Conventional Treatment For Thinning Hair
Conventional treatments for thinning hair include medications and surgery.
When hair is caused by an underlying disease, conventional medicine likely includes drugs like prednisone to reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system. Common side effects of prednisone include confusion, headache, restlessness, nausea, vomiting, thinning skin, acne, sleep problems and weight gain.
There are also two drugs on the market today that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat pattern baldness or thinning. The first one is minoxidil, commonly known commercially as Rogaine, and it can be used by both men and women. You may experience hair regrowth or a decreased rate of hair loss, but the growth is not permanent and will stop if you stop using it. Some common side effects may include severe scalp irritation, undesirable growth of facial hair, chest pain, rapid heart rate and more.
Another conventional option in pill form is called finasteride. Again, you need to keep taking it to retain benefits. Additionally, women who are or may be pregnant need to avoid touching crushed or broken tablets. Side effects may include impotence, loss of interest in sex, trouble having an orgasm, abnormal ejaculation, swelling in your hands or feet, feeling faint,headache, runny nose, and skin rash.
Precautions Regarding Natural Treatments for Thinning Hair
Male Or Female Pattern Hair Loss
Androgenetic alopecia is a frequent cause of hair loss. It affects an estimated 50 million men and 30 million women in the United States.
According to the Genetics Home Reference, the likelihood of experiencing androgenetic alopecia increases with age. Although it can affect teenagers, over half of males aged 50 and older have some degree of hair loss. It is most likely to affect females following menopause.
Often, people who have androgenetic alopecia have family members with the same condition.
In males, hair thinning tends to occur from the hairline to the back of the head. In females, it tends to affect the crown of the head.
Natural Remedies For Hair Loss: Change Your Shampoo
The best shampoo for thinning hair might not be the one you have in your bathroom cabinet – it is worth thinking about the time you last changed your brand of shampoo and whether that had an impact on hair loss or hair thinning.
The effects of hair loss is most noticeable just after you’ve washed your hair when it is wet, and there may be a reason for this because you are aggravating in the shower.
A good way to test your shampoo is to think that losing up to 50-100 strands of hair a day is completely normal but if you think it must be more than this then it could be a reaction to your shampoo.
So try swapping for a new one until you find something that works. Some also claim that rinsing thin or fine hair with cold water after washing will close the hair cuticles and help hair to ‘swell’ and therefore look thicker.
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Condition Your Hair While You Sleep
Just because your hair should be dry when you sleep, doesnt mean it should be drying out and dehydrated when you wake up. If you wake up often with hair thats frizzy and hard to tame, a leave-in conditioner may be the answer. Before styling and securing your hair for the night, a spritz or two of leave-in conditioner with protein or keratin may actually strengthen your strands while you snooze.
The best leave-in conditioner will vary depending on your hair type. Hair thats prone to drying out will thrive with a leave-in conditioner that hydrates. Hair that tends to be oily might benefit from a leave-in thats a lighter formula with botanical extracts and not a lot of other extras. Formulas that come in a spray bottle and are meant to be applied to dry hair are your best bet.
What Does Thinning Hair Look Like
Hair loss can affect men of all ages. As such, its important to know the signs of thinning hair so that you can tackle the problem as it develops. Hair loss in men typically begins around the forehead and on top of the head. Therefore, many men experience a receding hairline as part of the early stages of their hair loss. To determine whether your hairline is receding, try comparing your current hair to a photo from two years ago. Thinning hair on top of the head, on the other hand, can be identified by regularly parting your hair down the middle and seeing how much scalp is revealed.
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Check Medications With Your Doctor
Some medicines for conditions like heart disease or those used to lower lipids can affect your hair. Talk to your doctor about if any of the medications you take interfere with hair growth or loss, and ask for advice on how to help counteract negative effects. Some of these medicines can cause shedding of finer fibers, Dr. Bergfeld says. Also, when women stop hormone replacement medication, they should expect a fair amount of hair loss.
Theres no one who has the hair at 60 or 70 that they had at 15, Dr. Bergfeld says. Thats why its important to take care of your hair as you age.
Hair Loss From Thyroid Problems
Either an underactive thyroid, a medical condition called hypothyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, can result in hair loss because each condition causes a hormonal imbalance. Hormones help to regulate nearly every function in the body, including hair growth. Getting the right treatment to control either of these thyroid conditions will get hormones under control, stop hair loss, and allow your hair to starting grow back.
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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.
Use A Silk Or Satin Pillowcase
This is a big one. If you tend to toss and turn in bed, your hair is rubbing against the thread fibers in your pillow each time you move. This can stress your hair and lead to frizz. Ultimately, it can even cause breakage.
A pillowcase with silk or satin fibers may reduce the amount of friction on your hair as you sleep. As an added bonus, these types of pillowcases may reduce the stretch and stress of your skin while you sleep, helping to stave off wrinkles caused by aging. Satin and silk are hypoallergenic and cooling fibers, as opposed to cotton.
