Prepare Yourself To React Appropriately To The News
Seeing a friend whos experiencing hair loss for the first time can come as a shock.
Your friend might look sick, she may have lost significant patches hair, or he may have lost all of his hair altogether.
The first time you see a friend thats losing hair can be upsetting for any number of reasons, but you should try not to let your emotions get in the way of what your friend is experiencing.
This isnt the time to deal with your emotions and past experiences with hair loss.
When a friend tells you about their loss, you should be prepared to listen and be supportive.
No matter how emotional you feel about the situation, remember that its 10x more emotional for your friend. And, more likely than not, shes already going to be self-conscious about your reaction.
Try and empathize with whatever emotions your friend is expressing. If hes sad, be sad with him. If shes upbeat and wants to act normal, follow her lead.
Prepare yourself emotionally for that first conversation so that when the time comes, you can be there for your friend.
Dial Back On Aggressive Scratching
Another thing to watch out for is aggressive or prolonged scratching in the same area, which causes skin inflammation and hair follicle damage, says Yates. If you are a scratcher, she encourages you to visit a doctor to get to the root of your scratching. “Solve the itch and save your hair,” she says. Combing your hair can also mimic scratching, so you’ll also want to dial back on aggressive brushing, too.
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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When Is It Time To See A Hair Loss Doctor
The best time to see a hair loss doctor is as soon as you notice any of the early signs of male pattern baldness.
Because hair loss from male pattern baldness is permanent, acting quickly can help you to stop your hair loss from worsening and keep more of your hair.
The best time to act on hair loss can vary from one person to another. For some guys, the signs of hair loss may show up in their 20s or 30s. For others, they might appear earlier. Even guys in their teens can make early changes to prevent hair loss.
Below, weve listed some common signs that it might be time to book an appointment with a hair loss specialist.
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:
- 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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Should I Take Biotin For Hair Growth
We dont recommend ittheres no evidence that its an effective hair growth supplement, and it can even be harmful.
Heres the reality: 95 percent of the time, male pattern hair loss is caused by a biological process that the vast majority of vitamins cant stop. That process starts with DHT, a male sex hormone.
DHT is a byproduct of testosterone. In some men who are genetically susceptible to DHT, it attacks hair follicles on the scalp, causing them to miniaturize .
Hair produced by those follicles becomes progressively thinner and may stop growing altogether. Read more about DHTs role in male pattern baldness.
Biotin, being a vitamin, has no effect on DHT.
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.
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What Are The Myths About Hair Loss
Myths about hair loss are widespread. Nothing in the following list is true:
- Youre losing hair because you shampoo it too much, or because youve colored it or gotten a perm.
- Dandruff causes permanent hair loss in women.
- Stress causes permanent hair loss in women.
- If you shave your head, your hair will grow back twice as thick.
- If you stand on your head youll increase circulation, stimulating hair growth.
- If you brush your hair 100 strokes a day that will make your hair healthier.
- Hats and wigs cause hair loss in women.
- Hair loss only affects intellectual women.
What Are The Types Of Hair Loss
There are three: anagen effluvium, telogen effluvium and FPHL.
- Anagen effluvium: This is caused by medications that poison a growing hair follicle .
- Telogen effluvium: This is caused by an increased number of hair follicles reaching the telogen phase, which is the stage where hair falls out.
- Androgenetic alopecia/female pattern alopecia/female pattern hair loss /baldness: This type is the most common. Hair thins over the top of the head and on the sides.
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Your Hair Is Falling Out Rapidly And Suddenly
More often than not, male pattern baldness is something that happens gradually. While the rate at which men lose their hair varies from person to person and is usually determined by genetics, rarely does it cause large clumps of hair to fall out.
However, for some guys, male pattern baldness is an obvious problem thats defined by lots and lots of hair shedding.
If youve developed a large bald spot seemingly overnight, or if youve started to notice your hair falling out in large amounts , its usually a sign that youre experiencing significant hair loss.
This could be due to male pattern baldness, or it could be hair shedding caused by an illness or other health issue. In any case, its best to make an appointment with a hair loss doctor to learn about whats causing your hair loss, as well as what you can do to stop it.
