Have you noticed your parting line looking wider? Or maybe your ponytail feels thinner than before? These could be the first signs of hair thinning, and they shouldn’t be ignored. While losing a few strands daily is normal, excessive thinning is your hair’s SOS signal.
Hair thinning isn’t just a cosmetic issue, it can signal underlying health concerns, lifestyle imbalances (poor habits), or even stress overload.
Let’s now look at the causes, treatment, and most importantly, preventative methods for sudden hair loss.
What Are the Common Types of Hair Loss?
While some forms of hair loss happen to us all the time, heavy forms of hair loss are caused by other issues. The following are among the most prevalent forms of hair loss:
1. Androgenic alopecia: This is a type of hereditary hair loss that causes female pattern baldness and male pattern baldness, and can impact anyone. This is a heredity condition, and the common cause for hair loss.
2. Telogen effluvium: This kind of hair loss is characterised by quick, intense hair loss, and usually, it occurs a few months following a physically or emotionally taxing experience. Abrupt changes in hormones can also cause it.
3. Anagen effluvium: This extremely quick hair loss is brought on by some medical procedures, such as chemotherapy for cancer treatment which disrupts hair growth cycle.
These are the most common types of hair loss caused by medical reasons. Apart from these, you may also lose hair because of lifestyle factors.
Hair Thinning Causes
While various medical factors can disrupt the hair development cycle and result in hair loss, other less common factors may also play a role. Check out the hair thinning and loss causes that affect many people these days:
- The autoimmune disorder called alopecia areata causes inflammation that affects hair follicles
- Health issues like scalp psoriasis
- Cancer therapy
- Certain prescription drugs
- Perms, dyes, and hair relaxants
- Pulling or twisting hair for style or to relieve stress
- Hormonal changes
- Thyroid condition
- Menopause
- Insufficient amounts of biotin, zinc, iron, or protein
- Poisoning from arsenic, thallium, mercury, or lithium
What are the Most Effective Treatments of Hair Loss?
The most common and effective hair thinning remedies include:
Minoxidil
Minoxidil is applied directly to the patches for hair thinning, and it may take months for hair growth to improve. But remember, hair loss will return if the medication is stopped.
Finasteride
Finasteride, also known as Propecia, is an oral drug, and if minoxidil has not improved the condition, doctors prescribe this medication in men.
Spironolactone
For patients with thinning hair associated with androgen production, doctors may administer spironolactone. This drug may help reduce thinning hair and eventual hair loss in females caused by hormonal changes.
Hair transplant
Hair transplant can be a more permanent solution for hair thinning, especially if you have lost too much hair already. In order to do a hair transplant, your doctor will carefully move hair from the thickest part of your scalp, and after that, the provider implants those strands into the area of your scalp where your hair is the thinnest.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy
Your healthcare provider extracts the plasma from your blood, and this platelet-rich plasma is then injected into your scalp. PRP therapy can promote the growth of new hair and slow down hair loss in most cases.
Multivitamins
Your general health is often related to hair thinning, and a person’s follicles may not produce new hair if they are malnourished or suffer from certain eating disorders. If you have a vitamin deficiency, a blood test can help identify it, and multivitamins can help improve your levels in the body.
NOTE: The above techniques or medications should only be chosen under a doctor’s guidance. Only a doctor can assess your hair thinning condition and recommend the best treatment for you.
How to Prevent Hair Thinning Naturally?
Hair loss may be lessened following these tips.
Aim for a well-balanced diet
A deficiency in nutrients like protein or iron may be linked to hair loss, but for the right meal planning to stop hair loss, you should see a nutritionist. Before taking any supplements, especially multivitamins that contain a combination of micronutrients or fat-soluble vitamins, it’s a good idea to discuss them with your doctor.
Stop smoking
Smoking has been linked to hair thinning, but chances are you may already be aware of the harmful consequences it has on your skin and other parts of your body. Overall, smoking’s inflammatory effects on the body can often make hair loss conditions worse.
Reduce stress levels
Long-term stress can harm your health, including your hair, even though stress is a part of life. Your hair growth cycle may be disturbed by the stress hormone cortisol, which is secreted by your adrenal glands. Spending time for yourself, whether it be through meditation or something else, is crucial for stress management, but if you’re struggling with chronic stress, you might also think about seeing a therapist.
Take care of your hair
In addition to concentrating on using the right methods to stop the hair loss condition, you should know it is also crucial to use proper hair care methods. Far too often, people suffer from hair thinning due to dandruff but are unaware of the cause. Use mild hair products, and comb your hair gently.
Conclusion
It is normal for a person’s hair to get weaker and lose volume as they age. However, stress or an underlying medical problem can also cause hair loss at an earlier age. Prescription and over-the-counter medications can help prevent or delay hair loss and encourage the growth of new hair if you are experiencing it, and over time, the hair usually grows back in such situations.
Finding the right cause behind thinning hair is important, and that’s why if you are concerned about a sudden loss of hair, consult your doctor for the best remedies.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When to see a doctor about hair loss?
Always consult your physician if you have abrupt hair loss because it could be brought on by drugs, diseases, or low iron or vitamin D levels.
2. Can hair loss issues be treated with Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)?
Red light therapy is another name for low-level laser therapy (LLLT), and devices like laser combs, brushes, and caps use this method. It is true that laser light stimulates hair growth when it reaches a specific level in hair follicles.
3. What are the common signs of hair loss?
Depending on the type of hair loss and its cause, people experience it in different ways. Typical signs and symptoms include a receding hairline, thinning hair all over the head, and the loss of scalp hair in small patches.
4. Can hair regrow after hair thinning has already started?
The cause of your hair thinning will determine this factor. For instance, hair loss as a result of cancer therapy often regrows a few months later; however, thinning hair from hereditary conditions may not grow back in many cases.
5. Which foods are good for hair regrowth?
Hair health depends on proteins, lipids, and specific vitamins and minerals; that’s why eating foods like Brazil nuts, which are high in selenium, and fatty salmon, which is a strong source of omega-3 fatty acids, are helpful for hair regrowth.
