Hair shedding happens to the best of us, but when it starts to feel excessive, it's easy to spiral into worst-case scenarios. One lesser-known but surprisingly common culprit? Low ferritin, your body’s iron storage protein.

Ferritin doesn’t just keep your energy levels steady, it also fuels hair follicle activity. When your ferritin levels drop too low, your body conserves resources for more essential functions and then? Your hair growth takes a backseat.

In this article, we’ll cover the signs that your hair loss may be related to low iron stores, what to do about it, and how to rule out other causes. Because while ferritin-related hair loss is real, not all shedding is caused by low iron—and knowing the difference matters.

Let’s dive in.

What Is Ferritin? And Why Does It Matter for Hair?

Ferritin is a protein that stores iron in your body—essentially your iron reserves. 

Your hair follicles, like the rest of your body, rely on iron to function properly. When ferritin levels drop too low, your body prioritizes vital organs over hair growth, leading to increased hair shedding or thinning.

Women are more prone to low iron stores—often without full-blown anemia—due to factors like menstruation, pregnancy, or diet. So if you're experiencing unexplained thinning, ferritin is one of the first things many specialists check.

Research shows that hair loss can occur even when levels are technically “in normal range”. That’s why many dermatologists consider levels below 30–40 ng/mL to be suboptimal for hair health, especially in women.

5 Signs Your Hair Loss Might Be Related to Low Ferritin

Low ferritin often causes telogen effluvium, a type of temporary hair shedding that pushes more hairs than usual into the resting phase. This type of hair loss is different from pattern hair loss (which is gradual and hormonal) and different from patchy autoimmune types like alopecia areata. 

Here’s how to spot the signs:

1. Your Hair Is Shedding More Than Usual

You’re finding more strands in the shower drain, your brush, or on your pillow. Ferritin-related loss tends to show up as a sudden increase in daily shedding—often weeks or months after a triggering event (like illness, postpartum, or dietary change).

2. The Thinning Is Diffuse, Not Patchy

This type of hair loss usually affects the whole scalp evenly rather than forming bald spots or receding areas. Your ponytail may feel thinner, or your part may look wider, but there’s no distinct pattern.

3. You’re in a Group More Prone to Low Ferritin

Menstruating women, vegetarians and vegans, endurance athletes, and people recovering from illness or surgery are more likely to have depleted iron stores—even without full-blown anemia.

4. Your Ferritin Levels Are "Normal," but Still Under 40 ng/mL

If you’ve had your ferritin tested and it’s between 15–40 ng/mL, it might still be too low to support hair growth—even if your doctor says it’s technically fine.

5. You’ve Ruled Out Other Common Causes

If your thyroid is normal, you’re not postpartum, and you haven’t recently started or stopped a medication, ferritin might be a more likely factor. It’s worth testing if everything else checks out.

When It’s Not Ferritin: Could DHT Be to Blame?

If your ferritin levels are in the healthy range—or you've raised them and your hair is still thinning—another culprit might be at play: DHT (dihydrotestosterone).

DHT is a hormone derived from testosterone, and it’s a major player in androgenetic alopecia, also known as hormonal or pattern hair loss. While often associated with male balding, DHT can also shrink hair follicles in women, especially around the crown, temples, and part line, leading to gradually thinner hair over time.

Unlike ferritin-related shedding, which is usually dramatic, sudden and temporary, DHT-related loss tends to be progressive, slow, and pattern-specific. And unfortunately, no amount of iron will fix it.

How to Tell the Difference Between Low Ferritin and DHT Hair Loss

Distinguishing between iron deficiency and DHT-related hair loss can be tricky since both cause thinning hair. Here are the key differences to look for

1. Loss Patterns

DHT hair loss follows predictable patterns - receding hairline, crown thinning, and temples in men; widening part and crown thinning in women. The back and sides typically stay thick.

Low ferritin hair loss is more diffuse, affecting hair all over the scalp including areas that DHT usually spares. You might notice thinning at the back of your head or even eyebrow loss.

2. Hair Quality Changes

DHT causes gradual miniaturization - your hair slowly becomes finer and shorter over time. With iron deficiency, hair often becomes brittle, dry, and breaks easily, with changes happening more uniformly across your scalp.

3. Beyond Your Hair

Low ferritin comes with other symptoms: fatigue, cold hands and feet, pale skin, and sometimes unusual cravings for ice or starch. DHT hair loss doesn't cause these systemic symptoms.

4. Timeline Matters

DHT hair loss progresses slowly over years and often runs in families. Iron deficiency hair loss can develop more quickly and may coincide with dietary changes, heavy periods, or other health issues.

5. Get Tested

The only way to know for sure is through proper testing. Ask your doctor for iron studies (especially ferritin levels). Many people actually have both conditions, so addressing only one might not solve the problem completely.

6. Get A Hair Evaluation

If you're experiencing hair loss and want professional guidance without the hassle of scheduling in-person appointments, Strut offers convenient online hair evaluations. A quick questionnaire-based assessment allows you to get expert input on your hair loss pattern and potential treatment options from the comfort of your home. This can be a helpful first step in determining whether your hair loss might be related to DHT sensitivity, nutritional deficiencies, or other factors.

Summary: Know When to Seek Help

Low ferritin is a common and often overlooked cause of hair loss, especially in women. If you recognize the signs and your iron levels are low, addressing that deficiency could be key to restoring healthy hair growth.

However, not all hair loss is due to iron. 

If your ferritin levels are normal or you’ve corrected iron deficiency without seeing improvement, DHT-driven hair loss could be the underlying cause—and that’s where targeted treatments come in.

While we don’t offer iron supplementation or treatment for ferritin-related hair loss, we specialize in diagnosing and treating non-ferritin hair loss, including DHT sensitivity and hormonal causes.

Suspecting it might be DHT-related? Take a quick questionnaire →