Contents:
- Medical Video: 5 Early Symptoms of Diabetes | Diabetes Skin Problems | What Causes Diabetes | Skin Care Routine
- Hair loss due to diabetes, these are some of the causes
- 1. Diabetes causes blocked blood flow
- 2. Diabetes interferes with workendocrine system
- 3. Diabetes is an autoimmune disease
- 4. Other causes
Medical Video: 5 Early Symptoms of Diabetes | Diabetes Skin Problems | What Causes Diabetes | Skin Care Routine
Many people who actually have diabetes do not realize that they have the disease. Because, diabetes can not show any symptoms until the sugar level is really high. Soaring uncontrolled blood sugar can increase your risk of experiencing various complications of diabetes. One side effect of diabetes that may be very rarely realized is hair loss. Yes! You may experience hair loss because your diabetes is not well controlled. How come?
Hair loss due to diabetes, these are some of the causes
Diabetes is characterized by a body that cannot produce insulin, or insulin produced cannot function properly. Whichever type of diabetes you are, this insulin hormone disorder can cause damage to many organs. So, why can hair loss due to diabetes?
1. Diabetes causes blocked blood flow
Ideally hair growth must pass three stages. During the active growth phase, the hair will continue to grow for two years or more and then enter the resting phase. After that, some resting hair will fall out. This hair growth cycle is supported by oxygenated blood flow from the heart to the head.
High blood sugar which continues to be left untreated can damage blood vessels. If the blood vessels are damaged, the blood flow throughout the body is not smooth - including blood flow to the hair follicles. Long hair can fall out due to follicles that don't get enough nutrients and oxygen from the bloodstream.
Hair loss due to diabetes does not only occur in the head, but can also occur in the arms, legs and other body parts.
2. Diabetes interferes with workendocrine system
Diabetes can cause hair loss by disrupting the endocrine system. The endocrine system consists of many hormones that control different tissues in the body. One of the functions of the endocrine system is to produce androgens, hormones that regulate hair growth and the health of hair follicles.
Blood sugar levels that are uncontrolled or tend to be above normal cause the endocrine system to be disrupted. This can cause hair follicles to become inactive. As a result, hair becomes easily fall out.
If your blood sugar levels can be controlled, hormone levels can become stable. And the hair will grow back to normal.
3. Diabetes is an autoimmune disease
Hair loss due to diabetes is also influenced by the nature of the disease itself. Diabetes, especially type 1 diabetes, is an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disease is a condition that occurs when the immune system accidentally attacks healthy tissue because it mistakenly considers it a foreign object.
In type 1 diabetes, the immune system can attack insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, which causes reduced insulin production.People with diabetes are more likely to have a condition called alopecia areata.
With alopecia, the body's immune system attacks the hair follicles which cause hair loss in the head and other parts of the body.
4. Other causes
Hair loss due to diabetes can also come as a side effect of stress that you experience while undergoing treatment and dealing with symptoms.Or, it could also be a side effect of taking diabetes drugs.
Some people with diabetes also have thyroid disease, which can cause hair loss.
