Hair loss during dialysis - what can you do?
Table of contents
- Why does hair loss occur during dialysis?
- Zinc and selenium as basic building blocks for your hair
- Is a hair transplant possible for dialysis patients?
- Conclusion: Zinc deficiency is mainly responsible for hair loss during dialysis
Why does hair loss occur during dialysis?
In addition to common forms such as hereditary hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) and alopecia areata, there are also other causes of hair loss. Dialysis can also lead to hair loss , although it is still crucial for you as a patient.
Many patients experience hair loss even before diagnosis and subsequent dialysis. Kidney problems predispose to diabetes mellitus . This disease lays the foundation for hair loss, which occurs as a concomitant symptom and often as the body's first sign of an existing malfunction.
During dialysis itself, your blood is cleaned of harmful urea and toxins that, due to the disease, can no longer be excreted through your kidneys. Dialysis is a complete fluid exchange in your body, which alters your electrolyte levels and acid-base balance .
It's not uncommon for hair loss to occur diffusely or in clumps due to excessive acidity in the body. The same can also occur with electrolyte imbalances and zinc deficiency. It's not without reason that dialysis patients regularly undergo a complete blood count and have their purified blood tested for vital trace elements.
The anticoagulant used in dialysis can also lead to severe hair loss due to its effect on blood circulation.
Zinc and selenium as basic building blocks for your hair
Potassium, zinc, and selenium are important building blocks for your hair . A lack of even one trace element can lead to an imbalance in your blood, and your hair no longer receives sufficient nutrients. Have you, as a patient, received short-term dialysis with, say, 10 units?
In this case, hair loss usually doesn't occur during the treatment itself. Patients are all the more surprised when, weeks or months after dialysis, their hair suddenly becomes thinner or falls out in clumps when combing or washing.
The cause is an undersupply of the follicles with all the substances responsible for stable and dense hair growth. The most common cause of diffuse hair loss during and after dialysis is zinc deficiency, followed by low selenium levels. These deficiency symptoms can occur individually or in combination.
If your body lacks several trace elements and minerals, hair loss will increase and can quickly lead to baldness. Since you can't "eliminate" the cause of hair loss with dialysis, you should focus specifically on replenishing the missing hair building blocks , for example, taking supplements containing trace elements such as zinc and selenium after consulting your doctor.
Is a hair transplant possible for dialysis patients?
Even if you're on long-term dialysis and waiting for a donor kidney, you don't have to accept hair loss. While hair loss usually resolves itself during short-term dialysis and isn't permanent, the situation is different with chronic kidney disease and hair loss.
During your initial consultation at the hair clinic of your choice, you will be asked about any previous medical conditions and current treatments. The fact that you are undergoing dialysis must not be concealed from the treatment team. Hair transplantation is possible and will achieve the desired results.
Since your body is exposed to considerable stress and fluctuations in mineral balance due to kidney cleansing, you will receive important tips for ensuring a reliable supply of nutrients to the newly transplanted follicles. To give the implanted hair roots sufficient strength to heal, taking supplements containing important substances is essential.
Despite dialysis, you can admire the results after 6 months at the latest and will be amazed at how thick your hair grows after an implantation.
Conclusion: Zinc deficiency is mainly responsible for hair loss during dialysis
If increased hair loss occurs during dialysis, you should consider the treatment as the trigger rather than the cause. Regular blood purification is associated with a reduction in zinc levels and can also lead to potassium and selenium deficiencies.
You should also be aware that hair loss doesn't occur during dialysis, but rather weeks after the blood purification process. The more often you have to undergo dialysis, the more severe the hair loss will be.
Therefore, for patients suffering from long-term hair loss, a hair transplant is recommended, focusing on compensating for dialysis-related deficiencies . In addition to taking zinc and selenium supplements, you should use follicle-strengthening care products after the hair transplant, as instructed by your treatment team.
The experts at Elithair are happy to provide you with a free, no-obligation consultation. Contact Dialysis for comprehensive advice on your hair loss situation.