What Is The Relationship Between Hair Loss In Women And Menopause
During menopause, you might see one of two things happen with your hair. You might start growing hair where you didnt before. Or, you might see the hair you have start to thin. One cause may be changing levels of hormones during menopause. Estrogen and progesterone levels fall, meaning that the effects of the androgens, male hormones, are increased.
During and after menopause, hair might become finer because hair follicles shrink. Hair grows more slowly and falls out more easily in these cases.
Your healthcare provider will do a thorough examination and take a detailed history to help you deal with changes in hair growth. You may be directed to have your iron levels or thyroid hormone levels tested. Your medications might be changed if what you take is found to affect hair loss or growth.
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Offer Some Hair Loss Solutions
If your friend asks for advice on what to do or how to deal with her hair loss, be ready with actionable, simple solutions and suggestions.
This isnt the time to talk about medical treatments or wig purchases, be prepared ideas your friend can implement today.
Here are some quick tips for women who are just starting to go through hair loss:
- Blow-dry your hair then flip your part to the other side of your head to create volume.
- When blow-drying, air-dry first and then blow-dry only on the cool setting, and use your fingers instead of a hard brush to prevent pulling and breakage.
- Suggest trying out a shorter, or curlier haircut, that will add volume.
- If your friend has a lighter hair color, suggest dying their hair darker. Dark hair looks thicker than light hair.
- Alternately, you could suggest that your friend highlight their hair to be the same color as their scalp to disguise their thinning hair.
- Teach your friends how to use root lifters and mouse to give extra their hair extra volume.
Step : Mention Any Recent Lifestyle Changes
Although thinning hair is usually due to genetic factors, remember that there are still other causes of hair loss in women, such as long-term everyday stress and, in more rare cases, a medical condition. So be sure to mention any recent lifestyle changes or habits this information can be more important than you might think.
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Why Consulting A Dermatologist Is Crucial For Hair Loss
For both women and men, its important to see adermatologist for many reasons if youre experiencing hair thinning:
- Dermatologists can offer expert advice and help you get to the root of the problem more quickly than if you try to self-diagnose the issue on your own.
- You can be prescribed medications, and get a biopsy if necessary.
- Sometimes, your dermatologist will identify a more serious underlying medical issue that is causing your hair to fall out.
The only way to treat hair loss effectively is to identify the cause, said Dr. Kevin DeHart. We look at each patients total health history in order to diagnose them. There are a lot of reasons for hair loss, and its everything from a thyroid issue to a new medication to a recent trauma.
The best course of action is determined in part by the type of thinning you have. A scalp biopsy may be done in order to see hairs under the skin. Working alongside Dr. Kevin DeHart and Dr. Kelly DeHart, ParisersDr. Ashley Reed performs biopsies for us and helps determine the diagnosis. However, scalp biopsy is not common and only 10 percent of patients who come to Pariser Dermatology for thinning hair need a scalp biopsy.
Under the microscope youre going to see different things, for example the follicle size of the hair. This can show us, for example, whether testosterone has influenced the hair loss or if broken hairs indicate trichotillomania, which is pulling out hairs.
Herbs And Foods For Hair Growth
Though not vitamins, two other products can help improve hair growth. Rosemary essential oil used topically can naturally thicken hair, as can aloe vera juice and gel. Using these along with the above vitamins for hair growth, and youre sure to see fuller, thicker hair.
Rosemary Essential Oil
When applied over the scalp, rosemary oil is believed to increase cellular metabolism that stimulates hair growth. A 2013 study conducted at Kinki University in Japan found that rosemary leaf extract improved hair regrowth in mice that experienced hair regrowth interruption induced by testosterone treatment.
A human study conducted in 2015 investigated the clinical efficacy of rosemary oil in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. Patients with androgenetic alopecia were treated for six months with either rosemary oil or minoxidil , which served as a the control group. Minoxidil is a medication used to stimulate hair growth and slow balding.
After six months of treatment, both groups experienced a significant increase in hair count. Scalp itching, however, was more frequent in the minoxidil group. The study proves that rosemary oil is just as effective as hair growth medications, with less side effects, such as scalp itching.
Try this Rosemary, Cedarwood & Safe Hair Thickener to reverse the signs of hair loss.
