Tips for Growing Longer, Healthier Strands When Facing Hair Loss

If you’re facing hair loss, don’t feel defeated. Everyone’s hair falls out naturally to some extent as part of the growth cycle. This makes place for new, healthy strands. With healthy hair loss, the hairline and thickness of the hair will remain the same. There are, however, many cases where hair loss is excessive and sudden and happens in unnatural patches, causing noticeable thinning.

If you notice unnatural hair loss despite taking good care of your hair and scalp, there are several options to facilitate regrowth and prevent further loss. The effectiveness of the various remedies will depend on the cause of hair loss.

Causes of Hair Loss

Pattern baldness occurs slowly with ageing and is mainly due to genetic factors. More sudden and immediate causes include chemotherapy, physical and emotional stress, excessive styling and hair treatments, hormonal changes, medications and alopecia areata.

With the autoimmune disease alopecia areata, cells in the immune system attack the hair follicles causing the attached hair to fall out. The more hair follicles are attacked, the more severe the hair loss. Although the attack causes hair to fall out, it rarely destroys the follicles. This means that the hair can regrow.

Tips to Enhance Strong Hair Regrowth

Hair and Scalp Care

The first, and simplest way to prevent further hair loss is by taking good care of your scalp and hair. Maintain cleanliness, ensure that shampoo is massaged into the scalp and use conditioner after every wash.

The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD) also advises giving tight hairstyles and hair styling tools a break when you want to repair and regrow your strands. Opt for loose styles that don’t pull on the hair or scalp and avoid applying heat tools, curling and dyes.

Biotin

Biotin, also known as Vitamin B7, is a popular supplement for skin, hair and nail health. It plays a key role in cell growth and protein synthesis. This is important in protein production which strengthens hair shafts, restores texture and prevents thinning.

Dozens of studies have shown that biotin is effective in improving hair and nail health, especially in cases where the cause is a vitamin deficiency. Smoking, certain medications, pregnancy, diabetes, a poor diet and certain illnesses can all potentially result in biotin deficiency.

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin. This means it doesn’t remain in the body for long after being ingested. It is essential that the vitamin is taken orally. That is why taking a biotin pill is one of the best ways to supplement it and ensure it’s absorbed in the body. When biotin is combined with other vital vitamins, minerals and amino acids, it produces better results and is more effective in promoting hair growth.

As an additional bonus, taking a biotin pill supplement promotes and maintains energy-yielding and macronutrient metabolism as well as nervous system functions.

Medical Procedures

Two slightly more invasive treatments for hair loss include injections into the thinning or bald areas. Corticosteroid injections are done every four to eight weeks, while platelet-rich plasma therapy is done once monthly for three months. Both these procedures are done either by a dermatologist or doctor.

Hair loss can be reversed if caused due to medication, pregnancy, stress, chemotherapy or certain illnesses. Regrowth can take 3 to 18 months. Maximize the vitamin and mineral value of your diet, take the necessary supplements and ensure you get enough rest to give your immune system a boost.