5 Actions to Take for Rapid Hair Loss
Hair loss is common for many individuals, but there are things you can do to slow down hair loss.
If you’re experiencing sudden hair loss—for example, if clumps of it could fill your entire palm after one shower or two-strand twists that used to take an hour now fall out in five minutes—you should consult a doctor. Hair loss can be a sign of a health problem.
It could be an anxiety or depression issue, or it could even be caused by trauma, like pulling too hard on your hair during styling. If the cause is more than cosmetic—or you don’t know why you’re shedding at all—see a doctor who can prescribe topical treatments or write you a prescription for oral medication.
If you’re noticing more hair loss than hair growth, then it can be tempting to shave your head or try other drastic methods for disguising the effects of thinning tresses—but doing so could actually make things worse in the long run.
The following are five actions to take if you’re experiencing hair loss:
Find the Cause
If damage is reversing your regrowth, it’s time to find out what could be causing this type of hair loss, so you know how to prevent it. The following are some of the potential causes:
- Permanent chemical straightening or relaxing. These processes are known to cause irreversible damage that will halt natural hair growth in its tracks, even when you stop using them altogether.
- Trauma to the scalp, like pulling too hard on your hair during styling or getting it caught in something.
- Low iron levels. This nutrient helps produce hemoglobin, which carries oxygen-rich red blood cells throughout the body, including to your scalp and hair.
- Hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. These hormonal imbalances alter your metabolism in ways that can alter the rate at which new hair grows.
- Certain medications, like the hair-loss medicine minoxidil (Rogaine), certain chemotherapy drugs, or heart disease meds.
Use A Shampoo and Conditioner That Work
To make your locks look thicker and shinier, opt for shampoos and conditioners that contain “volumizing” ingredients like polyquaternium-11, which helps to thicken the appearance of fine or thin hair. Volumizing shampoos and conditioners can also help you keep up with your regular grooming schedule since they make it easier to comb through your hair while wet. They also help add texture and volume. If a person has a thinning crown or hairline, using volumizing products will give the appearance of more fullness.
Consider Your Hair Type
Hair loss also depends on the texture of your hair. Fine textures shed more quickly. If you have a fine texture and are noticing significant hair loss, this could be a major cause.
If your hair is thick or coarse, it may be more likely to fall out later in life. As we age, thick and coarse textures have a higher risk of developing androgenetic alopecia, or male/female pattern hair loss.
Eat Foods Known to Boost Hair Growth
Include a variety of protein-rich foods in your diet, since this helps to increase the number of hormones in your body that promote healthy hair growth. Foods high in protein include fish, beans, poultry, nuts and seeds, and dairy. Similarly, Omega-3 fatty acids—found in salmon, flaxseed, and walnuts —are also crucial to hair growth, since they’re responsible for allowing nutrients to be transported throughout the body.
Take Supplements
Research suggests that biotin supplements may help slow or prevent hair loss resulting from starvation. If you notice your hair is thinning as you go longer between meals, you might consider speaking with your doctor about incorporating biotin into your daily diet.
Other supplements that can be beneficial in preventing hair loss include saw palmetto, ginkgo Biloba, and garlic. These herbs may help block the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is thought to cause hair loss in many people.
Sometimes, extreme hair loss is related to illness or an underlying medical issue—in these cases, it’s important to seek help from a doctor. Then there are other cases where you may want to make some changes to your diet, lifestyle, and overall health in order to promote healthy hair growth.
Originally posted 2021-12-10 18:46:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter