Hair Today…

Today, when Edna, 57, came to see me with hair loss issues, I was reminded of another patient I saw over 20 years ago. I thought of him, because aside from the fact that Max suffered from hair loss too, it was his way of handling stress that really stayed with me.

Max, 35, told me that when things got really bad, he just had to open the bottom right drawer of his desk, and all would be well.

I thought it might be a picture of his wife or children. Nothing of the sort! What Max kept hidden down there was a large box of Ferrero Rocher. He told me that by popping a few every day, his office life went much smoother.

Granted, it wasn't a flask of his favourite tipple, but sadly excess sugar can sometimes play an unexpected role in hair loss. Every time we eat sugar, the body releases insulin to keep blood sugar under control. Over time, if this system is under strain, it can alter the way certain hormones are processed. In some people, this leads to increased production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone strongly associated with male pattern hair loss. In other words, what looks like a problem with the hair may actually begin with the body's ability to regulate blood sugar.

But this is not what Edna had. She'd come to me with her blood tests showing normal female hormones and healthy iron levels (menopause can also cause hair loss). Edna was surprised when I told her that her hair loss was likely to be to do with her kidneys – because, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is the kidneys that store fear.

During her consult, Edna told me about the years spent living in hypervigilance in the marriage. That would mean that aside from the normal depletion of her "stress" nutrients (magnesium, B-vitamins and vitamin C), it would be the kidneys that suffered. And in TCM, the kidneys are linked to the hair.

Same hair loss issue. Completely different aetiology. In each case, hair loss was just a symptom of a deeper issue.

For Max, the treatment was that for pre-diabetes: diet, supplements, lots of walking, and switching the Ferrero Rocher for gulps of spring water. For Edna, it was all about strengthening the kidneys through herbs, as well as lifestyle changes to manage fear mentally and energetically.

It always fascinates me how the outside reveals a different inside. I think of a gentleman I once saw with facial alopecia. Again, by seeing where exactly the hair had disappeared from, it was possible to see where the problem originated.

So the next time a part of your body is operating below par, and the traditional remedies don't seem to be working, ask yourself: is there a message I'm missing?