Posts tagged ‘hair loss and stress’

March 22nd, 2012

Healthy Women Don’t Lose Hair and Other Myths

Hair loss myths abound. You’ve likely heard many of them yourself. Let’s debunk a few of these and get you some straight information on hair loss.

 

Myth 1: 100 strokes of the hairbrush daily will create healthier hair.

 

This myth has been around since your grandparents’ days. It was widely believed that 100 strokes of a good hairbrush would fix any hair loss issue by creating healthier hair.

 

Unfortunately, excessive hair brushing can actually break hairs, contributing to a thinner head of hair. You can also end up pulling hairs completely out of their follicle because of knots and tangles. So, experts recommend that you only brush to style your hair and never brush hair when it is wet! Wet hair is better handled by a wide comb.

 

While brushing doesn’t nourish the hair, you can use hair care products that will. Look for shampoos and treatments that contain hair healthy herbal extracts and nutrients. Products like SureThik Shampoo and Treatment will allow your scalp to absorb nutrition directly.

 

Myth 2: Permanent hair loss is caused by perms, colors and other cosmetic treatments.

 

This is also generally false. While perms and colors do damage your hair in order to get you the desired effect (curls or color), they should not cause permanent hair loss. The only way that these kinds of treatments can cause permanent hair loss is through chemical burning of the scalp. However, today’s perms and colors are not the same as they were even a decade ago.

 

The same cannot be said of chemical relaxing products, which may be called “perms” as well. There are documented cases of these products resulting in damage to the scalp. Once the scalp is burned by either chemicals or other agents, hair will not grow through the scar tissue. This kind of hair loss is definitely permanent.

 

Myth 3: A healthy woman will never have hair loss.

 

Our last myth is false too. A healthy woman can have hair loss for a variety of reasons. Not the least of these is the dreaded post-pregnancy shedding, which usually arrives three to four months after the baby is born. All those lovely pregnancy hormones encourage the growth of your little one, and that meant that your hair follicles grew continually instead of going into their regular “resting” phase.

 

Androgenic hair loss – the most common kind – can and will occur in healthy women as well. This is another kind of hair loss that can benefit from topical products like shampoos and treatment serums. So, while hair loss can be an indicator of some other kind of health issue, it doesn’t have to be. But, as with any health symptom, if you have any concerns, talk to your health professional.

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February 15th, 2012

The Primary Causes Of Female Hair Loss

Female hair loss is not the same as male hair loss – even if some of the causes are similar. Women differ in hormonal levels and other metabolic processes, which tend to result in differing types of hair loss.

 

Women – like men – can have hair loss due to hormonal imbalance. The key hormone that directly affects hair follicles is DHT. DHT stands for Dihydrotestosterone. DHT is a male sex hormone that is present in both men and women. In fact, DHT is a normally occurring metabolite of testosterone. However, it is a more potent male, and it has much greater affinity for male hormone receptors than testosterone has.

 

The problem arises when DHT interferes with normal functions, including hair growth.

 

DHT compromises the nourishment of follicles, by blocking the receptor sites on the follicle and starving it. In the end, the hair follicles shrink and the hair gets finer and finer until there is no hair at all. This is called miniaturization, and is the process behind 95% of hair loss. The women who lose the most hair will be the ones who are predisposed to producing the most DHT.

 

You can fight DHT directly at the hair follicle. Topical products such as SureThik Shampoo and Serum will deliver natural ingredients to control DHT and nourish hair.

 

Other hormones that affect hair loss and growth are thyroid hormones. Women are typically more prone to thyroid issues than men. Whether the thyroid is overactive or underactive, hair loss can result. Thyroid disease can be easily diagnosed with blood tests.

 

Most women know that their head of hair is particularly luxurious during pregnancy. Unfortunately, nature catches up later, as hair that has stayed in the growing phase then drops out by entering the resting phase. This usually happens a number of months after the baby’s birth. Similarly, changes in hormonal status associated with menopause also tend to affect hair and increase hair loss.

 

It isn’t just hormones that affect hair. Anemia can result in excessive hair loss. Women often have greater issues with maintaining enough iron in their bodies, due to the strains of menstruation, pregnancy and lactation. When iron stores are too low, hair loss will result. This kind of hair loss is best diagnosed by a simple blood test to ensure that iron levels are optimal.

