According to a survey of 2,052 British women, almost one in five has suffered from thinning hair while more than a third have adult acne and they lay the blame on poor diets and stressful living.

The research into women's attitudes concerning health, beauty and celebrity culture was conducted by vitamin supplement manufacturer Vitabiotics.

The research revealed that three out of four of the women participating were concerned about the serious emotional impact hair loss and adult acne has on their appearance and on their self-esteem.

Almost half (48%) thought their diet had the largest impact followed by more than a quarter (27%) believing their stress levels impacted most.

The researchers say more than three quarters of women feel there is very little information available for them about improving thinning hair, which makes women feel they are suffering alone, while more than a third of women (35%) have consulted their doctor about the problem.

Experts have described the results as "extremely worrying" and say more accessible information is needed for women on how to deal with these conditions.

They say hair loss is a taboo subject amongst women as it is still seen as a predominantly male problem.

As far as celebrities with the best skin, hair and nails were concerned actresses Kate Winslet and Keira Knightley and TV presenter Cat Deeley are seen as the top with Victoria Beckham and super-model Kate Moss rated as the worst.

Rhodiola rosea, also known as the golden root, grows in cold climates at high altitudes and has been used by Scandinavians and Russians for centuries for its anti-stress qualities. The herb is thought to have anti-oxidative properties and has been widely studied.

Soviet researchers have been studying Rhodiola since the 1940s on athletes and cosmonauts, finding that the herb boosts the body's response to stress. And earlier this year, a Nordic Journal of Psychiatry study on people with mild-to-moderate depression showed that patients taking a Rhodiola extract called SHR-5 reported fewer symptoms of depression than did those who took a placebo.

Jafari said she is evaluating the molecular mechanism of Rhodiola by measuring its impact on energy metabolism, oxidative stress and anti-oxidant defenses in fruit flies. She is also beginning studies in mice and in mouse and human cell cultures. These latter studies should help understand the benefits of Rhodiola seen in human trials.

uci/