Hair loss can be one of the most emotionally difficult symptoms. You brush your hair and see more in the sink. You shower and watch the strands swirl down the drain. It’s not just
about appearance – it’s about feeling like you’re losing a part of yourself.
What most women don’t realize is that hair loss is rarely a surface-level issue. It’s a sign. A whisper from your body that something deeper is off balance.
And it’s not just about estrogen or aging. Hair loss is often your body’s way of saying:
“Help me slow down. Help me detox. Help me heal.”
Why Women Lose Hair
There are many reasons hair can thin, shed, or fall out in patches. These include:
- Hormonal shifts (menopause, postpartum, birth control, PCOS)
- Thyroid dysfunction assessed by a functional medicine perspective which is looking at function instead of medical perspective of disease
- Chronic stress or trauma
- Nutrient deficiencies (iron, B12, zinc, protein) possibly caused by a subclinical digestive issue.
- Poor digestion or liver stagnation (which would lead to not being able to absorb the nutrients as well as allow for toxin accumulation)
- Toxin accumulation (from the environment, personal care products, or gut dysbiosis)
These underlying causes are deeply interconnected – often creating a perfect storm that results in visible hair changes. Sometimes the change in your hair is the only clue your body is giving you that something is going wrong – like the Canary in the Coalmine – but for your health.
The Hair-Stress-Detox Connection
🌿 Your Liver Is in Charge of More Than You Think
The liver processes hormones, metabolizes toxins, and produces proteins needed for healthy hair and skin. When the liver is sluggish – due to medications, processed foods, or environmental chemicals—your body can’t properly eliminate excess hormones, especially estrogen and DHT.
❓ Wait, What Is DHT?
DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is a hormone derived from testosterone through an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase. It’s much more potent than testosterone itself and is known to bind to receptors in hair follicles, shrinking them over time. This causes hair to grow back thinner and weaker – and eventually not at all.
While often associated with male hair loss, DHT plays a major role in women’s hair thinning too, especially around the crown, temples, and part line. Elevated DHT is common in PCOS, perimenopause, and times of high stress.
Stress Steals from Your Hair
Chronic stress increases cortisol levels, which not only drains your body of nutrients but also throws off sex hormone balance, lowering progesterone and raising androgens like testosterone and DHT. This stress response can shift your hair prematurely into the shedding phase (telogen effluvium), leaving you with less volume and slower regrowth.
Managing stress isn’t just about peace of mind—it’s a strategy for restoring your hair and hormonal balance.
What You Can Do to Support Hair Regrowth
We recommend a foundational approach – treating the root, not just the symptom. That’s why we rarely recommend a “one-pill” solution. By the time you start losing hair, multiple systems are usually involved. Here’s where we often start:
1. Support Detox Pathways
- Eat cruciferous vegetables and bitter greens
- Hydrate well and support lymph flow through movement
- Use liver-supportive supplements to help clear excess hormones
2. Nourish from Within
- Eat enough high-quality protein—your hair is made of it!
- Ensure you’re getting B vitamins, zinc, and omega-3s
- Heal the gut so you can absorb these nutrients fully
3. Calm the Nervous System
- Practice deep breathing, prayer, activate your heartset, and restorative movement
- Use adrenal support if you’ve been under long-term stress
4. Balance Hormones Naturally
- Assess thyroid health
- Rebalance estrogen and progesterone, especially if you’ve been on birth control or are in perimenopause
- Address high DHT naturally through liver and androgen support (Androgens are particular hormones related to hair health: Testosterone, DHT, Androstenedione, DHEA)
You Are Not Alone. And This Is Not the End.
If you’re struggling with hair loss, know this: your body is not broken. It’s communicating. It’s trying to heal. It may just need a little help clearing the path.
We’re here to walk with you – offering natural tools, personalized insights, and encouragement every step of the way.
If you want to find out what your hair is telling you, book a free discovery call with Dr. Bonnie Juul to find out if her approach is right for you. We can investigate the root cause of your hair loss, and start your journey back to vibrant health—and a fuller head of hair.
Recommended Resources & Products
🌿 Helpful Supplements from The Quantum Shoppe
- Liva Detox and Support – Supports detoxification and hormone clearance
- Digesti-Pan – Aids nutrient absorption
- High Stress Adrenal – Helps regulate cortisol and stress response
- Vegetarian Thyro™ – Supports healthy thyroid function
- Feminine Advantage – Aids in rebalancing estrogen and progesterone
Dr. Bonnie Juul
🔬 References
- Ho, C. H., Sood, T., & Zito, P. M. (2023). Alopecia. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430924/
- Kwack, M. H., & Kim, M. K. (2020). Hormonal regulation of hair growth and immune responses. Molecules and Cells, 43(7), 603–610. https://doi.org/10.14348/molcells.2020.0092
- van der Sluis, R. J., et al. (2015). Estrogen metabolism in aging. Maturitas, 82(1), 39–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2015.03.007
- Flora, G., Gupta, D., & Tiwari, A. (2012). Lead toxicity review. Interdisciplinary Toxicology, 5(2), 47–58. https://doi.org/10.2478/v10102-012-0009-2
- Pereira, M. P., & Vieira, A. P. (2021). The stress-hair loss connection. Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia, 96(5), 596–602. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abd.2021.02.003
- Attia, P. (2023). AMA #63: A Guide for Hair Loss. The Drive. https://peterattiamd.com/ama63/