 

Women often become anemic when dieting. Dieting itself – especially severe dieting, which also results in potential deficiencies of essential nutrition – can lead to hair loss. Hair requires essential fatty acids, adequate protein, and minerals like zinc. Without key nutrients, dieting women may find that they are sacrificing their hair for a slimmer body. This is another place where nourishing topical products can help to restore the health of hair follicles.

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February 7th, 2012

Skin Conditions That Cause Hair Loss

 

It’s not always your hair that’s the problem. Sometimes, it’s actually your skin that is causing you to lose your hair! Hair loss caused by a skin condition is often reversible, so understanding what is causing your hair thinning is an important first step to treating it.

 

Seborrheic dermatitis (also known as seborrheic eczema) is an inflammatory skin condition, which results in white to yellowish scales that flake away. Typically, you’ll see these scales in oily skin areas, such as the scalp, eyebrows, creases of the nose, behind the ears and inside the outer ear.

 

If you’ve had a child with cradle cap, you’ve seen seborrheic dermatitis. However, adults can get it too.

 

Seborrheic dermatitis tends to run in families – just like cradle cap does. The condition can be worsened by such things as stress and fatigue. However, it can be reversed by proper cleaning and care for the scalp. A good cleansing routine, including items such as SureThik Shampoo and Serum to clean and nourish the scalp properly, will improve your scalp’s condition. While seborrheic dermatitis is not caused by poor hygiene, cleansing to keep follicles clear and healthy definitely helps. Daily shampooing may clear it up more quickly, by working to loosen the scales and wash them away.

 

Psoriasis is another skin condition that can cause hair loss. Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition where skin cells are building up quicker than they are being shed. As a result, it causes the creation of red or pink colored lesions on the surface of the skin.

 

The lesions cause not only hair loss, but also scarring and follicle damage. The good news is that your hair may come back if the condition is quickly and properly controlled. However, only an examination by a knowledgeable physician will confirm if the follicles are healthy enough for hair to regrow.

 

Scarring is a primary feature of scleroderma, another autoimmune disease, which is caused by a build up of collagen in the skin and other connective tissue. So much collagen can build up due to the scleroderma, that the skin actually feels hard!

 

Any kind of trauma to your skin – whether burns, infections or disease – can cause scars. Once scar tissue replaces normal tissue, hair cannot grow through it! This is called scar alopecia and it’s permanent. So, if you have been diagnosed with scleroderma (or any other serious skin disease or trauma) it’s important to have it treated early by a qualified professional. If you can avoid the scarring to your scalp, you can avoid the hair loss.

 

Once there is scarring, the only option to improve your hair loss will be hair restoration.  While hair transplant technology has come a long way since the dreaded “hair plugs”, the ideal situation is that you don’t lose your hair in the first place. So take the steps now to make sure the skin of your scalp is as healthy as it can be.

CategoryHair loss articles, Hair loss in the news, hair loss info, Hair Loss Medications, Natural Hair Loss Solutions, Uncategorized | CommentNo Comments »

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January 24th, 2012

Can my diet prevent hair loss?

Your diet does make a difference. Obviously, your body can’t provide the right nutrients for hair growth if you don’t provide your body with the right food or supplements. It’s pretty much that simple.

 

However, you also want to balance your diet properly. Too much of the wrong things can be just as bad as too little of the right things.

 

Start out with salmon as a great food for overall nutrition. Salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for a healthy scalp.  Too little omega-3’s will cause the scalp to be dry. Salmon is also an important source of protein, which is needed to grow the actual hair. The hair shaft is made up of keratin, a form of protein, which the body can synthesize from dietary protein.

 

Just because you need protein, doesn’t mean that you have a license to go out and eat a steak every day. Your diet should include protein sources from eggs and legumes too. Eggs are a source of both vitamin B-12 and biotin. Biotin in particular supports healthy hair growth. Legumes are not only a source of protein, but also low in fat as well. Low fat sources of protein will do you the most good, even if you aren’t trying to lose weight. Too much fat can contribute to too much testosterone, and too much testosterone can make male pattern baldness worse.

