Hair loss is a problem that plagued a lot of men and women for centuries. This problem is not just a physical concern but more than that it puts a dent on the confidence and self-esteem of those affected by it. It is for this reason that several measures are being discovered to help beat excessive hair loss. From affordable solutions to those that would require more from your budget, here are 30 tips that can help treat hair loss you can choose from.
15 Natural Hair Loss Remedies
Natural hair loss remedies are the most preferable solution for many because, aside from being the safest, these are also inexpensive. These usually take time, but they have been tried and tested by many and have proven to give some improvement.
1. Onion juice
Don't let the name fool you, since the smell precedes its reputation. But onion juice is actually proven by studies to be an effective hair loss treatment. It provides nourishment and promotes better circulation to the hair follicles. Onions also have a high sulfur content, which is very important component because it helps regenerate the hair follicles and also decreases inflammatory processes.
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In a research from Bradford University in the UK, they pointed out that grey and thinning hair is a result of hydrogen peroxide buildup and a decrease in catalase, which is a natural antioxidant. Too much hydrogen peroxide causes oxidative stress, which then causes the hair to grey and thin out.
So what you need is to amp up the amount of catalase, which can you can get from onion juice. Topical application can control hydrogen peroxide buildup and increase catalase to promote strong and healthy hairs.
2. Cut back on your meat intake
According to a Japanese research, they saw a link between excessive sebum production of the scalp to high levels of 5-alpha reductase. A diet that is high in animal fat intake increases sebum production, hence the excessive hair loss.
It was after the World War II when the Japanese diet slowly became more westernized, which resulted in more Japanese men going bald. This is due to high meat-based diet that are also known to raise testosterone levels adversely affecting hair follicles. It helps to have a low fat diet to control the balding process.
3. Iron-rich foods
Iron is also an essential mineral for hair health and growth. In fact, one of the symptoms of iron deficiency is hair loss. Just by increasing your iron intake in your diet can actually improve the hair loss your are experiencing. It is best to get your daily dose of iron from food sources instead of supplements because, if not under the proper advise of your doctor, there are certain undesirable effects that could happen due to iron overload.
Although the latter is also an excellent way to replenish your iron stores, but you do have to take them with caution. Excellent food sources for iron include dark green and leafy vegetables, red meat, egg yolks, mollusks (e.g. scallops, clams, oysters), beans, turkey, dried fruits and iron-enriched grains and cereals.
4. Increase vitamin C
Our hair strands is also made up of collagen. But as we age, collagen also breaks down making the hair more vulnerable to breakage. If you see more hair falling off than those sticking to your head, then your hair may not be getting enough collagen among many other things. An easy way to improve this is to increase your vitamin C.
Just hit up the fruit section of your grocery store and you'll be flooded with a lot of options. Citrus fruits, like oranges, to vegetables, like green peppers, are all loaded with this vitamin. A daily salad can already give you heaps of vitamin C. Yes, you may go for supplementation. But why add the extra cost and step, when you can already get a good dose of it in a yummy salad.
5. Get enough protein
Our hair is primarily made up of protein, which is why replenishing your stores is an excellent way of naturally strengthening the hair and restoring growth. Severe protein malnutrition can result in hair loss. But those people who have adequate access to food, has normal digestion and a normal appetite should not lose hair due to low protein intake. So granting that you do have protein in your diet, we now emphasize the importance of getting “enough” and not “a lot”.
Some high protein diets can actually cause hair loss. This is why you just have to strike the perfect balance in getting protein into your diet. This not only helps your hair, but other major organs in your body, as well. Protein rich foods include eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, seafood, white meat, lentils and soy.
6. Zinc
Zinc deficiency is also another major cause for hair loss. This mineral plays an important role in building up protein for hair growth because it aids in the creation of DNA and in boosting tissue growth and repair. But more importantly, it also controls the problem from aggravating further because it regulates hormones, which includes testosterones.
High levels of this male hormone is known to be the cause of excessive hair loss. Foods that are rich in zinc include spinach, lean beef, pork, chicken, nuts, seafoods and pumpkin.
7. Biotin
Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, Vitamin H or Coenzyme R, is a water soluble compound that is also part of the B-complex vitamins. It plays an essential role in strengthening the nails and hair. In fact, one of the major signs of biotin deficiency is hair loss.
