How Long Does It Take For Hair Growth Products To Start Working
Hair growth products dont work instantaneously. Most products will start to work within a few months.
Hair follicles take a few weeks to become stimulated by your product, and after that, it will take a month or two before you notice new hair growth.
While physical hair growth may take several months, most products will improve the appearance of your hairs thickness within a few weeks.
Protect Your Hair From Heat Styling Tools
Heat damage can also put a serious damper on your hair growth.
The more you heat style your hair, the less growth potential it has because your hair goes in a constant state of recovery from the dryness. Recovery time varies depending on how frequently you style your hair. It may take anywhere from 24-72 hours before full recovery occurs and water begins to penetrate back into the cuticle layer again.
Excess heat also makes your hair dry and brittle, which causes more split ends and breakage.
Whether youre using a blow dryer, a hair straightener, or curling iron, make sure you protect your hair.
Here are some heat styling products you can use to help:
Hair dryer Diffuser:
A hair dryer diffuser prevents direct heat concentration on the hair.
Heat Protection Spray:
A heat protection spray shields your hair from hot tools by creating an extra layer of protection from the direct heat.
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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Why Is My Hair Thinning
Its important to know the reasons why hair thins out to help prevent it from happening prematurely. While aging naturally causes hair to thin, other lifestyle factors can also influence the thickness of your locks. Smoking is one such example that can put you at a higher risk of becoming bald. Due to their toxins, cigarettes can hinder the blood flow to your follicles, causing thinning. Likewise, as your strands are made up of protein fibers, not enough protein in your diet can also have a significant impact on your hair. Other factors that can contribute to hair thinning include stress, some medications, and medical conditions.
How Does Pcos Cause Hair Loss
Testosterone is broken down to Dihydrotestosterone within the hair follicles oil glands. DHT binds to receptor sites in the hair follicle and shrinks the hair follicle, killing it off in the process. Some women may have more sensitive receptors, or are more efficient in producing DHT. This makes them susceptible to hair loss.
Spironolactone is the drug often prescribed for PCOS hair loss. It fits into this receptor site and stops testosterone getting in there. However, whilst doing this it also causes a lot of damage. It disrupts ovulation, estrogen metabolism, and adrenal function, so its most likely causing more harm than good. I will go into more detail on Spiro in future posts. For now, remember that Spiro is the quick fix that may be doing you more harm than good.
Excess testosterone and other androgens, such as DHEA-S and Androstenedione, also causes inflammation. Our hair follicles are sensitive little creatures, especially to something called oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is when there are too many free radicals and not enough anti-oxidants. Its caused by inflammation.
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Make Sure You Have Enough Protein In Your Diet
Hair mostly consists of keratin protein, which is produced using amino acid building blocks obtained from your diet.
To maintain a constant protein supply for your follicles, eat some with every meal, whether its poultry, lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts or beans. If you eat a plant-based diet, you may be more prone to thinning hair as some amino acids essential for healthy hair and micronutrients are often difficult to obtain in sufficient quantities without taking a vegetarian-friendly supplement.
Do not skip meals, as this puts your body into survival mode so that the supply of protein and nutrients to hair follicles is reduced.
Are Serums Or Supplements Better For Hair Growth
While serums work from the outside-in, supplements work from the inside-out. Ideally, youll be able to use both types of products at once for optimal results.
There arent yet studies that show the benefits of serums as opposed to supplements. However, in general, topical treatments tend to work quicker than oral treatments.
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Its Not All About Diet
Although your diet is important, look at other aspects of your life that might be causing inflammation, excess androgens, and PCOS hair loss. The most common ones that I see are:
- High stress hormones.
- Too much medium-high intensity exercise.
- Poor gut health.
- Environmental toxins
I can only imagine how heartbreaking PCOS hair loss is and why you would want to try everything to get it back. However, I hope you can now see whats causing it to fall out and how theres no scientific way that a shampoo can address excess androgens or inflammation. Im afraid that you may be washing your money down the plughole with these.
Krastase Initialiste Advanced Scalp And Hair Serum
- Price: $$$
This scalp serum contains a blend of plant-based ingredients, like gluco-peptides and wheat protein, and it claims to transform your hair in 7 days. Its designed to reduce breakage, add shine, soften, thicken, and strengthen hair.
According to Kérastase, the serum can dramatically reduce breakage due to brushing, so this option is best for people with brittle, weak hair.
