also support your hair by taking a supplement shown to help hair growth.

Question: What can be done to avoid hair loss?

This is difficult to answer because it depends upon the cause of the hair loss and the type of hair loss. I think basic good general advice is - always ensure that you have a top quality diet, including at least five portions of fruit, vegetables and salad every single day. A portion is one handful. Worryingly, two thirds of us are still not getting our 5-a-day. Then also do try to eat oily fish (sardines, tuna, mackerel, herring, salmon) three times a week. The essential fatty acids found in fish improve the health and appearance of your hair, skin and nails, plus many other benefits. If your diet is not ideal, then a good supplement aimed at improving hair health should be considered - but only use supplements that have been subject to scientific studies.

Question: Can supplements help to support hair growth and prevent hair loss?

If your diet is not healthy and varied, i.e. providing you with all the necessary vitamins and minerals needed by every cell in your body, then you will start to suffer the effects. The effect of a deficient intake of vitamins and minerals may not be noticeable to you because you won't feel any immediate symptoms but you will certainly suffer more subtle and gradual effects in the long term. This may show in your skin, general health, resistance to disease and even your hair. If you're concerned about the state of your hair then you could take a supplement that has been scientifically shown to improve the health of the hair follicles and therefore the overall hair growth and condition.