Treatment For Hair Loss
There are a few avenues patients can take to address hair loss and hair thinning, whether it’s over the counter medication or light therapy.
“The hair follicles are organs that can be stimulated to improve function and quality of the hair that is being produced,” Phipps describes. “Medical therapies such as over-the-counter minoxidil and low-level light therapy devices are very good at increasing the overall function and vitality of the hair follicle cells to be stronger.”
The EXT® Extreme Hair Therapy, for example, is an at-home treatment offered by Hair Club that contains minoxidil to stimulate regrowth. Another option is Low-Level Laser Light Therapy which is “FDA-cleared technology that is proven to help regrow hair and further loss.”
“These solutions create stronger cells that produce stronger, thicker, and healthier hair shafts, which results in a cosmetic improvement in density and volume,” Phipps says.
She adds: “Another medication used in men that is mainly for preventing further hair loss, but may have stimulatory effects as well is finasteride. This medication blocks the dihydrotestosterone hormone that results in the weakening of the hair follicle cells in those genetically predisposed individuals.”
Soft And Juicy Berries
Berries are simple fleshy foods that usually have many seeds. They are high in Vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidant polyphenols. Antioxidants are nutrients found in plant-based foods.
They help protect hair follicles from damage by harmful molecules resulting from natural processes and environmental pressures.
Vitamin C in it contains collagen, an essential part of hair structure that also helps iron absorption.
Various types of berries are consumable, all of which can be eaten to improve hair growth.
The Ellagic acids found in strawberries protect against androgenetic alopecia , strengthens the roots, and prevents hair fall.
A cup of berries, which equals 114 grams, provides the body with 141% of its daily need for Vitamin C. They are fruits and, as such, can be eaten after meals.
Hair Thinning: 6 Foods To Eat And 6 Foods To Avoid
Men and women of all ages want strong and healthy hair especially when they begin to weaken and visibly thin out. Fortunately there are several natural treatments for this problem such as hormonal rebalancing, stress reduction, a change in eating habits and so on. The average adult has about 100,000 to 150,000 hairs and loses daily 50 to 100 hairs. Despite this figure may seem alarming, it is absolutely normal. You might believe that losing so many hair will give an even more subtle appearance to those that remain, but this will not happen unless the natural growth process of the hair does not have something wrong. As long as the loss and re-growth of the hair will keep itself in balance, it will not be a problem. However for some subjects hair loss is a daily concern. Beyond the best aesthetic condition, in those who suffer from thinning hair there is a constant fear that the condition is irreversible and will lead to permanent baldness.
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What To Eat To Prevent Hair Loss
Hair is produced by the follicles at the base of each strand of our hair. As hair itself is not actually alive, it is actually the hair follicle that reveals how healthy the hair is. There are many hair care products on the market that are used to repair, thicken and grow hair. If however, you do not have healthy hair follicles your hair will become prone to thinning and the hair can become brittle and prone to damage, leading to hair loss.
Diet plays a hugely important part in the health of your hair. Your daily nutrition can affect the growth and appearance of our hair. Your hair is comprised of the second fastest-growing cell in your body and you have around 120,000 hairs growing on your scalp at any given time, all of these hairs need support.
Both hair and scalp problems can arise from a deficiency or an excess of certain nutrients in your diet, and some can be the one and only cause of your hair loss. For example, an iron deficiency can cause hair loss, and on the other hand, too much vitamin A can be a cause of hair loss.
Here are some great foods to keep your hair healthy and thick.
What Causes Hair Loss
“There are many causes of hair loss, but by far the most common cause is hereditary hair loss with age,” Phipps says. “Some men and women have a genetic predisposition for the hair follicles to be sensitive to certain hormones in the body. These hormones affect the life cycle of the hair follicles causing progressive thinning over time that can eventually lead to baldness.”
While your genes may play a big part in hair thinning and loss, it’s not the only instigator.
“Other causes of hair loss can include certain medical conditions, medications or supplements, diet, stress, and certain hairstyles and treatments,” the physician continues. “It is important to be evaluated by a hair loss specialist to determine the exact cause of the hair loss so that appropriate interventions can be initiated.”
