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Hair Loss
Hair is a sensitive gauge of whole-body health. We look at iron, thyroid, hormones, protein, stress, and inflammation behind the shedding.
What you may be noticing
More hair in the shower drain and on your pillow. A widening part, a thinner ponytail, or receding temples. Shedding that began a few months after illness, childbirth, surgery, or a stressful season. An itchy or burning scalp. Your confidence may feel thinner too.
Why it is rarely one thing
Hair follicles are metabolically expensive mini-organs. They respond to thyroid hormone, cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, insulin, growth factors, and the energy output of mitochondria. Because hair is not essential for survival, the body diverts resources away from it whenever it senses stress or scarcity. I think of hair as biological feedback: a visible readout of your internal physiology.
Different patterns point to different causes. Diffuse shedding that begins two to three months after a stressor, called telogen effluvium, reflects follicles that were pushed into a resting phase. Gradual thinning at the crown or temples often involves androgen sensitivity. Patchy loss suggests an autoimmune pattern, alopecia areata.
After pregnancy, high estrogen keeps hair in its growing phase longer, and a synchronized shed commonly follows a few months after birth. When shedding continues well beyond that, thyroid activation, iron stores, protein, sleep, and the cortisol rhythm deserve a careful look.
Hair loss is rarely isolated. In my experience it often travels with post-viral inflammation, gut barrier problems, and hormonal shifts, and I address the gut before chasing metabolism. Timing is one of the most useful clues: the shedding you see today often began two or three months ago, after a fever, a surgery, a crash diet, a new medication, a loss, or a move.
Patterns we look for
- Ferritin and iron status, among the most common contributors in women.
- Thyroid function, read with TSH, free T4, free T3, reverse T3, and antibodies, not TSH alone.
- Protein intake and overall nutrition.
- Androgens and androgen sensitivity, including PCOS patterns and changes after stopping birth control.
- Estrogen decline in perimenopause and postpartum hormone shifts.
- Stress, cortisol rhythm, and sleep.
- Zinc, vitamin D, B12, omega-3, and trace minerals.
- Gut health and intestinal permeability.
- Blood sugar and insulin.
- Autoimmune patterns, inflammation, and scalp health.
- Rapid weight loss, medications, and recent illnesses, including high fevers.
How I evaluate it
A comprehensive functional neurological exam assesses stress physiology and autonomic balance, which affect both hormones and hair cycles.
Functional labs may include ferritin and iron studies, a full thyroid panel with antibodies, a complete blood count, vitamin D, zinc, B12, androgens with SHBG, a complete hormone and cortisol metabolite map, fasting insulin, and inflammatory markers. Dermatology evaluation is recommended for patchy loss, scarring, or scalp inflammation.
How we address it
- Identify your pattern and its timing.
- Calm the stress axis, restore sleep, and anchor your circadian rhythm with morning light.
- Repair the gut so nutrients are absorbed, before focusing on metabolism.
- Restore ferritin, protein, and key nutrients with targeted categories of support.
- Support thyroid function and immune balance.
- Balance androgens and sex hormones by addressing upstream drivers, including insulin and liver clearance.
- Support scalp health and circulation, keep fragrance and harsh chemicals off the scalp, and track progress over months, since the hair cycle is slow.
Healthy hair grows from a well-supported body. Patience and precision bring it back.
Book your Comprehensive Functional Medicine Eval/Neurological Exam today to discover what the contributing root causes are that are underlying your health concerns.