Hair Loss

Hair Loss Prevention -The First Step to Stopping Hair Loss

The first step to stopping hair loss is preventing it. Hair loss prevention can be a very difficult task. In fact, if you are experiencing inherited hair loss, you will not be able to prevent it. In this case, you will have to try one of the many hair loss remedies that are available today. There are several to choose from, but I recommend staying with the more popular ones.

If your hair loss is not hereditary, you may have some options available to you to prevent hair loss before it starts. The first step of hair loss prevention is to find out what is causing the problem. To do this, you need to know what some of the common causes are. First off, stress can cause hair loss. Both mental and physical stress can be harmful.

A simple solution to combat stress-related hair loss is to cut the stress. Try to take some extra time each day to relax. Another hair loss prevention step to combat stress may be working less hours each day, or taking a job that does not require as much physical or mental stress. Even thought the job market is fierce, you can, over a period of time, find a different job or even different occupation that has less stress. Stress not only causes hair loss but many other things that are both physical and mental.

Another hair loss prevention step is making sure you get the proper nutritional supplements needed for healthy hair. A lack of protein or iron can cause hair loss. To fix this problem, consult with your physician about taking iron or protein pills. You may also try to consume more foods that contain these nutrients. Yes, a simple change in diet may be all that is needed.

Improper hair care can also cause hair loss. Most people are not aware that improper hair care can be detrimental. Hair loss prevention shampoos are available to ensure that you keep your hair healthy. You can visit your local drug store to find a shampoo or schedule a visit with the dermatologist for something more potent. The dermatologist can help provide you with options for caring for your hair.

Hair loss prevention may be your best defense against hair loss. Remember to stay stress free, get the proper vitamins, and take care of your hair. It is through these measures that you can best combat hair loss that is not genetic.

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Menopause and Hair Loss

Menopause causes many biochemical changes in your body and often menopause and hair loss occur simultaneously. Rather menopause causes hair loss in women. Although women rarely turn bald due to menopause and hair loss, it occurs mainly as thinning of hair. Before menopause, high estrogen levels negate the effects of low testosterone levels. However, during menopause, higher testosterone levels combine with enzyme 5 alpha reductase to form DHT, the main cause for thinning of hair in women.

Statistics on Menopause and Hair Loss

More than twenty-five million American women experience emotional distress due to menopause and hair loss. Only thirteen percent of women experience hair loss before menopause. However, this increases to thirty seven percent, which highlights the relationship between menopause and hair loss. Such hair loss is an overall thinning of hair, especially around the forehead and crown of the scalp.

Natural ways of dealing with Menopause and Hair Loss

Although you cannot combat the causes for menopause and hair loss, you can reduce your hair loss considerably. Consume a variety of vegetables and fruits with whole grains in your daily diet. Lack of Biotin is the main cause for thinning of hair. Eating biotin rich foods like green peas, brown rice, oats, lentils, soy products, sunflower seeds, walnuts, etc. can lower effects of menopause and hair loss.

Eat salmon and B-vitamin rich foods like egg yolks, avocados, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, asparagus, peanuts, bananas, soybeans, herring, mackerel, etc. to prevent problems of menopause and hair loss. Leafy greens, bell peppers, alfalfa sprouts, beets, and whole grains contain lot of silicon, which aids and promotes hair growth.

Regular hair and scalp massage increases blood circulation to hair follicles and promotes better growth to combat menopause and hair loss problems. Avoid rough handling of hair by combing through wet hair and avoid using hot blow dryers to prevent hair loss during menopause.

Decrease in the crowing glory in women leads to various problems of depression during menopause and hair loss. Women look less feminine. You can alter your hairstyling to mask effects of menopause and hair loss.

Shorter and layered hair can add more bounce to your hair. Use a good mousse or soft gel to provide better looks to your hair without harming or increasing problems due to menopause and hair loss.

Treatments for Hair Loss during Menopause

Doctors recommend intake of different medicines like dutasteride, propecia, and regain to combat menopause and hair loss problems. Other costlier alternative treatments for menopause and hair loss problems include hair weaving, stem cell therapy, hair transplantation, EXT and stereoscopic follicular unit hair transplantation, etc. These treatments cost more than $20,000. A combination of Dutasteride with stereoscopic follicular unit hair transplantation provides excellent results for hair loss occurring due to menopause.

