One reason is because the hardening of collagen at the base of the hair or scalp beneath. Hardening of collagen will close the base of the hair and make it difficult absorption of nutrients. As a result, the union between the base of the hair and scalp become weak and capillary fiber becomes thinner. If not treated, the hair will fall out more quickly, and even baldness.

Do not think that hair loss problem can be solved only with shampoo.That’s because shampoo works to cleanse the scalp of dirt and oils and just cope with hair loss caused by the fracture of the hair shaft. Meanwhile, the problem of hair loss stems from the base of the hair which is located on the scalp.

Eggs Hair Treatment

Everyone used to consume the eggs, do you know that eggs not only can be processed into a variety of delicious foods, eggs can also be used for hair care. It could not be separated from the high protein content in eggs, which can enhance your crown.

“Raw eggs are the best mask for hair. The yolk contains proteins that are naturally fat can moisturize the hair. Meanwhile, the whites contain an enzyme antidote to the bacteria and can reduce excess oil on the hair,” says Janice Cox, author of “Natural Beauty at Home ‘, quoted from Woman’s Day.

For those of you who have normal hair type all parts of the egg can be used as a hair mask. Just mix it until the yolk and egg white evenly mixed. Then, apply on the hair that has been cleaned and dampened.

Leave it alone for about 20 minutes. After that, rinse with cold water and wash with shampoo. Hair will look healthy and shiny. This egg mask can be used once a month.

For those of you who have oily hair types, you should use the egg whites just as a hair mask. In contrast to dry hair, the yolk is used as a mask.

Honey for Hair Treatment

Honey Hair Treatment is effective when added to water used, with a ratio of 1: 1. Before applying it in the hair, honey diluted first. Retailing done to facilitate the absorption of the hair and scalp. If you want better results, you can supplement it with a squeeze of lemon.

Way of use: Take a small bowl of honey to about 500 cc, mix with a little water and apply evenly on the scalp and hair. Perform massage slowly. Let stand for 30 minutes to a solution of honey permeate the pores of the scalp. The longer time, the results will be better.

After that washing your hair as usual. to eliminate the residu of honey that sticks in your hair, do the wash 3 times with shampoo, Especially for honey treatment, it can be done after shampooing as a conditioner. Specially after shampooing no added water again.

Women’s hair can thin for a variety of reasons, and yet the topic is still far less openly discussed than male hair loss. In many cases, though, the causes are diagnosable and treatable, making it particularly important that women discuss hair loss with their doctors. First, let’s consider some common factors that can cause and contribute to hair loss:

• Low iron levels: Iron deficiency, with or without anemia, can lead to hair loss. Do not simply start taking an iron supplement without having your iron checked by a physician because too much iron can also lead to health problems.

• Thyroid disorders: Both an overactive and an underactive thyroid can lead to hair loss.

• Low estrogen levels: Many women experience hair loss during and after menopause, when estrogen levels begin to drop. Other hormonal changes — changes in oral contraceptive use, for example — can also trigger hair loss.

• Post-pregnancy hormonal changes: Similarly, new moms may find that they’re shedding a lot of hair in the first one to six months after delivery, when their estrogen levels return to normal. Actually, what seems like excessive hair loss is really hair’s natural growth cycle regulating itself, as high hormone levels tend to keep women from losing normal amounts of hair during pregnancy.

• Telogen effluvium: This is the general term for sudden, temporary hair loss as a result of recent stress or surgery, which typically occurs around two months after the causative event or illness. (It may also be used to describe sudden hair loss as a result of other factors on this list, such as post-pregnancy hormonal changes.)

• Medications: Many medications may lead to hair loss. If this is a concern, talk to your doctor about potential alternatives

• High levels of vitamin A or selenium: There is rarely any reason to take more of these nutrients than you’d find in a good multivitamin.

Several recent studies of men have found that smoking also seems to increase hair loss. I don’t know of any similar studies in women, but one thing is clear: Smoking is harmful for a multitude of reasons, whether or not increased hair loss is among them!

The best plan of action for anyone experiencing hair loss is to determine the underlying cause and eliminate it. And the best place to start is a routine physical exam with blood work. By simply drawing your blood, your physician can determine your ferritin (iron) levels, thyroid levels, and estrogen status - and that will already get you far in recognizing or ruling out many of these causes.