Conditions like lupus and other autoimmune diseases, certain cancers, thyroid conditions and anemia can result in the loss of hair. Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, who have just given birth or are going through menopause might also see their hair falling out. Meanwhile, certain medications for acne, contraception, antibiotics and cholesterol have been found to exacerbate the issue.
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Food Fixes For Thinning Hair
Eat your way to fuller, stronger hair with these essential eats
Dealing with dull, weak, or thin strands? Take a look at what you’re putting on your plate. Theres a strong link between your overall nutrition and the state of your strands.
“One of the first ways I can tell how healthy someone isand if theyre eating nutritiouslyis by looking at their hair,” says Whitney Bowe, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. Dull, thinning, or breakage-prone stands can be dead giveaways that you aren’t getting all the nutrients you need.
Load up on the following 7 foods to make sure you’re getting the key nutrients your hair’s craving.
How Diet Affects Hair Loss
Hair loss is a common condition known as alopecia in the medical field.
It has many known causes, including (
- infection
- chemotherapy
4 ).
Hair typically grows at a rate of 0.35 mm per day. The scalp sheds about 100 hairs per day, which can increase with hair care practices like washing and brushing .
Hair follicles are highly active and sensitive. In fact, hair follicle cells are among the most rapidly dividing cells in your body, so its no surprise that nutrient deficiencies can negatively affect hair growth .
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The Role Of Nutrition In Hair Loss: What To Eat To Keep Your Hair Healthy
Hair loss can have a multitude of causes. You may experience hair loss because of a health issue, such as an abundance of everyday stress, or a more serious matter like diabetes. It could be genetic, or caused by age.
Sometimes, though, hair loss is caused not because of an outside reason, but by improper nutrition in one’s diet.
If you are experiencing hair loss that doesn’t appear to be related to any other cause, the reason for your hair loss could be that you’re deficient in certain nutrients. Depending on the nutrient you need more of, certain foods can help this problem.
Let’s look at what nutrients may help you reacquire healthier, thicker hair, and what foods you can find them in.
Best Foods To Prevent Hair Fall
Hair fall is extremely common among women, especially because our hair goes through three cycles: growth, transition and shedding. Which is why, on any given day about 25 to 100 hair fall off simply due to a natural process. However, hair fall becomes a concern when we lose more hair than this number. And like most other things in life, we only think of treating this problem when itâs out of control, rather than preventing the issue before it becomes too serious. I am here to help you change that. But first, letâs understand what causes hair fall.
Hair fall can be caused due to a lot of things, including lifestyle, diet, stress, hormonal change, among others. However, unless the cause is medical or genetic, itâs possible to give your hair the inherent strength it needs to control hair fall. And this can be done with a balanced diet. As it will ensure your hair is strong from its roots and stays like that due to the nutritional fortification you provide it. Here are a few things you can start adding to your diet to ensure this.
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If Your Scalp Burns Easily
Eat: AlmondsA great on-the-go snack, almonds are also an excellent source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that can absorb energy from UV lightprotecting skin cells in the process. It can even help repair the damage from previous sun exposure on your scalp, says Kazin. Just one ounce offers half of your daily recommended intake of 15 mg. An ounce of dry-roasted sunflower seeds packs about the same amount.
How To Get More Of The Nutrition Your Hair Needs
The good news about how many vitamins and minerals are involvedin the growth of your hair is that you can find foods to add to your diet forthis cause no matter what your eating habits are.
Whether you want to consume more plant foods like leafy greens, beans, and avocados, or you find yourself in need of protein and want to add oysters, shrimp, and beef into your meals, there are many foods that have the essential nutrients required for your hair to be at its healthiest.
Though it may be difficult to add all of these foods into your diet at once, you can easily begin by creating dishes that involve more than one at a time. Whether you add shrimp to your spinach salad or sprinkle some sliced almonds on a bell pepper stir fry, you can actively prevent hair loss caused by improper nutrition, one meal at a time.
