Cholesterol and Hair Loss

Contents
Link Between Cholesterol and Hair loss
Cholestorol Symptoms on the Hair
Anti-Cholesterol Treatments and the Scalp
Tips for Treating Hair Loss

Link Between Cholesterol
and Hair Loss

It all started with a rather surprising clinical conclusion: men who are at cardiovascular risk also often suffer from androgenetic alopecia. A large study on the matter started in 1982 and took place over 11 years on 22 071 volunteer doctors. Its results have confirmed the clinical observation: the more men tend to lose their hair, the more they risk having a heart attach.

Further studies were later carried out on men, then on women. They all lead to the same conclusion: androgenetic hair loss is strongly linked to cardiovascular risk and excess cholesterol.

So what is the cause for this association? There are two hypotheses, neither of which can be rejected so far, and research goes on.

1st Hypothesis: Cholesterol, as a triggering factor of steroid hormones and therefore of androgen, would increase the production of DHT (dihydrotestosterone), an androgen-derived hormone, and would cause the hair loss in those with a genetic predisposition.

2d Hypothesis: It is, on the contrary, the DHT that causes the cholesterol to increase (and its blood pressure in fact). That would explain why women, who produce 20 times fewer androgens that men, are less affected both by severe hair loss and cardiovascular problems.  

* In 1982, the doctors first accepted to fill out a form asking various questions: state of the hair (according to the Hamilton scale), eventual cardiovascular problems, blood pressure and level of cholesterol… They were asked the same questions every year until 1993. Results: compared to their non bald colleagues, the risks of developing a heart attack were of +9% for physicians whose forehead was simply depleted, +23% for those whose top of the head was largely scattered, + 32% for those whose alopecia was spread throughout the top of the head and +36% for those who were totally bald. Moreover, the risk further tripled in the case of excess cholesterol. (Lotufo PA, Chae CU, Ajani UA, Hennekens CH, Manson JE. Male pattern baldness and coronary heart disease: the Physicians' Health Study. Arch Intern Med. 2000 Jan 24;160(2):165-71.)

Benchmark	+ 9 % risk	+ 23 % risk	+ 32 % risk	+ 36 % risk

Cholestorol Symptoms on the Hair

At scalp level, in the case of revealed androgenetic hair loss, a high level of bad cholestorol (LDL) does not mix well with hair renewal. That is something which we often witness at Centre Clauderer when we establish laboratory hair diagnoses.  

There is an explanation to this: in the same way that LDL risks blocking coronary arteries, it can obstruct the micro blood vessels that feed the hair follicle. It can also contribute to solidify the sebum inside the follicle, in a rather similar way to limestone in a pipe. Consequence: reduced irrigation and therefore asphyxiation of the roots, refinement and bad anchoring of the hair in the follicle, and premature loss.

On the left, a healthy root: the sebum is properly evacuated towards outside the scalp.   On the right, a root and cholesterol: 1) The cholesterol slows down the blood influx. 2) It invades the hair follicle and prevents the sebum from being properly evacuated. 3) The root gradually loses its vital space and degenerates.

Anti-Cholesterol
Treatments and the Scalp

There is a real paradox with anti-cholesterol agents. Some can lead to side effects at scalp level: irritations, pruritus, itchiness and… hair loss !

'Incriminated' Products :

To know if the specific medicine you are taking can cause a drug-associated alopecia, check, on your drug's package or leaflet, whether one of the molecules it is made of belongs to those that present a risk for your hair.

Hair Loss Treatment Tips

If your level of cholesterol is too high and you are losing your hair, several things can be done in order to stabilise the loss.

1- Strictly follow the diet you have been prescribed.

2- If your medicine is in the list above, we recommend you see with your physician if it could not be replaced by another molecule that would not have side effects on the hair.  

3- At the local level, it is essential to:
1) 'Purge' your hair follicles from the toxins generated by the association between cholesterol and solidified sebum. That will enable your roots to regain the space they need in order to develop. 2) Strengthen your roots with subcutaneous active ingredients that will help them to start producing stable and strong hair again. The hair diagnosis, once we have studied your specific characteristics, will enable us to advise you on the appropriate hair treatment.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
- Androgenetic Hair Loss/Alopecia Women Men
- Impact of Androgen Hormones on Hair Loss Women Men
- Daily Hair Loss: What Is the Norm?  Women Men
- Drug-Associated Alopecia (Hair Loss) Women Men
- Hypertension and Androgenetic Hair Loss

FOR TREATMENT
- Your Diet and Hair Loss Women Men
- Clauderer Anti-Hair Loss Treatments
- Clauderer in-Depth Hair Diagnosis

Diagnosis In-depth Clauderer Diagnosis: Have a complete hair checkup