Healthy and luscious hair is the crowning glory to most women, if not to all. That is what we all aspire to, but that’s not always what we end up with. Some suffer from hair loss and others from balding. There are a variety of factors that might affect the health of our hair – Did you know that the state of your hair is related to your overall health?
There are several factors that affect the health of your hair; from the simple and temporal factors like vitamindeficiency to the more complex factors like underlying health conditions. The good news is that in many of these cases, there are ways to treat them. Below is a list of a few common and not so common causes of hair loss or unhealthy hair and possible treatments.
Over styling
What to do? – Use dermatologically recommended conditioners after every shampoo; – Let your hair air dry; – Use heat-driven products not more than once a week; and – Limit the amount of time that you use your curling iron.
Anemia
Iron deficiency is said to be common amongst women. Almost one in ten women aged between twenty and forty-nine suffer from Anemia, which is the cause of hair loss and is easily fixed. Your doctor will have to do a blood test to determine for sure if you have this type of Anemia.
What to do?
A simple iron supplement should correct the problem.
Dramatic Weight Loss
We are constantly trying every product on the shelves to lose weight, even if it is not good for you. A dramatic weight loss is a physical trauma that can result in thinning hair. Weight loss can be stressing to your body, and not eating right can result in a vitamin or mineral deficiency.
“Sudden weight loss seems to shock the system and you’ll have a six-month period of hair loss, and then it corrects itself,” says Dr. Hammonds.
Physical Stress Any physical trauma – pregnancy, accident, a severe illness, surgery, and even flu can cause temporary hair loss. Hair loss can be noticeable three-to-six months after the event; the good news is that the hair will start growing back as your body recovers. 11
Lack of protein
If you don’t get enough protein in your diet, your body may ration protein by shutting down hair growth, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. This can happen about two to three months after a drop-in protein intake, they say.
What to do?
There are many great sources of protein, including fish, meat, and eggs. If you don’t eat meat or animal products, here are the fourteen Best Vegan and Vegetarian Protein Sources: Soya bean/Tofu, lentils, beans and legumes, chickpeas, amaranth, quinoa, green peas, artichokes, seeds (chia, hemp), spinach, nuts and nut butter, edamame, leafy greens, sesame, sunflower and poppy seeds.
Heredity
Female-pattern hair loss, called androgenic or androgenetic alopecia, is basically the female version of male pattern baldness.
“If you come from a family where women start to have hair loss at a certain age, then you might be more prone to it,” says Dr. Glashofer.
Unlike men, women don’t tend to have a receding hairline, instead their parting, may widen and they may have noticeable thinning of hair.
What to do?
“Like men, women may benefit from minoxidil (Rogaine) to help grow hair, or at least, maintain the hair you have. Rogaine is available over-the-counter and is approved for women with this type of hair loss.” Says Dr. Glashofer.
Female hormones
Just as pregnancy hormone changes can cause hair loss, so can switching or going off birth-control pills. This can also cause telogen effluvium, and it may be more likely if you have a family history of hair loss. The change in the hormonal balance that occurs at menopause may also have the same result. “The androgen (male hormone) receptors on the scalp may become activated,” explains Mark Hammonds, MD, a dermatologist with Scott & White Clinic in Round Rock, Texas. “The hair follicles will miniaturize and then you start to lose more hair.”
“If a new Rx is a problem, switch back or talk to your doctor about other birth control types. Stopping oral contraceptives can also sometimes cause hair loss, but this is temporary,” says Dr. Hammonds. “Don’t make your problem worse with hair-damaging beauty regimens.”