If your physician does not uncover a reversible cause for the hair loss, though, it may be the unavoidable result of genetics. But there are still products that can help stimulate re-growth:

• Rogaine (the trade name for the drug minoxidil), which is applied directly to the scalp, causes dilation of blood vessels and increased blood flow to the scalp. As a result, the hair follicle gets better nutrients and oxygen and the shrunken hair follicles become larger and hair grows thicker. Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should not use Rogaine.

• Propecia (the trade name for the drug finasteride) is sold in pill form and inhibits the conversion of testosterone (which women have in small amounts) to DHT (or dihydrotestosterone), a hormone that gradually shrinks hair follicles and causes them to have shorter growth cycles. Though only FDA-approved for male pattern hair loss, Propecia may also help patterned hair loss in women. (Pregnant women or women who are planning to become pregnant, however, should never take Propecia.)  Studies evaluating the efficacy of Propecia in women have been contradictory so it does not work in all women.

Both of these treatments work only as long as you use them, though; once treatment is discontinued, hair will typically return to its pre-treatment thickness. Stay tuned to hear about a new light treatment in a comb that may improve hair loss.

Source : Yahoo Health

It’s normal to lose about 100 strands of hair a day. If you notice your hair loss increasing, it’s important to talk to your doctor because while often hereditary, it can also be a sign of a serious medical condition, or a side effect from a prescription drug.

Turns out, women can experience three different types:

Thinning:  This is the most common form of hair loss and it’s hereditary. “You can pretty much look at either your mom or dad and determine if you’re at high risk,” says Dr. Paradi Mirmirani, a dermatologist in Vallejo, California and spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology.

The normal growth cycle for hair is every two to six years. But as we age, the growth cycle shortens and the new strands of hair grow in fewer, and thinner. There is no prevention for hereditary hair thinning, but there are treatment options.

For those experiencing hereditary thinning, an over-the-counter topical medication containing 2 percent to 5 percent of the drug minoxidil will slow down the thinning process and help to re-grow new, stronger hair follicles. “This is a great treatment option but a women need to keep using it because if they stop, the same thinning pattern will develop all over again, “ notes Mirmirani.

Shedding:  Shedding occurs for a number of reasons, most often in women post-pregnancy. When pregnant, elevated hormone levels in the body cause your hair follicles to take a nap essentially and not shed the normal 100 hairs a day. “This is why you’ll often hear women talk about how great their hair looked during those nine months,” Mirmirani added. “Post-pregnancy, your hair’s natural growth cycle plays catch up and sheds a lot of hair at once, but in reality it’s the same amount you would have naturally lost if you never got pregnant.”

Over 290 medications can also cause hair shedding, according to the AAD. Most common medications to impact hair loss are amphetamines, beta blockers, antidepressants and blood thinners.

Lack of a properly balanced diet, including getting enough iron, will also cause hair to shed. An over- or under-active thyroid is also a common factor.

“The good thing for a person experiencing hair shedding to know is that it’s absolutely not permanent–the hair will grow back the same as it was before.”

Experts say about six months after eliminating the reason for the increased shedding (example, after pregnancy, or once your thyroid is regulated), your hair will go back to normal.

Breakage: If you’re like me, it’s not uncommon to frequently use an extra hot flat-iron on your luscious locks. But do you ever wonder where all the hair on your bathroom floor came from afterwards? Frequent use of flat-irons and hot rollers can cause damage and hair loss. “The root or hair follicle isn’t being impacted, but the actual hair strands are damaged and will break off from the root with frequent use.” Note to self: cut back on the flat-iron!

How about you? Have you noticed your hair thinning out as you age? Is hair loss really a “taboo” topic for women? Are there any treatments or shampoos that worked for you? Share your story below!

Source : CNN

For those who don’t plan on counting their hair every day, there are ways to know when hair is thinning or being lost at a higher rate. Roberts tells WebMD that women will see a difference. When waking up in the morning, there may be an usually large amount on your pillow. When you comb your hair (especially without tugging, which can pull the hair out), more than normal will be left in the comb.

There are also other visual cues that women can look for over time. Although men’s hair tends to recede from the forehead or the crown of the head, women tend to notice thinning on the top third to one half of the scalp. Sometimes their frontal line stays intact, says Nicole Rogers, MD, of  Old Metairie Dermatology in Metairie, La. Women may see a part that is gradually becoming wider or see more of their scalp than normal when their hair is pulled back.

Way to Grow

Hair grows in three different cycles: anagen, catagen, and telogen. About 90% of the hair on the head is in the anagen, or growth phase, which lasts anywhere from two to eight years. The catagen, or transition phase, typically lasts 2-3 weeks, during which  the hair follicle shrinks. During the telogen cycle, which lasts around two to four months, the hair rests.

An overwhelming majority of the time the hair is on the scalp, it is growing. Only about 10% of the strands are in transition or resting at any one time. Hair grows about 6 inches a year for most people.

Maybe Your Genes is the answer

Another way to diagnose what the problem is just by looking and listening, Rogers says. She asks what a patient’s mother, aunts, or grandmothers look like – if they have similar, or greater amounts, of hair loss. Using magnification on the scalp can show if a woman’s follicles vary in size – with some thick and others thin. These are two telltale signs of female pattern hair loss, also called androgenetic alopecia.

This is a hereditary condition that affects about 30 million American women, according to the America Academy of Dermatology,  and is the most common kind of hair loss Rogers sees in her practice. She tells WebMD that it happens to about 50% of women. Although it mostly occurs in the late 50s or 60s, it can happen at any time, even during teenage years, Rogers says.

Medical and Other Conditions

If hair follicles are uniform in size, or if the hair loss is sudden, it is likely to be caused by something other than heredity, like a medical condition, Rogers says.

There are a wide range of conditions that can bring on hair loss, with some of the most common being pregnancy, thyroid disorders, and anemia. Others include autoimmune diseases, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and skin conditions such as psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis, Rogers says.

Though there has been a link between menopause and hair loss, Roberts says she doesn’t think there is a direct correlation. It could be that menopause and hair loss just occur at the same age.

Other reasons for hair loss include extreme stress; physical trauma like surgery or intense illness; dramatic weight loss over a short period of time; and taking too much Vitamin A, Roberts says. And hair loss can occur a couple of weeks to six months after any of these experiences.

Women and Hair Loss : Temporary Solutions

One other way to thin hair is self-inflicted – hairstyles like cornrows or too-tight braids can cause hair loss called traction alopecia.

All of the things women do to manipulate their hair — dyes, chemical treatments, bad brushes, blow dryers, and flat irons — can result in damage and breakage, Roberts says. This includes brushing too much and towel drying aggressively when the hair is wet.

Luckily, for most of these issues, the hair grows back or the loss can be reversed with medical treatments. But it is important to see a dermatologist if there seems to be something wrong, because the sooner treatment is started, the better the chances are for improving your growing season.

Source : www.webmd.com

Half of women experience female pattern baldness during their lifetime, and some 20 percent find it to be enough of a problem to seek treatment, said Michael Reed, dermatologist and author of “Women’s Hair Loss: The Hidden Epidemic” (Lock and Mane, $29.95).

Though hair loss isn’t usually a sign of a serious health problem, it can be psychologically devastating.

“People feel it’s a loss of femininity,” said Geoffrey Redmond, an endocrinologist specializing in women’s hormones. “I know women who have stopped working because they’re so embarrassed.”

Women tend to know when they’re shedding more than usual, but as a general rule, losing more than 25 to 50 hairs per day is abnormal, said Redmond, author of “It’s Your Hormones” (Harper, $15.95).

In most cases, the cause is a genetic condition called androgenic alopecia, which is when hair follicles shrink because of a loss of estrogen and/or increased sensitivity to testosterone. Unlike men, who tend to experience androgenic alopecia as receding hairlines, women generally get thinning at the temples and the tops of their heads.

Once it starts, it usually gets worse, so it’s best to seek treatment earlier on when there’s more hair to save, Redmond said. Androgenic alopecia strikes some 25 percent of women in their 20s and 30s, and more than half of women over 45, when estrogen levels fall, he said.

Other possible, though rarer, causes of hair loss include alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks the hair follicles, causing patchy round bald spots. It affects less than 1 percent of the population and typically appears in the teen or young adult years.

