How Can I Prevent Hair Loss
There are things you can do to prevent further hair loss. Dont wear tight hairstyles like braids, ponytails, or buns that put too much pressure on your hair. Over time, those styles permanently damage your hair follicles.
Try not to pull, twist, or rub your hair. Make sure youre eating a balanced diet that includes adequate amounts of iron and protein.
Certain beauty regimens can worsen or cause hair loss.
If youre currently losing hair, use a gentle baby shampoo to wash your hair. Unless you have extremely oily hair, consider washing your hair only every other day. Always pat the hair dry and avoid rubbing your hair.
Styling products and tools are also common culprits in hair loss. Examples of products or tools that can affect hair loss include:
- blow dryers
Medical And Other Conditions
If hair follicles are uniform in size, or if the hair loss is sudden, it is likely to be caused by something other than heredity, like a medical condition, Rogers says.
There are a wide range of conditions that can bring on hair loss, with some of the most common being pregnancy, thyroid disorders, and anemia. Others include autoimmune diseases, polycystic ovary syndrome , and skin conditions such as psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis, Rogers says.
Though there has been a link between menopause and hair loss, Roberts says she doesnât think there is a direct correlation. It could be that menopause and hair loss just occur at the same age.
Other reasons for hair loss include extreme stress physical trauma like surgery or intense illness dramatic weight loss over a short period of time and taking too much Vitamin A, Roberts says. And hair loss can occur a couple of weeks to six months after any of these experiences.
âSomeone can have surgery and be just fine and then two weeks later their hair starts falling out,â Roberts says. âIt can be very scary when it starts falling out in big clumps.â
Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia
Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia may occur as a result of hair products or styling techniques that damage hair follicles. The use of hair relaxers, blow dryers, curling irons, and hair extensions can cause central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, as can the process of creating a permanent wave, or a perm.
The frequent application of oils, gels, or pomades can also cause this condition, which may be reversible if you stop using these hair products or styling techniques. Our dermatologists may recommend taking medication to help hair grow back.
You May Like: How To Treat Dry Thin Hair
What Support Is Available With Abnormal Hair Loss
Hair loss can be distressing and difficult to accept initially. Talking with others who have experienced hair loss may help. If you need to talk to someone, ask your doctor about counselling sessions available in your area, or for a referral to a counsellor.
Below are also some support groups you may find helpful.
NZ Alopecia Facebook support groupNZ Alopecia website Information from fellow New Zealanders living with alopecia. Links to support groups, personal experiences through to information about the wig subsidy.Wigs and hairpieces subsidy Information from the Ministry of Health regarding wigs and hairpieces subsidy for people who suffer from serious hair loss because of a medical condition or from certain cancer therapies.
Female Pattern Hair Loss
In women, hair slowly thins all over the scalp, but the hairline usually doesnt recede. Many women experience this type of hair loss as a natural part of aging, although hair loss may begin any time after puberty. Female pattern hair loss can cause hair to thin dramatically, but only rarely does it lead to baldness.
You May Like: Do Laser Helmets Work For Hair Loss
Causes Of Hair Loss In Women
How to fix unexplained, excessive hair loss.
Reversing Hair Loss
Telogen Effluvium
Telogen effluvium is a phenomenon that occurs after pregnancy, major surgery, drastic weight loss, or extreme stress, in which you shed large amounts of hair every day, usually when shampooing, styling, or brushing. It can also be a side effect of certain medications, such as antidepressants, beta-blockers, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. During telogen effluvium, hair shifts faster than normal from its growing phase into the “resting” phase before moving quickly into the shedding, or telogen, phase.
The symptoms: Women with telogen effluvium typically notice hair loss 6 weeks to 3 months after a stressful event. At its peak, you may lose handfuls of hair.
The tests: There are no tests for telogen effluvium, but your doctor may ask you about recent life events and look for small “club- shaped” bulbs on the fallen hair’s roots. The bulbs mean the hair has gone through a complete cycle of growth, suggesting that the cycle may have sped up due to stress.
What you can do: In some cases, such as pregnancy or major surgery, you may have to bide your time until the hair loss slows. If medication is the culprit, talk to your doctor about lowering your dosage or switching drugs. If it’s stress-related, do your best to reduce anxiety.
