Hair loss is a common condition in both men and women of all ages.
While it can be genetic or due to a medical condition, it may also be made worse by or be a direct result of lifestyle factors.
There are ways to ways to maintain a healthy head of hair, whether you are male or female, young or old.
Here's ten of the best hair care tips.
1.
Eat a good diet.
It is important to eat a well balanced diet.
Fruit and vegetables will provide essential vitamins that help maintain a healthy hair growth cycle.
Meat will provide protein and iron which are important for keeping hair healthy and strong.
If you are vegetarian, be sure to source substitutes such as spinach, chickpeas, lentils, figs and whole grains.
Eggs are another important food for hair; they are a rich source of protein and without protein hair will become brittle and weak and more prone to breakage.
Avoiding eating too much sugar will help nutrients do their job and prevent raising adrenalin levels in the body, which leads to more Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) - the main hormone responsible for hair loss.
Raised adrenalin levels also lead to stress.
2.
Reduce stress levels Physical and emotional stress can lead to exhaustion, anxiety and depression and knock our hormones levels out of balance.
If the stress is not well-managed then hair loss may occur.
Stress can range from everyday difficulties to major life challenges such as death of a loved one, divorce and illness, so it is important to find coping strategies.
These could include seeing friends, going for a walk or run, seeing a counselor or meditation.
3.
Be gentle with the hair Hair is a living organism and excessive heat and styling all take their toll.
Hair straighteners, hair relaxers, braiding, weaving, chlorine, even combing can damage the hair and make it more susceptible to a form of hair loss called traction alopecia.
4.
Quit smoking A healthy hair growth cycle is dependent upon a healthy blood circulatory system delivering essential nutrients to the hair follicle.
Smoking has an adverse effect on blood circulation.
The nicotine in tobacco causes the blood vessels to constrict which makes it more difficult for the heart to pump blood through the arteries, thereby reducing the nutrient flow to the scalp.
Smoking also produces carbon monoxide which reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood, again causing fewer nutrients to reach the hair follicles.
5.
Sleep well It is important to get good quality sleep as this is when the body cells replenish and recover.
Sleep deprivation has been studied by scientists and a lack of sleep has been shown to affect the body's physical and mental functions.
Disrupted sleep leads to stress and stress is detrimental to the hair growth cycle.
The number of hours required does vary between individuals so it is important to understand what you need to be in your optimum state of health.
If there are things that are preventing you from sleeping such as work worries, family troubles, or relationship issues, finding a way to overcome these problems will not only make you feel more vital but also benefit your hair.
6.
Avoid crash dieting In this age of celebrity, it is easy to see how crash dieting became a popular, if dangerous, way of losing weight.
With newspapers, weekly and monthly gossip and fashion magazines all hailing the stars and their bodies, diets that lead to dramatic weight loss over a short period of time have become big news.
However, there are downsides.
These diets hardly ever work in the long-run, with many returning to their original weight, or putting on more weight.
More importantly, there are serious health implications involved with yo-yo dieting due to the way it stresses the major organs of the body.
And, as if that were not enough, crash dieting can also trigger a type of hair loss called telogen effluvium.
7.
If on medications, consult with doctor over side effects There are many commonly prescribed medications that can lead to hair loss.
Even the contraceptive pill can contribute to thinning hair and female hair loss.
It goes without saying that you should seek advice from a health care professional when it comes to medications.
It may be possible to change your medicine for one with less effect on the hair follicles, or it may be possible to supplement your current medications with proven, licensed hair loss treatments.
8.
Avoid pollution While your work and family life may make it impossible to avoid the inner cities, try to counter pollution with a dose of clean countryside or seaside air from time to time.
Pollutants have an effect on the oxygen we breath in and the blood supply to our hair follicles can be affected if we continually breath in toxins.
While a large proportion of hair loss is genetic (especially in men), research has been carried out that shows any pollutant can exacerbate the shedding by getting into the bloodstream or skin and into the hair follicle, causing it stress and preventing it making a new hair fibre.
9.
Research the family hair loss tree For the vast majority of men and for a large number of women, hair loss will be genetic.
So, ask your family members about their experience of thinning hair and baldness.
Ask about your family members who came before them.
If you see a pattern of hair loss in your family, you may want to look into hair loss treatments that have successfully undergone clinical studies.
The earlier the diagnosis for genetic hair loss, the more effectively it can be treated.
10.
Watch for early signs, and take preventative action with hair loss treatments It is important to watch for early signals of hair loss without becoming stressed about it.
Check your hair regularly and if you are concerned, see your doctor or a hair specialist who can give you an accurate diagnosis.
Some doctors have good knowledge in this area, however some have limited knowledge, so always do your own research and seek a second opinion.
