Diffused hair loss low serum ferritin levels

Question
Hello,

I am a 21 year old Indian female with waist length hair. Genetically, my hair genes arent really strong because my grandmother, mother and sister, have all suffered with thinning hair and now have bald patches.



However, I'd been lucky to have medium thick hair till I was 17 years old. After I moved out for college, the change in environment, lack of nutritious food (and stress) resulted in diffused hair loss, making my hair thin down quite a bit.



Further, blood tests revealed that my mother, sister and I, had very low serum ferritin levels (even though all of us eat healthily). My ferritin level (checked in March, '09) was only 8. After a 3 month course with iron supplements, my ferritin levels rose to 40. I noticed my hair stopped falling out as much (though my hair thickness was half of what it was) and could also see tiny new hairs growing for about 6 months.



But since Dec, '09, my long hair has started falling out all over again. I am now on irom supplements again, hoping to raise my ferritin level above 70. Individual strands of hair have also become finer than they were 3 years back.



What other home remedies/nutritional supplements would you advise to curb my hair loss and help hair regrowth? I feel awful about my hair thinning down and would do anything to regrow hair to how it was originally.



Could you please let me know if it really is possible to regrow my hair and maintain its thickness? And how long do you think I would need to wait before I can feel the difference in my hair volume?



I am so sorry for the long post, but I'd be so grateful for any help from you.

Regards,

Ivory


Answer
Hello Ivory: Low ferritin levels are a common cause for diffuse hair loss (also known as telogen effluvium.) There are also many other possible causes for this type of hair loss including stress, change in diet, major life change etc., which you have also been through. When telogen effluvium is long lasting or severe it can become chronic, making one prone to future episodes. Keeping the ferritin levels up may be important in your case as the increased levels seemed to help your condition.

Using essential oil scalp treatments can also help by providing energy and nourishment to the follicles in order to stimulate new hair growth and improve the condition of existing hair. Essential oils will also keep the scalp clean, pliable and free from any type of scalp condition that may inhibit healthy hair growth.

The decrease in hair diameter may be helped to a lesser degree. If the follicles have begun to shrink the new hairs growing in will be thinner and weaker. Providing energy and nourishment to the follicles can help reduce further shrinkage. Essential oils have a vasodilating effect which can help inhibit miniaturization.

Please let me know if I can help you further.

Sincerely, Melanie Vonzabuesnig



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