Three Things You Can Do Right Now To Stop Hair Loss
Hair loss is a topic that often comes up when discussing hair problems among men and women. According to statistics, sixty-four million Americans suffer hair loss by age 30, which means 1 in 5 Americans are losing their hair. 66% of USA men (over 107 million) show thinning hair at age 35, and 40% of women (over 66 million) see hair loss at age 40. By age 60, approximately 80% of women have hair loss & 65% of men. So what do these statistics mean? If you are suffering from hair loss, you are not alone.
This blog post will discuss hair loss and define three different types of temporary hair loss that will help you identify what kind of hair loss you may be experiencing. We will also discuss what types of foods act as hair growth stimulants and what things you can do to avoid further breakage and hair loss.
WHAT IS HAIR LOSS, AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
The medical term for hair loss is called alopecia and is described as the thinning of hair on the scalp. You have probably heard of alopecia, which can be temporary or permanent. According to the John Hopkins report, 1 in 5 people will suffer from temporary hair loss in their lifetime. The three different types of temporary hair loss are Telogen effluvium, Alopecia areata, and Traction alopecia. What are they?:
Telogen effluvium (TE) is nonscarring, diffuse hair loss from the scalp around three months after a triggering event and is usually self-limiting, lasting for about six months. TE is the most common type of hair loss and is triggered by life events such as giving birth, hormonal changes, diet, and stress. In TE, hair loss is generally less than 50% of the scalp hair.
Alopecia areata is another temporary hair loss with symptoms that manifest as patches of baldness that usually grow back.
Traction alopecia comes from hair thinning due to prolonged and repeated traction from wearing tight braids, hairstyles, or ponytails. Most symptoms manifest on the edges of the hairline or nape of the neck.
Now that we have identified the different kinds of temporary hair loss let's get into how to three ways to stop your hair loss including eating your minerals and vitamins, keeping your bloodstream clean, and how to guard against further breakage.
# 1. EAT THESE TEN MINERALS AND VITAMINS TO STOP HAIR LOSS
Hair is made of protein, minerals, and vitamins, and for hair to thrive, it must be given what it lacks. Incorporating foods rich in vitamins and minerals are essential to hair health and growth. The following foods drain and detox the organs associated with hair growth and work to repair and produce healthy hair growth.
1. Watercress is rich in minerals zinc and sulfur and vitamins C, K, E that help with increasing oxygen and blood circulation to the scalp and is often called the "ideal spring tonic". It is a diuretic, diaphoretic, and hair great growth stimulant.
2. Asparagus is a cleanser and diuretic rich in vitamins A, C, E, and minerals that support hair health. This vegetable works to strengthen hair strands and expand the follicle growth phase.
3. Pineapple is a diuretic detoxifier with many vitamins, C, B1, and B6. Pineapple gently nourishes hair follicles, thickens strands, and works to reduce hair loss and inflammation. Putting pineapple in smoothies or drinking organic pineapple juice works too, just be mindful about eating too much pineapple as it may cause tenderness and discomfort to the mouth. So drink sparingly.
4. Carrots are an excellent tonic and extremely rich in minerals and vitamin A & E that stimulate blood circulation to the scalp and reduce hair loss. You can eat it raw, cooked, steamed, or juiced. Anyway you consume carrots is beneficial. The minerals in carrots will nourish and replenish hair strands.
5. Celery is a cleanser, diuretic, lung, and liver drainer rich in vitamins A, minerals, and amino acids. Celery improves hair texture, and its cleansing properties help hydrate the scalp and nourish hair strands.
6. Pumpkin is a healthy hair stimulant due to its richness of zinc and potassium, which help hair growth and stimulate re-growth.
7. Turnip is often a neglected turnip but with an array of minerals rich in vitamin A, which is beneficial to hair grow
8. Parsely is mainly used for culinary decoration and often discarded without being eaten, but it has enormous amounts of minerals and vitamins beneficial to hair health. It is high in vitamin C and works as a natural hair conditioner that promotes hair growth with collagen production properties and improves blood circulation when applied to the scalp, which is essential to hair growth.
9. Tomatoes are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, detoxifier, and diuretic that supports the liver and can help with hair health.
10. Avocados are a great source of protein, have internal and external benefits to the body, and are rich in vitamin B and Biotin, which influence hair growth.
#2. KEEPING YOUR BLOODSTREAM CLEAN
Keeping your bloodstream clean is significant to hair health and growth because the blood that nourishes the hair must be purified. Hair is 95% keratin, composed of iron, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, and sulfur. The blood must become supplied with these minerals to nourish and carry nutrients to the scalp properly. The liver, spleen, and kidneys are vital players in excreting waste, immune homeostasis, hormonal regulation, and proper coagulation. So keeping your bloodstream clean helps to support healthy hair growth.