While it can be genetic or due to a medical condition, it may also be made worse by or be a direct result of lifestyle factors.
There are ways to ways to maintain a healthy head of hair, whether you are male or female, young or old.
Here's ten of the best hair care tips.
1.
Eat a good diet.
It is important to eat a well balanced diet.
Fruit and vegetables will provide essential vitamins that help maintain a healthy hair growth cycle.
Meat will provide protein and iron which are important for keeping hair healthy and strong.
If you are vegetarian, be sure to source substitutes such as spinach, chickpeas, lentils, figs and whole grains.
Eggs are another important food for hair; they are a rich source of protein and without protein hair will become brittle and weak and more prone to breakage.
Avoiding eating too much sugar will help nutrients do their job and prevent raising adrenalin levels in the body, which leads to more Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) - the main hormone responsible for hair loss.
Raised adrenalin levels also lead to stress.
2.
Reduce stress levels Physical and emotional stress can lead to exhaustion, anxiety and depression and knock our hormones levels out of balance.
If the stress is not well-managed then hair loss may occur.
Stress can range from everyday difficulties to major life challenges such as death of a loved one, divorce and illness, so it is important to find coping strategies.
These could include seeing friends, going for a walk or run, seeing a counselor or meditation.
3.
Be gentle with the hair Hair is a living organism and excessive heat and styling all take their toll.
Hair straighteners, hair relaxers, braiding, weaving, chlorine, even combing can damage the hair and make it more susceptible to a form of hair loss called traction alopecia.
4.
Quit smoking A healthy hair growth cycle is dependent upon a healthy blood circulatory system delivering essential nutrients to the hair follicle.
Smoking has an adverse effect on blood circulation.
The nicotine in tobacco causes the blood vessels to constrict which makes it more difficult for the heart to pump blood through the arteries, thereby reducing the nutrient flow to the scalp.
Smoking also produces carbon monoxide which reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood, again causing fewer nutrients to reach the hair follicles.
5.
Sleep well It is important to get good quality sleep as this is when the body cells replenish and recover.
Sleep deprivation has been studied by scientists and a lack of sleep has been shown to affect the body's physical and mental functions.
Disrupted sleep leads to stress and stress is detrimental to the hair growth cycle.
The number of hours required does vary between individuals so it is important to understand what you need to be in your optimum state of health.
If there are things that are preventing you from sleeping such as work worries, family troubles, or relationship issues, finding a way to overcome these problems will not only make you feel more vital but also benefit your hair.
6.
Avoid crash dieting In this age of celebrity, it is easy to see how crash dieting became a popular, if dangerous, way of losing weight.
With newspapers, weekly and monthly gossip and fashion magazines all hailing the stars and their bodies, diets that lead to dramatic weight loss over a short period of time have become big news.
However, there are downsides.
These diets hardly ever work in the long-run, with many returning to their original weight, or putting on more weight.
More importantly, there are serious health implications involved with yo-yo dieting due to the way it stresses the major organs of the body.
And, as if that were not enough, crash dieting can also trigger a type of hair loss called telogen effluvium.
7.
If on medications, consult with doctor over side effects There are many commonly prescribed medications that can lead to hair loss.
Even the contraceptive pill can contribute to thinning hair and female hair loss.
It goes without saying that you should seek advice from a health care professional when it comes to medications.
It may be possible to change your medicine for one with less effect on the hair follicles, or it may be possible to supplement your current medications with proven, licensed hair loss treatments.
8.
Avoid pollution While your work and family life may make it impossible to avoid the inner cities, try to counter pollution with a dose of clean countryside or seaside air from time to time.
Pollutants have an effect on the oxygen we breath in and the blood supply to our hair follicles can be affected if we continually breath in toxins.
While a large proportion of hair loss is genetic (especially in men), research has been carried out that shows any pollutant can exacerbate the shedding by getting into the bloodstream or skin and into the hair follicle, causing it stress and preventing it making a new hair fibre.
9.
Research the family hair loss tree For the vast majority of men and for a large number of women, hair loss will be genetic.
So, ask your family members about their experience of thinning hair and baldness.
Ask about your family members who came before them.
If you see a pattern of hair loss in your family, you may want to look into hair loss treatments that have successfully undergone clinical studies.
The earlier the diagnosis for genetic hair loss, the more effectively it can be treated.
10.
Watch for early signs, and take preventative action with hair loss treatments It is important to watch for early signals of hair loss without becoming stressed about it.
Check your hair regularly and if you are concerned, see your doctor or a hair specialist who can give you an accurate diagnosis.
Some doctors have good knowledge in this area, however some have limited knowledge, so always do your own research and seek a second opinion.
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