Causes of Hair Loss. How to Boost Volume and Keep Hair from Falling Out?

More and more people are struggling with the problem of falling out hair. It affects both men and women, no matter the age, hair structure, color and length. There are lots of causes of falling out hair and you mustn’t ignore them. They can lead to even more serious problem – hair loss or thinning.

The article focuses on hair loss - the causes and remedies. I mention things you should avoid not to weaken hair bulbs. You’ll also find tips on how to prevent such a problem.

HAIR. WHY DOES IT FALL OUT?

1. Alopecia androgenetic – baldness related to hormonal imbalances. It’s hereditary and affects both women and men yet it’s more common in men. Why? Androgens – male hormones – are responsible for this type of hair loss.

Women also struggle with hormonal baldness. It’s because of DHT hormone. Its excessive amount in the body stops the processes responsible for forming hair. Consequently, bulbs start shrinking and fall out of the hair follicles.

2. Alopecia areata – it affects women and men. What are its main causes? Traumas, thyroiditis, serious viral infections or genes. You can inhibit or slow down alopecia areata but remember that it’s a recurring ailment. This type of baldness is an autoimmune disease – the organism attacks itself.

Apart from genetics and hereditary causes of hair loss, there are lots of other factors – less serious – that contribute to (not so drastic) hair fall out.

The most common causes of hair loss:

1. Improper blood flow in the scalp.
2. Hair falls out after long-lasting flu or cold.
3. Hair falls out after a surgery and narcosis.
4. Pharmaceuticals, mostly antibiotics.
5. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
6. Trichotillomania (TTM), also known as hair pulling disorder, is a psychosomatic disease; pulling out one’s hair.
7. Hair loss after giving birth (the result of decreasing estrogen level).
8. Menopause.
9. Long-term stress, insomnia.
10. Radical diet and loss of weight.
11. Improper hair care (heat styling, coloring, bleaching, overusing strong hairstyling products).
12. Protein deficit or too much of vitamin A.
13. Too tight hairdos, mechanical and long-lasting pulling of hair, tight braids, any hairstyles that pull hair fibre and irritate the follicles.
14. All kinds of microorganisms, fungi, psoriasis, strong dandruff – they disturb the acid-base balance of the skin and can cause hair follicle inflammation.
15. Toxins and smoking cigarettes.

Falling out hair - when should start worrying?

We must remember that falling out is a part of the natural hair life cycle. If hair falls out in reasonable quantities, you shouldn’t be worried. What’s the ‘reasonable quantity’? Losing 50-100 hairs a day is absolutely normal. When can you start worrying? Once you notice more hair falling out or thinning places on your scalp. Then, you should try to figure out the cause and visit a trichologist. The doctor carries out professional hair and scalp examination and verifies their condition. Such tests enable ruling out the worst cases – serious causes of hair loss described at the beginning of the post. What’s more, the trichologist can suggest the needs of your hair and ways for taking good care of the scalp.

Oiling – the natural anti-hair loss method

How to treat thinning hair?

Hair oiling is among the best methods for preventing and inhibiting hair loss. It involves applying natural oils to hair and scalp; preferably, the oils should match your hair type (porosity). Oils are all-natural substances extracted from the seeds and fruit of plants that have been known and appreciated for its unique and valuable, healing, strengthening and beautifying properties for ages. They make an amazing alternative to over-the-counter chemical products. Synthetic cosmetics often include some controversial ingredients that can fail to solve the hair loss problem that we fight with. Surprisingly, even a scalp massage turns out to work wonders, provided it's done regularly and gently. A blend of oils (paraben-free and silicone-free!) designed for scalp oiling works amazing for the scalp massage. There are delicate and all-natural products that apart from stopping hair loss, stimulate hair bulbs. Hair grows more quickly.

What else can you do to keep hair from falling out?

• avoid pulling hair
• don’t wash off shampoos and conditioners with hot water
• try not to pull your hair tight while making hairdos
• avoid tight braids or ponytails
• pay attention to the food you eat
• regularly trim the hair ends
• protect the hair from UV radiation
• replace your pillow with a sateen and soft one
• cut down on hairstyling products
• use mild shampoos, free from parabens, silicones and SLS
• cut down on coffee and smoking cigarettes