"Hair will grow well if there is sufficient blood in the body, and blood in the body is governed by the spleen and the liver. Further, when the blood is clean, flowing, and functioning properly within your body, it dramatically supports hair health and growth. A well-functioning spleen and liver will allow healthy hair growth and shine," says Eu Yan Sang physician Lin Xiao Yan. So you see, your follicles thrive on strong blood circulation, and using hair products that stimulate the blood circulation, hydrate & condition follicles with essential vitamins and minerals that mirror the hair is beneficial.
A natural way to get the blood circulating on the hair follicles is to use a hair oil (VNH Hair Growth Oil or our Follicle Serum) made with medicinal and anti-inflammatory properties that awaken the blood and massage it into the scalp microbiome. Use two drops and massage all over the scalp or in troubled areas such as the edges for about 1-2 minutes one to two times a day (day and night). The combination of the medicinal extracts and massage will help stimulate blood circulation and bring nutrients to the area of loss or thinning to help hair growth.
#3. BE A BODY GUARD TO HAIR BREAKAGE
The medical term for hair breakage is Acquired Proximal Trichorrhexis Nodosa (APTN). APTN is primarily seen in African or Afro-Ethnic hair and occurs when the hair is extremely fragile. APTN doesn't just happen overnight; it occurs due to years of the use of chemicals, heat, irons, and dryers that can scar your scalp and cause not only temporary hair loss but permanent hair loss, which you want to avoid! Things like pressing combs, hot irons, hairdryers, and hair straighteners bring trauma to the follicles and hair strands, causing severe breakage. The continuous use of chemicals on hair can weaken the hair shaft, cause protein loss, and seriously damage the hair cuticle. A professional should diagnose hair breakage. In the meantime, you can self-assess your hair to determine breakage and decide how much trauma you have put on it. Ask questions like, " Am I losing hair? How much hair am I losing? Are my edges thinning? Do I have split ends? Does my hair look dry and brittle, and does it break off easily? You likely have some hair breakage if you said yes to those questions.
FOUR QUICK TIPS
If your hair breaks off easily, do the following to reduce breakage.
TIP #1
Avoid chemicals such as hair relaxers and reduce wearing tight hairstyles that cause your edges and nape trauma for at least 12 weeks. If it is necessary to straighten your hair, try to do it every 8-12 weeks instead of daily or weekly to reduce trauma to the hair cuticles.
TIP #2
Avoid or reduce using heat on your strands, including hot combs, hair straighteners, and hair dryers.
TIP #3
Avoid or reduce combing your hair too much, as it will aggravate the hair follicle, causing further trauma, damage, and hair loss.
TIP #4
Use a soft brush with wide-spaced bristles and coated tips or a wooden comb with wide teeth. Using a wooden comb is beneficial because it is more gentle on your hair. It nourishes strands, is healthy for the scalp, boosts blood circulation, encourages hair growth, and prevents tangles and breakage.
I hope you now have a better idea about hair loss, what it is, how to identify it for yourself, and what steps to take to reduce it. Hair loss doesn't mean that you are unable to grow it back, it just means that it may take a little longer to grow it healthily using the right products and hair tools, eating the right foods with the essential minerals and vitamins needed to support the blood and organs associated with hair health. It also means avoiding using immoderate heat and chemicals that further damage and break hair off.
Lastly, to help you repair and heal from breakage and hair loss, you need to use a product that targets the follicles with non-toxic ingredients that improve the hair shaft and scalp microbiome. Videau Natural Health's hair collection is developed with plant and flower extracts that hydrate, moisturize, and heal trauma caused to the follicle and hair strands from heat and chemical damage. They work to strengthen the hair shaft and replenish the protein lost from heat, chemicals, and excessive stress on the follicle. The hair follicle is the cradle for hair growth, and if the hair follicle is damaged, broken, or weakened with a lack of proper nourishment, hair cannot grow and thrive. Instead, hair is lost. Click the button below for more information on our hair products.
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References:
- Hair Loss (Alopecia): Treatment, Causes, Types, Alopecia https://www.medicinenet.com/hair_loss/article.htm)
- Restoring Your Crown Glory https://www.euyansang.com/en_US/restoring-your-crowning-glory/eysgwhaircare1.html
- Do Asparagus Stem Cells Promote Hair Growth? https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/asparagus-stem-cells-promote-hair-growth/
- Black women's hair: the main scalp dermatoses and aesthetic practices in women of the African Ancestry. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4560533/
- Telogen Effluvium: A Review. J Clin Diagn Res. 2015 Sep; 9(9): WE01–WE03. Published online 2015 Sep 1. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2015/15219.6492.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4606321/