Is your hair starting to show your age? As we get older and wiser, our hair starts getting thinner and thinner. It’s important to understand the terminology related to hair loss or hair thinning. Shedding, according to dermatologists, is a painless loss of hair at the end of the growth cycle. Our hair follicle moves through three phases anagen, catagen, and telogen.
Thinning hair in simple words means loss of hair density and a decrease in hair quality. Today it’s a common problem that prevails in society. It has multiple causes and can be reduced if taken proper care.
Causes of thinning hair?
The exact cause is not known as it varies from person to person. You have to consult your dermatologist for the same. Your doctor can advise you better!
Other underlying disorders like thyroid problems, diabetes or lupus. Any underlying disorder can cause thinning hair.
If you are on a certain medicine or chemotherapy due to cancer. This exposure can lead to thinning hair.
Family history is another cause of loss of hair or thinning hair. You might notice early in your life if your parents have the same. Dandruff can cause thinning hair. Excessive dandruff can lead to skin infections. Consult your skin specialist.
A low protein diet and lack of proper nutrition can affect your hairline. Loss of hair can be due to incomplete or balanced nutrition. This is a major cause of thinning hair in youngsters because of a lack of work-life balance. Pollution and other environmental factors can also lead to hair fall. It is found that people living in metropolitan cities do suffer from hair fall more often.
When to see a doctor?
Hair is the most flexible part of your body, we can curl, straight and mould it! It’s important to keep a good care of hair as this can be indicative of good health. Any unknown change in your hair quality can indicate some disease. According to dermatologists it’s normal to shed 100 strands of hair regularly. So the question is when to see your doctor?
Bad hair quality is an indication of lack of nutrients and a bad lifestyle. Both of them can lead to bad health in general.
Signs that you should look for
Bathroom drain has a lot of hair after you take a head bath.
Hair strain getting stuck to your comb.
Hair thinning
Visible scalp patches
These are some of the signs and symptoms which you should not ignore.
To make your task easy dermatologists provide online consultations so you can take out some time for better hair health.
Thinning hair: Men
The male hormone that is responsible for thinning hair or hair loss in males is testosterone. The hormone is further converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It acts on hair follicle which shifts the growth phase from anagen to telogen resulting in more hair loss. DHT causes more hair fall, lesser hair growth, shrinkage of hair follicles, thinner hair and premature closure of hair follicles. The longer this condition gets, the tougher it is to treat! So start treatment as soon as possible.
The treatment includes topical application, oral medication and laser therapy. Before taking these medication or undergoing hair transplant consult your dermatologist.
Thinning hair : Women
Loss of hair or thinning is very common in women. There are multiple causes for hair loss. dermatologists suggest that loss of a hundred hairs per day is normal. It’s socially and emotionally more accepted in men than women. Shedding more than normal can contribute to overall thinning hair. Here are some causes for thinning hair especially for women
Metabolism changes
Change in your thyroid levels or sugar levels can disturb the hormonal balance in your body. Any changes in your hormonal balance can affect your hair health.
Stress
It is a devil! All we need to do is get rid of it and live a healthy life. Childbirth can be really stressful and often affects your skin and hair.
Nutrition
Right nutrition is self explanatory. Eat right and it will reflect! It’s easy, add good vitamins and proteins to prevent thinning hair. Lack of iron is common in women who have hair loss.
Hormone
DHT is a hormone which is decreased when you get older.
Environment
Heating, pollution, curling, extra use of chemicals and exposure to sun can cause thinning hair.
There are symptoms associated with hair loss like itching, tenderness or burning. dermatologists called it an inflammatory component.
Can thinning hair be reversed?
It’s not impossible to reverse thinning hair but yes, the truth is that the journey is tough! It will take a lot of good guidance and routine but the bottom line is that it will reap!
The very first step is to know the cause. There are different types of treatment that are available for eg if you have loss of hair due to genetic problem, your dermatologist will put you on medication that will be different from if you have thinning hair due to hormonal imbalance. So consult your dermatologist before taking any treatment.
Your treatment could include some vitamins, treatment and medication. Keep reading on to know the treatment options available.
Treatment for thinning hair
The treatment of hair thinning includes finasteride, minoxidil, use of low level laser therapy, platelet-rich plasma treatment.
Nutritional changes like including vitamin D and iron can reduce thinning hair and help in regrowth!
Finasteride and minoxidil are beneficial as treatment of hair loss. But these drugs have their own adverse effects like less male libido and should be used if you are suffering from baldness for five years. This is best for males below the age of 40 years.
Home Remedies
Medications for hair thinning have side effects as well as sometimes prove ineffective in people. Home remedies are natural ways by which you can improve your hairline! These home remedies might act slow and their results are slow as well but consistent use of these magical ingredients will be a healthier solution.
Here are natural remedies to boost your hair health!
Oiling or massaging your hair is considered to be a very old practice to improve hair. Massaging your hair twice in a week with coconut oil can improve thinning hair and premature greying. This is proven to be an ideal hair care solution. Bhringraj oil is all in one solution for hair treatment. It contains all needed nutrition to your hair and scalp. It is rich in vitamins and minerals which prevent split ends. It relaxes your mind and treats dandruff.
Shampoo is necessary for cleansing. dermatologist advice to wash hair thrice in a week. Are you struggling in choosing the right shampoo and trying all the shampoo available? Here’s a solution for you, switch to natural! Amla powder is an excellent scalp cleanser. It helps to get rid of excessive oil and dirt that water alone cannot clean. It is an antioxidant which helps to reduce harmful free radicals. You can mix some reetha and lemon juice with amla powder for better results. This will leave your hair soft and shiny. Reetha is the best natural cleanser.
Hair masks help to provide extra nutrition and better shine. Weekly use of hair masks can help you recover and regrow your hair. Adding carbs and protein to your hair mask can prevent thinning hair. Mash some banana and avocado, apply it to your scalp. Keep this for 30 mins and then rinse thoroughly.
Natural supplements
It is important to add proper nutrition to your diet to see a significant improvement in your health. Here is a list of five superfoods to help you fight hair loss!
-Sweet potato
-Nuts and seeds
-Milk and other dairy products
-Citrus fruits like oranges
-Leafy vegetables
There are some habits that one must avoid to maintain a better quality of hair. Don’t use too much hair dryer. Dry your hair in the sun as this is the best way. Don’t comb your hair too often this can lead to split heads. Too hot a head bath is very harmful for hair.
