DR ELLIE: Women now say they’re losing their hair at DOUBLE the rate of five years ago… everyone blames fat jabs and the menopause, but I know the real reason

It’s a growing trend that I and many of my GP friends have noticed in recent years. More and more women are complaining of hair loss.

And according to Google, online searches in the UK for ‘hair loss’ and ‘hair thinning’ in women have more than doubled since 2021.

When these women come into my clinic, they often apologise, as if hair loss is too trivial a complaint to bring to a GP.

But it’s a health problem that patients must always discuss with their family doctor – and can be one of the first visible signs that something in the body has gone wrong.

So what’s behind this balding crisis among British women?

First, it’s important to stress that hair loss is often a normal part of ageing. An estimated eight million women in the UK experience some form of hair loss. By the time they are post-menopausal, half will have some degree of female pattern hair loss – the medical term for the natural loss of hair in later life.

But this wouldn’t explain why hair loss appears to be on the rise.

Some experts argue that this increase is down to widespread use of the weight-loss drugs Mounjaro and Wegovy, which are now taken by 2.5million Britons – the majority of whom are women.

Hair loss is a side effect of sudden weight-loss, but these drugs can’t be responsible for the sheer number of women suffering this problem.

Instead, I believe that many have an often-missed deficiency: They have low iron levels.

Iron is a crucial nutrient carrying oxygen around the body. Iron-deficient patients often experience shortness of breath, heart palpitations and persistent tiredness. But in some cases hair loss might be the only sign.

It’s thought this happens because, when low in iron, the body redirects oxygen to vital organs, and away from hair follicles, which produce new strands. Iron deficiency has always been a common women’s health issue – it affects around one in ten British females because it is often triggered by heavy periods.

But it can also be triggered by poor diet. Diets that cut out meat can leave iron running low if they aren’t carefully planned.

Vegetarian and vegan diets have been on the rise in young women in recent years – and many have stopped consuming dairy, preferring milk alternatives.

It’s this change that could be behind this mysterious increase in female hair problems. For this reason, any woman struggling with hair loss should always ask their GP for a ferritin blood test.

It measures how much iron your body has in reserve, rather than how much is circulating in your bloodstream at the time of the test.

Once diagnosed, the treatment for an iron deficiency is simple: Iron supplements, which can boost ferritin levels in a matter of weeks. However, it typically takes around three to six months of consistently rising ferritin before regrowth becomes visible. Some patients do experience side-effects on iron tablets, including cramping, nausea and constipation. But evidence suggests that taking iron every other day, rather than daily, is often easier on the stomach and just as effective.

It’s important to stress that iron is far from the only cause of hair loss. It can also be one of the earliest signs of the menopause, as falling levels of the female sex hormone oestrogen can take their toll.

Hormone replacement therapy, prescribed for thinning hair, often brings noticeable improvement. Oestrogen also dips during breastfeeding, which is why so many new mothers notice hair coming out in clumps. An underactive thyroid is another common cause. When this gland, which controls the metabolism, slows down, hair can thin alongside fatigue, constipation, low mood and weight gain.

It’s a lifelong condition, but daily thyroxine tablets – artificial thyroid hormones – usually restore normal hair growth quickly. Scalp conditions such as dermatitis or psoriasis can also play a part, and a GP will check for these too.

There are also times when hair loss needs urgent attention. Sudden, patchy bald spots – rather than gradual all-over thinning – should be seen quickly, as should very rapid hair loss that is accompanied by other worrying symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, fevers or feeling generally unwell. In rare cases, this hair loss could be due to cancer.

For the vast majority of women, there is good news. Hair loss is common, almost always explainable, and once the right blood test is done, it is very often fixable.

Kevin Keegan’s other legacy must be to raise awareness of stomach cancer

I was heartbroken to hear that Kevin Keegan had died from stomach cancer – and not just because of my Geordie roots.

The England and Newcastle football legend found out too late he had the terrible disease.

It was picked up only when he was in hospital following a car accident. Stomach cancer is notoriously hard to spot.

This is because many of the symptoms – the most common being difficulty swallowing, a loss of appetite, and indigestion – are often dismissed as harmless.

Patients and GPs need to get better and spotting the signs. Caught early enough, stomach cancer can be effectively treated. But, left to fester, it is a death sentence.

Kevin Keegan changed English football for ever. I hope that his death can also change our approach to diagnosing this cancer.

Your questions answered

Dad’s carpal tunnel is so awful – what can he do?

My Dad has been suffering for a number of years from carpal tunnel but recently the pain has been so acute it has been preventing him from sleeping. What should he do?

Dr Ellie replies: Carpal tunnel can take some time to treat – but there are easy adjustments that can provide some instant pain relief. The agonising conditions affects the wrist, often just on one side.

The nerves that control the hand pass through a tight band in the wrist called the carpal tunnel, which can tighten, squashing the nerves and causing pain.

Daily wrist exercises provided by a physiotherapist are the most effective treatment to ease pressure on the nerves.

In the short term, wearing a splint at night to keep the wrist straight can really help. This takes the pressure off the nerves and reduces pain. Splints can be bought from most pharmacies.

In extreme cases, patients may be offered surgery.