Hair loss also can be a sign of a hormone disorder, such as polycystic ovary syndrome or a thyroid imbalance, and it’s a symptom of many illnesses, from anemia to syphilis, but those usually are also accompanied by other symptoms.

Sometimes women experience a temporary mass loss of hair, called telogen effluvium, that is induced by some event that tips your hormones, such as weight loss, having a baby, going on and off of birth control pills or acute stress, Reed said. Usually your hair recovers once the event has passed, but if you’re genetically disposed to androgenic alopecia, an episode of telogen effluvium can kick-start your path to hair loss earlier, Reed said.

Treatments

Hair loss can be stabilized 80 percent of the time with treatment, Redmond said. Some people get regrowth.

Most treatments involve boosting estrogen, such as by taking estrogen-dominant birth control pills, or blocking testosterone, such as by taking drugs containing finasteride (Propecia) or spironolactone (Aldactone).

Other people turn to minoxidil (Rogaine), a nonhormonal topical solution that can stimulate hair growth. A new treatment is to add a bit of estrogen to a minoxidil formulation, though there’s not yet solid evidence that it works, Reed said.

Lifestyle habits can help prevent hair loss, so exercise regularly and eat enough protein to keep your hormones in balance, Reed said. He also recommends supplements to slow down hair loss, such as zinc, iron, B vitamins and 5,000 micrograms daily of biotin (vitamin B7), which is known to strengthen hair and nails.

Redmond says to wash your hair at least every other day; otherwise, you could shed scalp and inflame the hair follicles. And if you worry your hair loss is excessive or accelerating, search for a doctor who is proactive about it.

Source : ChicagoTribune

While there actually is no simple answer to which question, there are some easy steps you can take to help save your hair.

Hair loss may be the result of hormone unbalances and you will only genuinely prevent hair fall once you address that concern.
However, dealing with your scalp and hair is an essential part of any hair loss cure, so the more you can do the more systematically it is possible to spare your hair.

#1 – Don’t Hesitate, Do Something About It

Perhaps the most important advice you will learn is to not necessarily doubt yourself. If you feel there is a problem, do something. If you know there is a issue, why have you waited this long to stop paying it?

Here is a fundamental lesson you need to know regarding your body. When one thing is wrong inside, it has a domino effect. A mild problem leads to other issues, which in turn double the power of the initial problem.

Confusing? Possibly, but the human body is a very complex machine.

Chances are you did not begin with a severe hormonal imbalance leading to hair loss. It’s likely that there was one other issue, possibly a couple of difficulties.

At first, they caused no secondary concerns but over time these people complicated your natural body functions. To produce up for this burden, your body overproduced hormones and, long story brief, you ended up with hair fall.

The hair fall has been prevented long before the very first hair every get rid of if the problem has been addressed in its starting stages. Even now how the problem is more obvious, it is still never too late to stop it.

Keep in mind, the more out of control the hormone balance become the faster your hair may fall out. Doing one thing about it today ways you are that much closer to better looking hair.

#2 – At First Care for Your Hair As Gently When you Would A Child’s

Nurturing your hair to health is a steady process. Therefore the hair all over your head is still in a weakened state for some time. This is when you need to be as careful and as gentle when you would with a new born baby’s hair.

Hair loss does not mean you have no type options. However, you need to make sure you do nothing in order to aggravate the situation or you will lose all hair fall control.

For example, cleaning the hair in a “ripping or tearing” manner will not only grab too much hair, it injures the hair hair foillicle and inhibits the healing from your thinning hair remedies.

You should use additional care when you have longer hair. Longer hair requires more brushing and often needs detangling. Never take on too much hair simultaneously or you may unnecessarily tug on the hair. Exercise tangles from your end up, with quick strokes.

The same goes for the hair care products. Always make sure the ingredients in your hair shampoo and style products are not necessarily counteracting all of the good efforts you are making to recover your hair follicles.

In the beginning of your recovery, constantly avoid strong chemicals and artificial ingredients.

As you are able to cure your hair loss and re-grow your hair, you will have greater overall flexibility in selecting your hair care regiment, but you will invariably want to weary of anything which jeopardises your scalp’s health with regard to style.

