What are Probiotics and how do they impact Hair Health?
With the number of hair health treatments on the market growing at an increasing rate, it can sometimes be difficult to know how effective various treatments are for solving issues of hair loss and thinning, or if they even work at all. One of the aforementioned treatments seen to be increasing in recent popularity is probiotics, but are they actually as successful at preventing hair loss as they claim to be?
A probiotic can be defined as a microorganism that provides beneficial qualities when introduced into the body and an individual’s immune system; they are necessary in order for your body to be able to function healthily. These small organisms are bacteria that reside in the gut and other places throughout the body, their main purpose being to prevent illness that can be caused by ‘bad’ bacteria.
However, there is much debate as to whether probiotics actually offer anything in the way of health benefits to their consumers, many brands marketing them to be a cure-all treatment. While this is not necessarily true, probiotics have been proven beneficial when used in the treatment of various health issues, having been seen to effectively restore the balance of bacteria within the gut and thus helping to prevent the chances of infection.
A healthy gut with a healthy balance of both probiotics and prebiotics will, more often than not, result in a strong immune system, whereas an unhealthy gut will have the adverse effect. A poorly operating immune system can have implications for other functions of the body and can even lead to the development of various issues such as inflammation. Inflammation has potential to cause serious harm to the body if left untreated, causing long-term and irreversible damage to our organs. So, what does this mean for the health of our hair?
The hair follicle is an organ within the surface of the skin that holds the same needs as all other organs within the body; nutrients and oxygen. If the immune system is weakened substantially, the body prioritises the supply of these required substances to the vital organs of the body, meaning the hair follicles could be deprived of much needed oxygen and various nutrients. This deprivation, as well as issues of inflammation, can result in both a loss and thinning of hair.
To conclude, while probiotics may not work to directly improve the health of hair, and aren’t currently proven to promote the regrowth of hair in those experiencing hair thinning, the microbes effectively prevent hair loss as a result of a poor immune system or inflammation; those looking to restore the volume of their hair to its former glory after suffering from hair loss as a result of causes other than immune issues may have to search for solutions elsewhere.
If hair loss is a real concern and you find yourself searching for effective solutions, why not get in touch with our Birmingham hair loss clinic to discover the hair loss treatment options readily on offer.
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