Introduction

If you are a diabetic patient, it is natural that your body won’t produce a sufficient amount of insulin in your body . If we say that insulin is a primary hormone essential to control our blood and urine sugar levels.

When your body does not produce a sufficient amount of insulin or isn’t used effectively, sugar levels can build up in your blood. That excess sugar can damage your organs all over your body, including your sensory organs like eyes, nerves, and kidneys. The increased sugar level can also lead to major to minor damage to blood vessels. These blood vessels carry oxygen around your body to nourish organs and tissues. Damaged blood vessels and the blood coagulation system may not be able to deliver enough amount of oxygen to nourish your hair follicles. This lack of oxygen can also affect your normal hair growth cycle. The current article is all about knowing the exact linkage between hair fall and the diabetes of the person.

Relationship between diabetes and hair fall

The fundamental relationship between diabetes and hair fall can be understood by understanding the hair growth cycle of the human body. The hair growth cycle is elaborated as below.

The hair growth cycle and its relation with diabetes

Hair follicle usually goes through three phases of their life cycle. During the active growing phase of the hair follicle, which lasts for two to three years or more. Hairs grow at a simple rate of 2 to 3 cm per month as per the sources. The hair then goes into the resting phase of the life cycle. Which lasts for almost 100 days. After this phase of the growth cycle, some of the resting hair falls out.

Diabetes can interrupt this phase of the process, ultimately slowing down your hair growth. Having diabetes, a significant chronic disease can also cause you to lose more hair than usual. That hair loss is not only on your head as it affects the hair follicles of the whole body. You can lose inches on your arms, armpits, legs, and other body parts, too. When hair regrows after this phase, it does so at a slower-than-normal rate which is the main sign of hair loss by diabetes.
People with diabetes are more likely also to have a condition called alopecia areata. With alopecia condition, the immune system mainly attacks the hair follicles, leading to hair loss patches on the head and other body parts.

Top 3 reasons for hair fall in diabetes patients

There are the most common three reasons for hair fall in Diabetes patients. We have only mentioned the most common, and other cognitive reasons can also add up the factor for the hair fall in the diabetic patient.

High blood and urine sugar levels

Uncontrolled or untreated diabetes from a long-standing can result in a person’s blood sugar levels becoming too high. Persistently high blood sugar levels can damage various tissues, organs, and even blood vessels within the body.
Damage to blood vessels and blood cells can restrict blood flow, resulting in specific cells getting less oxygen and nutrients than required to perform the essential fundamental functions. This deficiency of insulin can negatively impact the normal growth cycle of hair follicles, which can lead to hair loss.

Hormones and stress

Diabetes can put a great deal of physical and emotional stress on a person’s body. Persistent unwanted stress can cause hormone fluctuations that can affect hair growth.

Alopecia areata- a rare condition
Alopecia areata is a rare condition in which the immune system begins to attack healthy hair follicles by mistake. People with type 1 diabetes, apart from both types of diabetes, are more likely rested Source than people without this condition to develop alopecia areata.
Alopecia areata condition causes patchy hair loss on the head, arms, and other body areas where hair usually grows.

Is hair loss from diabetes reversible?

In some cases, hair loss in a diabetic patient may be reversible. Several treatments are also available, some of which differ for males and females as the body changes. However, even when hair loss treatments are much more effective. Most temporary solutions only work while using them.

Some people who are diabetic patients can slow or stop hair loss that results from diabetes. The most effective method to do this is by maintaining reasonable control of blood sugar levels and managing stress.
A diabetic person can control their blood sugar by:
• monitoring the blood sugar levels on the regular basis
• taking all medications as prescribed by the doctor directs
• eating a balanced, nutritious, and healthful diet
• routine exercise
Strategies are also there that can help an individual minimize and manage stress include:
• seeking moral support from friends and family
• having counseling or cognitive-behavioral therapy-CBT
• practicing mindfulness and being happy
• using relaxation techniques, such as meditation, yoga, and deep-breathing exercises, to calm the mind.

