12.4.1 Diabetes Causing Hair Loss
- Diabetes is a hormone disorder related to insulin resistance, which refers to the reduced ability of cells in the body to react to insulin. This can often lead to hair loss or hair thinning [see Chapter 3 > Unit 5 > Lesson 9].
- Some other symptoms of diabetes could be blurred vision, frequent urination, acute hunger, increased thirst, unusual weight loss, fatigue and unnecessary irritation.
- Early detection of any of these symptoms, and early treatment could help in the recovery from both diabetes as well as excessive hair loss.
- Diabetics are highly sensitive to skin ailments. Bruises and small wounds often take a relatively long time to heal, as the metabolism is comparatively slower. This may also affect the re-growth of hair as diabetics cannot maintain the normal anagen cycle.
- Bacterial and fungal infections on the scalp because of diabetes could also result in hair loss.
- Stress is directly related to diabetes, as the disease causes excessive anxiety, which in turn can cause hair loss.
- Another cause of hair loss due to diabetes is an autoimmune problem, which can lead to alopecia areata or scarring alopecia. Other additional autoimmune problems such as a dysfunctional thyroid gland, vitiligo, pernicious anemia, or Type 1 diabetes, often accompanies the loss hair problem.
- In women, Type 2 diabetes can occur when a hormonal imbalance also causes polycystic ovary syndrome.
