If you’re a woman experiencing hair loss, it’s probably safe to say that you want to fully explore and rule out all options that could be causing this. There are so many issues that could be to blame here: genetics, hormones, pregnancy, taking and stopping birth control pills, thyroid issues, adrenal issues, scalp issues, the list goes on and on. One thing I’ve been asked a lot about recently is vitamin deficiencies. It’s really tempting to think that simply replacing some nutrients or taking some hair vitamins will solve the problem. There are a couple of reasons why this isn’t always the most effective route to take. I will explain why in this article.

Vitamin deficiencies that can sometimes cause hair loss: There are a couple of vitamins that affect your hair. The first is iron. Anemia has been linked to changes in hair. What most doctors will look at are your ferritin levels and they tend to fluctuate wildly during different times of the month. (When you are menstruating and losing blood, your levels will be lower.)

There was a time when I thought my hair loss might be directly related to my low iron (my iron has been low since I was a teenager). But, at my lowest level as a teenager, my hair was to die for. And, I raised my iron several times and it often did very little to affect my hair loss. I must also say that you absolutely should not try to estimate your level or take supplements on your own hoping for the best. Too much iron can be just as bad for you (and your hair) as too little. It is very important that you work with your doctor here if this really is a problem. He or she can help you reach your optimal, healthiest level.

B vitamins and proteins can also affect your hair. It is said that vegetarians can have problems with their hair because they do not eat enough protein. This may be true for some people, but many celebrities are vegetarians with stunning hair. Still, if you think this may be a concern for you, be diligent about getting enough protein in your diet.

However, most experts will tell you that the Western diet generally has very few vitamin deficiencies. We are among the most overnourished countries in the world. While it’s never a bad idea to take a standard multivitamin to cover all your needs, the idea of ​​anti-hair loss vitamins seems like a waste of money to me. Most of the excess vitamins will simply come out through your urine, literally throwing your money down the drain.

What you may want to look at besides vitamins: In my own experience with hair loss, it’s often very rarely (for women) that we can change what’s going on internally. The exception is if you have documented and supervised medical conditions (such as thyroid or adrenal problems) that can be corrected. It is more common that there is a problem of DHT or sebum that affects the scalp and clogs the hair follicles. (This may be genetic, or it may be a fixable scalp problem.) It is much more effective (and safer) to treat this topically.

I’m not a doctor, but in my experience as a woman with previous chronic hair loss, it’s best to first treat the likely inflammation that is often a precursor to (or the result of) chronic hair loss. Once you control inflammation, the next step is to provoke and support healthy growth. You will need to have a very healthy scalp for this. Because scalps that still have DHT or inflammation result in unhealthy, miniaturized hair that will only fall out again.

It can be very tempting to try to change your hormones or add a bunch of different supplements to the problem. But, in my experience, this often makes things worse. Women prone to hair loss are often very sensitive to even small internal changes. So I think it’s important to try the topical method first before changing your hormones or changing things internally, unless your doctor advises you to do so due to a medical condition (in which case topicals can still help with growth and the inflammation).