Heavy menstrual bleeding (outlined by the Mayo Clinic as soaking by means of a number of pads or tampons each hour for a number of consecutive hours) may cause iron-deficiency anemia. And iron is required to make hemoglobin, which is what oxygen sticks to so it may be transported all through the physique. And hair follicles want oxygen to thrive.
“Every part in your physique requires oxygen, so when you’ve got a deficiency in hemoglobin to hold oxygen, your physique is wise and it’ll ship oxygen to probably the most needed elements,” says Jessica Shepherd, MD, a board-certified OB-GYN in Dallas, Texas. “Your main organs want oxygen extra, so you are going to have an absence of oxygen going to your hair follicles, and that is whenever you would possibly see a lower in hair progress or enhance in hair loss.”
Heavy menstrual bleeding may be the results of fibroids, hormone imbalances like PCOS, endometriosis, and extra. An important factor you are able to do is get to the basis of the issue. “If it is an iron deficiency subject, some folks would possibly want a blood transfusion, some folks can take iron dietary supplements,” says Dr. Shepherd, who can also be chief medical officer at Verywell Well being. As you replenish the iron, you possibly can work along with your physician to determine how one can cease the heavy bleeding—exploring all the things from hormonal contraception to surgical procedure.
Within the meantime, Dina Strachan, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York Metropolis, says there are issues you are able to do to advertise hair progress, like attempting hair-wellness dietary supplements.
“I take into account these extra like altering the soil,” says Dr. Strachan. For instance, when you’ve got a plant with a fungal an infection, you possibly can deal with the an infection but in addition give it some new nutrient-rich soil. “You handle the fungal an infection, however giving it good vitamin additionally helps as properly,” she provides. The identical goes to your hair—it’s important to handle the basis trigger, however including in some additional vitamins may also help issues alongside.”
Jessica Cho, MD, an integrative medication physician and hair restoration specialist, provides that whereas these dietary supplements may also help revive the strands you do have—they will not make new hair develop. “Hair nutritional vitamins are going to deal with the hair shaft issues just like the hair texture, brittleness, and dryness—they’ll really make the hair enriched and shinier,” says Dr. Cho. “When individuals are utilizing collagen, peptides, Nutrafol ($88), hair nutritional vitamins and all that conditioning, it’s extra to your hair shaft of present hairs.” For progress, you possibly can strive medical choices, like an over-the-counter minoxidil resolution ($47), or prescriptions like Finasteride or oral minoxidil.
You can even discover at-home scalp-stimulating methods like microneedling and LED remedy that increase scalp circulation and thus the stream of oxygen and vitamins. Moreover, there are in-office remedies like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, however as a result of PRP makes use of your blood, it might probably solely be efficient when you’ve got wholesome, oxygen-and-nutrient-rich blood. “PRP may be inconsistent as a result of it’s depending on the standard of the platelets of the person, or the expansion elements of their platelets,” says Dr. Strachan. “I see numerous sufferers who’ve already had PRP, and it wasn’t profitable.”
An important factor you are able to do is figure along with your physician to find out and deal with the basis explanation for your bleeding. That method, you possibly can preserve your blood rely at a degree the place your physique would not need to resolve between sending oxygen to your organs or your scalp—there will likely be sufficient blood to go round.
“That is one thing that undoubtedly may be restored,” says Dr. Shepherd. “It does take time as a result of hair progress occurs in phases. However first, it is about discovering an answer and ensuring we’re working in direction of reducing the bleeding, after which ensuring that we’re serving to restore the hair in one of the simplest ways attainable, that is wholesome. However it does take time.”
