What your hair says about your health
Learn about five medical conditions that can affect your hair.
Jan, 2026
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Slide 1
If you’re having more bad hair days than good days, your locks may be trying to tell you something. The state of your hair can be an important indicator of your health.
Read on to learn about five medical conditions that can affect your hair.
Written byPatrick Sullivan.
Medically reviewed byAmy Gonzales, MD.
Sources: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Hypoparathyroidism. Page last reviewed June 26 + 14
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Hypoparathyroidism. Page last reviewed June 26, 2019
- MedlinePlus. Dry hair. Page last reviewed November 4, 2020.
- Hoover E, Alhajj M, Flores JL. Physiology, Hair. [Updated 2022 Jul 25]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-.
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease. Hypothyroidism (Underactive Thyroid). Page last reviewed March 2021.
- Cleveland Clinic. Hypothyroidism. Last reviewed April 19, 2020.
- NIH: Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated April 5, 2022.
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. Hair Loss. Accessed on January 20, 2023.
- MedlinePlus. Seborrheic dermatitis. Page last reviewed on April 21, 2021.
- Tao R, Li R, Wang R. Skin microbiome alterations in seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff: A systematic review. Exp Dermatol. 2021 Oct;30(10):1546-1553.
- Mayo Clinic. Dandruff. September 21, 2021.
- Mayo Clinic. Seborrheic dermatitis. September 27, 2022.
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Psoriasis. Page last reviewed September 2020.
- National Psoriasis Foundation. Over-the-counter topicals. Page last updated on December 21, 2022.
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. Tips for healthy hair. Accessed on January 20, 2023.
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. 10 hair care habits that can damage your hair. Accessed on January 20, 2023.
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