Hair loss – causes, prevention and treatment

Hair loss concerns both men and women and, in some cases, could affect self-esteem and self-confidence.

This loss can have several causes. It might only be due to a more stressful period, or an unhealthy diet, poor in vitamins and other nutrients, or even hormonal changes, etc. It is important to find out its origin in order to treat it correctly.

The falling process of our hair is also normal, particularly in specific times of the year; however, when more than 100 hair strands fall per day this is a sign that something is not right.

During winter, due to the higher number of nocturnal hours, melatonin production is enhanced, which will prevent hair loss in the summer. However, some factors such as perspiration and direct solar light, during the hottest months of the year, can influence hair shedding and, consequently, accelerate the growing phase of the new hair in the follicle.

It is best to understand the 3 stages in the life cycle of a hair.

Although each strand of hair has its own control, every one of them undergoes 3 stages:

Anagen – the hair’s growth period

A stage that lasts between 2 to 8 years – it varies from person to person.

Catagen – transition period

Without nutritional provision, the root of the existing hair shrinks, creating the space necessary for the growth of new hair inside the follicle. It is during this period that shedding occurs.

Telogen – regeneration period

A new strand starts to grow, pushing the old one out of the follicle, which eventually falls in a natural way, according to the daily habits we have with our hair.

The blood vessels «feed» the hair in the follicle, providing the necessary nutrients for it to grow; when there are no nutrients, the hair root shrinks in order to help the growth of a new hair inside the follicle.

What can cause hair loss?

Hormonal conditions

Hormonal conditions are one of the most common causes, because our body is constantly changing throughout our lives, due to a number of factors. For example: interrupting or changing the birth control pill, adolescence, the gestation period, the breastfeeding phase, taking medications, lack or excess of supplementation, among many others.

Nutritional conditions

The lack of nutrients is one of the main causes of hair loss. A diet poor in vitamins is another decisive factor for capillary health.

Dermatitis

Dermatitis are inflammations that, when occurring on the scalp, can cause hair loss. They could be dermatitis with a genetic origin or triggered by other factors, such as allergies, excessive stress, autoimmune diseases (Psoriasis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis…).

Excessive stress

Stress is, without a doubt, a real driver for hair loss. This can happen due to an emotional chock that, as a consequence, can disrupt the stages of the hair cycle, causing hair loss. In some cases, it may not be the main cause, but a predominant factor.

Menopause

Collagen is essential to keep our hair healthy. Due to a diminished production of estrogen by the ovaries in this phase, collagen levels decrease dramatically. Hair loss during this period is a wakeup call to rebalance collagen levels in the body.

Anaemia

Severe hair loss, combined with other symptoms such as extreme fatigue and pallor, can be a warning sign that your body lacks iron.

Decrease in vitamin B12

One of the most common symptoms of low levels of vitamin B12 is hair loss, because the B-complex vitamins are essential to hair health. We can keep adequate levels of vitamin B12 through certain foods, but when this is not possible, supplementation is essential.

Hypothyroidism

When our thyroid gland is not working properly, it stops producing, or produces in smaller quantities, some hormones that are fundamental to the proper functioning of our organism, in this case, to maintain our hair healthy.

Food intolerances

By giving our body, particularly our intestine, foods that harm it, we are causing an intestinal inflammation. When our intestine is «sick», that is, inflamed, it does not have enough capacity to absorb all the essential nutrients, required for good hair health.

COVID-19

There are not scientific evidences yet, but there are countless complaints from patients who were infected with COVID-19 and who report severe hair loss, as a post-infection symptom This could be related to the stress the person has experienced during the period when he/she was infected or during the pandemic stage.

TRUTH or MYTH?

The greasier the hair, the greater the hair loss. – True

Excessive greasiness is one of the main causes of hair loss. This happens because grease clogs the pores, consequently damaging the strands, leaving them more prone to breaking and falling. Use a good shampoo to purify and moisturize the scalp.

Only men suffer from baldness. – Myth

Both men and women can suffer from baldness, although this disease manifests itself differently in both cases.

Wearing your hair tied up (ponytail/coke) increases hair loss. – True

Yes, tied-up hair stimulates hair loss and increases the fall, particularly in the frontal area. Just like our body and our mind, our hair also needs to relax. Try not to tie up your hair, but, if you do, do so gently, to avoid damages. Try not to tie up your hair, but, if you do, do so gently, to avoid damages.

Go for loose braids.

Blow-drying hair accentuates hair loss. – True

Frequent use of the hair dryer can harm hair health, due to excessive direct heat exposure. Avoid using straightening plates, that cause irreparable damages to the strands.

The best advice is to let your hair dry naturally.

The hair falls out more in the summer. – Myth

The hair falls out more in the Fall and in Spring. The growth and the fall of hair, that result from the oscillation between the various phases of the cycle of each follicle, are influenced by exposure to sunlight.

Stress, due to cortisol, increases the fall. – True

The higher the cortisol level, the greater the amount of free testosterone in the metabolism, which increases hair loss.

Cutting the edges makes hair grow. – Myth

Cutting the edges will not help the hair to grow faster, it only helps it maintaining a beautiful and healthy appearance.

How can we help at Tâmara Castelo Clinic?

Microneedling and Acupuncture

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the strength and vitality of the hair are connected to the blood and the energy of some organs, like the kidneys, the lungs and the liver.

Through Microneedling and Acupuncture it is possible to prevent hair loss as well as to help stopping it.

By putting needles in specific points of the body and the scalp, we will help to improve the health of the follicles and to stimulate hair growth, through the production of collagen and the rebalancing of its blood flow and energy.

Every product we use on our hair will have either beneficial effects or harmful consequences.

It is essential to understand the origin of products to realise if you are taking good care of your hair and nurturing it the right way.

It is really important to read the labels so to exclude the products with high toxic levels.