High cholesterol usually does not present symptoms. Most people only know they have elevated levels until they have blood tests done or, in more severe cases, when they suffer some complication. When there are signs, many of them appear silently and not all of them hurt. One of them is hair loss, said surgeon Zayn Majeed to the newspaper Daily Express.

"Cholesterol is also important in the hair cycle", says the head of the Harley Street Hair Clinic, in the United Kingdom. Therefore, "if you are suffering from hair loss, it can be a potential sign that you have high cholesterol levels".

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"Studies show that there is a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia (unhealthy levels of one or more types of lipids) in women and men with Androgenic Alopecia", he also said. Still, he reveals that lifestyle changes can also help, "such as increasing the amount of physical exercise, reducing alcohol consumption and quitting smoking". "Medication can also be used together with lifestyle changes to reduce cholesterol to healthy levels", he adds.

However, he warns: "Although studies show that high cholesterol levels are more likely to be seen in people with hair loss, there is no direct link, so controlling your cholesterol level will not stop hair loss". "It is normal to lose about fifty to a hundred strands a day, since hair is constantly growing in a cycle. However, if you notice a large amount of hair loss, whether on the pillow, in the shower or when combing your hair, you should talk to your family doctor to investigate the causes further, or you can consult a hair loss specialist."

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Remember that there are two types of cholesterol: HDL (high-density lipoprotein) and LDL (low-density lipoprotein). The first, also known as 'good cholesterol', is responsible for eliminating excess cholesterol from the blood and what is deposited in the arteries, transporting it back to the liver, where it is eliminated. LDL, the 'bad cholesterol', transports cholesterol from the liver to the tissues where it can be used. When it is in excess, it is a relevant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.

The recommended values for blood cholesterol are:

Total cholesterol - < 190 mg/dl;
LDL cholesterol - <115mg/dl;
HDL cholesterol - >40 mg/dl in men and >45 mg/dl in women

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