 

Don’t forget your veggies while you are filling up your plate with protein! Dark green vegetables are a source of vitamins A and C. Without vitamins A and C, your body can’t produce sebum. Sebum is the only substance that your scalp secretes, which conditions the hair. Of course, you also get lots of other benefits from green veggies, not the least of which is iron. Iron deficiency is a common cause of hair loss.

 

Avoiding iron deficiency is a snap, as long as you include a few iron-rich foods in your diet! How about raisins if you are craving something sweet? Cherry juice is another good source of iron, that isn’t hard on the taste buds.

 

Why not make your own trail mix with raisins and nuts? Nuts are full of great nutrition. Brazil nuts will give you a good dose of selenium, which works like an antioxidant in your body (even though it’s a mineral). Walnuts are a particularly good addition to your trail mix, because they contain omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc. Zinc is another mineral that can lead to hair loss, if you have a deficiency.

 

Whole grains can provide you with a regular dose of zinc. However, if you are feeling more adventurous, consider oysters! Oysters are not only known as an aphrodisiac, but are a great source of zinc.

 

The most important thing in your diet is to eat a wide variety of foods, making sure that you are providing the right nutrition for your hair, as well as your life.

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November 14th, 2011

Tips on Reducing Hairloss and Encouraging Hair Growth

Do you wash style or brush your hair regularly? We hope so! But did you know that the WAY you do these things can drastically alter how likely you are to experience hair loss? Here are some helpful tips to make sure you are getting the most from your hair care routine, and reducing the chances you could be encouraging hair loss!

  1. Hair Styling Products can Harm your Hair!

If the products you’re using are “sticky” to the touch, and/or cause your hair to hold a shape it wouldn’t normally hold without product, consider washing them out every night before your head hits the pillow. When you lie down on a pillow with hair product still in your hair, your head will press heavily against the products allowing them to work their way into your scalp, and of course into your pores/hair follicles. In addition, most styling products contain harsh chemicals which may not be the best thing for newly “sprouting” hair.  Ensuring that you wash them out completely at the end of each day will greatly benefit your efforts to achieve a full, healthy head of hair.

  1. Use gentle, natural shampoos
    It’s becoming more well known that mainstream shampoo products contain ingredients one would never want to slather on their skin. Why we ignore this fact and continue to put these same products on our hair is beyond me. Look for shampoos that contain botanical ingredients designed to help with hairloss or use a shampoo formulated to help hair grow-such as Surethik’s Hair Building Shampoo.
  2. Ponytails are for ponies

When you pull your hair very tightly back in a ponytail, you are in essence putting a constant strain on your hair follicles. Once in while this is fine, and won’t promote hair loss. However, if this is the way you normally wear your hair; remember that constantly pulling on your hair will train your hair to grow closer and closer to the surface of your scalp. Eventually, it will become too shallowly embedded, lose its grip on the skin and fall out. This is especially true of the vulnerable fine hairs at the front of the scalp, and can be the reason for high hairlines among women.

  1. Wait until your hair is dry to brush it out
    Wet hair is most likely to break during brushing. Give your hair a brush-through before you shower, and then towel and air dry your hair before brushing again. Allowing your hair to air-dry without brushing will also help it dry faster, since the hair strands aren’t pressed down together. This provides more surface area for air to circulate, speeding up the drying process. Also, if you use leave-in hair conditioner-make sure you don’t rub it into your scalp, since this will encourage clogging of the pores.
  2. You can stimulate hair growth by brushing your scalp
    Using a stiff bristles brush with plenty of space between the bristles, brush your scalp with enough force to feel it, but not enough to cause pain. Be sure to do this to your whole scalp when your hair is clean and fully dried, and you will stimulate blood-flow to your scalp. This in turn, will encourage hair growth.

 

If you are finding hair loss or hair thinning is a problem, be sure to contact Surethik and ask about their all natural hair fibers! This is an excellent way to hide hair loss while you work to change the behaviors which led to the loss in the first place.

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October 24th, 2011

Significant hair loss has a natural solution

The normal rate of daily hair loss is about 50 to 100 hairs a day, according to the Mayo Clinic. Given that the average person has about 100,000 hairs on their head, that 50 to 100 hairs will never be noticed.