Jodie Phillips is the owner of several Women's Health-related websites at [http://infertility.jbiff.com/] and she shares her knowledge and research on Women's Health in a series of articles.

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Hair Loss Solutions - Bonafide Cures or Bald Face Lies?

PART 1

Very much a highlighted news topic, the stem cell research controversy continues. Reasons for the "need" of research include possible help for persons with terminal cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury...and hair loss.

Hair loss is an important subject for the many men and women who experience it. The careless remarks and gratuitous jokes about baldness made by people with full heads of hair only add to their humiliation. Some people even experience anger that their hairline threatens to become as receded as the waters of the Red Sea for the Hebrews so many years ago.

Countless people wonder whether or not there really exists a cure for hair loss. Before we answer that question, we should first answer the questions, "What is hair loss?" and "What causes it?"

What is Hair Loss?

The term "Alopecia," more commonly known as "baldness," includes various disorders that involve the lack of hair where it would normally grow; especially when it involves the head. The most common form of baldness is a progressive hair-thinning condition that occurs in some adults.

Each piece of hair has a follicle located at the end of the hair shaft. Follicles act as the hair's incubator;" it is where the hair is produced. Each strand of hair has a matrix, located at the base of the follicle. Cells in this area produce keratin, a tough protein that makes up the hair shaft, and melanin. Melanin stains the keratin, giving hair its color.

The activity of each follicle is dependent on surrounding follicles. Healthy hair follicles continuously grow. About 85% of the hair follicles on a healthy scalp are actively growing at the same time, and hair loss is not a problem.

Each strand of hair continues to grow for about 4 years, before going into a dormant period of about 4 months. On an average, only about 15% of the total amount of hair follicles on a healthy scalp is dormant at any one time. It is when a higher percentage of hair follicles stop growing at one time that hair loss becomes a problem.

What Happens During Hair Loss

Follicles are nourished by a network of capillaries, bringing nutrients to the base of the follicle. The amount of blood available to the scalp and to the follicles is determined by the health of the capillaries in the scalp, as well as the arteries in the neck and temple.

Problems develop when hair follicles do not receive proper nourishment. For instance, some women experience noticeable hair thinning after menopause, after the production of estrogen slows down or stops. Hair loss in women is usually more diffuse then in men. Women seldom have bold spots; a large area of the head may show sparse hair growth instead. Only about 15% of women are afflicted by such a high degree of hair loss that it becomes obvious.

In men the hormone DHT can harm hair follicles, making them shrink, or cause them to prematurely enter into the resting stage of the hair cycle. When this happens the result is often the characteristic U-shaped pattern of hair loss at the top of the head.

What Causes Hair Loss?

Predisposition can be one factor as to why one person begins losing their hair as they age, while another person does not. Various other disorders, such as obesity, allergies, and diabetes can also be attributed to predisposition. Sometimes hair loss can be the result of side effects caused by certain prescription drugs. Of course, these factors can often be countered.

Where you may not be able to reverse predisposition, you can sometimes contain it. By changing lifestyle, maintaining a customized healthcare regimen, and eating a well-balanced diet, many such factors can be alleviated or turned around.

More about Hair Loss

When it comes counteracting or slowing down the process of hair loss, products such as Rogaine, Dutasteride, and Propecia can help. Scalp exercises and massages using special preparations can also help.

Telogen Effluvium (TE) is a type of hair loss more common in women then men. It is characterized by high numbers of hairs that enter into the resting stage of the hair cycle, all at one time. This usually causes profuse shedding, as opposed to bald patches. This can be an overwhelming experience for women, especially those who once had luxuriant hair.

TE can be brought on by prolonged emotional or physical stress, severe illness, post-pregnancy hormone changes, or crash dieting. Once the triggering factor has been removed, TE hair loss usually stops. Hair can grow back in even without treatment, usually in 6 months to a year.

With proper treatment, hair growth can be accelerated. Some professionals recommend bringing the level of iron stored in the body up to 70 or 80 ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter). The range of iron normally stored in a woman's body might be between 12 - 50; the lower end not high enough to speed hair growth.

Rogaine can also be used for a few months to start the TE recovery process; once hair does begin to grow back in, Rogaine use can stop.

