Preventing Hair Loss 101
Are you trying to prevent or combat hair loss? Here is our doctor-approved fail proof guide!
From hair that builds up on the hairbrush or hair that feels a lot thinner than it used to, holding on to your hair can be an overwhelming job! Prevention is always better! When faced with hair loss, most of us hit the panic button and are unsure where to turn for help. We embark upon a vitamin schedule to boost hair growth, change our hairstyle, and load up on products that promise to restore hair.
These might yield some results, but won’t get to the root of your problem. When you start losing hair, you need doctor recommend advice. And then there’s always prevention!
Preventive Measures and Best Practices for Healthy Hair
It is normal to lose a few hair every day; it is a part of the hair’s physiological growth cycle. By and large, lost hair grows back, and you will have a head full of hair. However, if you have a metabolic disorder, long drawn out illness, hormonal fluctuations, stress, or an inherited condition, it adversely affects the growth cycle. More hair falls out, and new hair may not grow back. This results in extreme hair loss. Pamper your hair with these tried and tested guidelines.
Nutritional Tips for Hair Health
When you want healthy, luxuriant hair, you need to begin on the inside and work your way out. Incorporating the right ‘hair happy’ foods in to your diet is the best way to prevent hair loss.
- A protein loaded diet is the very building block for healthy hair – so ensure that your daily menu is protein heavy. Incorporate plenty of legumes, lentils, eggs and meat in to your diet.
- Complex carbohydrates are also crucial for a healthy hair growth cycle.
- Vitamin D 3 (found in eggs and leafy greens) and vitamin E (found in cashews, almonds, and sweet potato) promise healthy hair.
- Additionally supplements boost hair growth substantially. Talk to your doctor and discuss which vitamins and minerals you need to supplement your diet. It is rather difficult to meet the requirements of certain nutrients through diet alone. Supplements come in handy! Biotin, vitamin A, folic acid, vitamin B 12 and omega 3 fatty acid supplements are recommended and they encourage hair growth and prevent hair breakage and hair fall.
- Another aspect of diet, that is more often than not overlooked, is sticking to an anti DHT diet. Certain specific foods block DHT and battle hair loss effectively. Green tea, pumpkin seeds and onions help lower dihydrotestosterone levels and thus thwart hair loss.
- Stay away from alcohol and tobacco, they affect the vitamin C levels in the body. What’s more, vitamin C is necessary for the absorption of iron, which is pivotal for hair growth.
- Hydrate well; drinking large amounts of water keeps the scalp healthy and the hair strands bouncy!
The Importance of a Healthy Scalp
Maintaining a clean and healthy scalp is very vital for good hair growth, therefore prioritizing your scalp health could be the final piece of the puzzle when it comes to attaining your dream hair.
- It is essential that you wash your scalp well with a gentle shampoo and condition the hair without traumatizing it. Avoid a shampoo that will strip all moisture from your scalp and hair. Use a creamy conditioner which will coat the hair strands, and this reduce hair breakage and split ends. Furthermore, using an anti DHT shampoo will help those jostling with androgenic alopecia. Discuss with your trichologist and start one right away.
- Stay away from hair products which contain sulfates and parabens, they irritate the scalp and make all your efforts towards achieving a healthier scalp futile. You must check the ingredients in your hair care products before purchasing them.
- Scalp exfoliation has an important role to play. It helps get rid of a grime build-up and promises A squeaky clean scalp naturally and gently. Natural exfoliants are – yogurt, apple cider vinegar and lime juice.
- Ditch hot oil treatments for your scalp. They heat up the scalp and hair, and cause immense damage.
- Comb your hair gently; do not tug at the scalp. Brushing vigorously leads to hair loss.
- When using the blow dryer, ensure that the lowest heat setting is on. As far as possible, let your hair dry naturally.
- Add a hair masq to your hair care routine. The masq gives wonderful nourishing properties which moisturise and smoothen out tangled hair. It will protect your hair from breakage. The perfect addition to your hair care regimen, you could opt for these natural masqs – egg, honey, banana, papaya and Aloe Vera. These fantastic home remedies guarantee to reverse the signs of scalp damage and notably improve the strength, softness and health of your hair.
- Some experts also swear by preventive Minoxidil; those with androgenic as well as androgenetic alopecia will benefit from topical Minoxidil.
Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Hair Loss
Here are doctor-approved haircare tips with respect to lifestyle modifications –
- Do not wear your hair tightly pulled back in a ponytail or braid. Wearing a hairstyle which constantly tugs on your scalp causes hair loss. Opt for a loose hairstyle which won’t put any pressure on the scalp.
- Avoid blow drying your hair; towel dry instead.
- Keep your use of curling irons and flat irons to a minimum using only on special occasions. These gadgets heat up your hair and scalp, weaken the roots and trigger hair fall.
- Use cold water to wash your hair instead of hot water. Stay away from harsh shampoos, do not tie up wet hair, and use a silk pillowcase when you sleep.
- Ditch synthetic bristles for a bamboo comb; that is gentle on the hair strands and stimulates your hair follicles.
- Stress is a big culprit when it comes to hair loss. Long sustained stress – physical, mental or emotional is a big cause of hair loss. It is very important that you learn to identify your stressor and effectively tackle it.
When to Seek Professional Help for Hair Loss
It is crucial that you don’t procrastinate; when you see hair thinning and hair fall, make an appointment with a trichologist at the earliest. There are a host of causes that set off hair loss and your doctor will help you understand and deal with it successfully. The sooner you find the exact cause, the better are your chances to manage the hair loss. Your trichologist will promise to slow down the hair loss and help stimulate new hair growth too. We, at the New Roots Hair Clinic have a comprehensive approach to evaluate and treat patients with hair loss. We boast of an expert team of doctors providing avant garde techniques at our state-of-the-art facility.
FAQs
- Nuts
- Spinach
- Legumes, lentils, meat
Studies and clinical trials show that hair thinning, hair loss and poor hair growth have been linked to a deficiency of biotin and correcting this dietary deficiency will restore as well as boost hair growth appreciably.
Most of the things that we do to style our hair damages our hair. With time, the damage builds up, leading to unhealthy hair. The best way to prevent unhealthy hair and hair loss is to teach children healthy habits very soon. When the children eat right, take care of their hair well and are aware of the ramifications, it’s the best preventive measure.
It is very vital that you protect your hair when swimming. Hair needs to be protected from the deleterious effects of chlorine – to do so, condition your hair before you swim. Always wear a tight fitting cap when you swim and shampoo your hair with a specially formulated swimmers shampoo. Most importantly, after swimming make sure you condition your hair well to replace the lost moisture and to coat the hair strands with a protective serum.
- When washing your hair, take a coin sized amount and lather up, concentrate on cleaning your scalp, as well as the length of hair.
- A harsh shampoo dies out the scalp and gives rise to flyaway hair which is dull and coarse.
- Condition your hair after shampooing. Using a conditioner significantly enhances the look of your hair by increasing the shine, redycing static electricity, boosting strength and protecting from the harmful UV rays. Use the conditioner on the tips of your hair only not on the scalp or length of the hair.
The ancient practice of hair oiling promises to yield brilliant results! It is a 5,000 year old hair care ritual which absolutely needs to be a part of everyone’s hair care regimen.
You should oil your scalp and hair at least 3 times a week and keep it on for a minimum of two hours. Always apply oil on a relatively clean scalp; massage gently, never vigorously. Use circular strokes when you massage the scalp. Also, opt for warm oil, it penetrates better.