#3 – Think about a Pro-Healing Scalp Environment At Night

The last of these Several hair fall control ideas is very similar to #2. Until morning, your head rests on your pillow. Your crown and hair spend more time in contact with your pillow case case and mattress than any other product throughout the rest of the evening. Why not turn this kind of into an ultra-healing possibility?

Your first step, try a silk pillow case. Satin allows the hair and also head to glide within the fabric versus standard pillow cases which may tug a bit. It is an almost insignificant level of tugging, but it can add up after an eight hour quick sleep.

Next, never hole your head or head of hair at night. Skip the braids, rollers, wraps, or some different on your head and scalp. This is your hair follicle’s prime healing moment, give it every chance to heal freely.

Finally, keep the air awesome but moist. This is the prime climate for skin healing. Acne and eczema individuals have known this for years, and now it is time to use that solution to help your hair and also scalp heal.

Individuals 3 tips tend to be as simple as it will get. In many cases, simple is best. This is one of those circumstances. Combining simple scalp nurturing with well balanced hormones gives you the best formula for curing hair loss for good.

Olive Oil

For a treatment that will clarify the scalp and encourage new hair growth, apply olive oil to the scalp before bed. Cover the head with a shower cap, allow the oil to soak into the skin overnight and wash hair as usual in the morning.

Ancient Greeks used to bathe in olive oil because it clarified and moisturized the skin. It has the same effect on the scalp and is a common natural remedy for dandruff. It removes bacteria from hair follicles and gives hair a healthy base to grow.

Flaxseed Oil

Massage flaxseed oil into the scalp for 5 minutes using circular motions. After the massage, allow oil to stay on the scalp for an additional 30 minutes. Wash hair as usual when time is complete.

Flaxseed oil stimulates the hair follicles by increasing circulation and blood flow in the scalp. Flaxseed oil is also rich in vitamin E, which helps repair damage to the scalp.

Eggs

Separate the yolk of an egg and massage it into the scalp and distribute it evenly throughout the entire hair length. Let the yolk stay in the hair for 20 minutes and rinse out with cool water. Be careful because hot water will cook the egg in your hair.

Eggs have been used by beauty experts for generations to achieve beautiful and strong hair. Egg yolks are full of protein and vitamins that aid in hair growth. An egg yolk hair mask is an excellent treatment for thinning hair because these nutrients speed up hair growth and prevent hair loss by fostering a healthy scalp.

OTC and Prescription Remedies

Use over-the-counter (OTC) remedies to stop your hair loss. Rogaine is a popular hair loss prevention and restorative treatment that is marketed for men and women. Apply Rogaine to the part of your scalp where your hair is thinning. For the best results, use the product daily. According to the website stophairbreakage.org, 20 percent of women and 25 percent of men using Rogaine see results. Continue to use the product to protect new hair growth.

Ask your doctor about a prescription for Finasteride to stop hair loss. Finasteride is a synthetic hormone used to treat male pattern hair loss. It is taken orally in pill form. To see results, you must take the drug for 3 months. Once you stop taking the pill, the new hair growth may be lost. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant cannot touch the medication.

Hair Treatments and Styles

The way you style your hair can lead to hair loss. Avoid using hot oil treatments and permanents (perms). The chemicals in perms can cause inflammation of the hair follicles and scalp scarring. Hot oil can clog pores and prevent hair growth. Do not wrap your hair to tightly during the styling process. Ponytail holders that are too tight, cornrows or tightly wound rollers can pull hair out and cause scarring of the scalp. All of these can lead to temporary hair loss. Scaring can lead to permanent hair loss.

Helpful Herbs and Seaweeds

Supplement your diet with herbs to prevent or stop hair loss. Herbs believed to stimulate new hair growth and/or stop hair loss include Atlantic Kelp, Himanthalia Elongata, Pelventia Canaliculata Extract, Gingo Biloba, Saw Palmetto, Stinging Nettle and Dong Quai. Atlantic Kelp and Himanthalia Elongata are seaweeds that contain large amounts of amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Both forms help heal scalp damage and promote new hair growth. Pelvetia Canaliculata Extract, also known as Channelled Wrack, contains isoflavones that have antioxidant properties that help restore the skin on the scalp. Ginkgo Biloba helps with blood circulation and delivers vital nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles. Saw Palmetto slows hair loss and promotes new hair growth. Stinging Nettle blocks the conversion of the male hormone testosterone into DHT, so it works in much the same way as the prescription medication Finasteride. Dong Quai is a Chinese herb that prohibits the formation of DHT. Do your research before purchasing herbal supplements. Buy them from trusted sources and check with your doctor before using if you are taking other medications.

