Not only can diabetes cause hair loss, but thinning or loss of hair can even be one of the first noticeable symptoms of the condition. Of course, many factors can contribute to hair loss, so because the question “can diabetes cause hair loss” can be answered in the affirmative one shouldn’t assume that the loss of hair means you have diabetes. The relationship between the two conditions is real but not particularly strong.

But for a healthy person, the hair grows at a rate of about half an inch monthly. And it is normal to lose hair on a daily basis. But if a person is diabetic, hair follicles grow at a slower rate, and they spend a longer time in the “resting phase” of the hair growth cycle. During the resting phase, the follicles aren’t producing hair, so the combination of slower growth and longer periods of no …