Although hair loss is not life-threatening, it can still be a devastating life change and can even affect one's personal and social life. Hair loss can trigger many emotional feelings such as insecurity, embarrassment, and even shame. Losing hair can be a very unpleasant experience, but the good news is that it usually isn't permanent. It's often possible to get hair to grow back with a few simple yet effective lifestyle changes. People lose hair in different ways. Some will lose hair all at once and may have bald patches, while others will notice gradual hair loss and thinning hair. A person's hair can reveal a lot about them, such as how healthy they are and even if they are stressed. Because everyone is different and experiences hair loss in different ways, it will likely be necessary to try different remedies in order to stop hair loss in its tracks. This also means that results will vary from person to person, but there is still hope for everyone, although the journey to getting great-looking hair again may be different.
Hair loss is commonly the result of a lack of protein or iron in the diet. Protein and iron are both essential for hair health and growth. If there aren't enough of these essential nutrients in a diet, hair will begin to thin and fall out. Most people need roughly 0.8 grams of protein for every two pounds of body weight daily in order to grow and keep a healthy head of hair. The best way to get more protein into the diet is by eating protein-rich foods such as Greek yogurt, chickpeas, and chicken. Eating iron-rich foods such as spinach, red meat, and instant oatmeal is a great way to increase iron levels or take a daily iron supplement. Every person needs a different amount of iron daily depending on age, health, and gender, so it's best to have iron levels tested by a doctor.
It is important to decompress every once in a while because high levels of emotional and physical stress can have negative effects on the body, including hair loss. When the body is overwhelmed by daily stress or an emotional event, it may retaliate by letting those precious strands go and is an indication that it may be time to make some life-changes. Stress may even cause hair to grey prematurely. A healthy diet, exercise, and some TLC are great ways to reduce stress and recharge.
When a person's thyroid is unbalanced, it is likely that they may notice that their hair is thinning. If this is suspected, it is necessary to get a TSH, or thyroid-stimulating hormone, test done in order to diagnose and treat hypothyroidism. Some thyroid diseases such as alopecia areata cause the immune system to attack the hair follicles, which will cause round patches of hair to fall out. Most thyroid issues can be corrected by simply taking a prescription thyroid medication daily.
Unfortunately, for some people, hair loss is the result of their inherited genes and often becomes apparent with the onset of aging. It is often the cause of male-pattern baldness and can also affect women. There's no way to prevent hair loss due to the family gene pool, but a healthy diet can help. There are also many hair growth products that can help reduce the signs of hair loss and thinning.
Many women find that they lose their hair during pregnancy, after having children, or during menopause. This is because their hormones have changed drastically and throwing their bodies out of sync.
Many people lose their hair due to daily styling with hot rollers, the blow dryer, and curling iron. Bad habits such as combing wet hair when it is more prone to breakage can cause hair to become damaged and fall out. Getting hair dyed, bleached, and permed is also tough on hair. Using a protectant spray before styling with hot tools and using a detangler can help protect hair and prevent damage to those delicate strands.