14 solutions to help solve why your hair is thinning

Whilst your hair brush seems like it is packed with more and more loose strands of your hair or an ever-scrawnier ponytail can be startling but doesn’t necessarily mean anything’s wrong. By age 50, half of women will complain of hair loss. “As we age, overall hair density changes and individual strands become finer,” says dermatologist Doris J. Day. But just because thinning is natural doesn’t mean you have to accept it. Here are 12 solutions to help you keep the hair out of your brush and on your head.

Meals

Now, this is easy! Hair thrives on protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Get them from lean meats, leafy greens, nuts, beans, and fish. 

Massage

You’re halfway there every time you shampoo: massaging your head in the shower improves blood flow to the scalp. This means a better environment for hair growth, but it also aids the penetration of any treatment shampoos you use.

It’s the easiest fix you never considered. Hair dryers and irons, especially if you already color, can cause breakage and thinning, so reduce your use however you can.

Minoxidil

As the only FDA-approved proven ingredient, the drug has years of research to back it up—and about 50% of women using it see improvement. “Minoxidil can enhance the size of the follicle so that it produces a bigger strand of hair,” says Diane Shawe.

Try Pantene Expert Minoxidil Topical Solution Hair Regrowth Treatment for Women

Sometimes a supplement is all you need. The combination of fish protein, vitamin C, zinc, biotin, and niacin in Viviscal supplements encourages the body to produce healthier, thicker strands.

Laser treatments reduce the inflammation in follicles that inhibits them from regenerating. In a recent study, researchers saw significant increases in density after 26 weeks of twice-weekly treatments with a medical-grade lasers.

Just breathe—seriously, it could help! Both sudden and chronic stress can halt hair growth. If you’ve been through a challenging experience (divorce, job change, death in the family or house move), hair should grow back. If you’re under constant pressure, master meditation—easier said than done, but your hair will thank you.

If it’s serious, consider an Rx. Some women are genetically predisposed to female-pattern hair loss, and birth control pills can suppress overproduction of male hormones. At menopause, thinning increases; if you’re on hormone therapy, it may minimise hair loss.

They hurt, but they work. lnjecting cortisone directly into the scalp blocks the hormonal activity that induces hair thinning. This works especially well in patients with inflammatory scalp disease. However this should be done by a qualified practitioner.

According to practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, hair health is tied to two things: kidney energy and the blood, which nourish the hair. The solution: acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

Every once in a while, hair loss is a symptom of something else that’s going on with your body. If your hair loss is sudden and excessive or simple solutions aren’t working, talk with your doctor about other possibilities, including:

• Hormone irregularities
• Thyroid abnormalities
• Lupus
• Anemia

Change your hairstyle

There are some hairstyles that contribute to hair-loss and thinning hair.

Very tight cornrows for instance can cause traction alopecia.  Try avoiding tight cornrows or heavy braids on thin hair.

Other techniques used in styling such as glues. nickle micro rings and clip ins can also irritate the scalp and inflame the hair follicles resulting in hair loss.

It is also worth considering the type of hair extensions being used as some wigs and braiding hair can cause irritation because the user has a nylon allergy.

Want more information and a free consultation email hairextensions@europe.com

There’s more to adding hai