Iron gets most of the attention when it comes to hair loss — but it's far from the only cause. Thyroid function, hormone levels, and chronic stress can all trigger noticeable hair changes, often with no other obvious symptoms to connect the dots.
Your thyroid
An underactive thyroid slows down almost every process in your body, including the hair growth cycle. Thinning hair — often diffuse, across the whole scalp rather than in one area — is a well-recognised sign of thyroid dysfunction, and one that's easy to miss if you're not looking for it.
Your hormones
Hormonal shifts are one of the most common triggers for hair changes, particularly around perimenopause, postpartum, or with conditions like PCOS. Falling oestrogen, in particular, can shorten the hair growth phase and lead to noticeable shedding.
Chronic stress
Significant or prolonged stress can push a large number of hair follicles into a resting phase all at once — leading to a wave of shedding that often shows up two to three months after the stressful period itself, which makes the connection easy to miss entirely.
Nutrient deficiencies
Iron is the most well-known, but it's not alone — low vitamin D, zinc, and B12 have all been linked to hair thinning too. (We've covered the iron and hair loss connection specifically in more depth previously.)
Why one test beats guessing at each possibility separately
Because so many different things can drive hair loss, testing broadly gives a far clearer answer than trying to rule things out one at a time. Our Hair Loss Blood Test covers 45 biomarkers in a single panel — thyroid function, hormones, iron, and key vitamins — so you get the full picture in one appointment rather than several.
If stress feels like the more likely driver for you specifically, our cortisol article may also be worth a look.
Stop guessing which of these is behind your hair loss. Get tested, or book a free consultation if you're not sure where to start.
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