If Baldness Runs In My Family Will I Lose My Hair Too
People with a family history of hormonal alopecia are more likely to develop it than those without any such family history. So, if you belong to this high-risk group and notice even the slightest sign of hair thinning, consult your dermatologist immediately to treat this condition in its early stages.
If left untreated, the hair loss can result in bald patches, which can be very difficult to reverse. Early treatment, on the other hand, will help minimize hair loss and regrow the little hair that has been lost.
Apply An Egg Hair Mask
Eggs are one of the richest sources of protein, the main hair-building material. This explains why egg-based hair masks are so popular.
Eggs have been a consistent part of hair care regimens for generations, proving that their effectiveness has stood the test of time. Regular use of egg hair masks can help make your hair stronger, softer, shinier, and longer.
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What Causes Hair To Thin
Any number of lifestyle factors, genetics, recent life events , or medical conditions can cause your hair to thin.
Lifestyle factors could include using certain hair products, wearing your hair up too tightly, experiencing high stress levels, or not getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals in your diet.
People who have immune system deficiencies could also have thinning hair.
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Comb Your Hair Before Sleeping
Comb your hair using a soft-bristled brush before sleeping. You can either use a brush with silicone bristles or boar bristles.
Adding this step to your hair care routine will boost blood circulation to the follicles and prevent hair damage. Moreover, it helps in the even distribution of the natural oils in your scalp.
Consume A Proper Diet
A healthy, well-balanced diet is essential to maintaining good hair health. It is vital to include the following micronutrients in your diet to improve hair growth:
- Vitamin D, which can be consumed through salmon, eggs, and red meat
- Iron and zinc, which are abundant in spinach, chard, kale, lettuce, collard, and beans
- Biotin, found in salmon, eggs, lentil, and peanuts
- Folic acid, found in leafy greens, broccoli, and fortified breakfast cereals
- Polyphenols, through citrus fruits, berries, and bell peppers
- Flavonoids, found in green tea and dark chocolate
You must also consume the following macronutrients:
- Protein, found in meat, soybean, lentils, and seafood
- Omega-3 fatty acids, found in chia seeds, nuts, flaxseeds, and freshwater fishes
You can also consume these nutrients in the form of supplements upon consulting your doctor.
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Minerals And Vitamins To Strengthen Hair
Vitamin C is especially helpful because it aids in the absorption of iron from other sources. Black currants, guavas, blueberries, papaya, sweet potatoes, kiwi fruits, and strawberries are all rich in this vitamin that helps produce collagen which is essential for strengthening capillaries that carry blood and oxygen to the hairs shafts.
Another vitamin needed to produce sebum is vitamin A. Sebum is your hairs natural conditioner to maintain scalp health. Without it, dryness and itchiness can occur in the scalp, cause it to break, become infected, and weaken your hair. Orange, yellow, and yellow-orange vegetables and fruits that are high in vitamin A include carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, bell peppers, and oranges.
Yet another vitamin, vitamin E, can help protect your hair and your skin as well. Know how to strengthen hair roots by incorporating this powerhouse vitamin in your diet through almonds, silken tofu, salmon, sunflower seeds, shrimp, and squash, among others. The Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamin E is 15mg a day for adults.
Aside from zinc, copper is one mineral that can help strengthen hair shafts and retain the pigmentation of your hair. Copper deficiency leads to hair breakage and premature graying of hair. Foods rich in copper include poultry, lean red meat, nuts, eggs, and dark green and leafy vegetables. Herbs and spices that have copper include cumin, cloves, marjoram, curry, dill, tarragon, and thyme.
Haircare Tips For Older Women By Famous Hairstylists
The experts weigh in on the best hair care tips for older women
1. As hair ages, torture it less not more. Youll be tempted to break this rule but hairstyles for older women should involve less teasing, heat-styling and hair color. Hair loss in older women can be minimized by protecting fragile, thinning hair from excess styling damage.
