Safe and Effective Ways to Preventing Hair Loss

It is never too early to start preventing hair loss either in near or not so near future. For some looking in the mirror only to find a receding hair line or stealth bald spot on the crown area of the head may simply be taken in stride but for others, especially women, just the thought of losing their hair is enough to send them searching for a self help manual on hair loss. And actually swift action combined with a few helpful hints might be just enough to stave off the balding process for years to come.

The balding and thinning process can occur either from external factors or internal factors. External factors include lathering agents in shampoo (surfactants), dry heat such as blow drying, curling irons, bleaching, tight hair styles, and over brushing. These actions typically damage the hair shaft and while temporary worrisome eventually rectify themselves in the form of new hair growth.

Internal factors that can influence the hair replacement cycle are stress, anxiety, poor nutrition, certain diseases such as diabetes and cancer, chemotherapy drugs, hormones, autoimmune diseases such as alopecia areata and oral contraceptives. Once the agitating factor has been eliminated then the normal hair growth cycle can resume, with the possible exception of menopause.

But the real danger to a beautiful head and full head of hair occurs in situations where the agitating factor either can't be eliminated, has already damaged the scalp (burns), or from a condition that damages the follicles ability to re-grow new hair. The primary condition that falls under this umbrella of potential culprits is androgenetic alopecia or male or female pattern baldness.

Preventing hair loss when male or female pattern baldness is the cause can be a challenging task due to the follicle damage already done by the time the condition becomes obvious. Androgenetic alopecia is a hereditary condition driven by the androgen hormone DHT which over a number of years (normally between 5 and 10) binds to the follicle which resides in the dermis layer of the scalp. Over time DHT causes the follicle to shrink rendering it incapable of producing new hair growth. In other cases follicles are damaged to the point of no return and they die.

To prevent hair loss successfully the hair follicles must be kept open and healthy allowing the hair replacement cycle to work its magic. Proper nutrition to speed healthy growth is also vital and perhaps the most important factor of all is protecting the hair follicle from DHT.

Topical oils such as pumpkinseed oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, and wheat germ oil are all excellent choices. These oils should be massaged gently into the scalp both to improve circulation and stimulate the follicle complex.

Diet: Your hair is made of the protein keratin and will reflect your diet to a certain extent. Generally, well balanced diets high in protein and B vitamins are considered to be the best. Additionally, vitamin E and natural oils can also be helpful in preventing hair loss and maintaining existing hair.

DHT: There are some excellent hair loss prevention and re-growth products that are worth considering. Many of these products contain saw palmetto and/or nettle which have been shown to effective in reducing the production of DHT.

In summary, a combination or stress reduction, topical oils, diet, DHT blocking hair re-growth products, combined with additional steps such as exercise and proper hydration are the best way to prevent hair loss. This is the case whether you simply want to stop the balding and thinning that has already occurred or prevent it in the future. The important thing is to take action now since it is always easier to retain existing hair than re-grow new hair.

Rob Hawkins is an enthusiastic advocate for the use of natural health products and natural living with over 10 years
experience in the field of natural health and wellness.
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