How can diabetes affect the hair and scalp? - Eva Proudman

As always, November has been super busy for me and Absolute Collagen.

It’s Diabetes Awareness month and I have been providing help and advice on how diabetes affects the hair and scalp.  I have also just arrived back from a 2-day educational programme at The Royal Society of Medicine learning about all of the very latest treatments for hair and scalp problems. I’m looking forward to sharing all that with you #Absoluters  over the coming months!

How can diabetes affect the hair and scalp?

Diabetes is an autoimmune condition. Research has shown that people with diabetes are more likely to have a condition called Alopecia Areata, which is also an autoimmune condition that attacks the hair follicles and causes patchy hair loss.  Some people with diabetes also have thyroid disease which again can contribute to hair and scalp conditions. 

So, what can we do to help people with an autoimmune illness achieve healthy glossy shiny hair and a balanced scalp?

How diet can help hair grow for those with diabetes

Diet plays a huge role in the overall health of the hair and scalp. A balanced diet is essential, with plenty of protein, vegetables, fruits, carbohydrates and fats. We need them all for healthy glossy hair. 

The hair requires around 25% of your daily protein intake, and it needs what are termed complete proteins. These foods contain the eight essential amino acids that the body cannot synthesise for itself. The essential amino acids play a vital role in helping to achieve super healthy shiny and glossy hair as well as a balanced healthy scalp. 

Absolute Collagen is such a quick and easy complete protein source that can really help you to achieve your daily intake of protein. In turn, it also helps your hair and scalp as well as your skin and nails, too.  The key amino acids in Absolute Collagen that really help people who suffer from diabetes and thyroid disorders are:

Tyrosine: This helps our metabolism to be effective. It also keeps the adrenal, pituitary and thyroid glands functioning normally, and is essential support for the immune system to function normally. 

Threonine: This is essential for converting protein into energy and assisting in cell renewal, which is vital to the hair. It also assists in the formation of collagen and elastin, both of which support shiny healthy hair. Most importantly, Threonine supports the immune system in functioning normally.

Arginine: This helps blood supply to the hair and supports hair growth. Diabetes can cause blood flow to be sluggish especially to the body’s extremities.

I always talk to my patients who have a low protein diet about the benefits of supplementing with Absolute Collagen. This amazing supplement really does support healthy hair and scalp and won’t affect your blood sugars or thyroid medications.

Does lifestyle affect hair if you have diabetes?

It does a little. Try to manage stress, as elevated levels of stress are not good for us generally. Stress also has a major impact on the health of our hair and scalp, as well as managing diabetes and hypothyroidism. 

Phenylalanine in Absolute Collagen really helps to manage the symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression leading to a very positive effect on your overall health as well as supporting the health of your hair and scalp.

Plenty of sleep and good hydration from drinking water are two of the simplest things that you can do to help support your hair and scalp health.

What haircare should I use if I have diabetes?

A good hair care regime is essential. The scalp is skin, the same as the rest of our body, so keeping it clean and balanced is absolute key to healthy shiny hair. Washing daily or every other day is the best regime that you can follow.

Choose your products carefully. Alongside a daily dose of Absolute Collagen, you want to use products that are good for you and for your hair.

Look for ingredients such as Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Cocamidoproply Betaine on the labels. These are good cleansers but also don’t strip out the essential oils required by the scalp.  The formulation and percentage of ingredients is what differentiates a good product from a poor product, and most of this information is on the label so have a read before you buy.

If you are looking to treat any kind of hair loss then using a shampoo to do this is not effective. It just isn’t on the scalp for long enough. Instead, look for a lotion, serum or cream that is rubbed into the scalp and penetrates the hair follicle to support healthy hair growth. Absolute Collagen also helps with hair loss.

Do diabetes medications affect my hair?

Medications are essential for most autoimmune disorders. Once they are balanced and the diabetes or thyroid is under control the effects on the hair are minimal. However, the effects of the medication can cause problems and it is best to seek a consultation to review your case holistically to ascertain the best treatment plan for you.

How Absolute Collagen can help:

In summary having diabetes, thyroidism or any other autoimmune disease does not mean that you have to resign yourself to thinning hair, irritated scalps or excessive hair shedding. There are lots of treatments that can be used that will see your hair returning to being healthy shiny and your crowning glory.

So many of my patients with autoimmune disorders have benefited from dietary changes, vitamin and mineral supplementation alongside Absolute Collagen as a protein supplement.

As always I love to hear from you if you have any questions on any hair or scalp related topic you email me at eva@absolutecollagen.com