Diet and Hair

" Welcome to our webcast on David folk Thomas and there are many different causes a pair lost that we know up. And -- loss can be genetic. He can be caused by certain illnesses or -- medications like chemotherapy. But you may be surprised to know that your diet may also be an important factor. Yes what you -- can affect how your hair grows we have two guests with us today to tell us how to make sure your diet is that hair healthy one. On my left is doctor Peter Halperin he's the assistant professor in the department of dermatology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University. And New York hospital Peter thanks for stopping by. On Peters left. Is doctor Shari Lieberman she's the nutrition scientists and exercise physiologist and she's also on the faculty of the University of Bridgeport Cheri thank you for coming by as well here. Let me -- start. Peter with few when you're evaluating somebody. For hair loss in addition to diet which were going to be going into what what are the important factors to consider."

" You know full patient."

" Comprehensive history would include. Pessimism about which medications they take what there genetic family history in terms of hail losses."

" And what allergies and then a full physicals and it could include hair pull test where one would examine hair under a microscope and and -- and then you know the only candidate not just like say have started is right if it's essentially removing some -- and examine those under the microscope and examining the scalp for."

" Redness or inflammation and."

" Removing some of that material buying it's -- biopsy or by some type -- removal to examine it to."

" Ascertain what the patients who listen."

" As far as I was thinkin' three stooges or they're not careful that's all the time whole range of things that we going -- the -- I lost and -- but at -- it to add to that and tie in the diet part."

" Well it's interesting that you mentioned here a test because. There are some very specific nutritional deficiencies that classic symptoms of these deficiencies include hair loss. And also I I didn't know that there's actually -- but you can actually -- hand out. Easier than it would normally we can do it was with -- very very little difficulty. And there was some nutrition nutrients specifically like essential fatty acids that played a role in skin hair and nails. Other things as well. But essential fatty -- specifically like Omega three fatty acids and these are not the type the Fed AS is the people -- eating a lot of because the sources album. Basically include fish like salmon and magical run everybody eats that. What flax seed I don't know what was the last -- reflects he dated a body what it was a walnuts which you know people are eating every -- these Omega three fatty acids a little hard to get from food. And then we have other things like these six. B twelve and folic acid which are not terribly uncommon I was thinking twelve and folic acid. I actually fairly common in -- B twelve and folic acid actually for the cell renewal to grow hair. -- things like -- classic deficiency. Would be that actual hair loss however with nutritional deficiencies. I wouldn't only look at there had also look at their skin. I'm a look at their nails I would look at the whole picture. -- we look at things like crash citing notorious for Harrell watts if we look at people that aren't eating enough pro team. That can also cause of Harrell lost so. I wouldn't rule out maybe some of the simple things in and even if they cleaned up their diet. I still believe it it would make whatever treatment they're using whether it be if you're doing hair transplant them doing medical and doing verbal whatever it is. I think that looking at their diet is very important I wouldn't overlook something that simple."

" That crash dieting as far as you know because you're eliminating maybe a whole range of things hey we -- Photo at my -- and then specifically you were mentioning certain things -- takes the -- zinc magnesium and you know what reported that. Certain vitamins that are directly you know that are really good -- for healthy hair."

" Well you know by -- something Mitchell find in the a lot of care formulas on the also find pro teen and a lot of here formulas. I -- deficiency is not comment so by -- deficiency is something that I would look for something like if someone took antibiotics for a long time. They could be at risk so then I would go back to looking -- had a history of acne. That would be the kind of person would be on an antibiotic for a long enough time that it could affect your -- and I've also seen in my practice strict vegetarians. Who after two years of being vegetarian -- main complaint was careless and also -- break out. So I would look at these things and so -- is well."

" And Peter when you're treating somebody comes to you apparent loss how do you have you kind of balance this is -- You know the -- hope they were talking back now do you recommend. That to them or is that -- for themselves to explore that on their own."

" it really depends on what."