As mentioned earlier, crash dieting can trigger TE in both men and women. As a matter of fact, diets of less than 1,200 calories a day can trigger sudden hair loss. This is especially true of diets low in protein. When the body lacks proper protein it "borrows" by shifting healthy hairs into dormancy to conserve protein.

Although hair loss resulting from inadequate diets is most often temporary, it can result in permanent loss of hair in persons genetically predetermined towards hair loss. Also, extreme weight loss in men can increase the production of androgens - male sex hormones that kill hair follicles. Once hair follicles are destroyed, there can be no re-growth of hair.

In part-2 we of this article we discuss effective treatments for hair loss and where to go for help. Visit Writers Write Now for part 2, "What can be done about Hair Loss."

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Lori S. Anton is a published writer with 30 yrs. experience, and founder of WRITERS WRITE NOW [http://www.writerswritenow.com], providing unique content, SEO content, and free content. With a passion for creative writing, Lori has learned to exploit the effectiveness of engaging titles, crafting interesting content that holds the reader’s interest. She resides in Wyoming with her husband, Jeff, and diabetic canine darling, Muffy. CLICK HERE [http://www.writerswritenow.com/free.htm] for Lori’s free content.

Menopause and Hair Loss

Statistics on Menopause and Hair Loss

Natural ways of dealing with Menopause and Hair Loss

Shorter and layered hair can add more bounce to your hair. Use a good mousse or soft gel to provide better looks to your hair without harming or increasing problems due to menopause and hair loss.

Treatments for Hair Loss during Menopause

Jodie Phillips is the owner of several Women's Health-related websites at [http://infertility.jbiff.com/] and she shares her knowledge and research on Women's Health in a series of articles.

The Shocking Truth About Female Hair Loss

When you talk about genetic hair loss most people think about the most common form of this problem: male-pattern baldness. This is the type of hair loss that is passed on genetically to offspring from their mothers. Most often the recipients of this type of loss are men, but sometimes the gene can also result in female hair loss.

While genetic baldness in men is identified by a receding hairline or balding crown, genetic loss of hair in women is a bit different. In most cases, a woman will not lose her hair in spots only but will thin out evenly throughout the head. Sometimes, this thinning can be quite severe and result in the woman having to wear a wig to cover up her thinning tresses. While female hair loss almost never results in a completely bald head, it can be extreme enough to expose the scalp quite plainly.

For the woman facing this type of problem, there are a few treatment options that can be explored. They include shampoos, conditioners and topical treatments, such as Rogaine for women, which stimulate growth and prevent further loss; vitamin supplements; and stimulatory treatments such as massage and infra-red therapy. The most successful of these treatments are the topical treatments. While they are quite expensive, they produce the best results.

Hair loss due to chemical processes

No matter how healthy and strong your hair is today, you could experience severe hair loss after undergoing a harsh chemical process such as a perm or color. While almost all chemical fallout is due to operator error, the chance of it occurring is multiplied by chemical services that you perform on your hair at home. I've seen more than one case of female hair loss in clients who have bleached their tresses at home, colored it over and then came to the salon for yet another bleaching. Not knowing this past history, the stylist used too strong a chemical, and the process resulted in loss of hair.

Since most of these cases do not result in complete baldness, the hair loss treatment options include protein treatments and other conditioning treatments to strengthen the remaining hair; a good haircut that will remove most of the damage; and a gentle hair-care routine that will minimize further loss due to breakage. You should also refrain from using thermal styling tools and undergoing any further chemical procedures until the hair is completely grown out.

Hair loss due to stress

Cases of severe stress can literally cause handfuls of hair to fall out at a time. Women experiencing stressful conditions can experience problems represented by thinning all over the head or in spots called alopecia areata. Alopecia areata means "Hair loss in spots or areas," and can result in bald circular patches on one or more spots of the scalp. While this type of problem is alarming, it is not permanent. After the stress is removed, most sufferers of this type of this problem regrow all of the hair that they lost.

In most cases, the treatment for stress-related hair loss is minimal. After ruling out other causes of the problem, your doctor will likely recommend changes in your diet or ideas to help alleviate your stress. Keep in mind that it can take months for your hair to grow back even after the stressors have been eliminated.