But what if you are losing more than that number of hairs? What if the hair that grows in is finer and thinner and poorly rooted? You could be on track for hair loss and thinning, unless you take some proactive steps.

One of the best steps that you can take is to clean your scalp well, using a natural shampoo designed to help alleviate and prevent hair loss. SureThik Shampoo is an ideal shampoo for those with the most common forms of hair loss. This shampoo does everything you want from a good quality shampoo, in addition to providing the most well-known and effective natural hair regrowth ingredients as part of its formula.

However, a complete solution requires more than proper cleansing – it also requires a therapeutic treatment that will stay on the scalp (rather than be rinsed away) to help address the key reasons for hair loss and thinning. In this case, you can turn to SureThik Hair Serum. This combination provides a one-two punch to hair loss, with nutrition for the scalp and herbal ingredients that are based on documented research.

The SureThik Serum uses a proprietary blend of nutrients and oils that not only nourish, but also help to protect the hair follicle from two key culprits in hair loss: Dihydrotestosterone, or DHT; and, loss of circulation to the scalp.

Research shows that one of the most common issues with hair loss is DHT. DHT binds to hair follicles, blocking off blood supply, oxygen and nutrients. DHT basically starved the follicle, which then cannot continue to grow hair. The SureThik Serum helps to reduce the amount of DHT present around the hair follicle with propagain, a combination of natural DHT blockers, which protects your ability to grow hair. Our natural serum replaces such pharmaceutical products as Propecia, delivering results at a fraction of the cost and without resorting to a drug.

Another drug known to help with hair loss is Rogaine. Rogaine grows hair by increasing blood flow to the scalp. SureThik Serum also addresses this area, but with a unique blend of Capsicum and Rosemary extracts. These extracts are able to increase circulation, without the nasty side effects of Rogaine. Good circulation will help to support hair follicles, resulting in more hair.

The SureThik Serum can be applied to the scalp 1-2 times a day. Apply directly to the scalp. Use light massage to enhance absorption.

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September 8th, 2011

Is my favorite hairstyle causing hair loss?

Slicked back ponytails. Tight chignons. Big braids. Cornrows. These are styles where the hair is pulled very tight to the head, putting tremendous and consistent pressure on the scalp. As these hairstyles become more popular, the rate of hair loss related to them also increases! However, you might want to think twice before wearing a ponytail all the time. Certain hairstyles will put more stress on the hair, resulting in more than just breakage.

 

The wrong hairstyle can actually cause hair loss! The problem is pulling your hair too tight. When you lose your hair from styles that pull too tight, it’s called traction alopecia. The worst styles include ponytails, braids and cornrows. Not only can these styles break your hair, they also can damage your hair follicles. When you damage the follicle, you lose the hair. Tight hairdos are not the only problem. You can also have style-induced hair loss caused by hair extensions and hairpieces. These items put stress on your hair because of their weight. The weight results in pulling on your natural hair. The pulling results in follicle damage and hair loss, just like tight hairstyles do. Unfortunately, this means that hair weaves – which are normally used to conceal hair loss – can actually cause more problems than they solve! The weave depends on tightly done braids, plus a hairpiece. The hair is then subject to stress and pulling both from the braids and from the weight of the hairpiece.

The simplest way to avoid traction alopecia is to make sure to change up your hairstyle. Try a looser version of your favorite chignon or ponytail. Take a break from cornrows. Make sure that any cornrows are done without excessive pulling. Skip the hair extensions or hairpieces. Your hair should not have constant pressure on it. All of these changes will help you to preserve the health and vitality of your existing hair. If you already have hair loss, try not to depend on weaves. There are other products that can help to disguise existing hair loss, while not putting stress on or pulling your existing hair.

Consider products that make the hair appear naturally fuller, without adding a lot of weight. Surethik offers all-natural, Organic hair fibers that are easy to use and come in virtually every hair color. Visit our main site at: http://www.surethik.com   for more information and to see photos and videos of customers before and after application.

If you discover that your hairstyle has resulted in hair loss, in most cases the hair will grow back. But not always! If you have been abusing your hair for a long time, your hair may not re-grow without help. One of the most important things you can do to help your hair re-grow is to nourish your follicles. Doing so will help the follicle to repair and can stimulate hair growth.

