Hair loss can have multiple causes, including diet, mineral deficiency, medicines, severe stress, various diseases, pollution, and genetics. About a third of the population suffers from it, and of this fraction thousands of people are female. You are not guaranteed to be able to prevent a fall that is genetically programmed or due to factors beyond your control. However, you can do your best on numerous fronts to allow your hair to always stay in top shape, without letting it fall out earlier than necessary.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Avoid Damaging Your Hair
Step 1. Reduce your hair dryer usage
Heat weakens the hair proteins. Constant heat and drying can make them brittle, which causes a fall that would not otherwise occur. Air drying is preferable to protect their health, so try to let them dry naturally and limit the use of hairdryers.
- Other tools that heat your hair, including straighteners, brushes, and heat curlers, can also have this effect.
- If you use tools that require heat, be careful, as burning the scalp can permanently damage the hair follicles.
Step 2. Avoid getting a perm
This treatment refers to both chemical straightening and curly perm, both of which are potentially harmful to the hair. Specifically, it breaks the internal structure of the hair, and then reshapes it in a different way in order to straighten or curl it. This weakens the hair, making it dull, dry and brittle. Over time, dry and weak hair is at greater risk of falling out.
Step 3. Cut down on dyes and chemical treatments
Frequent use of chemicals used to dye your hair increases the chances of it being severely damaged. Wait at least 4-6 weeks between one color and the next. When dyeing them, it's best to always use conditioner after shampooing. If your hair starts to turn gray, instead of dyeing it, it would be much more delicate to leave it as it is.
Step 4. Don't bleach your hair
The bleaching removes the natural pigment as soon as the chemicals penetrate the cuticles. By doing so, you change the structure of the hair and make it more vulnerable to damage. You weaken it, so the bleaching associated with blow-drying and styling can be really damaging.
Step 5. Don't pull your hair too hard when you pick it up
Some hairstyles lead you to pull your hair by using rubber bands and clips. If done daily, this can result in a fall. For example, ponytails, braids, tight braids and braids wrapped around the head can cause significant loss if done every day. Pulling your hair with curlers, especially hot ones, is another action responsible for the fall and can exacerbate it.
The medical term for hair loss due to overly aggressive hairstyles is "traction alopecia", which is absolutely preventable because it depends on factors you can control
Method 2 of 4: Actively Take Care of Your Hair
Step 1. Wash your hair with a mild shampoo
Washing helps prevent hair loss because it can keep your hair and scalp clean (preventing the chances of infection, a possible cause of loss). Provided you use a gentle product, clean hair appears to have more volume than dirty hair, which tends to flatten out and separate into strands.
Step 2. Choose a shampoo suitable for your hair type
Buying a good product will help you a lot in having healthy hair, so take some time to find one that is suitable for your hair type. Consider whether you have thin, dry, oily, or normal hair and try various shampoos to figure out which one works. If you have dandruff or dye your hair, go for a special product.
The shampoos and conditioners enriched with proteins and volumizers make the hair temporarily smoother and thicker, because they fill the empty parts of the hair shaft. However, they do not repair damaged hair
Step 3. Read the ingredients list to find out if a shampoo is mild
Using a mild product can help keep your scalp and hair healthy. Checking the ingredients of the shampoo allows you to understand if it is adequate or not. Avoid those containing sulfates and / or sulfonates. Instead, the first ingredient after water should be isetonium or glycoside.
- Some of the more popular ingredients contained in mild shampoos include sulfosuccinates, sultains and amphodiacetates.
- Silicones, polyquaternium, and guar can be good moisturizing ingredients.
Step 4. Use a good brush
The way you brush your hair can have a huge impact on its hydration. Choose a delicate brush of natural fibers and do not brush from the top to the tips, but from the bottom to the tips; grab a strand, put the brush under the lower part of the hair and brush it outwards. Proceed as smoothly as possible and don't pull them too hard.
Better to avoid brushing your hair when it's wet, use a comb instead
Step 5. Try massaging your scalp
A massage performed with egg oil increases arterial flow to the skin surface of the head and hair follicles. Massaging the scalp firmly warms the skin and improves circulation, so the follicle cells receive enough nutrients, which in turn maximizes growth potential.
Scalp massage can also relax you, which is helpful for overall body functioning
Step 6. If you are concerned, take a hair thinning test
The examination that allows you to understand whether or not you suffer from hair loss can be performed with a pull test. Take a small pile of hair, about 20-30, and grasp it between your thumb and forefinger. Pull them slowly but firmly. If more than 6 hairs are falling out at the same time, you may have a hair loss problem.
This Not it's a surefire test, but be sure to go to your doctor or trichologist if you think you're losing more hair than usual. But remember that losing hair is natural every day, it happens to everyone.
Method 3 of 4: Proper Nutrition for Healthy Hair
Step 1. Eat a healthy and balanced diet
How to prevent hair loss by acting on the nutritional front? Simple methods based on common sense are enough to have a healthy scalp and hair. A healthy body is more predisposed to having healthy hair than a weakened body. Hair loss may be slowed down by a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables. There are vitamins and minerals that can be particularly helpful in promoting good hair health and thus preventing hair loss.
Step 2. Consume enough iron
Iron is an essential mineral. The one contained in animal food sources is called heme iron, while the vegetable non-heme iron. Taking little can cause anemia. This disrupts the distribution of nutrients to the follicles, potentially increasing hair loss. To avoid this, make sure iron-rich foods are not lacking in your diet.
- Red meats, chicken and fish are good sources of iron;
- The same goes for green-colored vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, and kale.
Step 3. Get enough protein
They are essential for strong hair. A protein deficiency can dry out and weaken your hair, thus causing it to fall out. Adequate protein intake can help absorb hair-strengthening amino acids. Often found in shampoos, it is the food-derived proteins that really improve the condition of the hair and prevent it from falling out.
- Get protein by eating seafood, chicken, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, legumes, pork tenderloin, soy, lean beef, and protein bars.
- Vegans, non-dairy people, and others can get good non-animal protein from tempeh, tofu, wholemeal bread, peanut butter, brown rice, lentils, quinoa, nuts, seitan, beans, and broccoli.
Step 4. Consume Vitamin C
Foods that are rich in iron promote good iron absorption, so try to combine foods that have a lot of iron with those that are high in vitamin C to get the most out of the mineral. This vitamin also promotes the production of collagen in the body. This strengthens the capillaries that bring nutrients to the stem. Here are some good sources of vitamin C:
- Citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, salad, baked potatoes and tomatoes.
- Blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries are other good sources.
Step 5. Make sure you are getting enough omega-3 fatty acids
These fats keep hair healthy and help prevent it from becoming dry and brittle. They are found in the cells that line the scalp and allow both hair and scalp to stay hydrated. They are important fats that the body cannot produce on its own, therefore they must be obtained through food.
- Add enough fatty fish to your diet, such as tuna, salmon, and mackerel.
- You can also get these acids from seeds and nuts, especially flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and nuts.
Step 6. Eat foods rich in biotin
It is a water-soluble B vitamin. It is especially important for hair, since a deficiency can cause it to become brittle and accelerate hair loss. Here are some good sources of biotin: whole grains, liver, egg white, soy flour, nuts, and yeast.
Whole grains are also a good source of zinc. A deficiency can contribute to a dry, itchy scalp and hair loss
Step 7. Consider taking supplements
Talk to your family doctor first. You may want to consider using supplements to prevent hair loss. You should inquire about biotin, inositol, iron, vitamin C, and saw palmetto (also called serenoa repens and florida palmette), among others. They have not been proven to prevent hair loss, but in some cases they appear to be effective.
Step 8. Know which foods to avoid
In addition to knowing what's good for you, it's also best to know what things to stay away from. The basic rules of a classic healthy and balanced diet always apply, but there are some particular foods that can contribute to hair loss. Aspartame, an artificial sweetener, has been shown to cause hair thinning and related hair loss. Food additives can also have a negative effect.
