Sometimes hair loss can be a symptom of disease. One disease that often presents an initial symptom of hair loss is diabetes. If you are losing your hair faster than usual and you have a feeling that the cause is not common pattern baldness, you should visit your physician to rule out an underlying disease such as diabetes. Diabetes has the following impact on your physiology:

1. Impacts to circulation due to diabetes. Proper circulation is often impacted by diabetes, and this can impact hair follicle health. Hair normally grows two to six inches every year, goes dormant for a period of time and then falls out. Poor circulation can limit the nutrient supply to hair follicles and shorten this cycle; hair falls out faster, and starved hair follicles don't have the resources to replace lost hair with new hair.

2. Diabetics are more susceptible to skin conditions, and skin conditions on the scalp can cause hair loss. Both bacterial and fungal infections of the scalp can interrupt the normal growth process of hair.

3. Medications that are typically prescribed for diabetes can impact hair growth. As your body adjusts to new medications or new medication levels this process will often diminish or disappear completely. If you are just starting on a new course of medication, keep this in mind.

4. Stress comes with a diagnosis of diabetes, and stress can lead to hair loss. Especially when combined with other factors such as dehydration, which also often accompanies diabetes, stress can be the overriding source of your hair loss.

If you have hair loss related to diabetes, here are some helpful suggestions:

1. Be patient. Often the process of hair loss will slow or stop as your body becomes accustomed to your new dietary and medical regimen. Give yourself several months to get used to the changes in your life that come with a new diagnosis of diabetes.

2. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Eight to ten 8 oz. glasses of water consumed through your day will assure proper hydration. this is important for overall health, and will also impact hair growth and retention.

3. Exercise regularly. Exercise increases blood circulation, and your head will be a recipient of that increased circulation. Your follicles will love you for it.

4. Adopt a stress reducing routine that includes yoga or meditation. Either of these are excellent coping tools, and will help to reduce unhealthy levels of stress. Some stress is unavoidable, but an unhealthy level of stress will only make hair loss worse.

Diabetes is a significant diagnosis and a life-changing illness. Follow your physician's instructions carefully and continue to do those things that you know are good for your general health. Hair health is affected by all that you do and consume.