How Hair Loss Led Me to the Truth About My Health
A journey of hair loss, hormone healing, and finding answers through functional medicine
Written by Lauren V.
Growing up, I never struggled with any major health issues.
No weight gain, no acne, no stomach or digestive problems, no allergies—something I’ve always been incredibly thankful for.
The one exception was my periods. They were awful. I would be in bed in excruciating pain during the first couple of days of my cycle—I even remember throwing up a few times. They were so heavy, and I dreaded them every month.
That’s one of the main reasons I decided to get the Mirena IUD in 2019. I had heard it could make periods much more manageable—or even make them disappear entirely. I also knew I didn’t want to go on the pill, so it felt like the best option.
Sure enough, the majority of the three years I had it were great; my period went away, and I didn’t experience any noticeable side effects—or so I thought. (Also, ladies, losing your period is NOT a good thing!)
In 2022, I began experiencing off-and-on chest pain that felt really strange. Long story short, I started to suspect it could be related to the IUD and decided to have it removed. At first, I felt amazing. But about six weeks later, I discovered a bald patch on the side of my head—and that marked the beginning of my journey with Alopecia Areata.
The Diagnostic Process
When I found that bald patch, I had no earthly idea what Alopecia even was. I tried to convince myself it was just hormone fluctuations from removing the IUD and that the hair loss would pass. But, of course, I went down the Google rabbit hole and discovered that what I likely had was alopecia—an autoimmune disease. Everything I read said I should see a dermatologist and get steroid injections to help the hair grow back.
So I made the appointment, got the injections, and some hair did begin to regrow. But I was still losing more and more hair. I became really worried. Late-night Googling led me to Deepa Berar, a YouTuber who had reversed her own Alopecia through diet, lifestyle changes, and supplements. Watching her videos made something click for me—I knew there had to be a deeper root cause behind my hair loss.
That’s when I decided I needed to see a functional medicine doctor. After some searching, I found Prime Health in Denver, and that’s where my true healing journey began.
Healing + Recovery
When I first started working with Prime Health, I barely knew anything about autoimmune disease. I had a hunch my gut and hormones were out of whack after coming off birth control, but I wasn’t sure what to do next—aside from changing my diet, which I’d already begun.
At each appointment, we ran a new test. Throughout the first half of 2023, we checked my micronutrients, gut health, and hormone levels (which were in the trash), and ran extensive blood work. Each test revealed another puzzle piece that needed fixing. All summer, I focused on healing my gut, balancing my hormones, and getting my cycle back on track. And it worked—my labs looked amazing.
But my hair was still falling out.
In August, I asked my doctor if we could test for environmental toxins. I had lived in some moldy apartments and houses in the past, and I had a feeling it might be connected. He agreed—and when the results came back, I was shocked. My body was full of toxicity. My doctor looked me in the eye and said, “Lauren, I think this is a huge piece of your puzzle.”
He immediately started me on a detox protocol. Within five weeks, my hair stopped falling out—and started growing back. I couldn’t believe it. I was so incredibly happy. My body was finally responding. We had found the missing link.
“You don’t realize how much of a gift health is until you’ve lost it.”
Mindset + Self-Compassion
Living with Alopecia has been, and still is, the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced. As women, our hair is such a big part of our identity. I definitely lost a part of myself at the beginning of this journey. I didn’t want to take photos. Going out wasn’t fun anymore. The joy I once felt in daily life was just…gone.
But I’ve learned something powerful:
My body is for me, not against me.
The body wants to heal. For those of us with autoimmunity or genetic predispositions, it’s just that sometimes the body gets confused. When inflammation is high—whether from stress, toxins, pathogens, or food sensitivities—it can start attacking our own tissues. For some, it’s the stomach. For others, it’s the thyroid. For me, it was my hair.
The moment I stopped seeing my body as broken or against me, everything shifted. I knew there had to be a reason my hair was falling out—it doesn’t just happen without cause. I’m the most determined person I know, and I wasn’t going to stop digging until I got my hair back. I also knew the answers weren’t going to come from conventional medicine alone. Functional medicine changed everything for me.
Advice for Others
One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that chronic health issues rarely happen because of just one thing. At first, I tried to isolate the cause: one month I thought it was hormone imbalance from birth control; the next, I blamed my gut from years of Chick-fil-A and fast food (lol). I was looking at each issue in a silo and trying to fix them one at a time.
But in reality, it was everything together. My IUD may have been the match that lit the fire, but the logs were already stacked—years of birth control, poor diet, hidden toxins, and more. The body is a system, and it has to be treated like one.
Western medicine doesn’t always take this approach. You go to an endocrinologist for hormones, a gastroenterologist for gut issues, and so on. Each specialist looks at one part of the body and usually offers a prescription or birth control to manage symptoms. Rarely do they ask about your diet, your stress, your sleep. It’s heartbreaking how many women I’ve spoken to who feel dismissed by their doctors—often women doctors, too.
I was brushed off by my dermatologist, who literally rolled her eyes when I said I was working with a functional medicine doctor. The only advice she gave me beyond steroid shots was to “reduce stress and eat more blueberries.” LOL. WHAT A JOKE.
I want every woman to know: there are real answers out there for the way you feel. Seeing a good functional medicine doctor is 1000% worth the investment. Through functional testing, diet, and lifestyle changes—healing is possible.
And even if you can’t afford a functional medicine doctor right now, there are free or affordable tools you can start using today. The foundations matter most.
Start here:
Clean air – Get a quality air filter (I love AirDoctor and JASPR), or at least open your windows daily. If you know you’re in mold, do everything you can to get out ASAP.
Clean water – Invest in a good water filter. I use a Clearly Filtered pitcher, which is perfect for my husband and me until we can install a whole-house system.
Nervous system regulation – Think meditation, prayer, deep breathing, gratitude, saying no, nature walks, creative hobbies—whatever brings you peace.
Nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory food – Let’s be real: You won’t heal if you’re drinking every weekend and living off fast food and sugar.
A few favorite podcasts to get educated and inspired:
Where I Am Now
My experience with Alopecia has completely transformed my life—for the better. Don’t get me wrong, I hate the disease. But I’m grateful for what it forced me to do: take control of my health now, not when I’m 75.
My goal isn’t just to live to 110—I want to thrive. I want to be climbing 14ers and skiing in Colorado at 60, playing with my grandkids at 70, and walking independently at 80.
Yes, I’ll always be prone to flare-ups. But now I know how to calm the inflammation in my body and support myself through them. I feel empowered knowing how to help my body—to work with it, not against it. My health and my hair are everything to me, and I’m so grateful I get to share this story.
You don’t realize how much of a gift health is until you’ve lost it.
I will never take it for granted again.