If you’re dealing with thinning hair, don’t worry – there are plenty of things you can do about it. Unfortunately, thousands of women experience hair loss yearly, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer in silence. Several treatments are available, from prescription medications to surgical procedures.
This blog post will discuss some of the most common causes of hair loss and the treatments available to address them.
As stated above, you’re not alone if you’re experiencing breakage, increased hair shedding, or significant hair loss. Many women may cover it with wigs, hair extensions, hats, or scarves. Others choose one of the several approved medications or surgical procedures to treat baldness.
Excessive hair loss or baldness is frequently misunderstood as a problem affecting males, even though women account for forty percent of United States hair loss cases. One in four, or over 30 million American women, will seek solutions and therapy for hair loss each year in the United States.
Although it may seem alarming, hair loss or shedding is part of the natural hair growth cycle. On average, every human scalp has 100,000-150,000 individual hairs. Therefore, losing around 100-150 hairs from the scalp each day is typical as new hair growth simultaneously emerges from previous dormant follicles at a rate of half an inch per month.
Hair Growth Cycle
Hair growth occurs in the follicle, which is located beneath the scalp. The follicle produces hair strands that we see growing out of our heads. Although the follicle is alive, individual hair strands are composed of dead cells and cannot regenerate on their own.
The majority of our scalp hair is in the anagen (90 percent) and telogen (10%) phases for most people, with the rest being dormant (anagen, or growth phase; 90 percent), which lasts about three months. When the fixed period ends, hair is shed; these are the hairs we worry about when brushing our hair or flicking through a magazine at bedtime and notice hair fall; some scalp hair loss is natural.
Alopecia or Baldness
When the typical hair growth pattern is disrupted, like in alopecia or baldness, your hair follicles stop producing hairs. Human hair grows, rests, sheds, and regrows according to a regular pattern. If the development pattern is out of balance, you won’t grow back your hair as quickly as it falls out. Furthermore, your risk of baldness increases if you have a family history of Androgenetic Alopecia. Therefore, heredity also impacts when you begin to lose your hair and how severe your loss will be.
Phycological Effects of Hair Loss
Many times we are not too concerned about not-so-frequently shed hairs but the noticeable thinning we see in the mirror.
Thick, vibrant hair is a woman’s crowning glory. In our society, a luxuriant full mane typifies a female’s beauty and is intrinsically linked to our self-esteem. Our culture associates femininity with a thick, silky head of hair that shines.
Throughout history, images of gleaming, full-bodied hair have been linked with female beauty, youth, desirability, and good health. But, conversely, society unfairly assigns dry, lacking luster, and thinning hair to old age or sickness and poverty.
Hair shedding is not physically unpleasant but can produce significant emotional anguish. We get caught up in our thin tresses as we struggle with sadness and self-hatred. As a result, some women frequently become reclusive and withdraw from society. They may avoid intimate contact and make attempts to disguise the quality and amount of her hair due to fear of rejection or shame.
Hair loss is especially harmful to those in professions or jobs where appearance is vital. A young woman is particularly susceptible to the negative connotations of baldness. Unfortunately, We only discover how important hair is to our overall personality when we lose our hair.
A woman’s hair is the thickest it will be by age 20. After we pass 20, our hair gradually begins to thin, and we shed more than the average 100-150 hairs daily. With aging, each strand of hair holds less pigment and becomes smaller in diameter so that what was once luxuriant and thick develops into delicate, light-colored wisps. For older women, significant hair loss can threaten self-image– often undermining a sense of sexuality or femininity which then impacts one’s place within family or society.
However, balding is hardly surprising for men. By the age of thirty-five, about 25 percent of American men will experience some degree of hair loss, and about 75 percent are either bald or have a balding pattern by age 60. To outwardly express strength and manliness, many men opt to shave their heads, as hair loss is often mistakenly seen as a sign of vitality in males.
Although many men are distressed by a receding hairline, according to research, the psychological suffering from hair loss does not affect men as much as it does women. But, the frightening lack of control and the feeling of being unable to do anything to stop our hair from falling out makes coping with thinning hair so tricky.
Causes Of Hair Loss In Women
On the other hand, women experience various changes and difficulties as they get older: wrinkles, an expanding waistline, cellulite deposits, and thickening ankles. So it doesn’t seem right that hair loss is another hit to our self-esteem for so many of us.
