If you have noticed your hair is getting thinner or there are one too many strands falling out in the shower, you, my friend, might be dealing with hair loss.
Watching your hairline retreat is no fun and can cause major panic.
Now, before you rush over to Google and freak yourself out or spend hundreds of dollars on hats and wigs, take a breath and check out this stress-free guide for the top causes of hair loss.
We have also added natural remedies you can start TODAY.
Yes, hair loss can be a long ride on the struggle bus, but it doesn’t have to be. The good news is that there are lots of research-backed solutions and natural therapies that can restore your hair and confidence. So take that wig out of your amazon cart and read on!
The Science Behind Hair Growth
Contents
If you aren’t into science, feel free to skip on over to the other sections.
However, learning about how hair grows is an essential part of fighting back against hair loss. Have you ever wondered how hair grows?
It’s not as simple as strands just magically appearing out of your scalp.
In fact, your hair moves through three phases.
3 Phases of Hair Growth
The first phase is the anagen phase and is the phase in which your hair grows. This phase typically lasts 2-7 years, and your hair has the potential to grow up to 30 inches during this phase (R1).
The second phase of the hair growth cycle is the catagen phase, which acts as a transitional phase. During the catagen phase, your hair stops growing and prepares for the telogen phase.
The telogen phase where old hairs will fall out and new hairs will replace them. It is normal for you to loose up to 100 hairs a day, but anything more than that is cause for concern.
Suppose you notice balding, patches of missing hair, a receding hairline, or too many hairs left on your pillow.
In that case, it’s time to pinpoint what is causing your hair loss and prevent it. There are many reasons you might be experiencing hair loss, but here are the top five for both men and women dealing with hair loss.
Stress
You read that right, being too stressed can cause dramatic hair loss.
Stress also has an impact on your overall health. It can also cause digestive struggles, long-term heart issues, and elevation of your hormone levels (R2). In other words, stress is detrimental to your hairline and your health.
The trouble is, most of us are living in a world that thrives on stress.
We have to worry about bills, relationships, and jobs. And that’s just a small list of the daily stress we all experience. So it’s troubling to know that worrying about rent and work deadlines can cause your hair to fall out. When you are exposed to long periods of stress, your immune system goes into overdrive, causing hair loss by attacking your hair follicles (R3).
While you probably can’t quit your job and stop paying bills, you can fight hair loss by addressing your stress and implementing smart strategies to reduce stress-based hair loss.
Here are a few ways you can reduce stress and encourage your hair to grow back.
Take a Breath of Two
Meditation is not just for monks, and it has a significant impact on your stress levels. In fact, Harvard neuroscientist’s found that meditation not only improves stress levels, it also improves your memory and decision making (R4).
You don’t need to start with hour-long sessions to reap the benefits. You can start with just 10 minutes a day and try out Headspace or The Calm App to help guide your sessions.
Get Moving
You always hear that exercise is excellent for your heart health, but did you know it improves your mental health? Exercise improves anxiety and helps treat depression. Exercise also helps relieve tension and increases endorphins in your body (R5).
The cliff notes version?
Moving your body will improve your stress levels, and it also increases circulation in your body. Reducing stress and improving circulation by moving your body just 30 minutes a day will help you restore your hair.
Just Say Ommm
Throw in a downward dog or two if you want to cut back on stress.
Yoga helps relieve tension and regulates your parasympathetic nervous system plus all of these benefits. This helps your body take a chill pill and improves your body’s stress response. If you aren’t comfortable with taking an in-person class, try out a free video on Youtube!
Get Organized
If you have too much on your plate, it’s time to organize your life and relieve your mind. First things first, work on decluttering your home and your workspace.
Having a decluttered and organized space will improve mental health and cut back on stress levels. Aim to clear out a room per day and get rid of unnecessary clothing or toys. It’s also a good idea to start time blocking your day. When you plan out each hour, you can see your to-do list and stop anticipating the next thing to worry about.
This will keep you organized and mitigate stress from having too much to do.
Hormones
There is a proven connection between hormones and hair health. Your hormones are important for regulating your body and support everything from stress to digestion, and even your sleep. When your hormones are out of whack, your body doesn’t function correctly. You might experience hair loss, among other health issues.
While hormonal deficiencies can cause hair loss, it’s important not to self-diagnose and reach out to your care provider to verify a diagnosis. Many potential hormone issues will affect hair loss like menopause, thyroid issues, and DHT from testosterone.
It’s important to pinpoint where your hormone levels are lacking, so you can find the best solution for restoring hormone health.
Suppose you want to balance your hormones naturally.
In that case, you should focus on managing stress, getting proper nutrition, and use natural hair supplements. Some great supplements that support hormones and hair loss are;
· Nutrafol Women (review here)
· Nutrafol Men
At the end of the day, if you suspect a hormone disorder, reach out to your doctor and address it as soon as possible.
Once you are on the proper protocol, you should see some improvements in your hair growth.
Age
Getting older is just a natural part of life. Unfortunately, we do not currently have the elixir of eternal youth just yet. If you are experience hair loss due to aging, you are not alone.
By the age of 50, around 85% of men will notice increased thinning of their hair (R6). While that is a shocking statistic, around the age of 35, 2/3 of American men will experience hair loss (R6). And women are not safe from these statistics either; in fact, female-pattern baldness will affect around 30 million women in the United States (R7).
So while we don’t have a time machine or a way to reverse aging, you can still reach your hair goals by trying out LLLT with a company like HairMax.
LLLT or low-level laser therapy uses medical-grade lasers to restore old cells, improve scalp health, and grow back your hair.
The best part is, LLLT is backed by science and clinically tested to be both safe and effective (R8).
This is a pain-free alternative to surgery or harmful medications, and it produces results in as little as 3-6 months. Try to find laser cap technology that has been FDA-cleared and uses high-quality lasers like Illumiflow.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Food is fuel, and your body needs the right nutrients to function properly. If you are using restrictive diets to lose weight or reach your Postmates app too much, you might miss out on critical nutrients and speed up your hair loss. Adding the right foods back in will address any deficiencies and get you back on the path to hair health.
The top foods for supporting hair health are;
· Eggs
· Avocados
· Peppers
· Fatty fish
· Berries
· Legumes
· Seeds
You might consider checking out the Mediterranean diet full of healthy nutrients and plant-based proteins without limiting calories too much.
But whichever route you choose, don’t underestimate the effect that a wholesome diet can have on your hair and your overall diet.
Over Styling
It’s time to put down the bleach and your blow dryer. Yep, those highlight sessions and your heat styling routine could be causing your hair to fall out.
Harsh chemicals and heat can cause inflammation and hair loss.
Not too mention, this also damages the hair you already have. If you are a fan of bleaching, see if your stylist can add a shadow root or other method to reduce the frequency of dye jobs. It’s also important to let your hair air dry whenever possible and cut out harmful chemicals in your hair products.
Try to find natural shampoos and conditioners that are sulfate and paraben-free!
There are several affordable options, and they will restore your hair health and encourage hair growth.
References
R1: https://www.growgorgeous.com/blog/the-hair-lab/how-does-hair-grow/
R2: https://www.apa.org/topics/stress-body
R4: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1361002/
R5: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-living/the-mental-health-benefits-of-exercise.htm
R6: https://www.americanhairloss.org/men_hair_loss/introduction.html
R7: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16921-hair-loss-in-women
R8: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3944668/