So if your are excessively shedding hair, you might want to load up on food sources that contain this particular nutrient. Dietary sources to consider include whole grains, cauliflower, sardines, mushrooms, beans, bananas, peanuts, liver and cooked eggs.
8. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Known mostly for its cardiac benefits, this nutrient is also essential in preventing hair loss and promoting hair regrowth. It reaches deep down into your scalp and into your cell membranes, nourishing the follicles making hair more elastic and less prone to breakage. It nourishes the skin also by keeping it moisturized.
This includes the scalp, which also helps prevent the possibility of dandruff from occuring. You can get Omega-3 fatty acids from salmon, sardines, soybeans, walnuts and flaxseeds.
9. Coconut oil
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Coconut oil holds a multitude of health benefits and it is even touted to be the best oil in preventing hair loss. Some may not like how strong the scent is when you massage it on your scalp, but this actually leaves the hair strong, healthy and lustrous hair. It is actually quite simple. You just heat the coconut oil enough that it also doesn't burn your scalp. Then, you just massage it on your scalp in a circular motion. Coconut oil penetrates the hair shaft and conditions the oil from within.
This also improves blood circulation, giving the hair the required amount of nutrients that it needs to thrive. In addition to this, coconut oil also has antibacterial and antifungal properties keeping conditions, like dandruff and lice, off bay giving your hair the optimum environment for growth.
10. Rosemary Essential Oil
This is also another soothing way to promote better circulation to your scalp and hair. What you do is just add a few drops of this oil into your shampoo, or you could add it in coconut oil, and then massage it on your scalp regularly.
This treatment has been used by a lot of cultures to stimulate hair regrowth. It is even backed by a research conducted in the University of Maryland Medical Center as they found a link between rosemary oil and hair regrowth. There were 84 study participants suffering from alopecia areata who were asked to apply the rosemary oil everyday for 7 months. The results showed a significant improvement in hair growth. This fragrant oil will also help relieve stress and it also has some anti-inflammatory properties.
11. Green Tea
Whether you drink or apply it on your scalp, this soothing drink is also known to have hair loss benefits. According to experts, it is the EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) component in green tea that helps prevent hair loss effectively. This is considered to be a proven hair growth stimulant. It is also proven to hinder the production of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF), a molecule that is identified to cause hair loss.
In other countries, they apply warm green tea (two bags that are brewed in one cup of water) directly on the scalp and leave it on for an hour before rinsing. It is believed that the antioxidants that the beverage contains can boost hair growth and prevent hair loss.
12. Ginger Juice
Ginger has actually been in used for centuries for hair regrowth. Fresh ginger roots is loaded with vitamins and minerals, such as magnesium, potassium and phosphorus, which help keep hair healthier, stronger and shinier. You grate a fresh ginger root and then squeeze out the juice, and massage it on your scalp. Leave it overnight and rinse it off in the morning.
Natural ginger root is more preferable than ginger powder because the latter may contain some coloring agents that can make your hair blonde. With this treatment, you improve the circulation on your scalp and also nourish it with rich fatty acids that are essential to the reduction of thinning hair and hair loss.
13. Olive oil
It seems that olive oil not only proves to be a hero in the kitchen, but even in our follicular dilemma, as well. A surprising benefit of olive oil is that it can hamper the production of DHT (dihydrotestosterone), the hormone that causes hair follicle to shrink. All you need to do is to apply a small amount of it onto your scalp and massage it gently as you progress to the roots of your hair. Leave this on for half an hour while wrapped in a damp towel. Wash and condition your hair afterwards.
This will leave your scalp and hair moisturized, even in areas that we often neglect. This leaves the hair not only soft and shiny, but also strong and healthy.
14. Lavender Oil
A more fragrant option to preventing hair loss is a lavender oil massage, thanks to the antioxidants it posses. The oil is derived from lavender flowers and it is known to condition the hair and moisturize the scalp making it strong, healthy and free from dandruff. Lavender is also known to treat alopecia areata too, which requires a daily massage of this essential oil.
15. Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a popular Ayurvedic treatment for hair loss that dates back to the ancient Egyptians. It contains enzymes that remove dead cells that line the scalp preventing it from clogging hair follicles. Hair follicles that get clogged up won't be able to absorb nutrients to reach the roots. This is why you often see this as an ingredient in a lot of clarifying shampoos. Aloe vera also has alkalizing properties, which help maintain the pH level of the hair for a healthy environment for hair growth.
