Maintaining a healthy head of hair is generally not difficult for those who don’t suffer from male or female pattern baldness. However, you may notice that your hairline is receding or that you’ve got bald patches showing up in odd places. If you’re concerned about a sudden bump in hair loss, talk to your doctor.
Hair Growth Basics
We all lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day. Hair loss becomes visible when the replacement hairs, which come in at about the same rate, stop filling in the gaps. There are many things that can cause changes in your hair growth, including
- hormonal changes, such as menopause or andropause
- family history of hereditary baldness
- medications, from blood pressure pills to arthritis pain meds
- stress
- chemically treating your hair
- hairstyles that put strain on the follicles
Prevent Hair Loss
You can prevent hair loss on a daily basis with some simple changes. If your hair is long, try a loose braid before you go to bed to prevent tugging as you move in your sleep. Additionally, invest in a silk pillow cover. No matter the quality of your cotton bedding, cotton will tug on your hair, while silk will allow it to slide over the fabric.
If your hair is damaged from a chemical treatment, consider cutting it short and leaving it alone. Short hair may be a bit bland if you’ve had a cut that required a lot of attention, but that attention can come with a lot of heat, tugging, and a product that is not good for your hair. A short cut can let thinning hair come back naturally. Wear a hat to reduce sun damage to the follicle, shaft, and your scalp.
Promote Hair Growth
Find a style that doesn’t require a great deal of tugging. Invest in a natural bristle brush that you can use to move oil from your scalp down the shaft. Purchase gentle cleansing products and let your hair rest from the product at least one day a week. Make sure you’re getting enough protein, and take a multivitamin daily. Check the label of the multivitamin to make sure you’re getting enough Vitamin D, and add more if needed.
There are many ways to find hair growth medication online, and some combine prescription-strength products with supplements to promote hair growth. Make sure to discuss these products with your physician to make sure that you’re not taking anything that will react badly with your current medication regimen.
Consider scalp massage. In addition to eating selections from the Mediterranean diet, for quality protein, fresh greens, and fresh herbs, a 15-minute scalp massage using 1/8 to 1/4 cup of olive oil, is a great way to treat your scalp for infections, protect and promote hair strength down the shaft, and protect damaged hair from drying out further.
While there are many other products out there that claim to promote hair growth or lead to strong hair, olive oil is truly a no-risk solution. If it doesn’t help your hair type, you’re out very little. Try these treatments on the weekend to see if your hair shafts don’t look better and if your hair doesn’t feel stronger.
Non-Genetic Reasons for Hair Loss
It’s critical that you discuss any sudden hair loss with your physician. A sharp drop in any one hormone can result in rapid hair loss or get in the way of growing new hair. Your endocrine system is in charge of your body’s ability to grow and heal. Once you reach adulthood, there are still things for your glands to do. If you have an illness or growth on any of your glands, such as your pituitary or adrenal, the condition may show up first in sudden, unexplained hair loss.
Your hair is not just cosmetic. Many of us are sincerely invested in our hair and have put a lot of time and effort into keeping it in good shape. However, your hair is sort of a canary in the coal mine. Severe emotional upset, sudden illness, or a pervasive endocrinological risk can show up in sudden hair loss, so pay attention to it and take it to your doctor if you’re concerned.
