Hair Falling Out? Learn Why and How to Stop It

• 1. Hair Falling Out: When to Worry?
• 2. Causes of Hair Loss
• 3. How to Stop Hair Loss
  • 3.1 What do Beauty Salons Offer?
  • 3.2 Hair Loss: How to Fix It at Home
• 4. How to Prevent Hair Loss

Keep finding your hairs everywhere: inside a hat, on a pillow and comb? Don’t rush to buy products to prevent hair loss. First, figure out if this is a problem, and what causes it, and only then look for a solution. Let’s look at the reasons for hair loss and ways to prevent or treat it.

Hair Falling Out: When to Worry?

Hair loss is a natural and constant process. A healthy person loses up to 100 hairs a day. More than that may already indicate a problem. So how can you tell? Here are some methods to help you determine it yourself.

1. Do a tight ponytail. If it has become noticeably thinner, it’s better to take a closer look at the state of your hair.
2. Part the hair and look closely at the parting. You should see at least a dozen short ‘young’ hairs. If there’s no sight of them, this may be a reason to consult with a doctor.
3. Thoroughly comb and wash your hair. Run your hand through the entire length of your hair and see how many hairs are left in your fist. Several — everything is all right. A whole bunch — well, this calls for a visit to a trichologist or dermatologist.

Here are some other signs to look out for

• The parting appears wider.
• The hair has become thinner and more brittle.
• Too many hairs remain on brushes.
• The hairline is receding.
• There are balding spots on your head.
• Your eyebrows and/or beard are thinning as well.
• Your scalp is red and itchy.

Causes of Hair Loss

The life cycle of the hair is from three to seven years. But it can be shortened by several factors.

Genetics

If men in the older generations of your family started losing their hair early, then it is very likely that you and future generations will also experience this. It is called androgenetic alopecia which is caused by a genetic predisposition. This is linked with the 5-alpha reductase enzyme responsible for converting testosterone. An early visit to a trichologist may help.

Immune System Disorders

Your immune system may ‘malfunction’ and start treating some tissues as foreign and rejecting them. This can also happen with hair, especially eyelashes, eyebrows, and facial hair. As a rule, hair falls out in patches. Such conditions are treated by doctors.

Coronavirus

During the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors noticed a certain tendency in coronavirus patients. As many as 90% of them experienced hair loss in two-three months after recovery. This is caused by intoxication and deficiencies of some substances. The coronavirus affects blood vessels, resulting in poor blood circulation and less nutrition to hair follicles, making them weak and leading to hair loss. In this case, various hair loss prevention products won’t help. Specialists recommend trying mesotherapy or plasma therapy.

Taking Medication and General Anesthesia

Hair loss may be a side effect of taking some medications like antidepressants, antiepilepsy drugs, immunosuppressants, steroids, etc. Be sure to study the instructions carefully before starting to take any drug. Hair loss can also be observed sometime after general anesthesia.

Stress

Being under stress for a long time affects health in general, disrupting some processes, especially blood circulation. Same as with coronavirus, hair follicles don’t get enough oxygen and nutrients. If you’ve experienced extreme stress, you can expect to start losing hair in two or three months.

Diseases

The state of your hair and hair follicles can also be affected by scalp diseases. For example, seborrhoeic dermatitis makes your hair thinner, weakens hair follicles, and can eventually even lead to baldness. So if you have itching, flaking or reddened skin, or dandruff, schedule an appointment with a doctor.

Hormonal Imbalances

Pregnancy, menopause, and puberty cause a true hormonal ‘storm’ in your body. Hormonal imbalances also directly affect your hair and can lead to hair loss.

Other Factors

Frequent use of blow dryers and styling irons, and unsuitable hair care products also have an impact on the state of your hair. Going outside into freezing weather with wet hair can damage your hair. Many people complain about hair loss after a vacation in a hot country, if their scalp got burned under the hot sun.

Vitamin Deficiency

Hair loss can also be a consequence of a bad diet, poor variety of products you consume, and deficiency of microelements such as zinc, iron, chrome and vitamins C, D, and B.

How to Stop Hair Loss

It may be a symptom of a disease or a disease in itself — alopecia, which can lead to partial or complete baldness.

There are doctors — trichologists, who specialize in diseases and problems related to hair and scalp. They will study your medical history, take samples, and do a phototrichogram and trichoscopy. After that, they will determine the cause and prescribe treatment, from vitamins to mesotherapy or plasma therapy. In severe cases, they may suggest hair transplants.

What do Beauty Salons Offer?

For hair loss, beauty salons offer the following hair treatments

• hair botox
• keratin hair straightening
• hair lamination.

These procedures are for those cases when your hair is falling out due to other reasons: thinning, bleakness in winter, damage due to frequent wear of hats, or exposure to high temperatures.

However, if the reason for your hair loss is a certain disorder, it’s advisable to consult a doctor. Healthcare facilities offer the following treatments

• Mesotherapy uses micro-injections of hyaluronic acid and microelements into the scalp.
• Plasmotherapy uses micro-injections of the patient’s own plasma into the scalp.
• Laser procedures to stimulate hair follicles with laser.
• Darsonvalization to stimulate blood circulation in the scalp with electrical impulses.

What is Tricopigmentation?

Tricopigmentation is a procedure of depositing micro pigments in the scalp areas to mask the consequences of alopecia. Simply put, it is aimed at simulating the presence of hair in the form of a hair tattoo. This method is commonly recommended for men as well as women with thinning hair along the parting.

Hair Loss: How to Fix It at Home

The most important element is a proper hair care routine for thin and weakened hair using suitable products. There are product lines aimed at battling hair loss that includes shampoos, masks, serums, and ampules. Every product serves its own purpose

• Shampoo cleans the hair and scalp, preparing them for the next stages.
• Conditioner seals the hair cuticle, strengthening the hair against environmental factors.
• Scalp peel removes dead skin and stimulates blood circulation.
• Mask nourishes the hair and scalp, providing them with essential microelements and vitamins.
• Serum penetrates the scalp and strengthens hair follicles.
• The contents of ampules have a similar effect. It is gently rubbed into the scalp to stimulate it.

There are certain components that should be present in products that prevent hair loss

• caffeine
• nicotinic acid
• B group vitamins
• taurine
• zinc
• menthol, peppermint
• aminexil
• stemoxydine.

How to Prevent Hair Loss

You already know the main reasons for hair loss. With them in mind, we can draw up a list of tips on how to keep your hair thick and healthy.

1. If you know that you may face genetic hair loss, consult a trichologist even before you start noticing the first signs of alopecia.
2. Make sure that you eat products rich in iron, vitamins C, B, and D, including citruses, bell peppers, kiwis, liver, whole grains, eggs, spinach, beans, apples, etc.
3. Don’t expose your hair to high temperatures and use a blow dryer or hair curler only occasionally. If you use the latter, don’t forget about thermal protection.
4. Get your spit ends cut regularly.
5. Ask a professional to help you choose the right products for your hair.
6. Detangle your hair before washing it, not after. Gently dab it with a towel, don’t twist or wring it out.
7. Make sure your hair is fully dry before going outside.
8. Use hair care products with SPF in summer.

Now you know what are common reasons for excessive hair loss, what to do about it, or how to prevent it in the first place. If you follow simple rules, you will keep your hair thick and will be able to get any hairstyles.