To use aloe vera, you just extract half a cup of gel from the plant, add two teaspoons of castor oil, 2 teaspoons of fenugreek powder and 2 teaspoons of basil powder. Mix these all together to create a thick and soothing mask.
Apply it into your scalp and hair and leave it on for about eight hours covered by a shower cap. Yes, this might be pretty daunting. But if you are serious, it can be pretty rewarding. Wash it off with a mild shampoo. Do this once a week and you will notice your hair getting better volume in a few months.
9 Non-Invasive Treatments
1. Get your thyroid checked
An underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, can also be the reason for excessive hair loss. This condition can cause your hair to thin out. You can consult with your primary care physician and ask for a thyroid check to see if it could be the reason for your hair loss. An iodine-rich diet can help you in this problem.
But in severe cases, the doctor might give you a medication to restore proper thyroid function. It also helps to avoid drinking tap water because it might contain fluorine or chlorine, both of which block iodine absorption.
2. Minoxidil
This is one of the two popular drugs used to treat hair loss, which was originally used to treat high blood pressure. Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, has to be applied directly on the scalp on a regular basis. It comes in different concentrations depending on the amount of hair loss a person is experiencing.
Minoxidil can be used by men and women, unlike Propecia, which is another hair loss medication that can only be prescribed to males. Aside from controlling hair loss, this drug also promotes hair growth.
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3. Propecia
Propecia or Finasteride, which is originally created to be the pharmacological treatment for Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH), is also one of the reliable drug therapies for hair loss given at a much lower dose. It lowers the level of androgens (male hormones), the type of hormones that also affects hair loss. This drug is recognized as a successful treatment for genetic hair loss in men. It is however unfortunate that this is not effective in postmenopausal women. It is also not approved in some countries for women and children.
Based on research and actual results experienced by those who have used this treatment, the drug slows hair loss and also helps regrow the scalp. However, the problem with this type of treatment is that it also brings along with it certain side effects. One of those that caused major concern among men are the sexual side effects. The downside of regaining hair using Propecia includes reduced sex drive, ejaculation problems and difficulty in getting an erection.
4. Meditation
Doing meditation and clearing your mind of the any stressful matters is an inexpensive way of not only losing your mind, but your hair, as well. Meditation requires you to focus your attention into something positive. You also practice eliminating thoughts that stress up your mind, which also cause hormonal imbalance. Tipping the scales on your hormones can lead to hair loss, so this practice can really help give you a head start or even boost any treatment that you might also be getting.
Meditation not only promotes physical health, but emotional health as well – both are significant aspects in hair health.
5. Express yourself
You can take your queue from Madonna's hit Human Nature, as it goes on telling you to, “Express yourself, don't repress yourself”. This can actually be very helpful in preventing hair loss. Being able to vent out feelings can help you unload any heavy emotions inside you. This is actually crucial when handling stress.
Sometimes you just have to let it out - talk to someone, get those thoughts on paper or write a blog. This helps you to be stress free, which not only prevents certain diseases to eventually develop, but it also helps you bust hair loss at its roots! Stress alopecia, or hair loss caused by extreme stress, is just one of those acute conditions that shows you how far stressful situations can affect the body, more particularly, your hair.
6. Guided Imagery
Guided imagery is a kind of therapy that promotes relaxation. It helps lower your blood pressure levels and reduce problems that are related to stress. In this therapeutic technique, a facilitator uses descriptive language that will serve as your guide in visualization.
This cognitive-behavioral technique uses your imagination along with breathing exercises to help relieve any tension both in your mind and body. Gradually, you will be able to release that stress, which can be the root cause of your hair loss.
7. Steroid injections
Although not usually used to treat hair loss, steroid injections, such as cortisone, can be used particularly on alopecia areata (an autoimmune condition). It serves as a suppressive treatment so as to prevent bald patches from occuring on any area of the scalp. This can be rather uncomfortable since a steroid solution has to be injected straight into your scalp, particularly in the bare skin patches, several times.
The injections have to be repeated once a month to create successful restoration of hair in balded areas. Aside from the pricking sensation during treatment, these injections does not prevent new patches from developing.
