Expert analysis can also determine products which will improve our crowning glory. Companies including Lazartigue, La Biosthetique, Shiseido and Redken offer hair, and sometimes scalp, analysis at their own salons and at counters in big department stores. The usual method is to remove a few hairs from your scalp and magnify them, showing up any damage. The products they prescribe are, of course, their own (and in some cases they’re expensive) but they can help deal with a range of hair problems such as dry or unmanageable hair.

If you have long-term or acute hair problems, we suggest you ask your doctor to refer you to a dermatologist with a particular interest in hair (see Thinning Hair, below). You may also consider consulting a trichologist privately. Some trichologists, for instance Philip Kingsley (probably the best known and one of the most respected hair gurus), have created their own range of products.

Otherwise, a reputable nutritionist who combines hair and other tests (e.g. blood, sweat, urine) with a detailed medical and lifestyle examination should be able to guide you on improving your health from crown to toe, by suggesting eating plans and, if necessary, nutritional supplementation.

Thinning Hair

Thirty per cent of women will notice some thinning of their hair by the age of 50; in comparison, 50 per cent of men will notice some change before 30. In men, the hair loss is more severe and concentrated in specific areas (e.g. the crown, temples etc.), whereas in women it tends to be a general all-over thinning. Although it’s a well-accepted fact that male pattern baldness is due to the activity of testosterone (the male hormone, also present in women), prescribed hormones are a greatly overlooked cause of thinning hair in women, according to biochemist and trichologist Dr Hugh Rushton. Many women are suffering hair loss, he says, through taking various types of HRT (hormone replacement therapy). Meanwhile, the contraceptive pill can affect hair in both ways: hair loss or its opposite, hirsutism. Philip Kingsley says he has also found that women with irregular menstrual cycles or with polycystic ovaries (which, research indicates, may affect more than ten per cent of women of reproductive age) often suffer hair loss.

The sudden bald patches of alopecia areata (AA) are thought to be stimulated by an auto-immune response (where the immune system acts against itself); some experts believe this is exacerbated by stress, combined with genetic susceptibility to AA. If there are just one or two patches, they will usually grow back within six to nine months, according to Dr Rushton.

So what can be done? Fortunately, for women, inherited female hair loss is much easier to treat medically than male pattern baldness. With specialist advice, supported by a good general health regime, virtually all women with genetic hair loss can normally expect a 30 to 40 per cent regrowth. Treatment is usually a combination of hormone therapy (oral or topical) and topical drug therapy, together with nutritional supplementation; blood tests are necessary to determine nutrient levels. Treatment must be given under medical supervision; Dr Rushton suggests you ask your doctor to refer you to a gynaecologist, endocrinologist (hormone expert) or dermatologist with a specific expertise in this field.

More extensive hair loss may respond to topical corticosteroid creams. Meanwhile, really good wigs and hairpieces are now available, and support organisations such as Hairline International can offer further information.

TIP Women who experience thinning hair during menopause should have their thyroid levels checked, especially if they are also feeling tired, advises Dr Rushton.