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How Do You Know If Your Hair Is Thinning

Take Care Of Your General Health

How to Know If Your Hair is Thinning (Male Version)

Your overall health is a pillar for healthy hair growth. To maintain healthy hair at any age, make good lifestyle choices such as eating more nutrient-dense foods, keeping stress to a minimum and getting adequate sleep, recommended Dr. Papelleras.

Making sure your body has all it needs for optimal health is a holistic concern. A healthy diet is important, and covering your bases with a hair-specific supplement could help fill any gaps. A balanced diet will stabilize hormones in your body, while vitamin supplements like biotin can enhance hair growth and strengthen existing hair, said Dr. Boyer.

Our GRO Biotin Gummies and GRO+ Advanced Hair Care Gummies have a host of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that will benefit your follicles and your whole body. Plus, they are a quick and easy way to make sure youre getting all you need. Just pop one delicious strawberry-flavored gummy each day!

How To Protect Manage And Treat Thinning Hair:

You likely dont need to wash your hair every day. In fact, Samantha DelaFuente, a stylist at Marie Robinson Salons in New York and Miami, tells SELF that she recommends washing only two or three times a week. Dont be afraid of dirty hair, she says.

And dermatologists agree: Washing too often strips your hair of necessary oils, and washing infrequently can leave hair dull and limp, especially if you overuse dry shampoo, Dr. Bridges says. If you have natural hair, which tends to be drier and more prone to breakage, clean it even less frequently, Dr. Khetarpal says.

Moisturizing shampoos formulated without sulfateschemicals in shampoos that help clean but can also be drying on sensitive or dry scalpsare a safe bet for everyone. In particular, celebrity stylist Tym Wallace tells SELF he recommends Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo .

Conditioner gives your hair shine and reduces static electricity, the AAD explains, which is why it improves the look and feel of dull or damaged hair. Apply to the ends of the hair and work your way up, DelaFuente says. A little goes a long way the more conditioner you use, the flatter your hair will be.

Remove tangles with a wide-tooth comb and rinse with cool water, which closes the cuticle and makes the hair shiny, Dr. Bridges explains.

After shampooing and conditioning, try using a leave-in product, like a conditioner or detangler, which will boost moisture and provide heat protection before styling.

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Hair Loss Can Develop Elsewhere Aside From Your Scalp

While hair loss usually affects the scalp, some conditions can cause hair loss on other areas of the body. Alopecia areata is a disease that can cause hair loss anywhere on the body where hair grows. People who have alopecia areata often have hair loss on their scalp, but they can also lose part of their:

  • Eyebrows

  • Nose hairs

  • Pubic hair

A few people who have alopecia areata lose all the hair on their body. When this happens, the disease is called alopecia universalis.

Frontal fibrosing alopecia is another disease that causes hair loss on the scalp and elsewhere. Some people lose their eyebrows, eyelashes, or hair on other areas of the body.

Its also possible to keep the hair on your head and lose it elsewhere. The friction from wearing tight clothing, shoes, or socks can cause hair loss where you have continual rubbing.

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What Are You Waiting For

If youve clicked on this blog and read all the way down here, you have your reasons to believe that you are experiencing some sort of thinning of hair.

If you are sure about it and you know why youre losing hair, why dont you take the next step and look at our blogs on stopping hair loss or regrowing lost hair?

If youre not sure, however, or you just want to get an expert opinion about your condition, you can consult your local dermatologist or click below to get a free online consultation:

Stop Hair Loss for Good:

Understand the reasons behind your hair loss and prevent it from progressing with an expert dermatologist.

When To See A Doctor For Thinning Hair

How Can You Tell If Your Hair Is Thinning

Although its common to lose hair throughout the day, its a good idea to speak with your doctor if youre losing more than 100 hairs per day.

You should also talk with your doctor if youre worried about persistent hair loss or a receding hairline, or if you notice sudden patchy hair loss. Patches of hair loss could signify an underlying medical condition.

