Natural health: I'm a woman and my hair has started thinning 

Megan Sheppard also gives advice on dealing with midges at this time of year

Picture: iStock 

I’m a woman in my late 40s and have noticed my hair is starting to thin near the front. I’m worried this could be the start of serious hair loss. What would you suggest?

The hair thinning you are experiencing is most likely linked with perimenopausal changes. However, it can also be a sign that your thyroid is out of balance. It is worth seeing a doctor for a comprehensive thyroid test to see whether or not this is the case.

The thyroid gland, the adrenals, and the sex hormones are critical glandular systems for mental and physical wellbeing. Adrenal stress or fatigue, imbalance of the sex hormones, and nutritional deficiencies all play a part in our hair, skin, and nail health.

Nourish your hair from the roots by supplementing it with essential fatty acids (EFAs). It will take around six months before your hair has grown enough to see the results, but it should improve noticeably.

Flaxseed, borage, and evening primrose oil are all great choices. If you take flaxseed, use 15-20ml daily; evening primrose or borage oil should be supplemented at 1,000mg and taken three times daily with food. EFAs will improve the condition of the hair and scalp as well.

Many women treated for hair loss are deficient in vitamin B12, an essential nutrient for hair growth. Since the B vitamins work best in conjunction with each other, you would be wise to invest in a vitamin B complex. (The water-soluble B vitamin known as Biotin is essential for healthy hair, skin, and nails.) You will need to take 2-3mg daily for best results.

I’m highly sensitive to midges, and I can’t go outdoors during the late afternoon. If I do, I’m ‘eaten alive’ and end up scratching all night. I think this year is worse than any other year. What lotion can I apply to keep the midges away?

Midges are drawn to the carbon dioxide in our breath from as far as 200 metres away. While holding your breath is not a viable option, there are a few things you can do to make yourself less appealing to these little pests.

The first is to wear light-coloured clothing — midges are attracted to dark clothing because they like warm, dark, damp, and boggy environments. The second is to avoid being out at dawn and dusk as much as possible since these are peak midge hours.

You can also make your own preventative spray using witch hazel or a plant hydrosol as a base. A hydrosol is the water component created in the distillation of essential oils — lavender, tea tree, or rosemary are all good choices.

Use 2% essential oils for your repellent blend — the best oils to repel midges are lemon, eucalyptus, lemongrass, peppermint, geranium, citronella, lemon myrtle, and spearmint. For each 100ml base, add up to 20ml of neem oil to help keep the midges at bay, but also to soothe and heal any bites on your skin. Shake well before applying to distribute the oils into the water.

If you want to buy a natural repellant, try Incognito Insect Repellent spray, which costs €7.95 for 50ml, also available as a roll-on preparation.

Plantain leaf is one of the best herbal remedies to treat existing bites and irritations. Scientific studies have shown that plantain has anti-inflammatory effects, helps staunch bleeding, and contains allantoin, promoting skin cell repair.

If you can’t find plantain balm or lotion at your local health store, you can use the fresh leaves and infuse them in olive oil. You can use Plantago majora or Plantago lanceolata (it is a good idea to identify these correctly before wild harvesting), crush the leaves and cover them with oil. You can strain and use the oil after 24 hours, but for best results infuse it for at least two weeks before using it.

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• NOTE: The information contained in this column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor.