Causes For Hair Loss
- Stress
- Medication and medical condition
- Nutritional deficiency
- Thyroid
- Menopause
- Childbirth
- Alopecia
- Fungal scalp infections
- Over treating hair
There are several different things that can cause you to lose your hair. Women are more likely to have hair loss due to a medication they take or to an illness they have. When a woman experiences a traumatic and highly stressful time in her life her body often develops telogen effluvium, or the loss of hair. Some of the occurrences that have caused this condition in women are childbirth, severe illness, an iron deficiency, a thyroid condition, and the running of a high fever.
Alopecia is the name for baldness or thinning hair, but there are more than one types of alopecia. The three most common alopecias that do not result in scarring of the scalp are;
- Androgenic alopecia will affect as many as seventy percent of the male population. It will affect nearly forty percent of the female population. This condition occurs because the hair follicles are susceptible to androgenic miniaturization. When men begin to show signs of this condition it usually starts with a recession of the hairline at the temples and the vertex of the scalp. Women generally have thinning on the top of their scalp when this condition first begins. The causes of this type of baldness are both environmental in nature and genetic.
- Alopecia areata is thought to be caused mainly by hereditary traits. The condition causes bald spots on the scalp of the person, but may cause bald spots anywhere on the body. Sometimes the condition is referred to as spot baldness because it appears in patches. The skin beneath the hair loss does not look affected or scarred.
- Telogen effluvium which is the shedding of hair that occurs in the resting phase of the hair follicle. This phase is known as the telogen phase and the causes of this occurrence are generally traced back to stress related incidents, emotional disorders, hypothyroidism, anemia, and the use of certain medications. To verify that this is the cause of thinning hair the doctor may perform a trichogram, a trichoscopy, or even a biopsy.
When the hair is constantly pulled backwards, like women do when they wear ponytails that are very tight, it can cause the person to develop traction alopecia. This happens more frequently in African American women than in women of other nationalities.
Tinea capitis is a fungal infection that can result in the loss of hair on the head or anywhere on the body. This condition often appears to be alopecia areata when it first presents, but further examination will generally show a black dot in the center of the balding area. These black dots are created by the breaking off of hairs by Dermatophytes that are invading the hair shafts.
Radiation treatments can induce alopecia in men, women, and children. Radiation damages the hair follicles stem cell progenitors and alters the keratin expression of the hair follicle resulting in the loss of the hair.
Facts on Hair Loss Treatment for Men and Women
When you hear the words “hair loss” you automatically think of hair regrowth for men, but there are as many females that are looking for the best treatment or pills for hair loss. Thinning hair can be embarrassing and can make the person that suffers from it appear to be older than they actually are. While hair regrowth pills will not make you younger, or healthier, they will improve your opinion of yourself and this will mean a boost in confidence. The sexiest thing there is on earth is a man or woman that is comfortable with their appearance and confident that they are the best they can be.
What To Eat For Healthy Hair?
- Vitamins
- Proteins
- Iron
Hair Loss Solutions
The best hair loss treatment for telogen effluvium is to change whatever is causing the person to suffer the intense stress. If medication is thought to be a contributing factor the doctor may have to write you a different prescription that does not have hair loss as a side effect. Even the best hair growth products cannot combat this condition.
Is Hair Loss Treatment for Men Different than Hair Loss Treatment for Women?
Female hair loss treatment and male hair loss treatment is not that different. More men have treatments like the implants of hair plugs than women do, but women can also be treated in this manner for bald spots.
Hair regrowth treatment for men generally starts with a dietary evaluation and changes were needed. Hair regrowth treatments for women also start with an examination of the diet and the daily activities of the patient. After this assessment is completed the hair restoration for men products are chosen according to the type of hair loss the person is suffering from.
Natural Hair Loss Treatment
Saw palmetto is showing promising results as a hair loss treatment. The saw palmetto seems to inhibit the five alpha reductase and has been approved as a treatment of prostate disorders in the United States and in Germany.
