7 Health Signs Your Hair Might Reveal About Your Health

Most people are not happy with their hair, they think it's not thick, long, or shiny enough, while others struggle with dandruff or hair loss. In most cases, these are just things we inherited and are nothing to worry about. Sometimes, these symptoms can also be signs of different illnesses. If you experience any of them, it's always good to check them out, just to be on the safe side.

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1. Hair shedding

Losing hair is normal; it's part of the growth cycle, but if you experience excessive hair loss, it can be a sign that your body has low iron stores or anemia. If your doctor determines that you are truly iron deficient, eating more foods that are high in iron or taking an iron supplement might help with hair loss.

Hair shedding can also happen with sudden changes in estrogen levels and is often noticed after pregnancy or after stopping birth control pills.

2. Hair thinning

People who have hypothyroidism, a condition that occurs when their thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormones, might notice increased hair shedding and a change in hair appearance. It can cause thinning hair and other symptoms, such as tiredness, cold intolerance, joint pain, muscle pain, a puffy face, and weight gain. A thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) test will diagnose the condition, and treatment involves taking thyroid medication.

When hair thinning happens due to stress, it's called telogen effluvium. It causes actively growing hairs to cycle into the resting stage and fall out. This means a decrease in the number of hair follicles producing hair, causing thinning.

3. Hair loss

The medical term for hair loss is alopecia and may either be localized or widespread. Fungal infections, iron-deficiency anemia, low thyroid hormone levels, and use of medications can all be behind hair loss, while styling hair tightly can cause traction on the follicle and loss of hair integrity. But age, gender, and genetics are also to blame for this annoying symptom.

4. Spot baldness

In alopecia areata, your immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, causing hair to fall out—often suddenly. Most people will have one or two bald patches, which can be treated easily with injections but in some cases all body hair falls out.

Alopecia areata isn't harmful or contagious, but it can be tough psychologically. Hair may grow back on its own, and treatment may help it grow back more quickly. Unfortunately, some people may experience alopecia areata repeatedly.

5. Turning grey

Going gray is a natural part of aging, as your hair follicles produce less color as you get older. Your genes also play a role in when your hair turns gray, but stress can have an impact, too.

One study suggested that chronic stress may indeed contribute to graying hair by causing DNA damage and reducing the supply of pigment-producing cells in hair follicles. Another type of stress, known as oxidative stress, may also play a role in gray hair. Oxidative stress (when cell-damaging free radicals inhibit the body’s repair processes) may affect pigment-producing cells.

6. Dry, brittle hair

Blow drying, using a flat iron, coloring, bleaching, even over-brushing—all can damage the outer layer (cuticle) of your hair. Try to avoid chemical hair treatments, use a blow dry and flat iron less frequently, apply hair-protective products, avoid too much direct sun.

In some cases, dry hair is the result of an underlying health problem that affects your hair’s ability to retain moisture. One of these problems is hypoparathyroidism, a condition in which the parathyroid gland in your neck produces too little parathyroid hormone, which decreases the level of calcium in your blood. Calcium is a key nutrient for healthy hair, as well as bones, teeth, and other tissue.

7. Dandruff

Although it's embarrassing, dandruff isn't harmful. It may be due to an overgrowth of a fungus. Other possible risk factors include oily skin, stress, obesity, cold, dry weather, and having eczema or psoriasis.

If the dandruff flakes you see are greasy and yellow, you may have seborrheic dermatitis. It's an inflammatory skin condition that can occur where there are lots of oil glands, like the scalp and face. Though seborrheic dermatitis is related to hormones, fungus, and even some neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease or HIV, these conditions are all treated the same as dandruff: with anti-dandruff shampoos.

Almost every body part can send us warning signs, like your eyes. If you want to know more, discover the 10 health signs your eyes might reveal about your body.