10 Tips For Managing Hair Loss And When To See A Hair Loss Doctor
Though hair thinning is common with age, noticing your hairline recede each time you look in the mirror can be frustrating. Hair loss can be a problem for both men and women, but spotting the root cause and complying with a hair loss regimen can help manage it.
Sometimes, hair loss happens due to factors that are beyond our control, including genetics, hormonal changes, or even illness. But other times, your hair can become damaged, weak, and prone to breakage, causing visible hair loss.
In this blog, we’ll tackle some tips for managing hair loss, and when it’s time for you to seek the help of a hair loss doctor.
1. Take charge of stress
Stress can cause temporary hair loss. Called telogen effluvium, stress-induced hair loss usually stems from childbirth, illness, surgery, and emotional stress, among others. The good thing is, once you get stress under control, your hair could grow back.
2. Eat a healthy diet
Did you know that whatever you eat affects how your hair looks and feels? Nutrition plays a critical role in the health of your hair. Many people overlook nutrition as an important factor in preventing and managing hair loss.
So, make sure you consume a healthy and varied diet, including rich sources of antioxidants, vitamin D, biotin, iron, and proteins.
The lack of protein in the diet can affect hair growth. In a day, you’ll need about 40 to 60 grams of protein. Some of the rich sources of proteins include legumes, beans, nuts, Greek yoghurt, eggs, and fish.
3. Use mild hair products
Thinning hair is brittle and to reduce the risk of hair loss, use mild hair products. Shampoos are used to cleanse the hair and remove excess oil and dirt. However, they can strip moisture from your hair. To solve this, use mild shampoos that use natural ingredients.
After shampooing your hair, apply a moisturising conditioner to help reduce split ends and hair breakage.
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4. Take supplements when needed
Many vitamins and minerals are needed for proper hair development to happen. These include proteins, iron, zinc, biotin, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Moreover, scientists have found that vitamins A, B, C, D, selenium, zinc, and iron are essential nutrients for hair growth, particularly in normal hair follicle development and immune cell function.
5. Get a scalp massage
Did you know that a quick 4-minute scalp massage may help stimulate hair growth by promoting blood flow to the area? A study in 2016 found that massaging the scalp for four minutes every day increases hair thickness. You can use nourishing oils, such as almond oil or coconut oil. Also, using essential oils, including cedarwood, lavender and rosemary, can improve hair health, adding strength and shine.
6. Go easy on heat styling tools
Using heat to style your hair can cause damage and breakage. High heat will provide optimum styling results but using them too much may damage the hair’s cuticle, dry your scalp, and remove natural oils. As a result, it’s easier for the hair to crack and break. Excessive heat can also cause scalp inflammation, which weakens the hair roots, leading to hair loss.
You can use these heating hair tools once in a while by choosing a lower temperature setting or applying heat-protecting spray before applying heat to minimise damage.
7. Steer away from chemically treating or bleaching your hair
Chemically-treated hair is at a heightened risk of hair fall. Bleaching the hair damages the strands by splitting protein molecules called keratin. The same is true with chemical treatments such as rebonding or perming as they can alter the natural keratin-disulphide bonds of our hair strands.
Your hair can become brittle and prone to breaking. Plus, when the hair follicles become exposed to hair bleach, it can cause inflammation and burns, leading to permanent hair loss. Avoid these chemical hair treatments, or if you need to have your hair treated, go to a salon with trained hair stylists. Don’t opt for do-it-yourself treatments as these can damage your hair if they’re not used appropriately.
8. Avoid hairstyles
Tight ponytails, buns, and braids pull on the hairline, causing too much tension on the scalp. This, in turn, causes the hair to weaken and break. Excessive hair brushing can also cause hair thinning. Use a natural-bristle brush instead of those made with plastic bristles. When detangling hair, use a wide-toothed hair brush or comb.
9. Stop smoking
Smoking is one of the fastest accelerators of hair thinning and hair loss, particularly for those who are already at risk. The chemicals in cigarette smoke can cause thinning by reducing blood circulation to the scalp. It also affects the normal oxygen saturation levels, restricting the hair growth process.
Further, cigarette smoke enhances oxidative stress and the development of free radicals, which may alter cellular activities that are essential for hair growth.
10. Consider hair-loss prevention options
There are hair-loss prevention options you should consider. Talk with your dermatologist or hair doctor about effective treatments, including low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and hair transplant.
Low-level laser therapy is a process wherein lasers stimulate cellular growth in the scalp. Also termed red light therapy, the procedure is a clinically-proven and safe treatment to help hair follicles to grow thicker, healthier, and fuller hair.
Meanwhile, hair transplant or hair restoration works by moving hair from the back or side of the head to the top of the head. Usually performed by a plastic or dermatological surgeon, the procedure is minimally-invasive and restores healthy hair growth on the affected scalp area.
When to seek medical help from a hair loss doctor
There are a multitude of factors that may cause hair loss, and knowing when to seek medical help is important. Talk to your hair loss doctor if you notice sudden or more than usual hair loss when combing your hair. Sudden hair loss can hint at an underlying medical illness that necessitates treatment.
If you need a treatment to help prevent hair loss, you have several options. The efficacy of these remedies will vary from person to person and may depend on the root cause of the hair loss.
To know more about preventing hair loss from getting worse, book an appointment with a healthcare professional.
At Dr Tyng Tan Aesthetics and Hair Clinic, our doctor specialises in surgical hair restoration and laser therapy. Call our team at +65 6235 0010 for a consultation today.
About Dr Tyng Tan
Dr Tyng Tan has over ten years of experience treating male pattern baldness with the minimally invasive, non-strip method known as FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) Hair Transplantation.
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