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How 1 Stylist Helped A Woman Struggling With Thinning Hair
For women, the most common triggers are hormonal or hereditary, but autoimmune conditions and nutritional deficiencies can also be to blame. And unlike men, women tend to lose hair gradually and all over the head, so it can take longer to detect. Many of my patients notice a change in the shape of their face as the temples recede, a widening of their part line or that their ponytail is smaller in diameter, says hair restoration specialist Dr. Alan Bauman, who heads the Bauman Medical Group in Boca Raton, Florida.
Luckily, theres a lot that can be done, from lasers to lotions and everything in between. And youll be rewarded for treating it early. I liken it to sun damage its never too late to address the problem, but it will get worse with time if you dont slow the progression, says Bauman. Here, the best, doctor-approved treatments from easy-peasy to full-on offense.
Hair Shampoo & Products
Heavy hair care products weigh hair down and contribute to breakage. Conventional hair products are loaded with toxins that can contribute to hormone imbalances that make thinning hair worse.
Even many no-poo options arent pH balanced for the scalp and over time can cause hair loss. Here are some scalp healthy, natural options for those with thinning hair:
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Scott Soerries, MD, Family Physician and Medical Director of SteadyMD. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
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How To Cover Minor Hair Loss
Once youve spoken to your doctor about a plan thats right for you, it will still take time to see noticeable regrowth. In the meantime, you may be interested in covering up any balding or hair thinning.
Luckily, root sprays exist that blend in with your hair color to conceal your scalp. Though it may not match your hair color perfectly, its a great quick fix.
If your hair loss is more pronounced, consider making an appointment for a wig consultation. Makers like Noah Scott create beautiful units with a natural-looking hairline.
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Unclog Your Cuticles With Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar is my go-to for just about any natural home remedy, so why should home hair loss remedies be any different?
For real, whether it’s skin, hair, sunburn or cleaning products, if you’re not team ACV, you can’t sit with us.
So, why is apple cider vinegar good for hair loss?
Well, like dryness, clogged hair follicles are another reason hair falls out.
Blocked hair follicles cause a build-up of bacteria and decrease the presence of natural oils.
This causes hair loss.
Apple Cider Vinegar helps clean the hair, preventing the hair follicles from becoming clogged in the first place.
Simply pour apple cider vinegar over shampooed hair and rub into the scalp, leave it for 20 minutes.
Rinse thoroughly and condition as usual.
Enjoy stronger, cleaner, frizz-free and ultra-shiny hair as a result.
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Keep Your Scalp Healthy
I can’t stress this enough
Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp.
There’s an all too common myth that in order to make your hair grow, you need to treat your hair.
Yes, treating your hair will make your hair look healthier and even thicker.
But healthy hair is produced from the hair follicle.
So to make your hair grow faster and stronger, you need to maintain a healthy scalp first.
What does it take to have a healthy scalp?
Mainly a clean, hydrated scalp and healthy blood flow to your scalp.
You want to keep your hair follicles cleansed to avoid any oil build up that may clog the follicle and prevent hair growth.
Learn how to cleanse your scalp correctly here.
Meanwhile, the more you stimulate blood flow to the scalp, the more your hair will grow.
This is because blood flow delivers the nutrients your hair needs to grow, from your scalp to your hair.
Some easy ways to stimulate blood flow to your hair are:
- Give your head a gentle massage whilst washing your hair.
- Using a bristle boar brush and gently rubbing the brush in a circular motion on your scalp once or twice a week.
- Try the Inversion Method . Flip your hair upside down, give yourself a head massage for 5 minutes everyday for 7 days, every month. This helps blood flow to the scalp circulate and makes hair grow, because blood flow = nutrients to the hair follicles.
Causes And Risk Factors For Thinning Hair
As your hair continues to thin, you probably want to ask, or even scream, Why is my hair falling out?! Its a very frustrating and often bewildering occurrence when the hair thins. According to Mayo Clinic, the exact cause of abnormal hair loss is not completely clear, but typically its related to one or more of the following:
- Heredity
- Physical or emotional shock
- Excessive hair styling and/or hair treatments
1. Heredity
The No. 1 reason why both men and women experience excessive hair thinning and hair loss is hereditary. For men, its a more well-known phenomenon called male-pattern baldness, but women can also exhibit female-pattern baldness. Both of these predictable, gradual hair loss patterns are linked with a family history of hair loss. For men, it can start as early as puberty. In addition to thinning hair, men may also notice their hair becoming shorter, softer and finer.
2. Hormonal Imbalances
Hormone imbalances and changes can contribute to thinning hair. Some hormone changes are temporary, like with pregnancy or menopause, and hair thinning or loss resulting from these temporary changes should be temporary as well. However, if you have an ongoing imbalance of hormones, you may have a thyroid problem that needs to be corrected.
3. Thyroid Problems and Other Medical Conditions
4. Medications
Many different types of medicines may contribute to hair thinning, including some of the following types of medications:
- Acne medications
- Thyroid medications
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