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Increased Sensitivity On Your Head Or Scalp

Another common sign that you may be losing your hair is if you start to notice a significant change in sensitivity to the elements: cold, hot, wet, etc. When you step into cold or hot weather, try to pay attention to how it feels on your head. Has anything changed? For example, feeling the wind whistling through a thinner crown of hair can be pretty noticeable in the winter months. Also when your hair starts to thin you’ll lose more of the protection it provides against the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

If you start to experience sunburns on the top of your head, and you never did before, its a good sign you’re losing some hair.

Hair Loss Trigger: Crash Diets

You may lose more than weight with a fad diet. And if you drop 15 pounds or more, you might also shed some hair a few months down the road. Donât worry too much — itâll return when youâre back on a healthy diet. Be prepared to shed some locks if youâre getting too much vitamin A or not enough protein.

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Treating Hair Loss: Lasers

Devices that emit low-energy laser light may help new hair grow. They’re available in some clinics and for home use. Several are approved for both men and women, and studies show they do work. But it might take 2-4 months before you see results. Keep in mind: The FDA doesnât require the same rigorous testing for devices as for medicines. The long-term safety and effects arenât known.

What Are The Signs Of Balding

Hair Care : How to Tell If Your Hair Is Thinning

There are several different signs that you might be starting to experience hair loss .

From thinning hair all over your head to a receding hairline, male pattern baldness comes in many forms.

Recognizing the signs of male pattern baldness is an important part of the treatment or prevention process.

Because male pattern baldness occurs in stages, it may be possible to recognize the signs early enough to reverse hair loss or prevent any further damage to your hairline.

Below, weve listed three warning signs that you should be aware of, as well as simple but effective ways that you can take action to prevent your hair loss from getting worse.

Read Also: How To Stop Hair From Thinning Female

Is All Hair Loss Permanent

There are a few causes of temporary hair loss. As previously mentioned, a sudden shock or stressful event can trigger temporary hair loss as an emotional response. an underlying condition, sudden weight change or poor nutrition can all cause temporary hair loss as well. Finally, cancer or certain diseases can cause temporary hair loss, with many patients seeing their hair return once they recover. Again, if you believe you are experiencing hair loss due to an underlying condition or disease, consult with your doctor.

What Normal Hair Shedding Looks Like

Though wed all like to keep as many hairs on our heads as possible, our hairs natural cycle means its completely normal to lose some strands every single day.

In fact, according to The American Academy of Dermatology, most people lost between 50 to 100 hairs a day.

That may seem like a lot, but fear not. This is a very small amount of hair compared to the vast number of hair follicles humans have on their scalp, which averages around 100,000, says Hal Weitzbuch, M.D., M.S., F.A.A.D., dermatologist and founder of hair line JuveTress.

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Hairstyles For Fine Vs Coarse Hair

If you have fine hair, a cut with lots of layers may not be your best look. “Avoid cutting layers into fine hair because this will decrease the volume even more,” says Kari Williams, a board-certified trichologist, licensed cosmetologist, and member of DevaCurls Expert Curl Council.

Fine hair benefits from “blunt haircuts to create clean lines and the illusion of thickness,” Josh says.

If you have coarse hairespecially curly, coarse hairJosh recommends avoiding single-length cuts. “Layers and added texture will take the bulk out and give hair more natural movement,” he suggests.

Hair Seems To Be Taking Longer To Grow

How Can You Tell If Your Hair Is Thinning

One effect of male pattern baldness is that the hairs growth cycle becomes shorter. The normal growth cycle lasts between two and six years, after which the follicle goes dormant and the hair is shed. So the maximum length your hair can get is determined by how long your growth cycle lasts and how quickly your hair grows. If you used to be able to produce Samson-esque locks after deciding to grow your hair out, but now youre not getting the same results, the balding process could be responsible.

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Does Stress Cause Hair Loss

In short, it can. stress affects everyone differently, but the presence of stress does not guarantee you are going to lose your hair. According to the mayo clinic, âmany people experience a general thinning of hair several months after a physical or emotional shock.â It also states that sudden hair loss from stress is temporary. We should also note that prolonged stress can increase your chances of hair loss.

Changes In Hair Quality And Texture

Dr. Ilyas shared one sign that could signal hair issues before you even begin to notice increased shedding.

