Hair Loss: What Your Body May Be Trying to Tell You 💇🏼‍♀️

Feb 3

Hair loss can feel frustrating, confusing, and honestly emotional, especially when it seems to come out of nowhere. From a naturopathic perspective, thinning hair or excessive shedding is rarely a stand-alone issue. Hair is considered a “non-essential” tissue for survival, so when the body is under stress or out of balance, it often diverts nutrients and energy away from hair growth first. That makes hair loss an important early signal that something deeper may need attention.

✨ Where and how you’re losing hair matters. Different patterns can point us toward different root causes:

Diffuse shedding or handfuls of hair in the shower or brush is often linked to hormonal shifts (especially estrogen drops), chronic stress, illness, or nutrient depletion.
Widening part or thinning at the crown can be associated with androgen sensitivity (DHT), insulin resistance, or thyroid dysfunction.
Temple or frontal hairline thinning may suggest elevated androgens or increased follicle sensitivity.
Postpartum hair loss typically shows up as sudden, dramatic shedding around the hairline and throughout the scalp—usually 3–6 months after delivery.

One of the most common drivers we see clinically is hormonal imbalance. Drops in estrogen and progesterone, such as postpartum (hi… it’s me 🙋🏼‍♀️), during perimenopause, or under chronic stress—can push a large number of hairs prematurely into the shedding phase. Elevated cortisol from stress and sleep deprivation compounds this effect. Increased androgen activity or follicle sensitivity to DHT can further contribute to thinning, even when androgen levels look “normal” on labs.

Thyroid hormones play a huge role as well. Even subclinical hypothyroidism can affect hair density, texture, and regrowth speed, often showing up as diffuse thinning or brittle hair before other symptoms are obvious.

🩸 Nutrients are another major piece of the puzzle. Low ferritin (iron stores), inadequate protein intake, zinc, biotin, B vitamins, and vitamin D deficiencies can all impair hair follicle function. Many women are surprised to learn that “normal” lab values may still be sub-optimal for hair regrowth. Digestive health matters here too—if the gut isn’t absorbing nutrients properly due to inflammation, dysbiosis, or chronic bloating, hair health often suffers as a downstream effect.

😮‍💨 Stress and nervous system load are often underestimated. Chronic stress elevates cortisol, disrupts blood sugar balance, depletes key nutrients, and alters hormone signaling—creating a perfect storm for hair shedding that often appears months after the stressful period itself (hello postpartum life). Inflammation and blood sugar dysregulation can further reduce circulation to the scalp and hair follicles.

At BlossomCo Wellness Clinic, our naturopathic doctors take a root-cause approach (no pun-intended) to hair loss. That may include comprehensive blood work, hormone and thyroid assessment, iron and nutrient evaluation, digestive support, and personalized lifestyle and supplement strategies. The goal isn’t just to stop shedding—it’s to create the internal environment your body needs for healthy, sustained hair regrowth.