Looking for the best products for hair loss? Many of us have or will experience a degree of hair loss at some point in our lives, be it from being too abrasive when removing extensions or over-brushing our tresses, or due to internal causes like stress or unbalanced hormones.
It is very common – but when hair loss is excessive, continuous and very noticeable, it can send us into a flurry of panic and self consciousness, leading us to seek out formulas to restore our scalp to optimum health.
As daunting as it sounds, we all naturally shed 50-100 strands a day, but if you’re noticing significantly more than this it’s worth looking into an underlying cause. I forfeited my strands a while ago, but during my time as a fully-fledged naturalista, I experienced my own fair share of hair loss. At times, it seemed as though no matter how much care I put into my hair, the shedding would continue, and so I enlisted the help of hair growth products.
As there are many causes of hair loss, there are also many solutions and when it comes to effectiveness, results will definitely vary. In addition to the basics, a healthy diet and styling your hair with care, there are some products that can stimulate hair growth and aid in follicle repair. But before we get into that, we asked experts for some insight into the causes of hair loss.
What causes hair loss?
“40% of women experience hair loss over the course of their lives,” Dr Bessam Farjo, hair restoration surgeon at Farjo Hair Institute, tells us. “There are two main types of hair loss – genetic and reactive. Genetic hair loss means that you are naturally predisposed to hair loss, as certain hair follicles are sensitive to male hormones, which causes them slowly shrink and produce increasingly finer and shorter hairs with each growth cycle. Around 80% of hair loss is genetic.
“Reactive hair loss is due to a specific trigger, such as nutritional deficiencies, stress, hormonal imbalances, weight loss or an illness,” he continues. “Using harsh chemicals, such as peroxide or perming solution, can also damage the hair and cause it to break.” Farjo also notes that, with reactive hair loss, there is no follicular damage and the hair should grow back once you’ve tackled the root cause.
“Common causes of hair loss I regularly see in clinic include male pattern or female pattern hair loss, telogen effluvium (excess shedding), traction alopecia, alopecia areata and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA),” adds Dr Sharon Belmo, consultant dermatologist and hair loss specialist.
What are the treatment options for hair loss?
It’s always worth speaking to your GP or a trichologist for advice if you’re experiencing hair loss, but there are some lifestyle changes you can make to help matters. Protect your hair and scalp from friction – a silk scarf or pillowcase at night is the perfect place to start. “Avoid hairstyles such as tight ponytails that put a strain on the hair follicles, as well as hair extensions that pull on the root of the hair,” Dr Farjo adds. “A hair lotion containing Minoxidil can help treat female-pattern baldness, either slowing down or stopping the balding and promoting thicker hair.” Our doctor also recommends eating foods rich in protein and iron.