2. Avoid a haircut rut. The long, stick-straight hairstyle of your youth will age you now. Instead, hairstylists recommend haircuts for older women with graduated layers kept close to the face. As our faces lose collagen and become more angular, long hairstyles for older women with layers will soften angular cheekbones and jawline.
3. Use moisturizing products to soothe dry scalp and hair.Thinning hair in older women is often dry, brittle and graying with dryer, flaky scalp. Maintain healthier scalp and hair with an invigorating hair thickening serum for women plus a moisturizing conditioner with Argan oil and hazelnut oil to nourish dry, aging hair.
4. Channel your inner Mia Farrow. The pixie cut is one of the best short hairstyles for older women because it spotlights your face. Boomer trendsetter Isabella Rossellini plus Robin Wright, Halle Berry and Sharon Stone have all embraced the modern pixie cut. Keep the cut soft, slightly longer around the ears, and wispy at the forehead and neckline.
What causes hair loss in older women?
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Why Hair Falls Out
Hair grows and eventually falls out as part of its normal cycle. It can build up on hair brushes, pillows, or shower drains.
Most people will not notice the natural hair loss that occurs daily. Hair thickness and the hairline usually remain the same.
People are more likely to notice excessive hair loss. This is a good time to take action as it may be due to an underlying condition. Symptoms of excessive hair loss include:
- sudden loss of hair
- noticeable thinning
There are several possible reasons for excessive hair loss.
One of the most common causes is due to genetics. According to a 2019 review, pattern baldness affects up to 50% of men and women.
Commercial products could help to slow and treat this type of balding. One example of these products is Rogaine.
Pattern baldness occurs slowly with aging. Some more immediate causes of hair loss include:
Radiation Treatment And Hair Loss
Radiation therapy uses a high-energy beam to damage quickly growing cells in your body. The goal is to target cancer cells, but some normal cells get damaged as well.
Radiation only causes hair loss on the particular part of the body treated. If radiation is used to treat the breast, there is no hair loss on your head. But there might be loss of hair around the nipple, if you have hair there.
Radiation to the brain, used to treat breast cancer that has spread to the brain, can cause hair loss on your head. Depending on the dose of radiation, your hair may be patchier when it grows back or it may not grow back.
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How Effective Is Finasteride In Stopping Hair Loss
Finasteride helps prevent hair loss and increase hair growth. It is particularly effective among those who show mild to moderate hair loss.
While the effectiveness of finasteride often depends on the length of time it is taken, the available evidence suggests that two thirds of men who use it see some hair regrowth.
Heat And Weak Hair: A No
The heat from hot curlers, flat irons, blow-dryers, and curling irons further weaken your hair. Using a blow-dryer on hair that is completely wet, for instance, heats water that has remained in your hair cuticle, causing this to expand inside your hair and leave blisters or spaces inside hair fibers which weaken them. Additionally, these parched hair strands soak up air moisture and cause frizz.
Keep your hairstyling tools on low temperatures and increase their settings only when necessary. Apply heat protection conditioners before you style your hair so it can be protected from potential thermal damage. Always follow up with products infused with conditioners or protective oils to help seal in moisture for your hair follicles and hair roots.
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Treatment For Underlying Conditions
Treating underlying medical conditions may also help answer a lot of your questions surrounding hair loss. Conditions like hypothyroidism are known to play a huge role in hair loss. This can also be said for certain drugs, hormonal imbalances, and even stress. Properly managing these medical conditions may slow hair loss, or even reverse it entirely.
Fix Hair Loss From The Inside Out
How can you recover your hair from the inside out? By addressing the issues above using nutrition, lifestyle, supplements, and prescription treatments, you can slow or reverse hair loss and get back to feeling good about your healthy head of hair. As always, let your doctor know if youre struggling with hair loss and collaborate with them to design a plan thats effective, healthy, and safe for your unique body and biochemistry.
