Overview
Hair loss is a frustrating fact of life for many women. Experts have known for a long time that less than 45% of women will always have a full head of hair. Women can experience hair loss for a variety of reasons, including stress, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes, medical conditions, and genetics. So, how can you keep your hair from falling out? Although there is no tried-and-true method of ensuring that you will still have a full head of hair at the age of 80, there are things you can do to maintain the health of your hair, slow or even stop hair loss, and encourage new hair growth. Read on for everything you need to know about how to prevent hair loss in women.
What are the most common forms of female hair loss?
Before we jump into how to prevent hair loss, let’s go over three of the main types of hair loss that can impact women.
These include: Alopecia androgenetica. Also called female pattern hair loss, androgenetic alopecia is the most common cause of hair loss in women. It is thought to be brought on by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, according to experts. Hormones may also play a role because it occurs more frequently after menopause. Effluvium telogen. Actually, this is a form of excessive hair shedding. It’s typically temporary and can happen due to hormonal changes, nutritional deficiencies, certain medications, and intense stress.
Alopecia areata. Alopecia areata is a form of autoimmune hair loss. Your immune system attacks healthy hair follicles, resulting in hair loss in alopecia areata. Alopecia areata causes hair loss, which typically, but not always, regrows on its own. 10 Ways to Prevent Hair Loss for Women Let’s get into the specifics of how to prevent hair loss now that we’ve covered the fundamentals.
1. Eat a Healthy Diet
Several types of hair loss, including telogen effluvium, female pattern hair loss, and alopecia areata, are linked to certain nutrient deficiencies, according to research. Maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet is essential for your overall health and well-being. It may also help prevent hair loss.
A healthy diet should include the following nutrients:
Protein
Iron
Zinc
B vitamins like folate, biotin, and vitamin B12
D vitamin If you think you may have a nutritional deficiency, make an appointment with your healthcare provider. They can do blood tests to check for a deficiency and may recommend dietary supplements if you do have one.
On the other hand, consuming an excessive amount of certain nutrients, such as selenium, vitamin E, or vitamin A, can actually contribute to hair loss. Before taking supplements, it is always best to check with a doctor to make sure there is a shortage.
2. Reduce Your Stress Levels
High stress levels can lead to telogen effluvium, temporary hair shedding caused by disruptions to your hair growth cycle. Typical repercussions include:
psychiatric tension Major surgery
Severe infections
You can take steps to reduce the amount of psychological stress you experience on a daily basis, like: Using relaxation techniques
Incorporating mindfulness practices into your life, like mindful meditation
attempting yoga as a stress-relieving form of movement Everyone’s approach to stress reduction is unique. It’s okay if meditation doesn’t appeal to you. You might find your calm in a good book or some relaxing music instead.
3. Update Your Hairstyle
Some hairstyles can lead to a type of permanent hair loss called traction alopecia.
Traction alopecia happens when certain hairstyles and hair treatments cause prolonged or excessive tension on your hair, including:
buns or tight ponytails Braids
Locs
Cornrows
Hair extensions or weaves
overnight hair wraps or rollers Chemical sedatives If you frequently wear these styles and think you have traction alopecia hair loss, it might be time for a change. Talk to your hairdresser. They can collaborate with you to achieve a hairstyle that makes you feel good.
4. Be Kind to Your Hair and Scalp
Your hair may be damaged by certain hair and scalp care routines. Over time, you may start to see hair thinning or hair loss.
Try the following advice to avoid causing harm to your hair and scalp: Use a gentle shampoo, applying it only to your scalp.
After shampooing, condition your hair to keep it hydrated and prevent breakage. After taking a shower, wrap your hair loosely in a soft towel to help it dry. When brushing or combing your hair, try not to pull on it too much and brush it while it’s still damp. Because too much heat can damage your hair, use heat sources sparingly. Examples of heat sources include blow-dryers, curling irons, flat irons, and hot oil treatments.
Add more time between touch-ups for hair treatments like coloring, perming, or relaxing.
5. Treat Scalp Conditions
When it comes to maintaining a healthy head of hair, keeping your scalp happy and healthy is important. After all, your hair grows from up to 120,000 hair follicles on your scalp. And several scalp conditions can lead to hair loss, including scalp psoriasis and tinea capitis (ringworm).
Additionally, although dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis do not directly cause hair loss, they can cause itching on the scalp. Repeated scratching may result in hair loss over time. Got scalp issues? A dermatologist can help determine the root cause and suggest treatment to alleviate symptoms like itching or flaking — from special shampoos to topical creams, solutions, and even oral meds.
6. Take Care of Your Medical Problems
Hair loss can also be caused by some medical conditions, especially those that mess with hormones. For women, two common culprits are:
PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome PCOS raises androgen levels (AKA male sex hormones), which can affect hair follicles and lead to hair thinning.
Thyroid disease. Excessive hair shedding can occur when your thyroid is out of whack, whether it is underactive (hypothyroidism) or overactive (hyperthyroidism). The good news? Hair loss isn’t something you have to live with. There are treatments out there that can help manage PCOS and thyroid imbalances, slowing down or even reversing hair loss.
7. Take medication with caution
Telogen effluvium can be triggered by some drugs. And hormone medications might cause hair loss when you start, stop, or adjust your dose.
The following are a few examples of medications that may cause hair loss: Blood pressure-lowering drugs like beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors
Heparin and warfarin are blood thinners. Hormone meds including oral contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and androgens
Medication for seizures Antidepressants
Talk to your healthcare provider before starting a new medication. They can explain the possible side effects to look out for, like more hair in the drain of your shower. If you think a medication you’re taking may be causing hair loss, let your provider know. They might suggest a different drug that doesn’t cause hair loss as a side effect. Never stop or adjust the dosage of your medications on your own.
8. Obtain Assistance for Trichotillomania
Ever found yourself twirling your hair or tugging at it without thinking? It happens pretty often. But for some, hair pulling can become an uncontrollable habit, known as trichotillomania.
Trichotillomania is a mental health disorder linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Pulling hair on a regular basis can cause damage to the follicles and even permanent hair loss. If this sounds familiar, don’t be afraid to ask for help. A treatment like habit reversal therapy, which is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can be provided by a mental health professional.
9. Try Proven Hair Loss Treatments
Do you notice bald spots, a receding hairline, shedding, or thinning hair? Wondering if you can stop it from getting worse?
The good news is that you can! Consider the following treatments for hair loss that are supported by research: Topical minoxidil (Rogaine®), an FDA-approved treatment for androgenetic alopecia that’s available without a prescription as a 2% solution or a 5% foam
Prescription drugs for the mouth like spironolactone, finasteride, and oral minoxidil Laser therapy at low levels (LLT) Therapy with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) Transplants of hair And other methods might not slow hair loss or boost new growth, they can still make a difference in how your hair looks. Hair loss shampoos can help your hair look thicker or fuller. And changing up your hairstyle or wearing a wig can help to cover areas where you have thinning or bald patches.
10. Stop Smoking
We all know that smoking is bad for our health by now; however, did you know that it can also cause hair loss? Research links smoking to conditions like androgenetic alopecia, and here’s why: it may reduce blood flow to hair follicles, cause oxidative stress damage, or speed up the effects of hormones and aging.
Fortunately, quitting can have an impact. This is where your healthcare provider comes in handy. They can collaborate with you to create an individualized quit strategy.