Nettle is used primarily for its protection against reperfusion injury in organ ischemia. It is also used as an active ingredient in many of the hair growth medicine for women.
Pygeum africanum is primarily used to induce apaptosis in patients with prostate conditions. The true benefits of pygeum africanum in the best hair growth treatment have not been found, but it is being used in many of the hair loss in women treatment pills.
Dietary supplements have been shown to create some beneficial regrowth in people suffering from thinning hair. The best hair regrowth product may need to allow the dietary needs of the hair follicles to be met through the ingestion of supplements.
Herbal hair regrowth pills have been available for many years and many of these herbal remedies do show some promise as being beneficial in the treatment of these conditions. The best hair regrowth product includes the chemical products that can be used to increase new hair growth and the herbal remedies that are known to do this. Part of the herbal remedies benefits is the fact that the scalp is massaged and encouraged to relax during the application of the herbal ointments.
New hair loss treatment pills are introduced on the market each year. Some of these products will help some of the people, but no product will be one hundred percent effective for all people suffering from hair loss because of the underlying dynamics and causes of this condition. Do not give up because you try one product and do not get the immediate results that you desire. Not every product works the same on every person and you should not judge your experience by the experiences of other people.
Anyone concerned with losing hair and wanting to do something about it is faced with a HUGE dilemma; I know I was at 18 years old. But it doesn’t matter if you are 18 or 80; if you are worried and concerned you are worried and concerned, and that’s all there is to it.
The main problem most people face is that they are either too embarrassed to seek proper help or in such a darned rush to do something quick before it gets worse that they don’t take enough time to read up and research to get the best results possible – Big mistake!
So this chapter is dedicated to the 2 major forms of ‘what not to do’ regarding hair rejuvenation (the ones that 75% of all hair loss sufferers regrettably turn to) and a short insight into using ‘cover up’s’ to get quick fix solutions. Let’s begin with my BIGGEST NIGHTMARE.
Over-The-Counter Prescription Drugs
Basically there are just two man-made drug treatments in common use today; chemically based products known as Minoxidil and Finasteride.
There is always a choice in life and everyone has the right to make up their own minds but I personally am not interested in either of these two options for many reasons and so would never recommend them to you or anyone else.
The purpose of this guide is to show you how to stop your hair loss from getting any worse and how to re grow it to its former strength and thickness in a natural way without any side-effects and making double sure that all new hair growth is permanent.
The important words there were ’Naturally’ and ’Permanently’ — Neither of the two man-made products are natural or permanent… Heck, they are EVEN dangerous! That’s why I would never recommend them.
Minoxidil: Perhaps the best known of the two is sold as ‘Rogaine’. This drug was first used to treat high blood pressure, but a side-effect was noticed in some users. When applied to the scalp, small but beneficial results in the hair were noticed, mainly in retaining the remaining hair rather than re growing new hair.
Furthermore it seemed to work better on the crown area of the head rather than at the temples, and seemed to be more effective on the under 30-age group.
Unfortunately when the Medical profession and the FDA conducted tests, unpleasant downsides were noted; especially when users took the stronger dosage of the 5% concentration instead of the 2% solution.
Look at this:
Unwanted side-effects included increased facial hair growth (especially in female patients) chest pains, swelling of the hands and feet, and an increase in body weight.
If that’s not enough to frighten you off, it gets worse! You have to apply this stuff twice a day, it costs a small fortune and as soon as you stop using it, your hair returns to the state it was in before you started applying it. The manufacturers realise this of course but play on it, because once a customer starts using Rogaine they are on it for life, otherwise… back to baldness.
Finasteride: This is the other product and better known as Propecia but this is a prescription
drug so has to be prescribed by your Doctor.
Again, this is a daily usage medication, this time taken orally. It is a weaker solution of the drug used to shrink the prostate gland and that’s the main problem. Regular users complain of higher rates of impotence than should normally be expected, and once again the high cost of taking the drug on a daily basis is frightening.
My thoughts?