Raw egg whites contain a substance that binds to biotin, preventing its absorption
Step 9. Make sure you are getting the proper amount of calories
A low calorie diet can lead to temporary hair loss. Your body needs minerals and vitamins (such as those listed above) to develop hair growth. Drastically cutting down on foods could negatively impact your intake of these essential nutrients. Also, cutting down on calories too much can lead to significant stress, stopping hair growth or putting you into some sort of hibernation phase. In short, avoid too drastic diets, otherwise you could find yourself losing your hair, as well as weight.
Method 4 of 4: Contact a Doctor to Find a Solution
Step 1. Know when to go to the doctor
It is important to know when hair loss could become a symptom of a more serious health problem. If so, you should make an appointment with a specialist right away. Get in touch with an expert if the loss follows an unusual pattern or occurs quickly at a young age, for example during adolescence or the early 20s. Here are other symptoms to watch for:
- Hair loss is accompanied by pain and itching or a red and flaky scalp;
- Some spots on the beard or eyebrows are hairless;
- You are a woman and you are witnessing patterns of androgenetic alopecia or you have an abnormal menstrual cycle;
- You have recently gained weight, suffered from a feeling of fatigue, muscle weakness or cold intolerance.
Step 2. Prepare for the appointment
Before going to the visit, you should think about the symptoms you have noticed, so that you can clearly describe them to the doctor. Consider when you first started seeing hair loss, whether it was occasional or continuous. Also, ask yourself:
- Have you observed poor growth, rupture or thinning?
- Has a person you have a close blood bond with suffered from a fall?
- Are you taking any medications or supplements?
Step 3. Learn about men's treatments
Hereditary baldness is the most common cause of hair loss. As for men, it is characterized by thinning at the hairline that forms a sort of M. Although it is not a pathology and has a genetic origin, the doctor can prescribe treatments. Here are the medicines that are used the most:
- Minoxidil (Aloxidil) is often contained in solutions to be applied to the scalp to stimulate the hair follicles.
- Finasteride (Propecia, Proscar) is an active ingredient that blocks the production of a form of testosterone related to baldness.
Step 4. Learn about women's treatments
About one third of women experience hair loss. Approximately two-thirds of menopausal women observe some thinning or bald spots. Women rarely have hairline thinning, but thinning develops in the area where the part is located. It results in a greater scarcity of hair on the crown of the head. Here are some of the most common medicines to treat female alopecia:
- Minoxidil (Aloxidil) is designed for topical use and should be massaged into the scalp.
- Antiandrogens are hormone receptor antagonists that are very rarely prescribed.
- Iron supplements are prescribed for some women, especially vegetarians, who have suffered from anemia in the past or have a heavy menstrual cycle.
Advice
- Avoid exposing your hair too much to sunlight.
- Avoid hot styling tools, as they damage your hair and can cause split ends, leading to breakage.
- Sleep with your hair braided, don't let it loose. When you roll over in your sleep, you will stress them less.
- Prefer mild shampoos and conditioners: they are sweeter on the hair and generally promote better hydration. Similarly, avoid harsh products, especially those containing deodorant ingredients, as they damage the scalp.
- Avoid gels and other similar styling products - they tend to accelerate hair loss, breakage and daily deterioration.
- Certain diseases and taking antibiotics can cause hair loss, so keep fit to help counteract the effect they have on your scalp.
- Humans lose around 100-200 hairs per day. Many of them don't fall out until the moment you shower or shampoo. You don't have to worry about it, unless you see bald spots on your head.
- Celiac disease can cause hair to fall out - if it worries you, talk to your doctor.
- If you are pregnant, don't panic about postpartum alopecia. Hair loss is a frightening effect of pregnancy, but it is due to natural hormonal changes caused by the expectation that have changed the quality and even the thickness of the hair. The loss indicates that hormone levels are returning to normal. The fall caused by postpartum alopecia usually passes within a few months.
