Our
hair is our crown! It’s our perfect accessory, our pride, our joy and our
seduction tool.But
it is lost every day in our hair brush, in our shower drain, on our pillow, and
it’s a very normal fact. On average, we lose 100 hairs per day, but when you
notice that you’re losing more than you’re growing back, then that’s when you
might have a problem.Hair
loss is a very common problem for women, actually more than people realize, as
there are so many potential reasons for it, from stress, to hormones and diet.We
spoke to Dr. Costi in order to get deeper into this hairy subject.
How
we lose our hair
According
to Dr. Costi, at least 1 in 3 women will suffer from thinning hair or hair loss
at one point during her life. So it’s just a part of the cycle of life, and
your mane will recover. In the meantime, here’s what you need to know.Recognizing the types of hair loss
Genetic:
If
you’re genetically predisposed to hair thinning, you may see a gradual
reduction in hair volume and a gradual thinning on top of head. This is the
most common type of hair loss, affecting both men and women as they age. In
men, hair often begins to recede from the forehead in a line. As for women,
they typically retain the hairline on the forehead but have a broadening of the
part in their hair.
Reactive:
This
means that the hair loss is the result of a trigger. Such an excessive daily hair shedding (telogen
effluvium) might occur as the result of an internal imbalance or upset, such as
a nutritional deficiency, severe stress, crash dieting or an illness.
Some people experience coin-sized bald spots. This type of hair
loss usually affects just the scalp, but it sometimes also occurs in beards or
eyebrows. Others might see their hair falling in handfuls, or coming out when
combing or washing it. This sudden loosening is due to a shock that is too much
to handle.
What is triggering it?
STRESS
Stress
is the big bad wolf when it comes to our health. It can literally make your
hair fall out. How? When we’re stressed, the level of androgen (male hormone)
is raised which in turn can cause hair loss. Stress may also trigger scalp
problems, such as dandruff, disrupt eating habits and mess with the digestive
system – all of which can have a negative impact on hair.
IRON
DEFICIENCY
This
is one of most common causes of hair loss in women who often suffer from
anemia. Iron is essential for producing hair cell protein, and without it your
strands will become weak.
HORMONAL
IMBALANCE
Other
than leading to multitude of annoying health and beauty issues, from acne to
weight gain, a hormonal imbalance will affect your whole body which includes
your hair.
Hormones play a huge role in regulating the hair growth cycle. An excess of androgens (which could be caused by an endocrine disorder, such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) can cause hair loss.
THYROID
IMBALANCE
The
thyroid gland helps to regulate the body’s metabolism by controlling the
production of proteins and tissue use of oxygen. Any thyroid imbalance,
hyperthyroid or hypothyroid, can therefore affect hair follicles.
VITAMIN
B12 DEFICIENCY
When
your body is lacking in vitamin B12, you will feel tired and low on energy.
Does it sound familiar? It can also affect your hair.
A
Vitamin B12 deficiency often causes hair loss because of the effect it has on
the red blood cells which carry oxygen to your whole body.
NOW what?
Don’t
freak out!
What
you should know right now is that you should change-up your diet (more
protein), get a new hair care range specific for fragile hair, and take a
supplement.
Dr. Costi says there are many sure ways to fix it and we will discuss them in our next blog.