The Thyroid Disease Connection
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that rests in the front base of the neck. It secretes thyroid hormones that are used by every cell in the body. There’s a connection between hair loss in women and thyroid disease. Imbalances in thyroid hormone levels are a common reason for hair loss in women. Too much thyroid hormone and too little thyroid hormone may both trigger hair loss. Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism include weight loss, rapid heart rate, inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, and anxiety. In addition to hair loss, hypothyroidism may be associated with weight gain, fatigue, feeling cold, slow heart rate, and constipation. Luckily, thyroid hormone imbalances are easily detectable with blood tests. Treatment helps alleviate symptoms, including hair loss.
Crash Diets Are Dangerous
Crash diets and fad diets promise quick weight loss, but most do not work and can be dangerous. If you lose 15 pounds or more very quickly, you may lose a significant amount of hair within a matter of months. Inadequate protein and nutrients is one of the potential reasons for hair loss in women. Stick to a healthy, balanced eating plan. Fresh fruit, vegetables, lean meats, and complex carbs give your body the fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals you need to maintain a healthy body, including a full head of hair. Other dietary risk factors for hair loss? Excess vitamin A may set the stage for your luscious locks to fall out.
Pcos Can Be A Trigger
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition in women in which the body manufactures more androgens, or male hormones, than it normally should. It is a potential cause of hormonal hair loss in women. Women who suffer from this condition may grow facial hair and extra body hair. One of the other symptoms of this condition is thinning of hair on the head. Women affected with PCOS may also experience weight gain, acne, menstrual irregularities, ovulation problems, depression, and infertility. Hair thinning may be the only outward sign that a woman is suffering from this condition.
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Solution: Take A Break
If you frequently dye and style your hair, try taking a break from these habits for a month or so to see if they are the prominent cause of your hair loss. Semi-permanent colour or highlighting and balayage techniques can also be less harsh on your tresses, so seek a hair consultation before your next colour appointment to see what options are out there. Hair conditioning treatments, such as Philip Kingsleys Elasticiser and Briogeo’s Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask can also help improve the condition of your tresses after a trip to your colourist, by keeping your hair really hydrated, so get into the routine of using them once a week.
When To See A Dermatologist
If changing how you care for your hair does not help you see healthier hair, you may want to see a dermatologist. Your hair care may not be the root cause of your problem. Seeing a dermatologist is especially important if you are concerned about thinning hair or hair loss. Most causes can be stopped or treated. The sooner the problem is addressed, the better your results.
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Does Cutting Hair Help With Hair Loss
Cutting hair on its own does not help with hair loss.
What is does do is to give the illusion that your hair is much fuller than what is actually is.
If you are noticing hair loss in places then it would be a good idea to get yourself a short hairstyle so that the loss is not as evident.
If you are worried that your hair loss is much more significant then it would be wise to see a hair specialist.
Hair Oil Scalp Massage
Massaging your hair with coconut oil, argan oil, peppermint oil, and castor oil can help reduce hair fall and stimulate hair growth . You can also heat the oil for hot oil treatment. It enters the deepest layers of your scalp, revives the hair follicles, and strengthens the hair from the roots.
Gently massage your scalp in a circular motion for 20 minutes. Do this at least twice a week.
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Cutting Hair Off Prior To Or During Hair Loss Due To Chemotherapy
Take a look in the section Hair growth cycle, from here we understand that the hair root sits underneath the skin surface. This is where the three phases of the growth cycle occur with each and every individual hair. Therefore cutting hair short prior to or during hair loss cannot affect the hair growth function that takes place underneath the skin. If cutting hair short is something you decide to do it will not affect your new hair growth.Read more in-depth information in our New hair growth section.
Lupus Hair Mask Treatment:
This specific lupus hair loss treatment has helped my hair grow 1 inch within a month. Its known to promote hair growth by 3-5 times the normal rate.
This is the best treatment for Lupus and hair loss because youre directly applying natural, organic products to your hair so that it can absorb the nutrients its lacking and help tame your scalp inflammation during a flare-up too.
100% organic castor oil and avocado oil, organic rosehip oil, grapeseed oil, and JBCO are mixed together to give you the perfect ratio of much-needed nutrients, antibacterial properties, and antifungal qualities.
You can apply this to the hair on your head, eyebrows, and even eyelashes!
Since avocado oil is rich in antioxidants, has a perfect mixture of the compounds that make up vitamin E, and is one of the richest natural sources of vitamin E how can you resist it?!
Avocado oil contains polyhydroxylated fatty alcohols which can reduce skin damage, tighten skin and reduce wrinkles as a bonus for skin use.
The antioxidants in castor oil support keratin in your hair and help make it stronger, smoother, and less frizzy.
When suffering from a discoid lupus flare, this is especially protective of your scalp and will help alleviate symptoms while protecting your scalp and hair from further damage.
I use this regularly and its my go-to for hair strengthening, length, and to promote thickness.
Try Hair Gains for yourself today, you have nothing to lose, only beautiful, strong hair to gain.
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How To Prevent Hair Loss During Chemo
Chemotherapy works by attacking cancer cells in your body. As a side effect, chemotherapy kills the cells that make your hair grow. Hair usually begins falling out within two to four weeks after treatment.
Some people choose to prepare for this side effect by shaving their hair off before treatment starts. Many people are more comfortable with this choice. But not everyone who undergoes chemotherapy will lose all of their hair as a result. Sometimes hair simply thins out or recedes.
You may also ask your doctor about a scalp cooling cap. These caps slow blood flow to your scalp during treatments. While its not completely effective, scalp cooling caps can help you retain more of your hair.
Do Split Ends Stop Hair Growth Or Cause Hair Loss
For some reason, in the haircare world, theres this very persistent hair myth about split ends stopping hair growth.
