It’s most women’s worst fear – to find clumps of hair accumulating on the hair brush, or see your hair fall out during wash day. More than 50% of women experience some sort of hair loss in their lifetime, yet many don’t know where to turn for solutions.
Hair is an essential part of our appearance. It adds confidence to our personality. Losing hair impacts self-confidence and self-esteem. That is why, it is crucial to find a remedy to control hair fall.
Shedding hair is different from thinning or breaking hair. When hair sheds, it falls out from the root – where the hair follicle is. When hair thins out, it’s a result of either the hair follicle producing thinner hair, or heat or chemical damage to an otherwise healthy strand of hair. Breakage refers to the strand of hair breaking in two as a result of damage and dryness.
Causes of shedding hair
Before we discuss the causes of shedding hair, it is important to remember that we naturally shed 50-100 strands of hair a day. So, if you have not combed your hair for several days, and some hair sheds, do not be alarmed. It is natural.
We can categorize causes of shedding into internal and external causes. Grouping them this way helps us to better understand our hair’s behavior and what changes we need to make.
Internal Causes
With the exception of genetic or heredity hair loss, most causes of shedding hair are internal and are triggered approximately three months before we experience our hair falling out. When you experience hair loss, think back to three months and assess your situation. Were you under a lot of stress, did your diet suddenly change? Did your body experience hormonal shifts?
Stress is one of the most common causes of hair loss. When our body is stressed, it enters what is called a fight or flight mode, and it reserves its nutrients to support vital functions in the body. What this means is that important nutrients are not dispatched to our hair follicles, causing the follicles to grow thinned out hair, or stop growing hair altogether.
In order to de-stress and encourage blood circulation to your hair follicles, try this electric scalp massager and stimulator.
Not a fan of an electric massager? Try this lightweight scalp massager and shampoo brush instead.
Other internal causes of hair loss include hormonal imbalance or change commonly caused by pregnancy or child birth, taking or stopping birth control pills, menopause, or other hormonal changes that our bodies go through.
Hair loss can also happen as a result of diseases such as diabetes, lupus, thyroid and PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.)
An unbalanced diet is one of the most overlooked causes of hair loss. When our body is deficient in protein, iron and vitamin D, it manifests in hair falling out. Our hair is mostly made up of protein, so be sure to incorporate protein in your diet.
Other common contributors to hair loss are lack of exercise, lack of rest. When our body is not nourished and rested, it begins to provide less and less nutrients to parts of our body that are non-essential such as our hair and nails.
Remedies
For internal causes such as stress and lack or a balanced diet, consider making lifestyle changes to bring your body to an optimal level. If necessary, consider taking vitamins A and iron after consulting with your physician and checking your vitamin levels.
Follicles that are dormant due to lack of nutrients need to be re-awakened with scalp massages using oils. Jamaican black castor oil and essential oils such as rosemary essential oil provide scalp stimulation which encourages hair follicles to thrive. The key in encouraging our hair to grow back is consistency. Take time to massage your scalp with oil before shampooing your hair or after your wash routine.
For hair loss caused by hormonal changes, a tea or coffee rinse is effective in blocking DHT, the hormone responsible for hair loss. A recipe and instructions for this are found on our hair portal which you can access by taking our quiz.
Another lesser known remedy for hair loss is garlic. If eating garlic is not desirable, consider adding garlic pills to your diet.
For disease-related and genetic hair loss, consult a Trichologist or dermatologist for the right course of action.
External Causes
Constant hair tension is a common practice that results in a common type of hair loss known as traction alopecia.
Chemical damage which causes trauma to the hair follicle and scalp conditions such as dandruff are other external causes of shedding hair.
Remedies
In order to prevent traction alopecia, style your hair in such a way that doesn’t cause tension to your hair. If hair is in a tight style during the day, then let your hair down at the end of the day and massage your scalp.
In addition to this, massaging the scalp with essential oils mixed with carrier oil is effective in stopping hair from shedding. Either rosemary oil tea tree oil diluted in olive oil is a good remedy for shedding hair.
If applying chemical such as relaxers or hair dye to your hair, ensure your scalp is adequately protected using ointments formulated to coat and protect the scalp during chemical applications. If possible let the chemicals stay on your head for the minimum required time to reduce the change of trauma to the hair follicle.
Scalp conditions such as dandruff and eczema can cause our hair to fall out. If you’re experiencing scalp issues that are not resolved using anti-dandruff shampoo or oils, consult your physician for medical remedies.
It’s not possible to stop hair loss instantly, and while we cannot control and prevent all kinds of hair loss, we can do what’s in our power to improve our body’s condition to provide the optimal nourishment to our hair follicles. Although often under looked, lifestyle changes do help our hair to a great extent over time.
At Glisen, we strive to provide you with advice and resources to deal your pressing hair needs. For hair loss remedy recipes, advice, tutorials and product recommendations tailored to your unique hair, take our quiz and access your personalized hair portal.
Very important info and guidance , thanks!