" Had enough -- that happened if -- have. And mill -- patterns analysts are female and independent panel loss. Then their genetic shouldn't dictate. Basically pretty much what's gonna happen with their head of hair it's individuals passed down through there both mother and father."

" They can influence into a small degree. With with some things they can do over the counter and then probably pretty much larger degree. In men with the medication can use called Propecia or commenced on. But a lot of pare losses genetic. And that's only one kind of helps there are other medical -- to carry -- person is to determine what kind of paralyzed to have."

" And then recommend appropriate treatment but if it's that very common male pattern hair loss genetics will play the."

" The uproar role very strong role in determine what their patients terror -- war."

" Right and -- what what about a hair healthy diet what is that and what should people start. Eating in not reading compared healthy diet is really going to include. Making sure the someone's getting enough protein casino can ever burn some hearing -- however you know that -- protein. Mostly sulfur containing amino acids. So I would say things like you know eggs things like chicken. You do not have to eat meat or stake if you don't want to in order to get enough protein so I would say any lean source of meat fish. Chicken eggs anything like that would be fine and to make sure that you're taking a lot of it I would have to say. Maybe more in women men and then I'm seeing a lot of women not eating enough protein a lot of them are eating vegetables -- greeting cards they've really -- awful lot of protein. And sometimes LC careless and women for that. But essays that I wouldn't necessarily overlooked it in men either especially those -- hundred signings on an indicting these days. And I think a lot of the book also cut a lot of protein out of their diet and of cut a lot of foods -- diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables are very important. I have a lot of I don't nutrients beyond vitamins and minerals that may also play a role in our skin or hair in our Nielsen's well. So when people like come to you what what what kind of people DC what are they saying view and they come. To learn IR ICN they expect I have seen patients with Alan Keyes show. I probably will do some level of supplementation like maybe an all around good multivitamin multi -- to make sure that they're getting. I left magnesium magnesium is deficient was 60%. Of the American population. So zinc can also be one of the things that are quite efficient and probably more important for men and women although I think both. Should make sure that you're taking enough so I'll give a full spectrum multivitamin multi mineral just make sure that I'm covering all the bases. And then I might use. Specific supplements the hair -- used -- and I might give them a protein supplement I'm gonna happen to a seven day diet -- so at least I know what I'm doing and I know. What I'm looking -- I know when I need to do. And what. You know fast food items that affected everything that I mentioned that they should inch thick -- but with this. I think fast food is bad news if it's done as a whole host of problems so call it's a whole bag a -- if we -- fast food I mean I wanna get too complicated but that the types affected your eating when you're eating fast food you really eating mostly Iraq Don -- said. And you're eating saturated fat and it's cooked and it changes the structure of the Fed. So you really favoring. A prostaglandin. Profile which is -- hormone like substance that would favor inflammation and I don't believe that that's going to help. Your student be healthier your hair be healthy. It's certainly implicated in arthritis and a lot of inflammatory diseases so we really want to balance the diet especially if -- is experiencing that."

" And Peter we're gonna wrap up any final words on this whole diet and hairless. Topics. You know had a loss is."

" Is a very complex topic that it has to do with many many things depending on the kind of tell us the patient happens."

" And most is time they have genetic type of analog. Genetics plays a major role will dictate what that patients -- will be."

" You really can't influence that you can influence it with certain medications. You probably can't influence -- with a lot of the things you couldn't."

" And sharing your side of this."

" I would have to say from my clinical experience that it can be influenced through other things I think that. I have great hair and if I was losing my hair I would do what ever it is to keep my hair. But I've worked with allocation I've worked with no pattern baldness I've worked with women who have also lost their hair and it's an expense what I can doesn't work all the time. Propecia. And some of the drugs don't necessarily work all the time. So I think that people need to know that maybe they have choices I wouldn't give it an enormous amount of time if somebody's losing their hair. What I do is you gonna work within a short amount of time while it's not gonna work within a short amount of time in which case I would encourage them to the want to drug treatment."

" Right that's all the time we have -- thank you for joining us today my name's David -- Thomas. And we'll see you next time."