Theres a lot of confusion around this question, especially because many people keep saying: if you want hair growth, you need to cut off your split ends regularly.
So naturally, people assume that if you dont do that, your hair wont grow. And that this must have something to do with your split ends.
Lets clear up the confusion today once and for all!
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Drinking And Smoking Make Your Hair Fall Out More
TRUE: Our habits have more of an impact on our hair than we think. Although it is true that every hair has its own life cycle , some factors affect your roots. As well as being bad for your physical health, drinking and smoking can make your hair lose its vitality, and in some cases, contribute to damage or hair loss by speeding up the hairs natural aging process.
Beware Of Big Promises
There are numerous devices and products that are marketed as effective hair loss treatments, but many of them do not work. Beware of all of the false advertising associated with these products. If a cure for hair loss in women sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Before-and-after pictures may have been doctored to be misleading. How do you know if a hair loss treatment really works? Ask your dermatologist about any treatment you are considering. Look on the FDA and Federal Trade Commission websites to search for approved medical devices and drugs.
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A Less Intensive Approach
Although it can still take months to see a significant difference, many people have had similar results from a combination of supplements, thickening shampoos and illusion-creating haircuts.
After her husband noticed a few bald spots on the back of her head early in the pandemic, Martyna Szabadi, a 34-year-old business consultant who hasnt had Covid-19, experimented with products said to promote hair growth, including various scalp scrubs, a hair serum from the Ordinary and a daily drink of flax seed water. Nothing helped until she began using RevitaLash Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner and taking four capsules of Nutrafol core supplement for women.
After half a year of this combination, I finally have the hair issue under control, Ms. Szabadi said.
Nutrafol supplements also seemed to help Ms. Hill get her hair back on track after she began taking them in July, leaving her with a slimmer part and new hair growth around the crown. It was a boom year for the company, with revenue increasing 60 percent in 2020 compared to 2019, according to Giorgos Tsetis, the chief executive and a founder of the company.
Mr. Tsetis said that 80 percent of the companys sales increase can be attributed to its two core formulas for women: Nutrafol Women and Womens Balance. They include ingredients like vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc and biotin, the last of which has become widely known as a hair growth supplement despite the fact that dermatologists disagree over its efficacy.
How Often Should You Trim Your Hair
There are varied opinions on how often you should trim your hair. A lot of that decision should be based on your personal circumstances.
For example, if you tend to do a lot of things with your hair then it is likely that you would need to trim more often.
If you do fairly low maintenance hairstyles like twist outs then you may find that you wont need to trim your hair as much.
The more you get to know your hair the easier it will be to see when you are due for a trim.
If you are new to trimming then as a guide its a good idea to trim your hair every 4 months or so but if you want to try and retain more length then you could wait a little longer than that timeframe, perhaps 6- 8 months instead.
If you do want to wait longer then I would suggest that you are extremely careful with your hair and keep manipulation to a minimum.
You can check out the signs that your hair needs a trim here
If you are going to trim your own hair please please please use professional scissors to do so. They are fairly cheap and will make all the difference to your hair. You can get some from here.
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Postpartum Hair Loss Help: Tips From A Cosmetologist
This post may contain affiliate links. Full disclosures here.
As a licensed cosmetologist and a mom I am all too familiar with postpartum hair loss.
Before I had my first child, new moms would sit in my chair daily complaining about their hair loss and inquiring what can be done to remedy it.
Although I would try to emphasize with them, I didnt truly understand the implications of postpartum hair troubles until it hit me HARD.
If you are suffering from postpartum hair loss today and need some help, hope and tips, keep reading!
Why Your Hair Is Falling Out
You might start seeing more hair loss than normal thanks to the following:
- Genetics.
- Hormonal changes like pregnancy or menopause.
- Certain hairstyles.
- Damaging haircare like perms or bleaching.
- Medications like chemotherapy.
- Medical conditions like fungal infections or thyroid disease.
Working with a dermatologist, you can begin identifying what might be causing your hair loss. Your doctor will ask about your health, your medications and your family history.
I tell the patients to keep track of events that are unusual for them, for instance, a heavy menstrual period, says Dr. Bergfeld. So when we go back to look for triggers, well have some hint at what it could be.
Your doctor will also look at other areas on your body like your eyebrows, lashes, underarms, pubic area, legs and arms to assess if theres hair loss.
Many times, hair loss is an indicator that something more serious is going on.
Hair loss, particularly shedding, is just a sign that something has happened to the body, says Dr. Bergfeld. The hair follicle is one of the three fastest turning over cell lines in your body. Anything that affects your body and throws it out of balance will affect those systems. So shedding hair is an indicator that somethings wrong.
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Follow The Mediterranean Diet
Eating fruits, vegetables and protein the main ingredients in the Mediterranean diet can be helpful, especially compared to other trendy diets.
When you go on these restrictive diets, you may lose weight but its probably something you cant maintain, says Dr. Bergfeld. And theyre usually lacking in something that your hair follicles need.
Indulge In A Hair Spa At Home
If you want to maintain luscious and healthy hair, a hair spa works best. The good news is you can do it at home by following these easy steps:
Step 1: Shampoo your hair.
Step 2: Apply a deep conditioning hair mask.
Step 3: Apply steam to your hair. You can dip a towel in hot water, squeeze the excess water, and wrap the towel around your head. You can also use one of these good hair steamers.
Step 4: Wash off the conditioner. Towel dry.
Step 5: Apply a light oil or serum.
A hair spa at home will make your hair and scalp healthier, the roots stronger, and improve blood circulation. It reduces hair fall and stimulates hair growth by nourishing the hair follicles and removing impurities. Your hair will feel softer and look shinier.
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