Hair loss due to illness

Any type of extended illness or surgery can result in you losing hair. Medications taken to combat certain types of illnesses can also cause your hair to become brittle and break or fall out altogether. The most identifiable type of hair loss is associated with chemotherapy treatments. In most cases, this hair loss is complete and affects all areas of the body.

While there is little that can be done to prevent this type of loss or promote growth during illness, surgery or chemotherapy treatments, this type of female hair loss is also temporary. In most cases, full recovery of hair is made after the illness is over.

You can promote hair growth after the illness by getting regular trims and using growth enhancing shampoos and conditioners. Vitamin supplements may also be beneficial.

As you may have already guessed, loss of hair in women is more common than we might think. And many may be experiencing hair loss and dismiss it as a natural occurrence that comes along with age. A lot of these women fail to seek the necessary treatment that can help them keep their remaining hair and regrow new hair. So, if you are experiencing problems with losing your hair, do not think that it is just because you are getting older. There may be something that you can do to keep the hair on your head from clogging your drain.

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What are the Best Hair Loss Products Available Today?

Nowadays hair loss is a very common problem not only among males but among females too. Hair loss is a source of great anxiety for many, directly affecting their self-confidence and causing feelings of mental and emotional humiliation. With such a high level of anxiety among hair loss sufferers, it is only natural that the hair loss market be filled with a wide selection of effective and not so effective hair loss products.

There are plenty of effective hair loss products and hair regrowth products to choose from, such as natural essential oils, natural herbs, conventional drugs, shampoos, serums, lotions and conditioners.

Finasteride, Minoxidil, and Rogaine are the more popular hair loss drug products available today to stop or prevent hair loss. Finasteride is sold in pharmacies as Propecia, and this hair loss product is recommended only for men. Like Finasteride, Rogaine is available only through drugstores. Rogaine has to be applied twice daily for 3 to 4 months to get any positive results. Minoxidil is a common and effective hair loss treatment method among younger men. However, continual use of hair loss drug products such as Minoxidil may lead to side effects such as a itchy scalp, or even more serious complications such as low libido if these hair loss treatment products are used over a long period of time.

With these possible side effects linked to hair loss drug products, more and more hair loss sufferers are turning to natural hair loss remedies to prevent or stop hair loss. Dr Proctor, Thymuskin, Viviscal, Hair Genesis, Revivogen, Tricomin, and Nisim products are just some examples of the best hair loss products available on the market.

Dr. Proctor's Hair Regrowth shampoo is one of the more popular natural hair loss products, as it has no chemical ingredient. Its Regrowth shampoo is widely used by hair loss sufferers due to its easy application, while its Life Extension Shampoo supports healthy hair.

Thymuskin is more effective (95%) in female than male (67%) for treating hair loss. This hair loss shampoo clears the hair follicle of debris, dirt, oil and other waste. It consists of thymus peptides that diffuse deep into the hair follicles to clean them.

Viviscal shampoo helps to maintain healthy hair. Apart from this, the shampoo treats hair loss and hair thinning. Viviscal products are available in all forms including scalp lotion, conditioner and tablets.

Hair Genesis products are also available as conditioners, topical serums, oral supplements, and hair regrowth shampoo. Hair Genesis is especially favoured by women, and it works mainly by stopping the DHT blockers.

For a more comprehensive look at hair loss and hair loss treatment products, drop by Susan's sites Stop Hair Loss Now [http://www.stop-hairloss-now.com] and Hair Loss Solution [http://www.hair-loss-solution.info]. Other insightful health related articles are available at Top Notch Health [http://www.topnotch-health.info/].

Ultimate Guide To Avoiding Hair Loss

Hair loss (Androgenetic alopecia) refers to the reason of hair loss that is influenced by the androgen hormone, the genetic tendency for balding and aging. Because hair loss is caused by these hormones, treatment is available to immediately and dramatically prevent the loss of hair.

Androgenic Hormones

In general, normal men including women make male hormones. Testosterone, underestimation, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), are the most common that they produce. Androgens are manufactured by the men's adrenals and testicles, and in women, by their adrenal glands and ovaries. In both sexes, these hormones are important but take place in different concentrations and amounts.

When hair follicles are exposed to DHT, a genetically prone individual, over time, leads to androgenetic alopecia, or female and male pattern baldness.