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If Your Scalp Is Flaky
Eat: Pumpkin seedsOne ounce of whole, roasted pumpkin seeds supplies 19% of your daily requirement of zinc, a mineral which may help prevent scalp dryness, says Rebecca Kazin, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University. Incorporate other zinc-rich foods like fortified cereals, pork, yogurt, and cashews, to help you reach the 8 mg you need each day.
Diet And Hair: The Basics
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Your hair is made up of several different proteins, including keratin. A variety of nutrients play a role in the production of keratin, including common proteins and vitamins.
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If youre deficient in certain vitamins, minerals and nutrients, this may affect your ability to grow hair and cause thinning, shedding and other symptoms.
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Since male pattern baldness is caused by hormones and genetics rather than nutrients, changing your diet wont stop you from getting a receding hairline or going bald if youre genetically prone to hair loss.
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However, eating a hair-friendly diet may improve your results if you use medications like finasteride and/or minoxidil to treat male pattern baldness.
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Many common foods have the potential to improve hair growth, including eggs, seafood, red meat and certain fruits and vegetables.
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Many of these foods are inexpensive, meaning you dont need a big budget to add them to your diet on a regular basis.
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Other Options For Promoting Hair Growth
If youre starting to lose your hair, making changes to your diet can give your body the nutrients it needs for healthy hair growth.
However, eating a hair-healthy diet doesnt always mean that youll stop losing hair. Hair loss is a complex, multifaceted issue that can be caused by hormonal factors, your genetics, your diet and even certain diseases and medical conditions.
Most of the time, hair loss is the result of male pattern baldness — a form of hair loss caused by a combination of genetic and hormonal factors.
If youve noticed signs of hair loss and think that male pattern baldness is the reason, your best bet is to use FDA-approved, science-based medication, either on its own or in combination with a diet that promotes hair growth.
The following medications are proven to treat hair loss and promote hair growth in men:
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Minoxidil. This topical medication stimulates hair growth and slows down the effects of male pattern baldness. Its available over the counter as a liquid or foam and is applied directly to the areas of your scalp with hair loss. We offer minoxidil online on its own and as part of our Hair Power Pack. Our full guide to how long minoxidil takes to start working provides more information about how minoxidil works, its benefits and more.
In addition to medication, other products can help to stimulate hair growth and protect your hair from damage:
High In Omega 3 Fatty Fish
Fatty fish include Salmon, Tuna, Herring, Tilapia, and mackerel. They contain B-Vitamins, Vitamin D3, and Selenium.
They are high in EPA and DHA, 2 of the three most important omega-3 fatty acids which prevent hair loss.
Studies have shown that taking a fish oil supplement reduces hair loss while simultaneously increasing hair growth in women with thinning hair.
Eating a portion of fish twice a week gives a healthy amount of the omega-3 fatty acids needed for hair growth.
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Foods That Cause Hair Loss
So, which are the foods that cause hair loss? Some foods are just bad for us in every way possible. Besides harming us physically, they take our crowning glories away.
1. Sugar
There isnt much research on why sugar triggers hair loss, but experts believe that it may cause inflammation. Furthermore, foods like carbohydrates, like potatoes, bread, white rice, and pasta have a high glycemic index. They break down into sugars quickly and have the same effect.
Sugar produces insulin and androgen, the male hormone that shrinks hair follicles and causes hair loss.
2. Fish with Mercury
Dermatologists advise that fish like tuna and mackerel, which have high mercury levels, may cause hair loss. This study backs their theories and adds that the mercury in these fish converts to methylmercury, which is toxic.
3. Fried Foods
Also, high-fat, fried foods that have hydrogenated oils may trigger hair loss. Diets that are high in fat lead to an increase in testosterone levels, which lead to male pattern baldness.
4. Selenium
Another group of foods that cause hair fall is selenium. Your body needs this micromineral in small amounts. Consequently, too much of it can lead to hair loss. A potent source of selenium is the Brazil Nut. You will also find selenium in tuna, oysters, and whole wheat bread.
A review by Margaret Rayman, a Professor of Nutritional Medicine at the University of Surrey, shows that selenium is responsible for hair fall.
5. Foods high in Vitamin A
6. Aspartame