Hair Loss Shampoo

Hair Loss: What Happens Exactly

Men and women have between 100,000 and 150,000 hair strands on their heads. The number of strands normally lost in a day would average to 100. Anything more than 100 hair strands is not normal and is most likely an indicator of hair loss. To prevent hair loss, hair must be replaced at the same rate at which it is lost.

Hair grows in different cycles: anagen, catagen, and telogen. 90% of your hair is in the growth phase or anagen, this lasts from two to eight years. Catagen typically lasts about two to three weeks where your hair is in the transition phase. Your hair rests for around two to four months in the telogen cycle. Majority of the time your hair is on your scalp, it is growing. Hair grows about 6 inches a year for many people.

One of the most common signs of hair loss is when there are more hair left in your brush or the bathroom drain than usual. Patches on your scalp^[1] that no longer have hair is another sign of hair loss. These patches are sometimes visible even when you style your hair or get a haircut. Hair loss is often health-related, so chances are, it is reversible. If something is not quite right with your body, that problem may cause your hair to thin and fall. Note that each follicle has its own life cycle and that many factors affect hair growth.

Hair loss isn’t irreversible. It may take time and effort, but with the help of a good diet, hair care habits, and the best hair loss shampoo, all the work is worth it.

Common Causes of Hair Loss

Decreased hair growth and hair strand breakage are two common ways you may experience hair loss. The list of causes for both includes diseases and poor diet. It could also be because hair mostly is just thin because of genetic predisposition and aging.

There are three main reasons for hair loss. The most common are hormones, more specifically the rising levels of dihydrotestosterone or DHT. Another cause is trauma or stress. Stressful life events can lead hair follicles to stop growing prematurely. The third reason for hair loss is medical issues^[2].

Other causes include:

• Inherited hair loss (male- or female-patterned hair loss) – DHT and poor blood circulation on the scalp can be inherited genetically.
• Physical and emotional stress – Any kind of trauma whether physical or emotional can trigger hair loss.
• Age – It’s not uncommon to see hair loss or hair thinning in women and men as they enter their 50s and 60s.
• Pregnancy and hormonal changes – Just as pregnancy hormone changes can cause hair loss, so can switching, starting, or going off birth-control pills.
• Medication or medical treatments – Chemotherapy can cause hair loss. It destroys rapidly dividing cells. That means cancer cells but also, rapidly dividing cells like hair. Certain types of medication may also cause hair loss. More common among them are certain blood thinners and blood-pressure drugs known as beta-blockers.
• Styling – Extreme styling and hair treatments over the years can cause your hair to fall out. Examples of extreme styling include tight braids, hair weaves, or cornrows. Chemical relaxers to straighten your hair, hot-oil treatments, or any kind of harsh chemical or high heat can cause hair to fall or break prematurely.
• Poor diet – A diet with too much Vitamin A or lack of protein and Vitamin B may cause hair loss.
• Illnesses and disease – Hyperthyroidism, lupus, cancer, and HIV infection can all cause hair fall. Most of the time hair may grow back once a person is able to manage his or her illness with the right medication.

Gender Differences

Hair loss and hair thinning occur for about 60% of men by age 50 and 40% of women by the age 40. More women suffer hair loss than you think even if hair loss is more prevalent in men. Men start having receding hairline even when they are still young. This gradually transitions to complete baldness. Women tend to lose hair on their crown but rarely does it result to baldness unless caused by medications or disease.

Fortunately, hair loss is treatable^[3]. When treated early, you can slow down or stop hair loss. This is true for both men and women.

Effects of Hair Loss

The world often sees luscious and thick hair as a sign of youth, attractiveness, and good health. It follows that people who don’t have hair are perceived as the opposite. Hair loss not only takes away your precious hair but is also psychologically detrimental. The way people perceive themselves hangs in the balance when they suffer hair loss. The hair loss effects^[4] may include:

• Depression and introversion
• Fear of not being attractive to others
• Few styling options
• Loss of confidence
• Low self-esteem
• Looking older than your age

Since hair is a secondary sexual characteristic, losing hair may lead to losing the feeling of attractiveness. A negative body image affects the person’s social life and idea self-love.