Scalp Massage

Without sufficient blood flow to the scalp, hair follicles won’t receive enough of the nutrients necessary for hair growth. A dry, flaky scalp clogs follicles and inhibits new hair from growing. Kill two birds with one stone by giving yourself an olive oil massage to stimulate and moisturize your scalp.

Warm a tablespoon of olive oil in the palm of your hand. Using your fingers (not your nails), rub the oil all over your scalp in kneading, circular motions. Start at the front of your hairline and work your way backward. Repeat this motion several times; you should feel a warmth spreading across your scalp. For increased blood flow, turn your head upside-down while massaging. Leave the oil on for about 30 minutes, then shower as usual.

Deep Conditioner

Well-conditioned hair is less likely to break, shed, and split at the ends. Keep your strands healthy and moisturized with a weekly olive oil conditioning treatment.

Wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo to get rid of dirt, oil and buildup. When hair is damp (not sopping wet), cover your scalp and hair in 1/4 cup olive oil (use more or less depending on the amount of hair you have). Rub the oil in, focusing on the ends, so that each strand is coated in oil.

Wrap your head in a plastic shower cap, and cover this with a thick towel. This traps your body heat, which helps the conditioner penetrate each strand of hair. Leave the olive oil in your hair for 30 minutes to an hour before shampooing. You may have to wash your hair two or three times to get rid of all of the oil.

Additives

Adding a few drops of essential oil to your treatment is a good way to maximize the benefit to your hair. Rosemary and frankincense work well for stimulating hair growth. Add four or five drops to 1/2 cup of olive oil and let the mixture marinate for 24 hours in a cool, dark place before using.

You can also mix olive oil with other moisturizing oils for added hair benefits. Try combining equal parts olive and avocado oil for increased shaft absorption, or olive and coconut oil for slowing hair loss. Sesame and almond oils are good for nourishing the hair and scalp.

Causes of Hair Loss

Some hair loss will be inevitable. Many people shed 50 to 100hairs on a normal evening. With the inexperienced having 100,000 hairs on their mind, this sum is probably not observed. However, whenever that price increases, hair thinning may occur. Hair loss will be prevalent in a number of skin conditions including lupus. It can also occur in autoimmune disorders which includes thyroid illness. Chemotherapy treatment will also trigger hair loss, even though hair typically grows back when the treatment is actually stopped.Additional causes of hair thinning could include: inadequate proteins and inadequate nourishment–fad diets, crash diets and particular eating issues can lead to poor nutrition; junk changes and imbalances–this could be contributed to pregnancy, the change of life or an improperly functioning thyroid gland; chemicals found in the process of perishing, bleaching, tinting film or straightening–excessive scrubbing and over-styling also can cause damage ultimately causing hair loss.

Guidelines on how to Fight Thinning hair

The first line of defense in hair loss is talking to your doctor. Sudden hair thinning could be the result of an underlying medical problem that could probably require medical assistance.

There is no cure for baldness. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean you have to accept dropping your hair. Make sure you eat a healthy balanced diet plan, avoid restricted hairstyles and also compulsive twisting, pulling or perhaps rubbing nice hair. Let hair dry obviously vs. Using a blow dryer.

Over-the-counter drugs such as Rogaine market new hair growth and prevent further hair loss in some individuals. However, the medicine can be used continuously because the positive effects quit when you quit using it.

If the above techniques don’t aid, there are health-related options available. Prescription drugs such as Propecia can occasionally stop and also reverse hair loss in teenage boys. Unfortunately, this is simply not an option for ladies.

Those who can’t be helped simply by any other approach and do not need to live with hair loss might opt for transplant surgery. Hair treatment surgery made a great progress way in the past decade. Even if this method is expensive–typically charging more than $1,200 initially and about $675 annually to be able to maintain–it is a highly effective method for fighting stubborn thinning hair.