Are you really willing to part with upwards of $70 (at the time of writing but rising year by year) each month to use these products indefinitely and the minute you stop your hair returns to its previous condition? Are you really willing to abuse your body in such a way and risk health harming side-effects… even impotence?
Hair-Boosting’ Herbs
Herbs have always been a part of our daily lives. So it is not surprising to find that there are some herbs which are beneficial to the growth of our hair, not just to add to our food intake but to use as a source of treatments as well.
Here is a hand-picked list of the 11 best herbs you can try that are time-proven in their use for correcting poor hair condition problems. All of these will be available at your local health store, if not in your supermarket.
Use any of these herbs listed below in either your daily food intake or for herbal packs to apply to your hair and scalp. There are many ways to use herbs for either of these purposes and in this instance it is more beneficial to the user to experiment and decide on his/her own chosen preference.
1. Aloe
Aloe Vera has been studied extensively because of its anti-inflammatory, regenerative and anti-bacterial effects. It promotes regeneration of hair cells. It contains Vitamins B1, B2 and B6, Vitamin C, choline, niacin amide and 18 amino acids which are essential in hair growth. It is an anti-oxidant and has anti-aging properties. Aloe contains aloenin which stimulates hair growth and effectively conditions hair without scalp irritation.
2. Arnica
Arnica has been used for many centuries to relieve inflammation and soothe joints and muscle aches. It promotes hair growth and treats dandruff. It also heals irritation of scalp and soothes it.
3. Brahmi
Brahmi is a traditional Indian herb which was used to treat a variety of health problems such as bronchitis, chronic skin conditions, rheumatism and backache. It prevents hair loss by stimulating and encouraging hair and skin growth. It has an anti-oxidant activity and was noted to reduce oxidation of fats in the bloodstream. It is also effective in scalp dryness, dandruff and hair loss.
4. Rosemary
Rosemary prevents cells from aging and leads to regeneration of hair cells. Rosemary extract has been proven by scientists to safeguard a protective protein known as HSP70, which reduces damage caused by free radicals and stress, which may lead to hair loss. It is an effective hair enhancer and nourishes flaky scalp and takes away dandruff. It also slows hair graying and hair loss.
5. Nettles
The nettle plant has been used in the past to relieve cough, arthritis and stimulate hair growth. It has another anti-inflammatory herb due to its polysaccharides and lectin contents. It is also rich in Vitamin A and C and inhibits the production of an enzyme responsible for hair loss 6.Marigold
Marigold was once used to relieve skin infections and was noted to soothe and tone skin, hair and scalp. It leads to rapid healing of wounds, and prevents hair loss by regenerating hair cells. It gives life to dull hair and releases hair from excess oils yet nourishes it.
7. Sage
Sage is both a medicinal and culinary herbs and is used to heal sprains, swelling, ulcers and skin irritations. Sage contains the chemical substances alpha- and beta-thujone, camphor, and cineole as well as other constituents including rosmarinic acid, tannins, and flavonoids, and these substances are known to soothe inflammation. It is effective in treating dandruff and oily hair problems and restores hair color and hair growth after stress.
8. Horsetail
Horsetail contains high concentrations of silicic acid, potassium, aluminum, and manganese and flavonoids which strengthen scalp and soothe scalp irritations. It effectively cures oily hair and makes hair strong, shiny and strong. It stimulates scalp circulation, thus stimulating hair growth.
9. Parsley
Parsley is commonly used to treat head and scalp infections and head lice infestations. It is also known to reduce scalp irritation and swelling. It acts as a natural hair tonic and heals dandruff.
10. Catmint
Catmint has a powerful calming scent and contains a volatile oil which is high in nepetalactone as well as nepetalic acid, epinepetalactone, caryophyllene, citral, citronellol, linonen and camphor. It soothes itchy scalp and moisturizes dry hair.
11. Saw Palmetto
This herb is thought to be the most useful herb of all in the prevention of hair loss. It has been used for thousands of years to help with poor hair condition and complete loss and even today is still considered to be one of the most effective remedies to combat any type of hair loss problems.