In particular cells of the hair follicle, as with in the sebaceous glands, there are enzymes called 5-alpha-reductase that are in high levels, converting testosterone which is then carried to these areas by the blood, and into DHT.

Hair loss myths:

Myth #1: Hair loss of an individual is inherited from the mother side.

Not true. Genetics is one factor of hair loss, it can be inherited from either the father's or the mother's side.

Myth #2. Frequent cutting of hair will make it grow thicker.

Not true. Although when the hair is cut, it would appear thicker at first, after three days or so, your hair would drop off and new hair would grow, having the same diameter as the pre cut hair.

Myth #3. Wearing a Hat Can Cause Hair Loss.

Not true. The hat can help by blocking off the sun's harmful rays. Although wearing a hat for a very long period of time may cause sebum accumulation due to temperature changes and can react with cholesterol creating a hardened sebum plug that will cut off oxygen circulation causing the hair to fall out.

Myth #4. DHT is the reason for hair loss.

Not true. Although an over production of DHT is a significant reason for hair loss, it is not the only cause.

Myth #5. Frequent shampooing and blow drying lead to hair loss.

Not true. Heat can damage the hair, reason for brittle hair; it does not harm the roots of the hair.

Even worse, some perscription drugs are known to cause hair loss. Avoid if at all possible the following drugs:

- Cholesterol-lowering drugs:

- clofibrate (Atromis-S)

- gemfibrozil (Lopid)

- Antidepressants:

- tricyclics, amphetamines

- High blood pressure:

- atenolol (Tenormin)

- metoprolol (Lopressor)

- nadolol (Corgard)

- propranolol (Inderal)

- timolol (Blocadren)

- Antithyroid:

- carbimazole

- Iodine

- thiocyanate

- thiouracil

- Ulcer drugs:

- cimetidine (Tagamet)

- ranitidine (Zantac)

- famotidine (Pepcid)

- Anticoagulents:

- Coumarin

- Heparin

Actions you can take to prevent hair loss:

- Stop coloring or perming your hair very often for it can damage it

- Limit exposure of your hair to chlorine

- Avoid exaggerated brushing or combing wet hair

- Use a conditioner every after shampoo to make grooming manageable and easier

- Regulate heat exposure.  Blow-drying, hot-curling and exposure to straightening irons may damage your hair over time

- Avoid medications that can lead hair loss such as Vitamin A, testosterone products, beta blockers, certain antidepressants and certain cholesterol-lowering agents

- Too much alcohol should be avoided. Be careful in choosing your hair care products as some contain alcohol and can contribute to hair dryness, brittle and hair that is prone to breakage. 

- Tight ponytails and braids can lead to hair damage

- Maintain a healthy diet, eating lots of fruits and vegetables and drinking enough water

- Birth control pills can contribute to hair loss

- Consult your doctor if should you notice abnormal hair loss, as certain medical conditions such as lupus or having polycystic ovaries, or hyperthyroidism can cause hair loss

Vitamins you can take to prevent hair loss:

- Thiamin ( B1)

Containing the mineral sulfur, this is the essential element of the hair that gives gloss and shine.

- Riboflavin (B2)

This vitamin is vital for body cell breathing, ensuring efficient oxygen utilization for cell repair and production.

- Niacin (B3)

Helps to widen capillaries and vessels thereby increasing the blood circulation to the scalp to help stimulate hair growth. It also may reduce the cholesterol build up which is essential since cholesterol on the scalp will convert to the enzyme 5 alpha reductase.

- Pahtothenic Acid (B5)

This vitamin helps in restoring hair color and brightness. It works with the amino acid Tyrosine Folic Acid, PABA and Copper in the deterrence white and gray hair.

- Biotin (B7)

Biotin is a widely used ingredient in hair products due to its hair promoting properties. Biotin increases hair cortex elasticity , prevents breakage, and thickens hair cuticle.

- Cobalamin (B12)

Regenerates red blood cells for healthy hair.

- Pyridoxine (B6).

Responsible for protein intake balance, it helps in transporting amino acids to the proper tissues. This is also essential in the conversion of one amino acid to another like the conversion of Methionine to Cysteine. With Inositol, they regulate oil flow to the scalp and the skin.

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