According to the studies, cholesterol-induced changes could pave the way for cicatricial alopecia – an inflammatory hair loss disorder that permanently destroys stem cells in hair follicles and causes scarring or fibrosis.
High cholesterol symptoms in hair
Researchers from John Hopkins conducted research on mice and found the devastating effects a high cholesterol diet has on hair. In the study, published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports, warns that too much cholesterol can cause both hair loss and hair whitening.
With high cholesterol, you can develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits grow, making it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries. Sometimes, those deposits can break suddenly and form a clot that causes a heart attack or stroke.
In some cases, female pattern hair loss can be caused by: Genetics (Women who have mothers or close relatives with female pattern baldness are at higher risk of developing baldness.) Certain medications or supplements, such as blood pressure medicine, gout medicine and high doses of vitamin A.
Hormonal Imbalances
Androgens play a role in female and male pattern baldness. In female-pattern baldness, androgens can cause weak hair follicles, also leading to excess shedding. Dr. Green explains that androgen sensitivities may be exacerbated during estrogen-related changes, such as birth control use or menopause.
Only riboflavin, biotin, folate, and vitamin B12 deficiencies have been associated with hair loss.
Severe and prolonged hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can cause loss of hair. The loss is diffuse and involves the entire scalp rather than discrete areas. The hair appears uniformly sparse. Regrowth is usual with successful treatment of the thyroid disorder, though it will take several months and may be incomplete.
Various chronic or inflammatory disorders, autoimmune diseases or chronic infections may also cause diffuse telogen hair loss. Nutritional deficiencies, especially of iron or zinc, protein, fatty acids or vitamin D, are other possible causes, as well as extreme caloric restriction and crash diets.
The most common cause of hair loss is a hereditary condition that happens with aging. This condition is called androgenic alopecia, male-pattern baldness and female-pattern baldness.
Sudden hair loss is typically a sign of two conditions: telogen effluvium or alopecia areata. Telogen effluvium is commonly caused by stress, which increases the natural rate of hair loss. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that causes your body to attack its hair follicles, resulting in hair loss.
You develop symptoms of heart disease, stroke, or atherosclerosis in other blood vessels, such as left-sided chest pain, pressure, or fullness; dizziness; unsteady gait; slurred speech; or pain in the lower legs. Any of these conditions may be linked to high cholesterol, and each requires medical help right away.
There are usually no symptoms of high cholesterol. But if left untreated, it can lead to heart attack and stroke. It's often a hidden risk factor which means it can happen without us knowing until it's too late. That is why it's so important to get your cholesterol level checked.
According to the studies, cholesterol-induced changes could pave the way for cicatricial alopecia – an inflammatory hair loss disorder that permanently destroys stem cells in hair follicles and causes scarring or fibrosis.
The team has discovered that the inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis causes permanent damage to hair follicles by promoting fibrosis. Researchers of Kerala University have deduced a link between cholesterol and hair loss.
A. Hair loss, or alopecia, is a very rare side effect of all statin drugs. Widely prescribed in the treatment of high cholesterol, statins work by blocking the action of an enzyme the liver uses to make cholesterol. About 1% of people taking statins report hair loss.
These include health problems like stressful life events, hormone changes, some medications, and a lack of certain nutrients. Inflammation (like from autoimmune skin diseases) and certain hair styles can cause hair to fall out. If not treated early, this can lead to permanent hair loss.
Vitamin B is one of the best-known vitamins to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth. It helps create red blood cells which carry oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles.
A visible scalp through your hair can be a sign that it's thinning (but not always). The factors that contribute to thinning hair (and thus a visible scalp) include stress, diet, vitamin deficiency and ageing.
Under normal circumstances, it is possible to lose anywhere between 120-160 strands of hair a day. If you experience excessive hair loss it can be an indication of an abnormality within the scalp, symptoms of which may include itchiness, redness, flakes, and pus.
It's normal to shed between 50 and 100 hairs a day. When the body sheds significantly more hairs every day, a person has excessive hair shedding. The medical term for this condition is telogen effluvium.
If your doctor suspects that an underlying medical condition may be the cause of hair loss, a blood test or scalp biopsy may be recommended. All of these diagnostic tests can be conducted in your dermatologist's office.