The most frequent type of hair loss for women, Androgenetic Alopecia or female pattern baldness, is genetic and caused by the chemical Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). When this substance builds up around the hair follicle over time, it harms the quality of the shaft and destroys it and the strand. In addition, pregnancy or menopause may result in a change in estrogen production. Estrogen production enables the creation of enzymes that block testosterone, which, if left unchecked, can lead to a shorter hair growth cycle, more delicate and more prone-to-breakage hair, and increased hair loss from shedding. For some women, this process is accelerated several months after birth.
In addition to genetics, numerous other reasons women may lose their hair. These include surgery, recovery from intense stress or trauma, chemotherapy, and scalp infections. Birth control medication and certain prescription drugs have also triggered female hair loss.
Furthermore, harsh chemicals in styling products or aggressive techniques can permanently damage delicate hair follicles. Excessive hair loss might also indicate rapid weight loss due to dangerous fad dieting or an eating concern such as anorexia. Street drugs like cocaine use can also cause abrupt and severe hair loss.
When To Contact A Medical Professional
Hair loss is a natural process that every man and woman will experience at some point. Although our thinning hair may seem like excessive vanity, we react strongly to its physical condition because it indicates significant health issues.
Baldness is rarely caused by illness but more typically by heredity, age, and hormone activity. Changes in hair’s appearance, texture, and growth patterns might indicate serious health problems. Please pay attention to your hair is crucial since it reflects nutritional shortages, hormonal imbalances, and disease early on.
Women’s hair appears to be particularly sensitive to underlying medical problems. Therefore women with undiagnosed hair loss must visit a doctor. However, if your thinning hair results from a medical condition, your doctor will treat these issues for you to develop new hair.
Once you and your doctor have determined the source of your hair loss, you may be referred to a hair specialist or implant surgeon for more information about treatment choices, such as hair transplantation to stimulate growth or conceal the loss. Hair may grow back naturally in some instances of alopecia.
Did you know that by eating healthy, exercising regularly, staying hydrated and getting enough sleep, you can actually help prevent hair loss?
Nutrition for Thinning Hair
While medical research is ongoing, the following have shown to help increase and maintain a healthy head of hair.
Hair loss can be caused by various factors, one of which is nutritional inadequacy. Hair loss may be an indication of nutritional deficiency, especially if it’s dull color or brittle. For example, a lack of essential fatty acids in the diet might cause oily hair.
According to recent medical research, many ladies with thinning hair are iron and lysine deficient. This is because dietary sources of lysine are limited. Lysine is essential for the transportation of iron and for promoting hair growth. Vegetarians should be aware that they may be at risk of iron deficiency since eggs and red meat contain lysine.
The amino acids L-Cysteine and L-Methionine are believed to improve hair texture, quality, and growth.
To maintain healthy hair growth and prevent hair loss, consume low-fat foods high in protein and low in carbohydrates. For example, you can find essential fatty acids for maintaining hair health in walnuts, sunflower seeds, sardines, spinach, soybeans, and canola oil. In addition, for a healthy heart and strong hair strands, eat salmon regularly.
Herbs can provide certain benefits, so talk to your nutritionist or doctor about them. The following natural plant chemicals can promote healthy hair growth.
- Aloe
- Arnica
- Birch
- Burdock
- Catmint
- Chamomile
- Horsetail
- Licorice
- Marigold
- Nettles
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- Sage
Hair Care for Thinning Hair
By choosing organic natural products, you can avoid the chemicals and toxins which damage hair. Harsh chemicals in many hair care products may strip away your hair’s natural oils, leading to breakage and stunted growth. Dyeing, straightening and perming your hair are highly destructive processes that not only harm the quality of your locks but also throw off the delicate sebum balance of your scalp.
Avoid over-styling your hair. Also, try not to pull or twist your hair too tight when styling it. Likewise, do not put extensions in too tight. Hair is delicate; therefore, be careful with it. Minimize usage of mousse, gels, and hair sprays since they dry and weigh down the hair shaft and dull its natural shine.
When swimming, avoid salt and chlorinated water, or rinse your hair before getting into the pool, as this allows for less chlorine to be soaked into your hair. If you’ve been exposed to germs, wash your hair with cool water and a gentle organic shampoo and apply a mild conditioner.
Sun worshipers should ensure that hair care products include sunscreen ingredients to protect their hair from the damaging effects of UV radiation. Finally, remember to wear a hat to prevent sunburn on the scalp.
Healthy Lifestyle for Thinning Hair
Although hair loss is upsetting, we must remember that our hair does not define us. Focusing on the positive aspects of our lives and taking care of ourselves physically and mentally is crucial. Some people’s hair eventually grows back just as mysteriously as it disappeared.
If you ever have questions, concerns, or unknowns, specialists are always available to help and give answers!