Who doesn’t want a luscious head of hair, right? I think many would agree that having a thick head of locks is closely tied to our self-confidence. For those experiencing hair loss, it can be a real source of embarrassment. By the age of thirty-five, 66 percent of American men have some amount of detectable hair loss. The American Hair Loss Association reports that by the age of fifty, about 85 percent of men have significantly thinning hair. It’s not solely men experiencing hair loss. Statistics show that women make up 40% of hair loss sufferers as well.
Signs of Significant Hair Loss
Has there been more hair falling out in your brush lately? Does your hair come out in clumps when running your fingers through it in the shower? Do you see lots of hair on your pillow when you wake up in the morning?
It is perfectly normal to see hair loss on a daily basis. In fact, losing anywhere from 50 to 150 hairs per day is normal. After the age of thirty, hair growth does slow down significantly. However, when you start losing more than what is considered typical, there may be an underlying reason to address.
What Causes Hair Loss?
Hair loss can be rooted (pun intended) in a number of different causes. There are a few main reasons we look at, as to why significant hair loss may be occurring.
Genetics
Yes, it’s true. If Uncle Bob has lost all of his hair, it’s likely that you will too. When you lose hair due to genetic reasons, it is termed androgenetic alopecia. This is quite common and is known as male or female pattern baldness. This is a condition where the hair thins and eventually falls from the scalp.
The assumption that men lose their hair more than women wasn’t pulled from thin air. Men lose hair because their hair follicles are sensitive to a hormone called DHT, which stimulates shrinkage of the follicles and reduces hair production.
Hormonal fluctuations
Hormones act as messengers throughout the body for many bodily processes, and this is no different when it comes to hair growth. Women are most likely to suffer from hair loss due to hormones because they go through pregnancy, menopause, taking birth control pills, and other hormonal changes throughout their lifespan. Typically, normal hair growth resumes after addressing the hormone imbalance.
Medical conditions
PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome, is a health condition that contributes to hair loss, as well as, hair growth in unwanted areas of the body. One study has found that there is a condition, similar to PCOS, in males. Men who experienced premature male pattern baldness had hormonal profiles similar to women with PCOS, as well as higher insulin resistance. In addition, hair loss can present as a sign that your thyroid gland and its associated hormones are not working in sync with your body.
Stress
You had to see this one coming, right? Increased emotional stress can have a huge impact on hair loss (7). Finding stress management strategies that can be easily implemented into your schedule, like deep breathing, getting adequate sleep, journaling, or working out, are important as they pertain to the prevention of hair loss and other chronic diseases.
Try This Natural Hair Loss Treatment: Fenugreek + Olive Oil
A natural remedy that will help stimulate hair growth and leave your hair soft and shiny is a mixture of ground fenugreek seeds and olive oil. A gentle remedy such as this helps to rebuild hair strength and stimulate the follicles with no risk of further damaging the hair.
Why Fenugreek and Olive Oil?
Fenugreek includes a property called lecithin. Lecithin, a property also found in eggs, is known to strengthen hair, skin, and nails. In this case, it will assist in treating the follicular problem. In addition to lecithin, fenugreek contains a high protein profile and nicotinic acid, which is an active stimulator of hair growth. Combined with an oil-rich in medium-chain triglycerides, like olive oil, this pack will help rebuild your hair follicles, strengthen the roots, and assist in reducing hair loss.
How To Make It
- Ensure your fenugreek seeds are dry and grind 2 tablespoons into a fine powder.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the powdered fenugreek and mix well until it has formed into a paste.
- Rub the paste onto the scalp and hair. Let it sit for 10 minutes then rinse with warm water. Follow it with shampoo. Store in your fridge for up to 2 days.
How to Prevent Hair Loss
Acting preventively, through a diet rich in nutrients that encourage hair growth and implementing lifestyle habits that support stress relief, can help prevent hair loss. Eating foods that are high in essential fatty acids like fish, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds supports hair thickening and growth. Bone broth is loaded with vitamins and nutrients, as well as collagen, which is a building block for hair production. Lastly, staying away from foods that rob the body of nutrients, such as highly processed foods, alcohol, and sugar, is recommended in hair loss prevention.
Although hair loss can be discouraging, eating healthy, managing stress, applying good practices like the fenugreek and olive oil pack, and a lot of patience, can assist with regrowth.