I have low iron in my body — can this be the reason for my hair loss?

When you suffer from hair fall, there are two things that you want to know the most. One - what has caused it and two - how can I stop it. Both are interrelated, which means to find the right hair fall treatment, first you need to know what has caused it.

There are many causes of hair loss including genetics, stress, hormonal problems, auto-immune disorders, certain medical conditions, and nutritional deficiencies. Not many people might be aware but iron deficiency is one of the leading causes of hair loss in women. It affects nearly 60 per cent of women in the country.

Why iron deficiency causes hair loss?

Hemoglobin in your blood does the function of carrying oxygen required for the growth and repair of all the cells in your body, including the cells responsible for stimulating hair growth. However, when you don’t have enough iron, your body cannot produce enough hemoglobin, leading to disruption in cellular functions and this leads to hair loss.

How would you know your hair loss is due to iron deficiency?

If you are suffering from hair fall due to iron deficiency, along with hair thinning and hair loss, you will also see the following symptoms:

• Extreme tiredness
• Weakness
• Pale skin
• Shortness of breath, chest pain or faster heartbeat
• Headache, dizziness or lightheadedness
• Decreased libido.

If your hair loss is associated with these symptoms, get your iron levels tested. Treating your anemia can help you treat your hair loss too.

Treatment for hair loss due to anemia

People usually try to treat their hair loss with parlour treatments or external products like anti hair fall shampoos and oils. However, these things hardly help because the root cause of hair loss is left untreated. In conventional treatment for hair loss, supplements are recommended to meet iron deficiency in the body, which provides temporary relief from the symptoms. However, in homeopathy, the root cause is efficiently targeted. Homeopathic medicines work towards eliminating or reducing the tendency of anemia and tackle the causative factors, rather than offering just temporary relief from the symptoms. Also, getting your iron requirements from natural sources like fruits (apples, dates & amla) and vegetables (brinjal, beetroot, broccoli & spinach) is suggested instead of supplements.

Furthermore, in homeopathy no two patients of hair loss get same remedy. Every patient, even with the same cause gets different homeopathic medicine. For example, homeopathic remedy Ferrum Phos is used for people with a tendency of low serum ferritin levels. Homeopathic remedy China is useful in treating anemia resulting from excessive menstrual bleeding and post infectious diseases like malaria or typhoid. Young girls suffering from anemia who look pale and thin despite eating well may be recommended Natrum Mur. Homeopathic medicines work holistically in providing relief from not only hair loss but also the other associated complaints.

To conclude, patients suffering from hair loss due to iron deficiency should try homeopathy treatment for hair loss. It treats the root cause of hair loss and therefore provides long-term solution. Women, who are more likely to suffer from hair loss due to iron deficiency anemia, are highly recommended to try homeopathy, which is proven, safe and natural treatment for hair loss.