Reviewers report more shine and less frizz, with a 4.5 out of 5 star average rating. Many 1 star reviews state that reviewers didnt notice any difference.
Its important to note that the website suggests checking with a medical professional before use if you have a dry scalp.
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Limit Brushing For Healthy Hair
Dermatologists say that vigorous grooming of your hair such as following the old recommendation to brush it 100 strokes every night can damage your hair and cause it to break off. If you excessively brush your hair and it appears thin or shaggy, try limiting how much you brush your hair. Often, the best way to improve the health of your hair is to leave it alone as much as possible.
Try A Straightening Treatment
A quick and easy way to knowing how to make your hair thinner is to alter the way you style your hair. This can either be done with the use of a straightening treatment or by adding in some layers. A straightening treatment, whether temporary or permanent, minimizes the volume of thick hair. Opt for a keratin treatment if youre indecisive about doing anything permanent, especially if you have curly hair texture and wont ever think about parting ways with those awesome ringlets. Keratin treatments last around three months and dont change your texture. Score! Plus, they make your hair smoother, finer, and easier to manage.
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Underlying Causes For Hair Loss
Numerous problems can trigger female hair loss. Some are external, such as taking certain medications, frequently wearing hairstyles that pull the hair too tight, or even a stressful event such as surgery. In other cases, thinning hair is triggered by something going on inside the body for instance, a thyroid problem, a shift in hormones, a recent pregnancy, or an inflammatory condition.
Hair loss may also be genetic. The most common genetic condition is known as female-pattern hair loss, or androgenic alopecia. Women with this condition might notice a widening of the part at the top of the head, often beginning when a woman is in her 40s or 50s. You might experience this if you inherit certain genes from one or both parents. Hormonal shifts that occur during menopause may also spur it.
Another trigger for hair loss in women is an inflammatory condition affecting the scalp. That might be eczema, psoriasis, or a condition called frontal fibrosing alopecia, which typically causes scarring and hair loss sometimes permanent at the front of the scalp above the forehead.
Other common causes of hair loss include overuse of damaging hair products, or tools such as dryers and other devices that heat the hair. Underlying illness, autoimmune conditions such as lupus, nutritional deficiencies, or hormonal imbalances may also cause hair to shed.
Shea Moisture Strengthen & Restore Shampoo
- Price: $
Shea Moisture hair products are often touted for their powerful ingredients. The main ingredient of this shampoo is castor oil, which contains ricinoleic acid, a fatty acid with anti-inflammatory properties.
The shampoo also contains shea butter to hydrate, soften, and protect from breakage and damage. Its ideal for chemically-treated hair and seals the hair cuticle for enhanced smoothness and shine. Peppermint stimulates and invigorates the scalp, while apple cider vinegar clarifies.
This shampoo has an average of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Of the 4 percent negative reviews, most customers warn against doctored, diluted products that came from fake sellers, so be careful when purchasing online.
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Are There Treatments To Help Thinning Hair
It is possible to manage most cases of thinning hair at home through products and simple techniques.
Scalp massage is an easy way to begin this process as it stimulates the blood flow in the scalp.
Anti-thinning shampoos help to make your hair look thicker whilst also using vitamins and amino acids that can make the scalp healthier.
These can be used on a daily basis to gradually promote normal hair growth over time.
You may want to speak to your doctor before taking anything new to check that it is safe to do so and work out why you might be deficient in anything in particular.
2 October 2020
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.
Related:
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Does It Run In The Family
Look into your family’s history with hair loss. Male Pattern Baldness is typically a genetic condition, so your first step in determining if you are balding is finding out if you are genetically prone to baldness.
In the event you have a family history of male pattern baldness, then there is a good chance your hair loss is not the result of stress or another factor. It may come down to genetics, and there is not much you can do about that.
At this point, you should speak with a dermatologist to go over your hair restoration options. There is a lot of information you can find online, but the internet is also filled with half-truths and myths. The only way to get good information you can trust is to go directly to a medical professional who can review your hair loss.
How To Make Your Hair Thicker
- Try to identify and eliminate the cause of your hair loss.
- Drink more water and increase your intake of protein, Omega 3, and vitamin C.
- Select a haircut and hairstyle that will make your thin hair appear thicker.
- Use shampoos that are designed for thinning hair.
- Consider hair regrowth treatments and transplants if no other thickening methods work.
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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.