Hair loss: does my diet matter?

Some of the hair on my legs has disappeared. On each leg the bare skin extends from a centre line starting below the knee and radiating outwards around to the back and down to the ankle. What could this be caused by? My GP discounted poor circulation, as I have a good pulse in each foot. I hardly ever eat meat but I do eat fish."

Dr Fred Kavalier answers your health question:

I think your hairless legs are caused by wearing socks. The pressure and friction from the socks prevents hairs from growing and rubs away the hairs that have grown. This is probably nothing to do with circulation, and it's certainly nothing to do with your diet. If you really want to test my hypothesis, try wearing a short sock on one foot and a longer sock on the other for a couple of months.

Please mail your questions for Dr Fred to health@independent.co.uk. He regrets that he is unable to respond personally to questions.