Iron deficiency hair loss can occur due to different reasons, and it has been linked with different types of alopecia. In this guide, you will learn more about how and why iron deficiency is linked to hair loss and what might help stop it from occurring.
Can Iron Deficiency Cause Hair Loss?
Telogen effluvium is a type of hair loss that can be caused by iron deficiency. It is a non-scarring alopecia characterised by abnormal diffuse shedding, and it can be caused by a psychological or physical stressor — like nutritional deficiency.
Besides telogen effluvium, however, iron deficiency is also believed to play a role in alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system starts attacking healthy hair follicles, though the evidence on it is not conclusive.
Additionally, a 2013 study published in the Journal of Korean Medical Science concluded that iron deficiency may play a role in the development of female pattern hair loss before menopause. Though, it noted that it was “hard to conclude” the role of iron in male pattern hair loss. Even so, there’s no clear-cut evidence linking the two.
Why Do You Need Iron For Your Hair?
There are several reasons why you need iron for healthy hair growth. Iron is used to make haemoglobin — a protein found in red blood cells that transports oxygen to tissues throughout the body. It also takes oxygen to your hair follicles, helping with hair growth.
This mineral is important for the formation of keratin — a major protein found in the hair. Additionally, inadequate iron can have a negative impact on DNA synthesis, which will also affect your hair.
What Does Iron Deficiency Hair Loss Look Like?
If you’re experiencing telogen effluvium due to iron deficiency, the hair loss will be diffuse in that it will affect the entire scalp. Though you may not go bald, you will lose more hair strands than you normally would.
On the other hand, though it is not clear if androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata are associated with iron deficiency, their patterns of hair loss are different. The former typically results in diffuse shedding in females (Ludwig scale) and a receding hairline in addition to crown hair loss in males (Norwood-Hamilton scale). In alopecia areata, on the other hand, hair loss usually occurs in circular patches.
Will Hair Loss From Low Iron Grow Back?
If you do indeed have an iron deficiency, once treated, you may likely experience an improvement in about 6 months, though it may take longer.
How Do You Know If Your Hair Loss Is Due To Low Iron?
For an accurate diagnosis of iron deficiency hair loss, your doctor will likely recommend a blood test to check the level of ferritin in your blood — ferritin is the iron-storing protein in the body. According to DermNet, ferritin levels lower than 15 μg/ml are considered diagnostic of iron deficiency; the level is above 40 μg/ml in healthy individuals.
How To Stop Hair Loss From Iron Deficiency?
You need to get your iron deficiency (and its underlying cause) treated if you want to stop hair loss caused by iron deficiency.
For this, your doctor may recommend changes to your diet for the inclusion of iron-rich foods, such as:
- Meats (e.g. beef, chicken, liver, lamb, turkey)
- Fish (e.g. tuna, mackerel and haddock) and other seafood (e.g. oysters, scallops, mussels)
- Vegetables (e.g. broccoli, kale, chard, spinach)
- Legumes (e.g. lentils, beans, chickpeas)
- Fruits (e.g. figs, prunes, dates, strawberries)
- Nuts (e.g. almonds, cashews, pine nuts, flax seeds)
- Bread, cereal and pasta
Keep in mind, however, that certain foods can negatively affect the absorption of iron in the body, such as tannins (found in tea and coffee) and calcium (found in milk and cheese, among other foods).
Additionally, according to Mount Sinai, medications such as antacids, cholestyramine, colestipol, and those used to treat ulcers, GERD, and other stomach issues may also reduce iron absorption. Therefore, your doctor may advise you to adjust their intake as well.
Iron supplements may also be used in the treatment of iron deficiency. It’s important that you talk to your doctor about taking them as too much iron can be toxic and harmful.
Experiencing Hair Loss?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Iron deficiency can indeed cause hair loss in women. Women can experience iron deficiency due to a number of reasons, such as heavy periods and pregnancy. In older adults, there can be other causes of iron deficiency, such as gastrointestinal issues. It’s important that you consult a doctor about it.
Iron tablets may help with iron deficiency, but it’s imperative that you get in touch with a doctor for the treatment of the underlying cause of the problem.
Dr Gizem
Dr. Gizem is a facial aesthetics practitioner at Dr Giz Aesthetics, a Medical Aesthetics Clinic in London. She specialises in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, as well as a wide range of non-surgical rejuvenation treatments for the skin, hair, and body. With experience treating over 500 patients, Dr. Gizem is fluent in both English and Turkish.