Hair transplant surgery for diabetes patients

Hair transplant surgery is known as one of the most advanced technology for one can always opt to regrow their hair. Coming directly to the point that hair transplant surgery for the most immuno-compromised patients like diabetes, heart patients, cancers, and many more are known to be quite complicated.
When it comes to concerns and significant complications for diabetic patients who wish to go for a hair transplant, these are the basic things they need to keep in mind and should know about the surgery.

A hair transplant surgery takes up to six-eight hours in one surgery. The process can also be exhausting for some patients, especially those with diabetes and hypertension. The blood sugar levels of the diabetic patient should be normal one day before and about a week after the surgery. Stress can increase cortisol levels, raise blood sugar, and reduce insulin production during or before the surgery. Patients often take a dose of insulin to ensure that blood sugar does not fluctuate more. All functional hormonal tests should be taken into consideration before the surgery.

How can hair transplant surgery cause complications in people with diabetes?

To begin with, let’s bust off some myths. If people with uncontrolled and chronic diabetes are told that they cannot get a hair transplant, they should know that it is not valid. One with controlled and non-fluctuating diabetes can opt for the surgery as well. While people with diabetes need to practice more care in the whole process, it is not entirely impossible. Diabetes is known as one of the most common metabolic disorders that gets worse over time. Therefore, some people in their initial stages of diabetes can get a hair transplant safely.

Even the diabetic people who have had diabetes for years but have kept their condition well managed with diet, routine exercise, and medicine may also fall in the safe category.
Consult the doctor about the type of diabetes you have and how you manage it.– with medication or diet. It would be best to consider parameters like blood pressure to ensure how safe the hair transplant procedure is for you.

Other non-surgical options for diabetes patients for hair regrowth.
Apart from the surgical method for the hair transplant, one can also opt for non-surgical processes that are less harmful and can be easily adapted by one in their routine life. We have mentioned here some of the most common non-surgical options for diabetes patients for their hair regrowth. They are-

Medicine- oral and local

Your dermatologist may prescribe topical drug-like minoxidil-Rogaine, which you rub onto your scalp and other areas where there is hair loss. Men can also take a pill called finasteride-Propecia to regrow hair. Finasteride has not been approved for women to use as they have some side effects. If the alopecia condition is causing your hair loss. Your doctor may prescribe steroid medicines to reduce inflammation.

Biotin supplements
Biotin is a natural vitamin in peanuts, almonds, sweet potatoes, onions, eggs, and oats. People with diabetes may have lower-than-normal levels of biotin.

There’s some evidence that has also been proven that taking biotin supplements by mouth may slow hair loss. Just consult your routine doctor and ask them about this. Adults’ recommended adequate amount intake is 30 micrograms per day. But supplements usually contain much higher amounts. Ask your doctor what a safe part for you is.

Hair Wig
If the hair loss covers a large scalp area, you may want to cover it with a wig or hairpiece temporarily. The cost is relatively small, and you can remove the wig when you no longer need it.
Losing your hair due to some chronic metabolism condition like diabetes can be scary, but you have options. To better manage your blood sugar, engage in routine exercise. This is a great way to bring down blood sugar and encourage oxygen delivery to your body’s extremities and even your scalp. Consult with your doctor to learn more about what you can do to manage your hair loss.

Changes in lifestyle
Although routine exercise may not prevent or reverse hair loss. It can help the body maintain good blood circulation. Regular exercise can help increase blood flow to different body parts. Including the hair follicles and the upper and lower extremities. It can also help a diabetic person control their blood sugar levels.
Eating a balanced, nutritious, and healthful diet is also an essential part of diabetes management. Diets rich in high-fiber foods, green leafy vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins are bneficial for controlling blood sugar levels.

Conclusions-
Summing it up in the end, one can say that diabetes is known as one of the most common chronic metabolic disorders in recent times. Most of the middle and third stage people are affected by diabetes nowadays. Regarding the other abnormalities with the diabetes-like hair fall. Loss of memory, and other metabolic conditions, hair fall has been significantly known to be almost scary. The above article is all about the reason for hair fall and diabetes and also about the hair transplant surgery for diabetic patients.