8. Laser Therapy
Low Level Laser Therapy is one of the popular non-invasive treatments for hair loss. It is a painless procedure that has been optimized over time, making it more convenient and readily available for anyone to use. It began with a machine that has to be programmed by trained doctors and aestheticians to deliver red light since the laser energy that is used to deliver laser energy is in this spectrum.
This treatment uses a low wattage cold light laser, which means that the person under treatment won't feel any sensation. This treatment is made more available and easier to use today because from large devices where the patient would have to sit and placed with a helmet that deliver the red light therapy, it is also available as laser combs. You can now get a daily dose of treatment that you can perform yourself.
9. Supplements
We have mentioned the several vitamins and minerals that can help prevent hair loss and promote hair growth. Aside from food sources, supplements can also be a good way to achieve those therapeutic levels.
There are several multivitamin supplements today, but you also have to choose carefully because a lot of the brands in the market today only contain fillers and harmful additives. You also have to be cautious when it comes to individual supplementation, like with iron for example. A doctor's advise is important because there are some vitamins and minerals that can be very damaging to the body if you have excessive stores of it.
10. Saw Palmetto
Saw palmetto is known to be a natural treatment for BPH. It works in the same way as synthetic ingredients that are also used to treat these two conditions. Although there is limited research on this matter, but results have proven to be promising. Based on these studies, the extract of saw palmetto is said to block 5-alpha reductase, which is the enzyme that is the main culprit in androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness.
Research showed that saw palmetto gave positive results in 6 out of 10 hair loss patients. Men who have been taking 400 mg of standardized saw palmetto and 100 mg of beta sitosterol, an ingredient from saw palmetto, daily displayed an improvement in hair growth.
5 Surgical procedures
1. Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
Follicular Unit Transplantation or FUT is a type of hair transplant technique that is also known as the strip method. This is the first method that was used in hair transplantation and is also the most invasive, which is also why a lot of men shy at the thought of getting surgery. The procedure involves the removal of a strip of scalp that is taken from the back of the head, which contains the donor grafts.
The hair transplant surgeon, or trained hair technicians, take this into a high powered microscope to individually remove the hair grafts and prepare it for transplantation. This is a tedious process that requires meticulous eye for detail and a very skilled hand in handling the delicate hair grafts.
Once the surgeon sutures the donor site, he then prepares the recipient area by creating micro-incisions, which are just enough to insert the hair grafts. This type of approach takes more time to heal, but has also proven to have less damage to hair grafts.
2. Follicular Unit Grafting (FUG)
Usually in this treatment method, clinics have their different ways of naming a certain procedure. Follicular Unit Grafting, or FUG, is similar to FUT in approach. It also uses the strip method, which is developed to help increase hair density in bald areas.
Since this procedure allows thousands of hair grafts that can be extracted from a donor strip, this is considered to be highly efficient. However, it does leave a linear scar at the back of the head, which can be a problem among men who want to wear their hair short.
3. Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)
Follicular Unit Extraction or FUE, is a less invasive procedure that came after FUT. This came in practice as an answer to the aesthetic issues that is created particularly by the linear scar at the back of the head. FUE uses a specfic instrument that acts like a punch to create a small circular incision around the hair graft.
This surgical treatment takes more time and expertise, which also means that it is more expensive. But it has a better aesthetic outcome compared to FUT because scars are virtually indistinguishable.
4. Robotic Hair Transplant
Robotic hair transplantation is more known in the market to be ARTAS Robot. It is a highly advanced technology that allows robotic precision and consistency in harvesting grafts. It uses digital mapping using real-time 3D digital analysis of hair follicle characteristics, which ensures the selection of the best hair grafts to be harvested. Grafts that have better quality have protective tissue, which makes these less prone to injury.
With its two-needle blunt dissection, this ensures less scarring while at the same time, harvesting as many grafts as possible. However, this do come at a price compared to other methods. Despite its advanced technology, this requires the skill and the good eye for aesthetic of a hair transplant surgeon to carefully arrange and implant individual grafts on the donor site.
5. Neograft
This is a more advanced approach as it uses an automated hair transplant system. Neograft is actually a hand-held surgical device that is designed to extract follicular units from the donor site to the recipient area using an air-pressured, suction-based system. There are confusions between this machine and the robotic system.
But experts made it clear that Neograft is only partially automated. It is not a robotic system since it does not have the same precision that a computer-driven image-guided system has. It still relies on manual control, hence it still has the tendency for human error, high transection rate and unprecise graft extraction.
