WHAT IS HAIR LOSS?
WHAT IS HAIR LOSS
SUFFERING IN SILENCE
In today’s world it is socially acceptable for men to be bald. In fact, being bald is connected to positive attributes ranging from intelligence to virility. However, in most cultures; a full head of luscious hair still is the epitome of feminine beauty and even of female gender identity. When a woman loses her hair, she may feel like she is losing her identity. This can be a traumatic experience with devastating impact on a person’s self-confidence. On top of that, often there is little social and public support for hair loss. If you are not dealing with a life-threatening disease, people’s complaints about losing their hair is often overlooked and downplayed.
“There’s worse than that”, “You’ll live with it”, “Girl shave it off rock that bald head”, or “It’s no big deal”, these words can be demoralizing to women struggling with hair loss. It is no surprise that 47% of hair loss sufferers would spend their life savings to regain a full head of hair and 60% would rather have their hair than money or friends.
Even more unfortunately, the medical community also treats the issue of women’s hair loss as if it was nonexistent. Since hair loss does not appear to be a life threatening event, most physicians pay little attention to women’s complaints about hair loss and essentially tell their patients the same hurtful words, “you’ll just have to live with it”. When I volunteered with the American Cancer Society, they only offered synthetic wigs to the patients. The general consensus was that the patients should be glad to have this free wig that is offered to them. Their hair will grow back eventually, right? In my time of volunteering I can truly say all these women wanted was a real natural looking wig.
Causes of Hair Loss
From crowning glory to terrifying nightmares, here are some reasons why a woman can lose her hair:
- Hereditary hair loss, which means it can be inherited from a parent.
- Hair cosmetics with harsh chemicals.
- Illnesses and medications, like Alopecia, cancer and chemotherapy.
- Self-infliction, hair pulling also known as trichoitmilla and (traction alopecia) where constant pressure is causing the hair to fall out (wearing certain hairstyles, such as tight braids or tight ponytails).
- Hormone-related disorders, such as Thyroid disease or high stress levels.
- Autoimmune diseases.
- During pregnancy and during menopause women can lose their hair.
- Poor nutrition and rapid weight loss can also contribute to hair loss.
- In addition, allergies are a risining cause for concern, they can also result in hair loss.
Diagnosis of Hair Loss
When these concerns persist, a woman who suffers from hair loss generally will consult a dermatologist for a proper treatment plan. In most cases some hair loss can be reversed if discovered in time. However, generally speaking, no doctor is needed to validate the first signs of hair loss, which often can push a woman into a state of high alert, if not panic. The signs are first experienced in the privacy of the bedroom or bathroom; she wakes up in the morning to find hair on the pillow. Then she notices excessive hair loss when washing and brushing her hair. Her once full ponytail suddenly looks thinner or her part is widening.
Ways to combat Hair Loss
First thing is to figure out what is causing your hair loss. Typically during high-stress periods of life, we’re suffering from a vitamin deficiency as well. Make sure that you take your needed vitamins, eat a well balanced diet, rest and remove yourself from any situation or people who bring negativity to your life, visit your doctor, and do your best to be as healthy as possible.
During this period of hair loss, avoid heavy hair products as they can weigh your hair down, and cause it to be thinner. Be gentle when caring for your hair during this time to avoid losing more hair, and most importantly, be patient! We all suffer from stress, but as long as we take care of ourselves as we go through the motions, we can manage it and experience happy times.
Ways To Increase Hair Growth
Even if you’re going through a stressful time in life, there are ways to curb that and still promote hair growth in your life. Always remember that hair growth takes time, and the remaining patient during your journey is essential. With that being said, here are some ways to increase hair growth.
- Shampoo: Use a shampoo that has natural ingredients and is sulfate, alcohol and paraben free. Take the time to read the labels.
- Conditioner: Every-time that you wash your hair use a conditioner. Conditioners assist in replacing lipids and proteins within your hair and prevent more damage from occurring.
- Don’t Over Shampoo: Don’t shampoo every time you shower. Washing your hair with shampoo too often can cause your scalp to lose its natural oils, and strip your hair of its moisture.
More tips!
- Take Hair Vitamins: If you haven’t tried using hair supplements, you might want to try incorporating some into your diet. Eating healthy will increase the benefits of the supplements as well! Also, just to make sure you’re not interfering with any medications you may already be taking, make sure you check in with your doctor first.
- Trim: One of the primary methods of growing healthy hair is to trim it often. I remember being a child obsessed with how long my hair could grow and I hated the idea of using scissors. Let go of that mindset, cutting is actually beneficial for your hair. For typical styles, it’s vital that you get a trim every 10-12 weeks to prevent split ends which will ultimately block hair growth.
- Sleep: Some people are under the mistaken notion that sleep is “over-rated” and we all have to grind 24/7. Remember when you were a child how your parents or care giver would make you take a nap or perhaps your kids were little cranky and things would only be ok until after they took a nap? The same holds true for us as adults, we need rest just to think clearly. The truth of the matter is getting a goods night sleep is extremely important, it gives your body time to heal, repair, and restore its cells, muscles, and brain.
All the best,
Ada Leroux Hair
