The surprise supplement that transformed my thinning hair

TrichoTest

A year ago, I had a DNA test, TrichoTest, that analyses which of a range of medicines and natural substances might work for you. My result was positive for oestrogen but also for latanoprost (originally a treatment for glaucoma, now used cosmetically as a lash lengthener). Naturally you need a lot more for hair than for lashes, and unfortunately latanoprost is expensive. I order mine via Grow Back, pharmacists who specialise in hair loss medication. Results seem very promising but like minoxidil lotion, it only works while you’re taking it.

I have also started trying my own, free circulation-boosting treatments: head massages and rinsing my hair with cold water, as Meshkati recommends. 

Follicle regeneration treatments 

By this stage I’ll try anything with a modicum of science behind it. I had some sessions of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections (PRP) where your blood is taken, the growth factors are extracted from it, and needled back into the scalp. 

This slowed the loss but the results didn’t last for me. 

I’m starting a six-week course of Calecim, an ointment which sounds even stranger, containing “proteins and growth factors derived from umbilical cord lining of New Zealand red deer,” says Kelly Morrell of Scalp Confidential, an aesthetic practitioner who specialises in hair loss. But I’m hopeful. “As long as the follicle is still there, Calecim can be a game-changer,” says Morrell. Like all hair treatments, I’ll have to wait for results, at least six weeks. “Hair is much slower than skin to show change,” says Dr Thivi Marupatthu, the UK’s only nutritionist and dermatologist, and author of SkinFood. 

Diet & supplementation 

Hair is pretty low on the body’s maintenance list, so it’s one of the first things to go when diet isn’t good. “Disordered eating or weight loss can lead to hair shedding,” says Marupatthu. She’s seen clients with hair loss after taking Ozempic, for example. Diet doesn’t cause FPHL, but it does cause shedding which can make FPHL more obvious. The good news is, diet-related hair loss is usually reversible.

Marupatthu also tests for thyroid problems; both under and overactive thyroid conditions can affect hair growth. And she stresses that hair needs protein because that’s what it’s made from. The more you exercise, the more protein you need; heavy exercisers need a daily gram of protein per kilo of bodyweight. 

Blood tests showed I was low in iron, the most common nutrient deficiency to impact hair, worsening with heavy periods in perimenopause. The normal level for ferritin (stored iron) starts at 41ng/mL, but to support hair growth it needs to be as high as 75ng/mL. My level was 12ng/mL and supplements barely shifted it, so I booked in for an iron transfusion procedure, which cost £770, at The Iron Clinic in London. 

Other important hair nutrients are biotin, vitamin B2, zinc, selenium and vitamins A, C, D and E, says Morrell. However, it’s not clear how much a lack of each leads to hair loss.

Meshkati has formulated supplements to keep hair in its growing stage for longer, Hair Full Cycle. And the supplement most recommended by practitioners is Viviscal Professional. 

Six months after the iron infusion, I noticed new baby hairs growing through. While the hair on my temples is staying stubbornly short, there is hair there so I’m no longer a candidate for a hair transplant. I still have bad hair moments, but if I can maintain my hair as it is now, I’ll feel I’ve got off lightly. If I can’t, I’ll have to accept it. As Jada Pinkett Smith posted on Instagram, “Me and this alopecia are going to be friends. Period”.  

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What women can do about midlife hair loss

• The earlier you start treatment the better. Dermatologists and trichologists should consider all possible causes: nutrition, hormones, stress, medication, medical conditions.
• Minoxidil is the first-line treatment – chemists sell it as Rogaine and other cheaper brands. It works for 60 to 70 per cent of women who have FPHL, but only while you’re using it.
• Natural treatments that have some (limited) evidence are rosemary oil and pumpkin seed oil. And switch to low or no-chemical shampoo, conditioner and other products.
• Taking HRT helps some women keep their hair. You could also try a topical lotion containing minoxidil, oestrogen and anti-androgens (philipkingsley.com).
• Ask your GP to test your iron (ferritin), vitamin D and thyroid function. Try hair multivitamins, such as Viviscal Professional (available on prescription).
• Massage helps increase blood flow to follicles; the website perfecthairhealth.com has a protocol you can follow (Founder Rob English is on YouTube). Red light treatment may also help increase blood flow to the scalp; the newest gadget is the CurrentBody Skin LED Hair Regrowth Device (£650 at currentbody.com). Microneedling with a roller or stamp (see weareplantmade.com) may also encourage growth.