Hair Loss & Liver Disease

Liver disease comes in several different forms. In mild cases, hair loss may not be experienced. In more serious cases, such as cirrhosis of the liver, the liver tissue disintegrates over time; hair loss is one of the symptoms of this condition. Not everyone with liver disease will see a significant amount of hair loss, but treatment of the disease can also cause hair loss.

Liver Disease

• Chronic liver disease is the seventh cause of death in the United States. It is when the liver is scarred and damaged, causing the slowdown of normal liver functions.

Hair Loss

• A scarred liver causes the body to lose many nutrients, most notably proteins, and hormones that are needed to maintain healthy hair.

Misconceptions

• One treatment for liver disease, Interferon, is rumored to cause significant hair loss in patients. Patients who lose their hair from using Interferon tend to be Caucasians with black-colored hair and people of Asian descent.

Handling Hair Loss

• The best way to deal with hair loss due to liver disease is to take vitamin B supplements. This will restore nourishment to the body so that new hair growth can be stimulated.

Warnings

• It is advised not to dye the hair while undergoing treatment for liver disease to decrease the risk of hair loss.