What Your Hair Says About Your Health - Page 3
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Hair that is matted, extra oily, extra dry, frizzy or static isn’t just inconvenient and unsightly. “Bad” hair might be telling you something about your health. Keep in mind that your hair attaches to your scalp, which is a part of your body. If hormonal changes happen in your body, if you make a change to your diet, or if you are under a lot of stress your hair will show it. Your body goes through a series of changes and those changes can affect what goes on in those tiny things we call hair follicles. The follicle is a living thing, and it’s just as sensitive as any other part of you. So before you just treat the symptom (dryness, frizz, etc.) ask yourself what your hair is telling you about your health.
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Hair that breaks easily
While black women naturally struggle with dry, brittle hair that breaks easily, if you notice a significant increase in these symptoms, this could be a sign of Cushing’s syndrome.
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What you can do
Consider the other symptoms and make an appointment with a doctor. Cushing’s disease is usually a result of taking too much corticosteroid medication, which raises cortisol levels. If you do take such a medication, and see other Cushing’s symptoms like weight gain, fatigue, thinning of the skin and more, speak to your doctor about changing your medication dosage.
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Extra facial or body hair
Are you noticing extra hair around your face and body? Do you suddenly have a little peach fuzz above your lip, that you never dealt with before? This, too, could be a symptom of Cushing’s syndrome.
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What you can do
There is, in fact, a product your doctor can prescribe that will slow facial hair growth. This is far less painful and more effective than shaving or tweezing. You’ll still need to receive other treatment for Cushing’s disease, but this can help with the aesthetic inconveniences for now.
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Early grays
It can be quite a shock to wake up one day and find—it’s hard to even say out loud—a gray hair. It’s even more shocking if you find one at a much younger age than your parents did, since the time when you find grays is typically genetic. The only thing that can really change this is stress. If you are finding gray hairs far earlier than expected, you may be under a tremendous amount of stress.
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What you can do
Unfortunately, there is little you can do if your hairs are already turning gray. That particular follicle will probably continue to produce gray hairs. However, you can prevent more hair from turning gray from seriously putting the breaks on whatever activity or circumstance is causing you stress.
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Thin hair
Thin hair is a problem many African American women face. Before you fix it with extensions or a weave, consider that your thinning hair might be a symptom of hypothyroidism—a condition that can put African Americans at a higher risk of death that non-black individuals.
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What you can do
Look for other symptoms of hypothyroidism, too, like fatigue, a bloated face, joint and muscle pain. If you believe you have this condition, speak to your doctor about taking thyroid medication.
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Thin hair, part two
If it is determined that you do not have hypothyroidism, it’s possible that your hair is thinning due to a protein deficiency. Your hair is essentially built out of protein, so if you’re not getting enough, you won’t see the thick strands you want.
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Hair loss
If you’re finding more hair in your brush than usual, you may be suffering from anemia—a condition that affects more African Americans than most other demographics.
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What you can do
If your doctor determines that you suffer from anemia, she will likely suggest that you take an iron supplement. In some cases, vitamin B may be prescribed. Vegetarians are more susceptible to anemia than meat-eaters, so your doctor may talk to you about a diet change.
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Hair loss continued
Diabetes can also cause hair to thin or fall out. Hair loss is one of the several overlooked indicators of the disease.
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What you can do
Hair loss related to diabetes often only happens if the diabetes is going untreated. Once you have been diagnosed and begin treatment, your hormones will align again, which can help you produce more hair. There are also certain supplements you can take in addition to other steps you can take to help your hair grow back sooner.
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A crusty scalp
Many people mistake a crusty scalp for especially stubborn dandruff, but if you’re experiencing a scab-like crust, that could be psoriasis.
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What you can do
If you believe you have psoriasis, you should see two doctors; your regular physician and a dermatologist. Psoriasis often goes hand in hand with other chronic conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis or Chron’s disease. See a doctor to receive a diagnosis on other possible conditions. A dermatologist can give you topical treatment to relive psoriasis symptoms.
