Whats The Difference Between Receding And Thinning Hair
Good news, folks: The answer to this one is pretty straightforward. According to Hill, it all comes down to the reduction of hair fibers versus actual hair follicles. With a thinning hairline, its a reduction of hair fibers in each hair follicle, which creates the appearance of less density, she says. But with receding, its a reduction of actual hair follicles that become dormant and die off, leading to a higher hairline and the forehead becoming more obvious. Dr. Garshick adds that while thinning may occur diffusely around the whole scalp, a receding hairline typically refers to decreased density of hair primarily involving the frontal scalp.
How Can Hair Loss In Women Be Prevented
Preventing hair loss is not possible when it is due to disease, aging, heredity or physical stressors like injuries. You can prevent hair loss caused by caustic chemicals or tight hairstyles by avoiding them. You might be able to prevent some hair loss by eating a healthy diet that provides necessary nutrients in terms of vitamins, minerals and protein. You can stop smoking.
Get Over Your Fear Of Mousse
Unlike the mousse our mothers used that dried out hair and froze it in all its permed glory, mousse formulas today are more elegant and hydrating. Apply a volumizing whip or mousse when hair is wet, Colette recommends. Comb a small, palm-sized dollop of product through hair from root to ends. Be careful not to apply too much as this will only weigh your hair down. We recommend the Oribe Grandiose Hair Plumping mousse, $39, which is great for a blowout.
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You Lost A Lot Of Weight Very Quickly
Sudden weight loss is a form of physical trauma that can result in thinning hair. This could happen even if the weight loss is ultimately good for you. It’s possible that the weight loss itself put unnecessary stress your body, or that not eating right can resulted in vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Loss of hair along with noticeable weight loss may also be a sign of an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia.
This type of hair loss, too, will correct itself once after a while. “Sudden weight loss seems to shock the system and you’ll have a six-month period of hair loss and then it corrects itself,” says Dr. Hammonds.
Spray Products Into Your Hands First To Add Extra Texture
If want some piecey-ness and your hair is very fine, put product in your hand first, says Townsend. Try a texturizing spray like Sally Hershberger 24K Supreme Stylist Voluminous dry shampoo, $32. Spray it into the palm of your hand, dab fingers in it, and work it into your strands to add distinct texture. For added moisture, Atkin recommends the Ouai finishing cream, $24, which is like lotion for your hair, so applying a dime size amount all over helps tame any fly-aways.
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How Do You Treat A Receding Hairline
While everyone is different, many experts prefer to take a multi-pronged approach when it comes to treating a receding hairlineand that includes focusing on consistency and maintenance if you want to see real and lasting results. That means trying both in-office treatments and a disciplined at-home regimen, says Hill. Your doctor or trichologist will be able to create a specific plan of action for your hair loss, which will generally include a combination of the following treatments:
If Your Hair Is Dry Or Oily
Oily hair and dry hair dont require special haircuts, John D. says. Instead, they benefit most from a dry shampoo or a light-weight hair mask, which works to repair damage and bring back your hairs health. When applying the mask to fine hair, you want to coat from mid-lengths to ends and let it sit for a few minutes before shampooing. He recommends the Tresemmé Repair & Protect 7 Instant Recovery Mask Sachet, $3. For dry shampoo, we recommend the cult-favorite Klorane dry shampoo with oat milk, $20.
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Whats Actually Causing Your Thinning Hair
The first thing to know about hair loss is that its actually a bit complex. Your hair grows in three stages, SELF explained previously. These include a growth phase from a root in the hair follicle, a transitional phase when the growing stops, and a resting phase, after which the hair falls out and the follicle takes a break before growing another hair.
Its totally normal to lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day, according to the American Academy of Dermatology , which you might notice on your pillow in the morning, on your hairbrush, or in the shower. If you go a few days without showering, you might notice more than a single days worth of hair in the shower, which may be a little disconcerting, but is still totally normal.
Youre born with about 100,000 follicles on your scalp, and youll never gain or lose any, the AAD says. However, as you age, some follicles may stop growing hair and you may experience hair loss . When and how this happens is influenced by a bunch of factors, including our genetics and the natural hormonal changes we experience as we age, Shilpi Khetarpal, M.D., dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF.
Once you know what youre up against, there are some easy ways to help manage thinning hair at home or with the help of an expert. Here are the top tips we learned from dermatologists and hair stylists on how to protect your hair and restore some of its fullness and shine.
Medical Conditions And Genetics
Ill preface this by saying the number of medical reasons that could contribute to hair loss are vastand the only way to get a definitive answer is to see your doctor or a trichologist . If you eat a balanced diet, live relatively stress-free, and havent had any major hormonal changes or pregnancies, yet youre still noticing hair loss, the next step is to make an appointment with your doc.
Medical conditions aside, early-onset hair loss can also be hereditary. Burg says its more of a myth that hair loss can be passed down from either your mother or fatherif youve got a grandmother or aunt on either side of your family with thinning hair, theres a chance you can have it too. Love you, fam!
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What Is The Relationship Between Hair Loss In Women And Menopause
During menopause, you might see one of two things happen with your hair. You might start growing hair where you didnt before. Or, you might see the hair you have start to thin. One cause may be changing levels of hormones during menopause. Estrogen and progesterone levels fall, meaning that the effects of the androgens, male hormones, are increased.
During and after menopause, hair might become finer because hair follicles shrink. Hair grows more slowly and falls out more easily in these cases.
Your healthcare provider will do a thorough examination and take a detailed history to help you deal with changes in hair growth. You may be directed to have your iron levels or thyroid hormone levels tested. Your medications might be changed if what you take is found to affect hair loss or growth.