One of the earliest signs of hair thinning, even before it actually sheds, is a change in the quality and texture of the hair, she said. This is an important concept and stage to understand as it occurs prior to the actual shedding of the hair.

For example, you might notice the following changes in your hair:

  • Finer texture
  • More prone to tangling
  • More easily broken

Some patients will describe it as a change in the overall quality of their hair, said Dr. Ilyas. They may find themselves using more products to compensate for how difficult their hair becomes to manage, or they may even find themselves opting for shorter hairstyles to avoid tangling and to add volume.

For best results, only opt for hair care products that are free of harsh or potentially toxic ingredients. For instance, the GRO Revitalizing Shampoo & Conditioner Kit contains two gentle, nourishing, chemical-free formulas that feature our proprietary vegan keratin, which physically bonds to each strand to promote strong, shiny hair.

Uncover: How to Find Your Hair Texture and Type

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Your Scalp Is Itchy Or Flaky

Although an itchy scalp doesnt necessarily mean youre losing your hair, many conditions that can cause your scalp to itch can also cause hair loss.

For example, hair loss is a well-known symptom of tinea capitis — a fungal infection that affects your scalp and causes your skin to itch.

Other conditions that can affect your skin and cause itching, such as seborrheic dermatitis, may cause hair loss if you scratch your scalp too aggressively. Its also common to experience mild itching with alopecia areata hair loss.

With this said, there isnt any scientific research to show that male pattern baldness — the most common cause of hair loss in men — results in an itchy scalp.

Your Hair Is Coming Out In Clumps

Everything Women should KNOW about Female Pattern Hair Thinning-Hair Expert Dino

Another clear sign of thinning hair is the way it starts to fall out, specifically if it is starting to fall out in clumps. you may notice that as you run your fingers through your hair, clumps, instead of strands, are coming out. additionally, you may notice this in the shower or when you brush your hair.

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How To Tell If You Really Have Thick Or Thin Hair

There’s no doubt that caring for your hair can be a confusing process, especially with all the diverse hair types and products out there. While all kinds of hair are beautiful, finding out whether you have fine, medium, or thick strands is highly important when it comes to finding the right hairstyle, products, and maintenance for you. However, many confuse the concept of a hair’s density with its thickness, which often doesn’t correlate.

While density refers to the amount of hair on your head, thickness refers to the width or diameter of a single strand. StyleCraze reports that those with hair on the thinner side are about 0.04 to 0.06 millimeters, while those with thicker, curlier hair have strands that are 0.08 to 1 millimeter. “Fine hair is almost half the thickness of copy paper, and coarse hair has about twice the thickness of copy paper,” Eric Spengler, former senior vice president at haircare brand Living Proof told .

Unknown to many, finding the thickness of your hair requires specific techniques that may significantly help your hair journey in the future. Although it may seem obvious, you may be surprised to learn that you may have thin hair when you’ve considered yours thick your entire life, and vice versa.

Keep scrolling to find how to tell if you really have thick or thin hair.

What Is Telogen Effluvium

The medical term, telogen effluvium, means short-term hair loss related to excess shedding. The individual experiences a causative event that triggers increased loss of hair. Examples of common precipitating circumstances include:

  • Certain medications such as hormones
  • Childbirth
  • Dysfunction of the thyroid gland
  • Hospitalization
  • Viral infections such as COVID-19

This condition disrupts the hairs growth cycle. Hairs enter the telogen phase too early.

This limits their full growth cycle. Now there are more hairs caught in the resting phase, so more fall out sooner than they should have.

Individuals with telogen effluvium notice more visible thinning. Yet, they wont lose all their hair.

This is because you dont lose the hair follicles. Thus, when the triggering mechanism is corrected, hair can start regrowing.

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Treating Hair Loss: Medicine

Minoxidil is approved by the FDA for female pattern hair loss. It can slow or stop it in most women and may help hair grow back. But the benefits go away when you stop using it. Corticosteroids can help regrow hair for women with alopecia areata. And if the cause is an underlying medical problem or poor nutrition, your locks should grow back on their own once things are under control.

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