Your hair says a lot about you. But did you know it can alert you to different health conditions? Changes in your hair’s look, texture, or thickness can be a sign or symptom of a health condition. Here are some hair symptoms and conditions they may be linked to. Remember to always see your doctor if you think you may have a health condition and don’t diagnose yourself based only on hair symptoms.
First of all, stress can actually turn your hair gray. Gray hair is dictated by your genes and for some people extended stress and trauma can speed up the growth of gray hair.
If you find yourself with very brittle hair, high blood pressure, fatigue and back pain, you may have Cushing’s Syndrome. This is a rare condition caused by excess cortisol in the body. If you simply have brittle hair, then you probably don’t have this rare disease, but definitely get yourself checked out if you have more than one symptom.
Dry, thinning hair and thyroid disease are very closely connected. A thyroid disease called hypothyroidism can cause hair shedding and a change in hair’s appearance. Other symptoms include being tired all the time, cold tolerance, joint pain, muscle pain, puffy face and weight gain.
If your hair starts shedding way more than normal, you could be anemic. Anemia is caused by low iron in the body. Iron supplements or eating more iron-rich foods can help you keep your hair from falling out. A blood test is usually ordered for those who complain of hair changes. Anemia is common in vegetarians or women with heavy periods. Hair shedding also happens in women temporarily after pregnancy or stopping birth control pills.
You may also notice hair thinning if you have a protein deficiency. Protein is essential in building and growing your hair. For most people, getting enough protein is very easy, but those with digestive issues may need more protein. But for the most part, hair thinning is not due to protein deficiency, but genetics.
If you notice yellow or white flakes in your hair or even in your eyebrows, it is a sign of dandruff. Dandruff is caused by yeast on the skin or inflammation of the skin and usually gets worse in the winter when skin can get very dry. Luckily, dandruff is very easy to treat and most every store has special shampoos to cure dandruff.
Lastly, losing your hair could point to a very serious autoimmune disease. Whenever you notice too much hair falling out or your hair becomes a very different texture or has a very different feel to it, you may want to get yourself checked out to eliminate any conditions or diseases. If your hair is simply changing due to age, visit your salon for tips.
Remember that damaged hair can’t tell you what you need to know about your health. When your hair is over treated and damaged from coloring and chemically treating it for years, it will be dry and brittle and you won’t be able to tell if a condition is causing it or if it is the damage from hot tools and chemical treatments. So do your hair and your health a favor and try to cut down on the damage causing treatments.
First of all, stress can actually turn your hair gray. Gray hair is dictated by your genes and for some people extended stress and trauma can speed up the growth of gray hair.
If you find yourself with very brittle hair, high blood pressure, fatigue and back pain, you may have Cushing’s Syndrome. This is a rare condition caused by excess cortisol in the body. If you simply have brittle hair, then you probably don’t have this rare disease, but definitely get yourself checked out if you have more than one symptom.
Dry, thinning hair and thyroid disease are very closely connected. A thyroid disease called hypothyroidism can cause hair shedding and a change in hair’s appearance. Other symptoms include being tired all the time, cold tolerance, joint pain, muscle pain, puffy face and weight gain.
If your hair starts shedding way more than normal, you could be anemic. Anemia is caused by low iron in the body. Iron supplements or eating more iron-rich foods can help you keep your hair from falling out. A blood test is usually ordered for those who complain of hair changes. Anemia is common in vegetarians or women with heavy periods. Hair shedding also happens in women temporarily after pregnancy or stopping birth control pills.
You may also notice hair thinning if you have a protein deficiency. Protein is essential in building and growing your hair. For most people, getting enough protein is very easy, but those with digestive issues may need more protein. But for the most part, hair thinning is not due to protein deficiency, but genetics.
If you notice yellow or white flakes in your hair or even in your eyebrows, it is a sign of dandruff. Dandruff is caused by yeast on the skin or inflammation of the skin and usually gets worse in the winter when skin can get very dry. Luckily, dandruff is very easy to treat and most every store has special shampoos to cure dandruff.
Lastly, losing your hair could point to a very serious autoimmune disease. Whenever you notice too much hair falling out or your hair becomes a very different texture or has a very different feel to it, you may want to get yourself checked out to eliminate any conditions or diseases. If your hair is simply changing due to age, visit your salon for tips.
Remember that damaged hair can’t tell you what you need to know about your health. When your hair is over treated and damaged from coloring and chemically treating it for years, it will be dry and brittle and you won’t be able to tell if a condition is causing it or if it is the damage from hot tools and chemical treatments. So do your hair and your health a favor and try to cut down on the damage causing treatments.
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