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Why Does It Happen
FPHL is very common and increases with age and varies across ethnic groups. Although it can happen at any age, the condition occurs most commonly following the menopause. This does not mean that hormones alone are to blame, although oestrogen may have a protective role, helping to keep hair in the growing phase. Age itself is a factor and whilst women can take care of their hair cosmetically, it is one aspect of the ageing process we cannot always control. Genetics are important too and you may notice a family link with both male and female hair loss. Occasionally times of acute stress on the body will influence hair growth, eg illness, emotional stresses and crash dieting. Some medications may have an influence too.
How Long Will It Take For My Hair To Grow Back
Although no immediate effect may be seen after your first month of taking finasteride, it is highly recommended that you stick with it for a few months as long as you suffer no adverse reactions.
It can take at least three months to slow down hair loss, six months to grow new hair, and as long as 12 months to verify whether the treatment is effective for you.
Even though the struggle to stop hair loss may be a long battle, the good news is that more than 90% of those taking finasteride reported seeing desirable results . While the effectiveness of finasteride often depends on the length of time it is taken, the available evidence suggests that two thirds of men who use it see some hair regrowth.
If you stop taking finasteride, it is likely that any hair you gained will be lost within 9-12 months.
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Treatments To Improve Hair Volume
Hair volume can generally be improved with proper hair care and some home remedies. However, you may require medical treatment if self-care measures do not work or you have a medical condition that is causing the hair fall and thinning.
Consult your doctor on the following treatments to help improve your hair volume:
- Minoxidil. This is the only FDA-approved drug that is useful in boosting hair growth. It is available as a topical solution that is applied to the scalp.
- Nanoxidil. This newly developed drug is derived from minoxidil. The long-term effects of nanoxidil are still being studied, and it is thus advised to consult your doctor before using this cosmeceutical.
- Finasteride and dutasteride. These medications are commonly used for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in men.
- Platelet-rich plasma therapy. The patientâs blood plasma is injected into the scalp to boost hair health.
- Mesotherapy. Essential nutrients are injected into the scalp mesoderm, enabling higher nutrient absorption by the hair follicle, thus boosting hair growth.
- Laser treatment. Mild, low-level lasers are used to stimulate the hair follicles.
- Hair transplant. A patch of skin with hair and hair follicles is cut from another part of the body and implanted in the head.
Does Menopause Cause Hair Loss
The hair follicle, a complex mini-organ with its own blood supply, requires a great deal of metabolic energy to reproduce itself, and its one of the most sensitive among all of the organs. That means it is easily affected by even subtle shifts in energy, which can lead to hair loss.
The long-standing belief is that the hormonal imbalances that occur during menopause when the body produces less estrogen and progesterone trigger the production of androgens , leading to hair loss. This is caused by an increased sensitivity to testosterone, the androgen, which turns into or DHT . Over time, the DHT causes the hair to miniaturize, until the hair is barely visible. This is known as post-menopausal hair loss.
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Before a woman has her last period, she may be estrogen dominant, meaning she has too much estrogen relative to her bodys progesterone production. This happens when the estrogen begins to overstimulate the body and the brain. Estrogen dominance may occur for 10-15 years, beginning as early as the age of 35, until menopause officially begins. All of these symptoms are exacerbated by stress of many kinds.
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Protein Malnutrition Hair Loss
Protein is a macronutrient obtained from meats, fish, beans, lentils, soy products, and some dairy products. Protein deficiency can cause discoloration and abnormal hair texture, as well as very slow hair growth. Chronic gastric conditions can interfere with protein absorption, and if someone is eating a protein-rich diet but still has evidence of protein deficiencies, we often screen them for a bowel disorder like IBD, celiac disease, or hypochlorhydriaa lack of stomach acid that prevents them from breaking protein down into amino acids. If someone has one of these conditions, treating the underlying root cause and/or supplementing with digestive enzymes that contain betaine can help. For someone whos simply under-consuming protein, increasing consumption by adding high-protein foods like collagen, protein powders, and recipes with lots of lentils, beans, and meat is a wonderful way to boost total protein intake and usually fixes their hair issues over the course of a few months.