The summer is almost here and many of us will be tempted to celebrate the (hopefully) good weather with a drink, or several, over the coming months. As we enjoy our beverages though, one thing that we may not realise is that boozing could be damaging our hair – and even contributing towards it falling out.

Heavy drinking over a long period of time reduces the iron content in our blood. This can lead hair to fall out in large quantities, or for it to slowly thin over the period of a number of months or years.

Women in particular may need to be on the lookout for this problem, as they are prone to having low levels of iron. This is especially true of pre-menopausal women aged between 35 and 40 years of age. Iron supplements may help you to keep your full head of hair, but be careful not to overdose, because excessive iron consumption can be even worse than having too little and can cause heart problems. The best way to increase your intake of the important mineral is to eat iron-rich foods, including chicken, green vegetable, beans and lentils. It’s also worth remembering that alcohol is a diuretic, which means it is a substance that can dehydrate you. Because of this it can cause hair to become dry and brittle, making it more likely to fall out.

So when you raise your glass at the bar this summer, just take a moment to think about your hair. Baldness is a common problem, especially for men among whom it affects one in two. However, the major cause of the problem is genetics – bringing the process on by your own means is not so common.