Iron Deficiency and Hair Loss

It has been documented on such websites as http://en.allexperts.com/q/Hair-Loss-1012/telogen-effluvium-duration.htm that iron deficiency can cause telogen-effluvium or hair loss.  I wrote an article in March 2011 on this blog about how stress and trauma can cause telogen effluvium as well.  Please see my article on Hair loss due to stress.

According to the website listed above, your iron storage level needs to get above "70" for the hair to regrow.

Other websites have mentioned Vitamin C assists with iron absorption; yet, drinking tea can interfere with iron absorption.

Red meats and organ meats are supposed to be good sources of iron.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest a standard adult dose of 50 to 60 mg of iron, two times per day for the treatment of anemia.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/320100-iron-supplement-dosage-for-anemia/#ixzz2PPNk7uXQ

Feeling cold all the time can be a sign of iron deficiency.

Telogen effluvium: Hair Loss due to stress

Watching the price of gasoline rise almost double or triple what they used to be is stressful. The added expense is unexpected in a already tight budget.

Also, in light of the unfolding disasters in Japan (earthquake, tsunami, nuclear radiation exposure), many people will be under tremendous stress. This stress can cause temporary hair loss. It may not show immediately, but in a few months down the road after the events of the initial stressful situation is over, it may seem like it is overnight or instanteously.

According to http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1071566-overview:

Telogen effluvium is a form of nonscarring alopecia characterized by diffuse hair shedding, often with an acute onset. A chronic form with a more insidious onset and a longer duration also exists.1,2 Telogen effluvium is a reactive process caused by a metabolic or hormonal stress or by medications. Generally, recovery is spontaneous and occurs within 6 months.

The condition often looks like a "pattern baldness." Notice the circular pattern of thinness in the picture.






Pictured is the same head two months prior to "stress alopecia."







However, within six months after onset of "stress alopecia," recovery is possible by eliminating as much stress as possible. All three pictures are of the same head. Before and after alopecia due to stress.


Please feel free to research more on Telogen effluvium. With unemployment rates rising, gasoline prices rising, and the economy still uncertain, we have to also focus on "wellness" in order to balance the stressors.

NOTE: Picture of gasoline prices are updated periodically in this article to reflect the rising costs on a monthly basis.

September 2012 gasoline prices