Best Hair Loss Shampoo

There are a number of hair loss treatments available in the market today. Hair loss shampoos are the easiest to use and the most accessible. They may also contain ingredients that stimulate healthy hair growth^[5] by improving blood circulation around the hair follicles. These ingredients include vitamins, botanical extracts, essential oils, antioxidants, amino acids, and many others.

The best hair loss shampoos work to clean your scalp and nourish it so that your hair may grow stronger, healthier, and thicker. It is best that you use these shampoos at the first signs of hair loss before you go bald. The best hair loss shampoos achieve improvement in hair density, especially with continued and regular use.

Ingredients that Fight Hair Loss

There are many hair loss shampoos in the market. However, not all contain key ingredients that work to stimulate the hair follicles and prevent hair loss.  Here are some of the ingredients that you should look for to ensure that the product you are using effectively combats hair loss:

DHT blockers

DHT is the most significant cause of hair loss. There are many natural ingredients you can use to block the conversion of testosterone into DHT. These blockers are the basis of many hair loss shampoos and treatments. If you are looking for a hair loss shampoo, find one that contains known DHT blocker ingredients^[6] such as:

• Saw palmetto
• Pygeum
• Nettle
• Green tea
• Pumpkin seed oil

Minoxidil

Minoxidil is an FDA-approved drug to treat male and female pattern baldness. It promotes hair growth by lengthening the growth phase of hair follicles and causing more follicles to produce hair. After using hair loss shampoos and treatments that contain minoxidil, hair tends to grow longer and thicker.

Essential Oils and Other Natural Oils

Many essential oils target scalp health and hair growth. When used every day, these oils can stimulate and improve growth speed. They can enhance and strengthen hair. Some well known essential oils and natural oils that fight hair loss include:

• Argan Oil
• Castor Oil
• Cedarwood Essential Oil
• Rosemary Essential Oil
• Peppermint Essential Oil

Essential oils don’t stop at preventing and stopping hair loss. Learn more about these oils and their benefits for your precious hair.

Caffeine

Your cup of coffee can do more than keep you alert and awake. Caffeine is a known hair growth stimulant that gives you longer and thicker hair. Caffeine energizes hair follicles, improves hair growth, and prevents abnormal hair loss.

Biotin

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin; it converts certain nutrients into energy for your hair. Deficiency of this vitamin may also be a cause of hair loss. When biotin as an ingredient in hair loss shampoos may help halt the process of hair loss and reverse it.

How to Use Hair Loss Shampoo

Hair loss shampoos are popular because they are some of the easiest and least expensive products that can help prevent losing your hair. You don’t have to leave the comfort of your home; these shampoos are great for at-home care. It works to gently cleanse your hair and reduce excess oils. The shampoos block DHT and promote thicker hair all in the comfort of your own bathroom.

Some hair loss shampoos have specialized instructions on how to use them. The rest of them follow the same direction for use. These are general and subject to the specific methods of using a particular hair loss shampoo brand or product.

1. Wet your hair thoroughly.
2. Apply a dollop-sized amount of shampoo onto your hair. Start at the scalp and work your way down to the ends of your hair. Massage the shampoo into your hair for about 5 minutes.
3. Lather and leave on hair and scalp for 5-10 minutes. The effectiveness of hair loss shampoos may also depend on its contact time with the affected area. To maximize its benefits leave it on your scalp for 5-10 minutes.
4. Rinse shampoo thoroughly.

For best results, pair hair loss shampoos with conditioners or other hair-strengthening treatments^[7]. Just make sure to follow proper usage or directions when using with other products. Use products containing similar ingredients or from the same product line.

Hair loss shampoos are there to help you treat various signs of hair loss including thinning hair, breakage, and hair fall. Poor scalp hygiene increases the probability of a person experiencing hair loss. No matter what stage of hair loss you are experiencing, it needs to be treated. Though hair loss shampoos are not the only remedy, it is a start. You can keep your scalp healthy and nourished so that it promotes hair growth.