Hereditary Hair Loss
10 Ways To Look Younger On A Budget
Treatments For Hair Loss
When it comes to treating hair loss, theres really no “one size fits all treatment, but you do have some options.
Treatments vary depending on cause but can include OTC Rogaine, intralesional steroid injections for certain types of inflammatory or autoimmune conditions, oral medications and treating underlying diseases, Parks said.
For androgenetic alopecia, in particular, treatments include minoxidil, platelet-rich plasma and low-level laser therapy. Telogen effluvium, Shah said, has a whole different set of treatments.
In the majority of cases, telogen effluvium resolves spontaneously, so treatment may not be necessary unless a treatable underlying cause is identified, such as thyroid disease or nutritional deficiency, then that would of course be treated, she said. Autoimmune or immune-mediated alopecias usually require treatments that can mediate the immune response.
It’s not always easy to find a legitimate solution for hair loss, but you can definitely arm yourself against false claims.
“It’s first important to identify the type of hair loss and then choose treatments that are FDA-approved, FDA-cleared or have supporting data behind them,” Shah said. “As we are still discovering new things about hair loss, there are some lesser-studied therapeutic options that may help some people. Generally, if a treatment promises overnight results or seems too good to be true, it’s probably not legit.”
Recommended Reading: Can Candida Cause Hair Loss
Common Causes Of Sudden Hair Loss
Medically reviewed by Katelyn Hagerty, FNP
Noticed extra hair loss recently? Its normal to lose 50 to 100 hairs per day. However, a variety of issues may cause you to shed more hair than normal, resulting in stray hairs that can end up stuck in your hairbrush or left behind on top of your pillowcase.
Although most hair loss is gradual, some types of hair loss can occur suddenly, leaving you with noticeably thinner hair over the course of a few weeks or months.
Below, weve listed the most common causes of sudden hair loss, from forms of temporary hair shedding caused by things like stress, illness or medication use to permanent hair loss that can occur as a result of infections, hormones or your genetics.
Weve also explained what you can do to treat sudden hair loss, regrow lost hair and keep your hair looking and feeling its best in the future.
Medication For Hair Loss
Minoxidil, or Rogaine, is a topical medication that is used to treat female pattern hair loss and male-pattern baldness. It was initially developed as a blood pressure medication and was used off-label to treat hair loss until it became FDA-approved for that purpose. Minoxidil can slow the progression of hair loss. Most women who use the medication experience regrowth of hair. The medication needs to be used continuously to maintain results. Other types of treatment work for different kinds of hair loss. Corticosteroids help suppress the immune response that damages hair follicles in people who have alopecia areata. Once the follicles recover, hair can grow back. If nutritional deficiencies underlie hair loss, eating a healthy diet with adequate and protein and nutrients can help you regrow hair. Certain medical problems may trigger hair loss. Adequately treating these conditions may help restore hair growth.
Don’t Miss: Does Suave Cause Hair Loss
What Is The Medical Treatment For Hair Loss
Androgenetic alopecia
- Finasteride : a pill taken once daily that blocks the activity of an enzyme that metabolizes testosterone to a substance that inhibits hair growth. Any regrowth is not permanent. Finasteride is not used for the treatment of hair loss in women.
- Minoxidil : A medication you rub directly onto your scalp. This medication enlarges hairs and makes them grow for a longer period.
- It works for both men and women some of the time.
- It works best for balding at the top and back of the head and less well for the front area of the scalp.
- Stopping this medication can result in loss of the hair that developed during its use.
Alopecia areata
Intralesional injection of steroids directly into the areas of involved skin can promote hair growth in treated areas.
Incorrect Brushing And Combing
You may have heard that brushing your hair 100 strokes a day is good for your hair, but the AAD says thats simply a myth. They recommend that you instead only brush and comb when styling your hair. Make sure you used wide-tooth combs to prevent breakage. You should also only use a brush for when your hair is dry, and avoid using plastic bristles. Try a brush with natural bristles instead.
Don’t Miss: How Much Is Hair Loss Treatment
What Are Some Tips For Dealing With Hair Loss In Women
There are some things you can do on your own. You might check with your stylist or try some of these:
- Coloring your hair adds volume to the strands, making your hair seem fuller.