Aloe Vera Juice and Gel
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Supplements For Supple Hair
You can make sure youre getting your nutrients in with a whole-food diet of colorful fruits and veggies . But, you can also consider taking a multivitamin specially designed for hair, skin, and nail health.
Getting your vitamins and minerals is crucial for healthy hair. The most important nutrients for hair growth include:
Hair Loss In Black Women: Tips From An Expert
Almost half of black women experience some form of hair loss. However, few doctors are familiar with black hairstyling practices, leaving many women to sort through unhelpful or even harmful advice on their own.
Dermatologist Crystal Aguh, one of just a small group of dermatologists across the country specializing in hair loss, offers these tips to help women protect their hair and recognize common warning signs of hair loss.
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Are There Other Treatment Options For Fphl
Women want innovative treatments for FPHL. To meet this need, researchers continue to look for new ways to stimulate hair growth and stop hair breakage. Other treatments that you may find for FPHL include the following.
Lasers for at-home use: The FDA has approved laser combs, helmets, and other devices, which are available without a prescription, to treat hair loss at home. These devices emit a low level of laser light that may help stimulate new hair growth. A few studies show that this can be effective for treating FPHL.
As with minoxidil and prescription medicines, you must continue using an at-home laser device to see results. We still do not know whether these devices are safe for long-term use or if they can continue to produce new hair growth.
Platelet-rich plasma therapy:
It is believed the platelets help stimulate your cells to grow hair.
Researchers are just beginning to study this therapy as a treatment for hair loss. The early findings show promise, but more studies are needed to know whether this is a safe and effective treatment for FPHL.
Stem cells: Using stem cells to treat FPHL is still in the experimental stages. Like platelet-rich plasma therapy, more studies are needed to know whether stem cells are a safe and effective treatment for FPHL.
Hair loss shampoos: These shampoos tend to do one of the following.
-
Help your hair hold moisture, which makes hair look fuller and thicker
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Lessen breakage, which can reduce thinning
Hidden Causes Of Thinning Hair In Women
If youre a person who has experienced or is experiencing unexplained hair loss, you know how devastating it can feel. And the truth is that up to 40% of women experience hair thinning by the age of 40, but as a society, we dont talk about it a lot.
Although its normal to lose up to 100 hairs a day, when you feel clumps of hair running down your back after shampooing, see it on your pillow in the morning, and glean shocking glimpses of your scalp when your hair is wet or unstyled, you know something is not right.
The good news is that thinning hair, at any age, doesnt have to be something you just live with or try and cover up. There is a reason for it, and oftentimes you can get your beautiful locks back.
Having experienced thinning hair myself , and helped many patients get to the bottom of their hair loss problems Ive learned thinning hair in women is often rooted in one of the following health issues.
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Whats Hair Loss In Women
Hair loss in women is just that when a woman experiences unexpected, heavy loss of hair. Generally, humans shed between 50 and 100 single hairs per day. Hair shedding is part of a natural balance some hairs fall out while others grow in. When the balance is interrupted when hair falls out and less hair grows in hair loss happens. Hair loss is different than hair shedding. The medical term for hair loss is alopecia.
Hair grows on almost all of your skin surfaces not the palms of your hands, soles of your feet, lips or eyelids. Light, fine, short hair is called vellus hair. Terminal/androgenic hair is thicker, darker and longer.
Can Coronavirus Cause Hair Loss
Although not officially listed as a symptom of Coronavirus, a wave of women have come forward with claims of hair loss as a result of having the virus.
‘Patients who have suffered prolonged and heavy onset of coronavirus about 2-4 months prior are now reporting severe hair loss,’ says hair loss and growth expert Laura Sagen.
‘Hair loss is not on the list of the official symptoms, so at first its easy to become alarmed around potentially one more symptom to start looking out for. Notably, it occurs after the onset of the disease rather than prior. This can be a result of severe stress that patients who suffered a severe or prolonged form of coronavirus, otherwise known as telogen effluvium stress-related hair loss.’
With more and more women experiencing dramatic hair loss on top of other symptoms it seems to be more than mere coincidence.
But, as any women that have suffered from hair loss themselves could tell you, the sterile medical explanation of hair loss rarely correlates to the human experience of being a woman that’s losing their hair.
We spoke to six women about their personal experiences and how they’re giving female hair loss the finger, one day at a time…
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