There are many causes of hair loss in women – from diet to environment. Luckily, there are also ways to combat the process once you know the triggers.
Women take pride in their hair. We clean it, color it, cut it, style it, wear it up, down and off to the side. A good hair day has the power to set the tone for your entire day but what happens when we start to lose it? As women it can be emotional. Our hair is apart of who we are, just as capable of making a statement about us as the clothes we wear or the profession we work.
Unfortunately, thinning hair can affect women of all ages for a variety of reasons. While the cause is often genetic, it can also be triggered by a number of psychological and environmental factors. The first step in addressing the problem is to understand the cause.
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6 Common Causes of Hair Loss in Women
Genetic Factors
Some women are genetically predisposed for hair loss. A natural, age-related hormone changes can trigger the thinning of your hair and can be inherited from either your mother or your father.
Extreme Hair Care
All of the extremes we go through (coloring, heat, processing and products) can take their toll on our hair. Products like blow dryers, chemical straightners, dies and aerosol sprays damage our hair follicles and irritate the scalp. If you begin to notice hair loss in conjunction with an increased product or processing ditch the products damaging your hair.
Stress and Trauma
Stress can produce an increase in testosterone levels even in women. The body then turns testosterone into the toxin Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which interrupts your hair’s growth cycle. Stress also constricts blood supply through the capillaries, restricting oxygen and nutrient uptake and vitamins to the hair follicle.
Medication
The hair follicle is incredibly sensitive to changes in the body. Any hormone therapy (including birth control) can contribute to hair thinning, as can steroids, specific chemotherapies, and medication for blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and acne.
Nutrition and Diet
What you eat can play a significant role in hair thinning. A high consumption of animal fats, rapid weight loss and liquid protein diets can result in a lack of amino acids, biotin , iron , protein and zinc — all of which are essential for healthy-looking hair.
The Environment
A variety of environmental factors can be the cause of hair loss. From air and water pollutants to chlorine from the pool and water supply we’re constantly introducing contaminants to our hair every time we wash it or even when we walk out the door. Unfortunately there isn’t a lot we can do about about the environment but we can help stop thinning hair with the tips below.
4 Ways To Get Thicker Hair
Reduce Stress
One of the easiest ways to reduce stress and stop any related thinning is thru meditation. Allowing your body and mind to relax will stop the extra production of testosterone. Not everyone deals with stress the same way so try proactive methods that work for you such as exercise, fresh air, meditation or journaling. Even a cup of tea with a good friend can help do the trick to reduce stress.
Natural Remedies
There are a variety of natural remedies that can help thinning hair.
- Egg
Protein helps strengthen hair. Once or twice a week, beat two eggs and allow the mixture to sit on your hair for 30 minutes then wash with warm water and shampoo. - Flaxseed
Flaxseed is rich in protein and omega 3 fatty acids, flaxseed has been known to promote thicker healthier hair.
- Avocado
Avocado contains moisturizing properties as well as vitamin E to promote hair health. Create a hair mask using one mashed avocado, one mashed banana and one tablespoon of olive oil. Massage into scalp and let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse and shampoo.
Specially Formulated Hair Care Products
Systems such as NIOXIN offer easy to use 3-step systems that nourish scalp and guarantee nourished scalp and thicker hair in 30 days. They work by addressing some of the biggest causes in hair loss like scalp and hair environment, general hair health and the change of hair structure over time. There are 6 different system kits to choose from, depending on the current condition and natural structure of your hair.
My hair is very fine and I have always be very self conscious about how thin it is in the front/bang area (see left picture below). I never wear my hair pulled straight back in a pony-tail because it makes the thin area really stand out. I also have a difficult time with volume and just overall ease of care since I also tend to color and process my hair, making it also dry and tangled. Not a good combination!
I have been using the products from System 3 for 5 weeks now and am thrilled with the results I have seen thus far. Not only is the thinning area a lot less noticeable (check out the pictures below – on the right you can’t see skin at my bang area!), but my hair has an overall volume, health and shine to it that I have never been able to achieve with other hair products – and believe me, I have tried numerous expensive salon products!
Healthy Diet
A healthy diet rich in protein and various vitamins and minerals is an essential prerequisite for healthy and thicker hair. Protein and B vitamins, in particular, promote thicker and longer hair.
So, include more milk, eggs, Greek yogurt (has more protein than the regular yogurt), poultry, fatty fish, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fresh green vegetables in your diet.
Follow these remedies religiously and you should notice improvement in your hair texture and thickness in a just matter of weeks!
I usually lose a lot of hair right after a pregnancy. I can’t wait to try the avocado hair mask on my daughter. Her hair needs some serious moisture due to her swimming.
I’ve used Nioxin in the past. It’s what led me to my hair holy grial: Biotin. Everyone who is losing hair should also have a thyroid check. If it’s off by just a little, hair loss results.
When I was in an abusive relationship my hair would fall out in clumps! It’s pretty scary to realize how much stress can effect your body!
Your Common Causes of Hair Loss in Women and How To Fix It is absolutely helpful! I will make a note to eat more milk, eggs, and Greek yogurt. I know with proper nutrition I can help delay the hair loss.
My hair is thinning now and I think it’s because of my bad diet and need to make changes