Women fear hair loss perhaps even more than men. Many people think that with proper nutrition it is possible to prevent hair loss. True or false? We asked Professor Antonio Costanzo, head of the Operational Unit of Dermatology at Humanitas and professor at Humanitas University.
“True. In addition to preventing androgenetic alopecia, or baldness that can affect women, nutrition can also slow down its appearance – explains the expert. Similar to other organs, hair needs nutrients to grow strong and healthy. A diet rich in vitamins and trace elements is therefore essential to limit hair loss even when the cause of androgenic alopecia in women is hormonal or genetic. In particular, hair needs substances such as biotin, a vitamin contained in whole cereal grains, B vitamins from legumes, vitamin E from parsley, carrots and spinach, and antioxidants in dark green leafy vegetables such as beets, chicory, in addition to those found in berries, tomatoes and all fruit with yellow or orange color. Moreover, following a healthy lifestyle in addition to a correct diet can help reduce the risk of hair loss. In particular, hair follicles are healthier if you:
- Reduce stress or learn how to manage it
- Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun and the use of tanning lamps
- Follow a healthy diet including proteins, vitamins and iron
- Avoid drastic diets that make you lose a lot of weight in a short time
- Reduce cigarette smoking or stop smoking
All these, in fact, are environmental factors that, in case of family predisposition, or in the presence of a factor of predisposition to androgenetic alopecia, can accelerate the disease, adding to endocrinological problems, i.e. hormonal alterations, which are more frequent in women including thyroid problems, pregnancy and menopause”.