Is It Normal To Lose Your Hair In Your 20s
Um, hi, yes, it’s absolutely normal to experience hair loss or thinning in your 20sespecially when you think about all the factors that cause it in the first place. Hair lives in a four-step cycle, not just one. It grows, it rests, it falls, and then it regenerates. And because there are are a number of different genes involved in this cycle, its super easy to upset the process, says Burg. Lucky you. Still, even though there are a ton of reasons someone may be experiencing hair loss, these are the most common:
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What Are The Common Causes Of Hair Loss In Women
What causes hair loss?
- Hair style: Your style of hair can cause hair loss when your hair is arranged in ways that pull on your roots, like tight ponytails, braids, or corn rows. This type of hair loss is called traction alopecia. If hair follicles are damaged, the loss can be permanent.
- Vitamin deficiency.
- Over processed scalp hair .
What causes anagen effluvium hair loss?
- Toxic substances, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy and some medications. These cause sudden hair loss that can occur anywhere on your body. It happens to hair in the growth stage. Sometimes, this type of hair loss can be permanent if your hair follicles are damaged.
What causes telogen effluvium hair loss?
- Extreme physical stress or shock to your body: This causes temporary hair loss. This category includes events like losing a lot of weight, surgery, anemia, illness and having a baby.
- Extreme emotional stress: mental illness, the death of a loved one, etc.
- An abnormal thyroid.
- Medications and supplements: blood pressure medicines, gout medicines and high doses of Vitamin A.
- Hormone changes caused by pregnancy, menopause or birth control pills.
What causes FPHL ?
- Genes: Your familys genes can cause thinning of hair along the top of your head.
- Aging: Hormone changes as you age can cause balding.
- Menopause: This type of hair loss often gets worse when estrogen is lost during menopause.
There are also some conditions that affect hair loss:
Prescription Medications And Treatments
Here are some medications for hair thinning and loss that your doctor may be able to prescribe:
- Finasteride : This is an oral medication that helps reduce levels of the hormone dihydrotestosterone that can cause hair loss.
- Corticosteroids: These are oral or injected medications that can reduce inflammation that may lead to hair loss.
- Laser therapy: Your doctor or a dermatologist may be able to treat hair follicles with laser technology that sends light particles called photons into your follicles to help them grow. Talk to your doctor first to see if this will help you.
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Don’t Feel Bad About Feeling Bad
“If you really find you can’t cope with the change in your appearance, there is nothing wrong with wearing a wig — it’s a very good and logical solution, particularly if you are waiting for a treatment to kick in,” Howard tells WebMD.
Reed says that while most women he treats are reluctant to try a wig or hair extensions at first, in the end, he says, many find it is the best solution, particularly if their appearance is key to their sense of well-being.
“In many instances a wig can give a woman back her confidence and her self-esteem it’s not the best solution, but at least she feels she can face the outside world without being judged harshly, and that can be important,” says Reed.
Lusskin believes it’s all about finding your personal comfort level and being true to yourself.
“While some women may benefit from allowing themselves to be seen without a hair piece — often finding that a very liberating experience — for others, hiding their hair loss through the use of wigs or hair pieces is the right answer. It’s really all about being true to your own feelings about yourself,” says Lusskin.
While experts report that most women do eventually accept and make peace with their hair loss, for some it can become a serious psychological stumbling block. In this instance, worry and concern over appearance can become a pathological obsession that invades all areas of a woman’s life.
Dont Forget Conditioners And Volumizers
Applying conditioner after shampooing your hair is essential to maintaining healthy locks. Conditioner is a vital hair-care step that adds moisture to help replenish hairs sheen and natural oils lost during shampooing. And volumizers work like a splint to strengthen each strand of hair, plumping it to provide more volume per strand.
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Do Vitamins Help With Thinning Hair
If you are losing your hair solely or in part due to a nutritional deficiency, supplements can do you a world of good.
‘Due to your hairs unique energy requirements, it can be difficult to meet its needs through diet alone. In many instances, taking a nutritional supplement is a very effective way to give your hair an extra helping hand they can speed up the hair recovery process of a hair loss issue where a dietary inadequacy is a factor and it very often is! I am yet to meet a client who has the time to eat a perfect diet all the time,’ says Kingsley.
There are a couple of vitamins in particular, which you can get a robust dose of, via supplements, that can help out.
This can help to encourage hair re-growth. Find it in salmon, eggs, and supplements.
What Are Some Effective Types Of Treatment For Thinning Hair
If you find yourself hyperventilating in the aisles of Whole Foods and buying $70 worth of biotin, take a step back. Though its use as a hair- and nail-growth supplement is prevalent, research demonstrating the efficacy of biotin is limited and most has focused on nails. “We don’t really have great data supporting its use,” says Henry. “The original studies on biotin and hair were actually quite small because of this, I don’t recommend very high doses of biotin. Further, high doses of biotin can interfere with some blood tests, especially in older patients and patients with a history of heart disease.”
Many women may have had these supplements recommended to them at some point, but unless there is a severe natural deficiency , it’s typically preferable to incorporate proven lifestyle changes, like a nutrient-filled diet and decreased stress.
There are a few treatments, like platelet-rich plasma injections, that do work. “PRP contains a number of compounds that are unique to platelets that stimulate growth and reduce inflammation,” explains Firshein. “Platelets work similarly to how they do in other parts of the body by repairing damaged areas and helping them to regrow.”
Hair loss is incredibly common, and women should not have to suffer in silence or try to hide their hair loss for fear of being seen as unattractive or old. Aging is a natural and beautiful process, and whether it’s going gray or thinning out, it is time we normalize beauty at every age.
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