What Causes Hair Loss?

Hair loss is really frustrating. But what are the things that can cause hair loss? Hair loss happens when  the hair follicles are blocked by plaque and blood flow is restricted.

Many things can contribute to hair loss, or loss of hair density such as:

·         Nutritional deficiencies (such as Vitamin D, Iron, Zinc, Iodine)

·         Hormone imbalances (such as thyroid problems)

·         Hormone disruptors

·         Chemicals in hair products (such as hair coloring, styling products, shampoo)

·         Infections (such as syphilis)

·         Stress (such as stress from childbirth, malnutrition or major surgery)

·         Long term illnesses (such as Long Covid)

·         Genetics (men=63 possible genes, women=6 possible genes)

·         Medical conditions (such as skin conditions of the scalp, autoimmunity, ringworm)

·         Medical treatments (such as Chemotherapy)

·         Medications (such as birth control or Warfarin)

·         Too many vitamins (such as Vitamin A or Selenium)

·         Toxin exposure (such as mercury)

·         Hairstyles that pull on the scalp (such as tight braids)

·         Hairstyling appliances (such as curling irons, straighteners, blow dryers)

·         Hairstyles that pull on the scalp cause hair loss? YES damages hair follicle

·         Hot showers

·         Disrupted sleep cycles

·         Seasonal or environmental changes

In men, male pattern baldness is also called androgenic alopecia. This is caused by DHT. DHT is derived from testosterone. Both testosterone and DHT are androgens. Androgens are hormones that contribute to male characteristics during puberty. As they age, DHT can bind to the androgen receptors in the scalp, causing them to shrink. When these receptors are blocked, blood flow cannot reach the hair follicle and it gets choked out. When this happens, the hair falls out. Medications like Minoxidil are sometimes used to try and prevent this, but Minoxidil is a vasodilator. This means it increases blood flow to the head, which only treats the symptom and not the root cause.

Women often experience hair loss after menopause, due to hormone imbalance. This is a form of alopecia caused when hair follicles gradually shrink and the growth cycle is shortened. Normally, hair is shed as new hair grows back. But when the follicles shrink, new hairs grow back finer and thinner and may even stop producing hair.

What is hair density? Hair density is the amount of hair strands per square inch. There are several ways you can increase hair density.

·         A diet rich in protein, magnesium, iron, folic acid, and Vitamin D

·         Scalp massage to stimulate hair follicles

·         Limit harsh chemicals and dyes

·         Avoid hairstyles that pull hair tight

·         Get regular trims to eliminate damaged hair

·         Minimize heat tools that damage hair

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help slow down hair loss. Hair density can also be improved by the following:

·         Collagen

·         Castor oil

·         Antioxidants

·         Protein

·         Coconut oil

·         Olive oil

·         Omega 3s

·         Rosemary Oil

In order to address the problem of hair loss effectively, it is important to discover why the hair loss is happening and address the root cause. It typically takes four months to a year to see a visible change in hair density.