- Massaging your head, like when you are washing your hair, can stimulate blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles.
- Getting your hair cut shorter, and having layers added, can make your hair seem fuller.
- Using the right kind of shampoo can also help. Look for a shampoo that adds volume without using sulfate detergents.
- Using the right kind of product at the right time can also help. There are products that add volume that you add while your hair is still wet. However, using too much product can add weight.
Surprising Reasons Behind Your Sudden Hair Loss
- Hair loss can indeed be very stressful and can play havoc with a person’s state of mind. Here are possible causes of your rapidly thinning hair line.
The sight of a thick ball of hair every time you comb, wash or style your tresses can be depressing. Every time this happens, one may think of worst possible scenarios and some of us might be convinced of some hidden ailment that is causing this sudden hair fall. Hair loss can indeed be very stressful and plays havoc with a person’s state of mind.
While the most common cause of hair loss is a hereditary condition called androgenic alopecia which comes with ageing, there could be many other common reasons behind your rapidly thinning hairline. Some of them are overdoing hair care, scalp infection, certain medications or hormonal change and chemical treatments on hair.
So those who are losing sleep over hair loss, stop overthinking or panicking, and scroll down to see if one of these causes are behind your hair loss. Once you get to know what’s causing the hair lss, you may prevent irreversible damage to your hair.
ALSO READ: Troubled by hair loss? Here are yoga poses to try
1. You are not eating right
If you are trying to lose weight with a crash diet that deprives you of certain nutrients, chances are you may lose your hair too.
2. Infection on scalp
3. Overdoing with hair care
4. Hormonal imbalance
5. Certain medications
Follow more stories on &
Don’t Miss: What To Do When You Have Hair Loss
Male Pattern Hair Loss
In men, hair loss can begin any time after puberty and progress over the course of years or decades. It starts above the temples and continues around the perimeter and the top of the head, often leaving a ring of hair along the bottom of the scalp. Many men with male pattern hair loss eventually become bald.
What Causes Dog Hair Loss
Hair loss in dogs may be caused by many reasons, including allergies, infections, and parasites.
Depending on the underlying cause, canine alopecia may be accompanied by infection and irritation, along with possible reddening of the skin and the affected area.
There are five most common causes of dog hair loss that pet owners will encounter, along with treatments and preventative measures that can assist in caring for your pooch.
Don’t Miss: How To Stop Your Hair From Thinning
How Is Abnormal Hair Loss Treated
Treatment depends on the cause of your hair loss. For example, any infection will be treated. If your medicines appear to be causing your hair loss, your doctor may stop them. Hair loss caused by a medical condition will stop when you recover from that medical condition. Deficiencies of either iron or vitamin B12 can be treated by your doctor. Alopecia areata itself is usually treated with corticosteroids, powerful anti-inflammation medicines. These are used as local injections, creams or tablets. A skin consultant will advise you about this treatment.
If you wish to slow or stop the progression of hair loss, there may be treatments available such as medicines or hair transplantation. The latter therapy does not have the custom generated some 30 years ago, partly because of its cost and the few practitioners of that art. There are over-the-counter products available, eg, Regaine, while doctors may prescribe minoxidil or finasteride in some cases.
Complementary and alternative therapies, such as acupuncture and ultra-violet therapy, have been promoted by some health advocates. However, the evidence does not exist that these are effective options.
You may consider wearing a wig. Your doctor will help you find a source. See also information on the wigs and hairpieces subsidy.
Can I Prevent Abnormal Hair Loss
Most types of hair loss cant be prevented. However, there are a few things you can do that may help keep your hair healthy and strong for longer, including to avoid:
- tight hairstyles, such as braids, buns or ponytails
- twisting, rubbing or pulling your hair
- hair lotions that are heavily perfumed
- excessive heat treatments
- undue exposure to ultra-violet light from the sun or sunbeds, which expose you to higher levels of UV radiation than the sun.
Other useful actions to take involve stopping smoking. as well as having a balanced diet. This should include eggs, berries, avocados and nuts all are thought to help healthy hair grow, along with Vitamins A and C, biotin and, in some cases, vitamin B12.
Also Check: Is Apple Cider Vinegar Good For Hair Loss