Thinning hair is one of women's worst fears. Women are brought up to think of their hair as their 'crowning glory', an indispensable part of themselves and their beauty. It's no wonder then that when their hair starts to thin, women start to feel more than a little anxious.
There are many reasons for the onset of thinning hair in women, ranging from physical stress to hormonal imbalances and autoimmune disorders. The causes are not always clear at the beginning, but the signs of thinning often are: large clumps of hair are left on the pillow and in the shower, the hair part starts to widen and bald patches start to appear on the scalp. When these signs appear and even before these signs appear, it's important to act immediately to put a stop to thinning hair.
Here are some of the ways you can stop thinning hair even before it starts:
- Pick the right hairstyles. Some hairstyles can tug on the hairs that make up your hairline and cause hair loss. These hairstyles include tight ponytails, buns, cornrows and braids. Styles like this also often require really tight hair ties that can pull some of your hairs once removed. Shorter cuts are often gentler on thin or thinning hair since long hair can appear flatter and expose thinning regions of the scalp. Shorter cuts with layers can not only volumise hair but also put lesser strain on hair and therefore lessen the occurrence of hair loss.
- Avoid hair tools that use heat. While heat may be a great tool for styling your hair, unfortunately it can also be very damaging. Excessive heat causes bonds within the hair strand to fracture, making the hair more brittle and prone to breakage and falling out. As much as possible, avoid heat when styling your hair and let your hair dry naturally. If you really need to use heat to style your hair however, make sure to use heat-protecting products so your hair is protected from damage.
- Avoid chemically processing hair. Bleaching, lightening and chemically straightening your hair can all lead to hair loss. These processes can damage the hair shaft and weaken the hair. If you've been putting your hair through these processes it's high time to put a stop to them, and to treat your hair to a deep-conditioning treatment at least once a week. Colouring your hair however, could be helpful. Peroxide, a chemical used in hair colourants, is said to thicken hair strands and swell the hair shaft. The right colour can also make hair appear thicker and fuller.
- Get natural nutrients from your pantry. Foods high in vitamins and minerals especially iron, zinc and vitamin B12 can help revitalise thinning strands. These foods include leafy green vegetables, nuts, fish and lean meats. Apart from the food you eat, there are also some food you can place directly on your scalp that may help with thinning hair. This includes raw eggs and olive oil.
- Massage your scalp regularly. Scalp massages have been known to increase the blood circulation to the scalp, thereby improving hair growth. You can do this in the shower, or with essential oils like lavender, rosemary, cypress or carrot seed oil to further promote hair growth.
- Consider hair loss solutions. If you've already lost a significant amount of hair, you can try topical medications although this doesn't always work for everyone and can take several months to produce any results. For immediate solutions, we would recommend crown extensions, cosmetic hair thickeners or Sensigraft for women. Hair transplants are also available for women who want a more natural, long-term solution to hair loss.
Thanks to today's many scientific and technological advances, women now have several reliable solutions for thinning hair and hair loss. Want to know more about them? Give us a call now on 1300 427 778 for a free consultation (valued at $250.00).