For information on hair shampoo and serum designed to nourish, stimulate and encourage hair re-growth, visit the site and read the success people have found with our product. 

Products like Surethik Hair Fibers which help to disguise your hair loss can also support you to feel more confident while waiting for your hair to grow back.

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March 29th, 2011

The Truth About Hair Loss By: Dr. Rita Louise

The Truth About Hair Loss

By: Dr. Rita Louise

It is normal to shed hair every day and the truth is we loose between 100 – 125 hairs on any given day. Hair that is shed falls out at the end of growth cycle. At any given time 10% of our hair is in what is called a “resting phase” and after 2- 3 months resting, hair falls out and new hair grows in its place. Some people, however, experience more hair loss than is normal.

As we get older, both men and women experience some hair loss. It’s a normal part of the aging process. Called Androgenetic Alopecia, it accounts for 95% of all hair loss. Androgentic Alopecia often runs in families and affects some people more than others. In men it is often referred to as Male Pattern Baldness. It is characterized by a receding hair line and baldness on the top of head. Women, on the other hand, don’t go entirely bald even if their hair loss is severe. Instead, hair loss is spread out evenly over their entire scalp.

Hormones play the dominant role when talking about Androgenetic Alopecia. Simple put, both men and women produce testosterone. Testosterone can be converted to dihydrotestosterone ( DHT) with the aid of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. DHT shrinks hair follicles causing the membranes in the scalp to thicken, become inelastic and restrict blood flow. This causes the hair follicles to atrophy. As a result, when a hair does fall out, it is not replaced.

Needless to say, men produce more testosterone than women and experience more hair loss.

While Androgenetic Alopecia is the number one reason why individuals experience hair loss, it is not the only one. Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, ringworm and fungal infections can cause hair loss. Certain medications such as blood thinners, gout medication, birth control pills and too much vitamin A can cause sudden or abnormal hair loss as can following a crash diet, sudden hormonal changes, chemotherapy and radiation.

Emotional stress, pregnancy, or surgery can also cause our hair to fall out and is usually not noticed until 3-4 months after the stressful event has taken place. Stress can cause a slowing of new hair growth because a larger number of hair follicles enter into the resting phase and no new hair growth is experienced.

Another way in which individuals experience hair loss is due to mechanical stressors on the hair and scalp. Wearing pigtails, cornrows or tight rollers that end up pull on the hair can scar the scalp and cause permanent hair loss. Hair products such as hot oil treatments and chemicals used for permanents can cause inflammation to the hair follicles which can also result in scarring and hair loss.

For some, hair loss may be the early warning sign of a more serious disorder such as lupus or diabetes, so it is important to talk to your doctor. If you or someone you know is suffering from hair loss, here are some alternative health ideas that can help naturally.

Recommendations For Wellness

If you are taking prescription medications, talk to your doctor and find out if your medication is contributing to your hair loss.

Avoid mega-doses of vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can cause your hair to fall out.

Exercise, do yoga, meditate or find some other practice that will help to reduce your anxiety and stress levels.

Massage your scalp with rosemary oil in an olive oil base. Both rosemary oil and massaging the scalp can stimulate the circulation in the scalp and promote hair growth.

If you are a women, have your female hormones tested. If they are imbalanced, talk to your health care provider about bio-identical hormone replacements.

If you wear pigtails, cornrows, use a curling iron, hair dryer or hot rollers, try changing your hair style to one that puts less pressure and stress on your hair and scalp.

If hot oil treatments or chemicals such as those used in permanents are causing inflammation to the scalp, discontinue their use, or reduce the number of times you are using them.

Use gentle shampoos and conditioners to avoid any unnecessary damage to your hair.

In men, herbs such as saw palmetto and licorice root help block the formation of D HT. The same holds true for supplementation with zinc. As an added benefit, studies show that these supplements can also help prevent prostate enlargement.

Author Bio
Dr. Rita Louise, Ph D is a Naturopathic Physician and the founder of the Institute Of Applied Energetics. Visit http://www.soulhealer.com or www.appliedenergeticsinstitute.com for more information.

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