03 February 2024 , 22:53
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A doctor has warned that the first symptoms of diabetes may actually show up around your hair.
Diabetes is a serious health problem where your blood sugar gets too high, which can lead to heart problems and strokes. Dr Greg Vida, from Harley Street Hair Clinic, told the Express: "While some symptoms and complications of diabetes are widely recognised, such as increased urination and thirst, fatigue, weight loss, sight loss or blurred vision, one symptom that's not as well-known is hair loss."
He said that high blood sugar can hurt your blood vessels, which stops them from bringing oxygen to your hair, messing with your hair growth. "These damaged blood vessels can then no longer bring enough oxygen to hair follicles, which can interrupt and stop the hair growth cycle. The hair follicles enter a resting and shedding phase, instead of a growth phase. This means that hairs lie dormant and stop growing, before shedding, causing hair thinning and loss on the scalp."
Type 1 diabetes is when your body attacks the cells that make insulin, which helps turn food into energy. However, for people with diabetes, their bodies struggle to convert glucose into energy due to a lack of insulin or its improper function.
Type 2 diabetes, where the body either doesn't create enough insulin, or the cells don't react to it properly, can cause complications like heart disease and strokes, nerve damage resulting in loss of feeling and pain, foot sores and infections that could result in amputation if untreated, vision loss and blindness, and kidney problems. Dr Vida explained: "Therefore, if you aren't producing enough insulin, the sugar won't be carried to the hair follicles so hair cannot grow." Rather, the hair follicles enter a resting phase before shedding.
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If you begin to notice hair loss, it's best to consult your GP first. Dr Vida stated: "There are lots of reasons you may be losing your hair - it could be stress, hormonal changes, hereditary, vitamin deficiencies or more - but if you're experiencing it alongside other diabetes symptoms, you should consult with your doctor for a potential diagnosis."
For those already diagnosed with diabetes who continue to experience hair thinning or hair fall, a meeting with a hair loss specialist to discuss potential treatments is suggested. Dr Vida says "the best way" to stop hair loss from diabetes is to keep your blood sugar levels in check. He explains: "Exercise reduces the level of sugars that are present in the bloodstream, and also improves the delivery of oxygen to your body's cells, including the hair follicles."
If you get your blood sugar right, your hair might grow back, but it could be slow. Dr Vida adds: "However, this may be at a slow rate. If you find that your hair isn't growing back once your blood sugars are under control, you should consult with a hair loss specialist."