At present, diabetes mellitus is still a chronic ailment of the age which affects more than 537 million adults and soon will be approximately 643 million people in the year 2030 (International Diabetes Federation). This problem is the most remarkable by its damaging effect on the heart, eyes, and kidneys. However, now the discussion has been moved to a novel, lesser-known complication: hair loss.
It is common in many cases that people with diabetes suffer from the phenomenon of excessive hair shedding or thinning. The event, although not necessarily fatal to one’s health, is very distressing to the person’s feelings and to the person’s overall picture. Not only that, Dr. Emily Rivers, an endocrinologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, says that “Diabetic patients suffering from hair loss are sometimes in need of being taken very seriously. It is frequently a signal that there are other issues behind like, for example, poor blood circulation, hormonal imbalances or something like that.”
In this article, we discuss how diabetes impacts the normal physiological processes of the human body, its interference with the cyclic phases of hair growth, and what steps can be taken to mitigate or prevent hair loss due to the condition.
How Diabetes Affects the Body
In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, the issue is that the body doesn’t have sufficient insulin or the insulin produced by the body is not used by the cells. The hormone insulin is vital for the body as it is responsible for controlling the glucose concentration in the blood; without it, the body will not manage to do it effectively.. If insulin loses the ability to function properly, the cells of the body that do not get energy from glucose will keep on having more blood glucose in the circulation that is not going to be spent for their use. This leads to detrimental multi-systemic damage over time.
An excess glucose supply can severely impair blood nucleated blood vessels as well as nerves. “One of the major complications of diabetes includes Diabetic Neuropathy and Poor Circulation.” This is what Dr. Andrew Lopez, an internal medicine specialist, states. “They reduce the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to tissues, which include the skin and hair follicles, thus leading to starvation of these tissues which results in their death.”
The immune system is another domain that suffers in this scenario. Diabetes is one of the factors that affect the person’s immuno power and inflammation is very high so that hair grows thinly. So, among hormonal imbalances disease the presence of the thyroid and cortisol hormones is of particular concern. That also increases hair loss.
On top of that, diabetes can also lead to an onset of autoimmune diseases such as Acute Alopecia, where there is an uncalled-for attack on hair follicles by the immune system. For a lot of people, hair loss serves as an alarming yet underappreciated message that their diabetes is either intensifying or going out of control.
How Diabetes Disrupts Hair Growth
There are three stages in which hair completes growth cycles: the anagen stage (where hair grows), the catagen stage (transitional phase), and the telogen stage (resting phase). In a healthy individual, there is a phase where most hair follicles are at the anagen phase, which lasts for several years, which is good. This entire cycle can be disrupted with an individual suffering from diabetes.
As Dr. Karen Yu, Dermatologist at UCLA Medical Center, mentions, “elevated glucose levels shorten the growth phase and accelerate the transition to shedding.” Because of this, further stress can exacerbate the condition, giving rise to telogen effluvium, which causes premature hair loss. And with the other type of chronic stressors in diabetes.
In addition, there is the problem of circulation along with being insulin resistant which in turn lack these essential nutrients to the hair follicles. The hair suffers in silence due to a lack of biotin, iron, and even protein, which is put under a low diet along with diabetes. There are also cases of the hair follicles shrinking or going idle, which makes the scalp appear thinner and bald.
A systemic syndrome that appears to have global ramifications instead of a singular metabolic syndrome is supported when looking closer at the 2021 research published in the Journal of Dermatology that reports 47% of patients with type two diabetes complaining of hair loss in the arms and the scalp.
Managing Hair Loss in Diabetic Patients
Hair loss related to diabetes is managed in two ways: correcting blood sugar levels and supplementing hair-specific care. With such conditions requiring multiple treatment modalities, there is no single solution in hair restoration.
Treatment Methods
Taking steps to manage blood glucose is the first point of intervention. “After achieving control of diabetes, some hair growth can be expected,” comments Dr. Rivers. There are instances where medications such as minoxidil (Rogaine) tend to have some prescription regrowth effects. For hair loss due to autoimmune processes, anti-inflammatory agents and corticosteroids may be given.
Some of the other methods that can be implemented include:
- Medical advice for biotin, zinc, and vitamin D supplementation to promote follicle function
- Hair care that avoids the use of strong chemicals and the use of styling tools that generate excessive heat, or both.
- Stimulating growth by laser or PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections
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The Role of Physical Activity in Hair and Hormonal Health
Circulation and blood sugar levels are vital for the health of hair follicles, and exercise positively impacts both. The American Diabetes Association points out that you need at least 150 minutes of exercise per week.
Exercise is a good source of nutrients to the hair follicles,” Dr. Lopez states. Exercise can also lower cortisol (the stress hormone responsible for hair loss).
Effective activities include:
- Walking
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Yoga
- Strength training
Engaging in any type of physical activity is a great way to keep blood sugar levels under control. It is also the most effective way to maintain the levels of thyroid and androgens, which are responsible for hair loss, in a healthy interval.
Final Thoughts: Why Hair Loss Shouldn’t Be Ignored
Hair loss can be dismissively viewed as a cosmetic problem. However, it serves as a diagnostic marker for inadequate metabolic regulation among people with diabetes. Experts advocate for treating hair loss as something that requires immediate attention, not just to maintain the hair but to avert serious medical problems associated with neglected diabetes.
Most patients can look forward to regaining their hair and their health and confidence with an appropriate mix of medical treatment, tailored dietary precautions, and lifestyle modifications.
“Patients, particularly women, need to understand that hair loss is more than a beauty problem, Dr. Yu cautions. It may signal poorly controlled glucose levels, or other related conditions.”
With proper personalization, self-care, active lifestyle choices, and consistent health tracking, diabetes ceases to be a life-controlling condition. Instead, the patient can reclaim their entire physiology, starting with the hair, making it valóre controllable.