Why does hair fall out?
The hair on your head goes through a life cycle that involves growth, resting, and shedding. It’s natural for people to lose hair, but if you experience sudden hair loss, loss in patches, or overall thinning, do not panic. Just keep reading.
Some shedding is temporary and may respond well to diet changes, natural treatments, or lifestyle changes. By age 40, men and women will experience hair loss due to hereditary conditions, like androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness). Women also experience genetic hair loss (female pattern baldness).
Other causes of hair loss include:
- medical conditions such as surgery, alopecia, scalp infections, or hair-pulling disorder (trichotillomania)
- hormonal changes from pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, or thyroid issues
- medications for cancer (chemotherapy), or radiation treatment, high blood pressure, depression, or arthritis
- stress – physical or emotional styling practices, including tight ponytails or cornrows
Understanding hair
Hair follicles are small, pocket-like holes in our skin that grow hair. The average human has about 100,000 hair follicles on the scalp. The hair’s root is made of protein cells and is nourished by blood vessels. The hair grows out of the skin and reaches the surface. Sebaceous glands near the hair follicles produce oil, which feeds the scalp and hair. Hair grows out of the follicles in three different cycles.
– Anagen (growth) phase. The hair begins to grow from the root.
– Catagen (transitional) phase. The growth slows down, and the follicle shrinks.
– Telogen (resting) phase. The old hair falls out, and a new hair begins to grow from the same hair follicle.
Follicles go through the same phases of the cycle at the same time as hair.
There are many things you can do to slow or stop hair loss, starting with:
– Eating an alkaline diet containing raw organic vegetables and fresh herbs such as rosemary, parsley, basil, Celery, and salad greens.
– Consuming protein. Hair follicles are made mostly of a protein called keratin. Eating a diet rich in protein like eggs, nuts, beans and peas, fish, vegetable protein from fermented chia, herbal Maz-mix, chicken, and turkey may help prevent hair loss.
– Vitamin A, from sweet potatoes, sweet peppers, and spinach. Vitamins B, C, D, iron, selenium, and zinc are essential to hair growth. Vitamin D is associated with non-scarring alopecia. Treating deficiencies help with regrowth. Biotin or vitamin H or B7 is involved in fatty acid synthesis in the body. This process is essential to the hair life cycle.
Hair habits
– Washing hair daily may protect against hair loss by keeping the scalp healthy and clean. The key is to use an herbal/natural shampoo. Synthetic shampoo formulas dry hair and cause it to break, leading to hair loss.
-Styling. Avoid tight braids or ponytails that may pull on hair at the root and potentially lead to shedding. Let your hair air-dry to avoid irritating your scalp. Heat, curling, or straightening irons also damage or break the hair shaft.
– Hair processing. Chemical treatments, like perms or hair color, also damage hair and scalp; avoid ammonia and peroxide at all costs.
Medical treatments:
– Laser therapy. Claims to help people with hair loss from chemotherapy. Also called red light therapy.
– Platelet-rich plasma. Injecting platelet-rich plasma (PRP) into the scalp claims to stimulate hair growth.
– Minoxidil or Rogaine. This drug is known to work for 50% of people who try it. Side effects include scalp irritation, acne, irregular heartbeat, and blurred vision.
– Finasteride or Propecia. A prescription claiming to help slow hair loss. Women who are or who may become pregnant should avoid this medication.
Natural remedies for hair growth
Hair is our pride and glory, and we panic if we are losing it. If you’re trying to regrow hair that you’ve lost or want to improve what you have, try some of these natural time-proven remedies that stimulate growth and enhance the hair you have.
– Saw palmetto. Extracts from the fruit of palm trees can help men and women have healthy hair
– Ginseng contains phytochemicals that promote hair growth
– Coconut oil helps prevent hair damage from grooming and ultraviolet (UV) light exposure. Lauric acid in coconut oil protects hair from breaking at the root and strand. Massaging into the scalp promotes better blood flow and helps with regrowth
– Olive oil deep-conditions hair, protecting it from dryness and associated breakage, and helps slow genetic hair loss. Try applying 2 tablespoons of olive oil directly to hair and letting it sit for 30 minutes before washing out
– Red onion juice. People with alopecia see regrowth after applying crude red onion juice to the scalp
– Massage. Four minutes of scalp massage daily feels good and helps grow your hair.
– Yoga. Hair loss caused by stress may respond well to yoga
– Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica). Tincture aids hair regrowth
– Rosemary herb (Salvia Rosmarinus). Tincture aids hair regrowth
– Espinosilla. (Loeselia mexicana). Tincture aids hair regrowth
Herbal formulas are combined to use the herbal active compounds to make said formulas more effective, ask me about these herbal formulas to stop hair loss. Any hair loss treatment takes anywhere from a month to a year to improve areas where hair loss has already occurred.
If you have any comments or questions, contact me by email or find me at the Cuale Island Weekend Market on Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm. Or find me at my storefront located at Calle de la Merced #155, Barrio Santa Maria, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 am to 6 pm. You can find Herbs and shampoos to prevent hair loss, tinctures, and various organic coffees, as well as organic honey. Find Ceylon cinnamon, apple cider vinegar with the mother, Maz-Mix Digestive Formula. Moringa herb powder, tinctures, herbal supplements, and all products mentioned in this article. Contact me at 322 140 5677 for assistance with delivery and after-hours appointments. Contact me at mexicasupplement@gmail.com for information about herbal supplements, tinctures, antiviral herbs, and ancient Aztec food recipes to help you achieve your nutrition and health goals.
