It can be very disconcerting to run your fingers through your hair and realize that it’s becoming thinner by the day. Hair loss can be genetic or can be caused by disease, medication, diet, and lifestyle choices. The exciting news is that you can take certain steps to prevent hair loss and promote healthy hair.
Vitamins to Prevent Hair Loss
Vitamins are not only vital for general well being but are also good for your hair. Vitamin A promotes the production of sebum in the scalp while vitamin E boosts blood circulation to improve the productivity of hair follicles. Vitamin B also helps the hair maintain a healthy color. Deficiency of biotin and vitamin D may also cause hair loss so, be sure to stock up on those vitamins, as well.
Enrich Your Diet with Protein
Hair follicles are made of a protein known as keratin. Eating protein-rich food promotes healthy hair and in turn, slows hair loss. Some healthy protein choices include fish, soy, chicken, turkey, eggs, beans, peas, and nuts.
Essential Oils Scalp Massage
Essential oils have been used for ages for their natural benefits, and they might be your solution to hair loss. Oils such as lavender, rosemary, almond, carrot seed, and cypress, have soothing and regenerative properties that can promote a healthy scalp and hair. Massage a few drops of essential oil into your scalp and massage for a few minutes to reap the benefits.
Be Gentle to Your Hair
Avoid brushing your hair when it’s wet because it’s at its weakest at that point. If you must comb it at that time, use a wide-toothed comb. Also, don’t brush it too frequently because you could injure it and increase the chances of hair loss. Detangle your hair using your fingers instead of a brush or comb. Additionally, avoid frequent heating. Heat weakens hair proteins which makes your hair fragile and can cause hair loss.
Meditate To Reduce Stress
Sometimes the cause of hair loss can be tension and stress. Meditation calms your mind and reduces stress, thereby helping to reduce the amount of hair you’re losing. Anxiety also increases the cortisol hormone in the body. This hormone could speed up balding, especially to people who are genetically predisposed to hair loss.
Exercise To Help Prevent Hair Loss
Physical activity, like hitting the gym, swimming, riding a bike, or walking for at least 30 minutes a day reduces your stress levels, helps balance your hormones, and in turn reduces hair loss. Physical fitness also allows you to sweat, thereby cleaning and unclogging your hair pores for those healthy-looking strands.
Speak To A Hair Loss Doctor
Sometimes hormonal imbalance can cause hair loss. If you are experiencing other symptoms of hormonal imbalance, talk to your doctor. You can also explore hormonal regulation supplements to keep your hormone levels healthy. Some medication’s side effects can cause hair loss, and in that case, you need to consult with your doctor. In addition to that, some health conditions like thyroid disease, anemia, and heart disease can cause hair loss, so you need to rule those out with the aid of a doctor.
Reduce Alcohol Intake
Taking alcohol will interfere with your immune system. Alcohol can also interfere with the absorption of vitamins and nutrients in your body, including scalp and hair. Drinking a lot of alcohol also dehydrates you and your hair needs hydration to stay healthy
Stop Smoking
Smoking reduces circulation, including proper blood flow to the scalp. Substances found in cigarettes are said to affect hair follicles, inevitably leading to hair loss. Sometimes the follicles grow back thinner and weaker, which increases the susceptibility of hair loss again.
Increase Your Water Intake
Staying hydrated is important for tissue growth. The hair shaft is mostly made of water, so not consuming enough water makes your hair shaft dehydrated and unhealthy. Avoid carbonated drinks as they do not help you maintain healthy hair in any way.
While hair loss is sometimes genetic, there are a few things you can do to prevent it before it happens or, at the very least slow its progress.