What You Need to Know: Ferritin & Hair loss
FERRITIN & HAIR LOSS
Millions of men and women suffer from hair loss, this is not a life-threatening condition but it can be very distressing. There are many reasons that can lead to hair thinning and hair loss and one of them could be related to a low level of ferritin.
Ferritin is a blood protein that contains and stores iron when our body needs it. It is often overlooked but low ferritin can potentially lead to hair loss (in combination with other underlying issues). Iron deficiency is considered to be one of the major causes for women hair loss. Serum ferritins store around 25% of body iron and are therefore the early markers of iron deficiency. Their variation could affect the hair growth process.
At NAR LONDON, we can test your ferritin level and also offer PRP therapy. Read on to find out more about feeritin and hair loss.
Can low ferritin level cause hair loss?
Low ferritin hair loss may increase the risk of telogen effluvium. If you want to know if you have too much or too little iron in your body, then we could perform a ferritin test, which measures the amount of ferritin in your blood. This is usually done by blood test. For men, the normal range of ferritin is between 24 and 336 micrograms per liter, while for women, it’s 11 to 307 micrograms per liter.
Low ferritin hair loss can be caused by iron deficiency as for instance if one has celiac disease, thyroid issues, vegan diet, important blood loss (menstruation or else) or even pregnancy.
As stated before, ferritin is a protein in our body that stores iron and releases it in a controlled manner. Iron is an important mineral that contributes to our health. Having too little can lead to iron deficiency, while having too much can also indicate another problem.
How much iron one needs depends on their gender and age. For instance, if you’re a female in your 30s, the recommended daily dosage is 18 milligrams. If you’re a male in your 30s, the recommended dosage is 8 milligrams of iron every day.
High ferritin & hair loss
Higher than normal ferritin level does not usually cause hair loss. However, hyperthyroidism in combination with high ferritin can have an impact on hair loss. Too much iron stored inn your body can affect the normal function of organs and tissues which can cause ferritin related hair loss and the “greying” of the hair.
Ferritin recovery
If you are experiencing low ferritin related hair loss, then it is often due to an iron deficiency. Henceforth, treating this deficiency with diet and supplements can help regulate the iron levels in your body. In addition, it can stimulate your hair follicles with nutrient-rich ingredients to help them grow.
Ferritin for hair growth
If low ferritin hair loss has been addressed then we can look at reinforcing and stimulate your hair follicles. One of the the therapy to consider is Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP).
What is PRP?
As stated, PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. The platelets and other growth factors play a crucial role in tissue regeneration and in your body’s natural healing processes. When PRP is injected for hair loss, platelets help stimulate dormant hair follicles, reinforce existing ones and promote new hair growth.
The process is as follow for PRP hair regrowth treatment:
- Firstly, we draw a standard amount of blood from the patient;
- We put the PRP tube of blood in a centrifuge and spin it to separate out the red blood cells from the plasma;
- The plasma is rich in platelets that contain valuable growth factors;
- Then, we draw up the platelets and inject them into the scalp at the level of the hair follicles;
- Ultimately, PRP helps stimulate hair follicles and can generate new hair growth. In addition, it can strengthen existing hair follicles.
Is PRP an option for you?
PRP therapy has varying degrees of success, depending on the cause of hair loss and individual patient factors. Furthermore, it is an autologous treatment meaning coming from the blood of the patient. This means that it will vary from person to person in particular if one is smoking, drinking a lot of alcohol and eating processed food. For healthy individuals, PRP could deliver good results when it comes to new hair growth. This said, tackling hair loss is difficult and requires time (as it follows the natural hair cycle) and consistency. Based on our experience, we have seen great results with PRP on a large number of patients both women and men at our clinic on Harley Street.
How long does PRP take?
PRP injection therapy is around 45 minutes to one hour. This is a safe procedure comes with virtually no downtime.
How many sessions do I need?
The number of sessions to have will depend on each individual and the stage of the hair loss condition. However, it is recommended to have at least 3 sessions one month apart.
Where can I PRP in London, UK?
NAR LONDON specialises on autogous regenerative treatments and is your clinic of your choice.
You can either book a hair loss consultation (50 GBP that can be redeemed against the treatment) or alternatively book your PRP treatment directly online