Life by Design

7 Things Your Hair Says About Your Health Your hair can let you and your doctor know whether you're stressed, have a nutritional deficiency, a thyroid problem, or other health issues. Here are seven key things to look for in your locks. By Madeline R. Vann, MPH Medically Reviewed by Ross Radusky, MD You probably think about your hair on a daily basis — fretting over a bad hair day or enjoying a nice blowout, or maybe wondering whether to try out the new style you noticed on your favorite celebrity. But you might be missing clues that your  hair  is revealing about your health. Research shows that changes in your hair's look, texture, or thickness can be signs of underlying health conditions. Here's how you can tell whether your hair changes are due to a health problem, genetics,  stress , or a nutritional deficiency.  1 Stress (and Genes) Can Make You Go Gray Anyone who has watched presidential hair change from campaign to campaign has noticed tha...

Hair loss: how does it affect women? On seeing a bald man walk past, most of us wouldn’t take a second glance. But would this be the case if a bald woman walked past? It is doubtful. Hair loss – although distressing – is generally more accepted in men, despite women accounting for 40% of all hair loss sufferers in the US. In this Spotlight, we look at the main causes of hair loss in women, the emotional toll it can take and why research is lagging behind in treatment for female hair loss. The most common cause of hair loss in both men and women is androgenetic alopecia, also referred to as male or female pattern baldness. A hereditary condition, androgenetic alopecia is believed to be caused by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which derives from the male hormone testosterone. An enzyme called Type 2 5-alpha reductase – present in the oil glands of hair follicles, the skin organs that produce hair – helps convert testosterone to DHT. This derivative then ...