Dating back to the time of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, the obsession with hair and the loss of it has been recorded in the annals of history. No real solution has ever been found to completely cure baldness. Today, thanks to huge advancements in medical science, we have laser treatments and hair transplant surgery to help rectify a bad situation.
Hair loss does not occur without some underlying problem; a consultation with a doctor is necessary to find out what the real problem is. Normally, treating the real problem clears up the hair loss as well.
Finding Hair Loss Remedies that Help
Hair loss requires time and patience to explore the problem satisfactorily and deal with it appropriately. However, we should not be too complacent because hair loss can be an early warning sign of a serious medical problem. It may be safe to say that hair loss is often caused by some underlying problem. A doctor is the best person to consult to determine what the real cause for the hair loss is.
Since the first step is to find out why your hair is falling, it is recommended not to waste time seeking medical assistance. There are many different causes for hair loss which can be temporary or permanent. Some hair loss problems require medical treatment, others do not. Hair loss causes that are commonly found to be at the root of the problem include medication, genetics, diet, excessive use of harsh hair treatments, illness, addictive habits and stress.
One of the most common and harmless (except to the ego) of all hair loss problems is male pattern baldness. For this type of problem it is not recommended that you take any medical treatment. The problem does not have its roots in any medical condition. Doctors generally recommend commercial hair restorative treatments, a hairpiece or hair transplant surgery.
Some types of hair loss that are caused by our own actions have a very simple remedy. Stop the action and give the hair follicles time to heal and get their strength back again. The hair will stop falling once the follicles are healthy enough. Undergoing too many hair treatments that use harsh chemicals only serves to damage the follicles and stop the growth of hair. In a similar manner, excess consumption of alcohol and caffeine can prevent hair growth and result in hair fall. Hair loss caused by pregnancy and child birth is due to hormonal changes in the body that will clear up automatically after the birth of the baby.
There are some causes of hair loss that require medical treatment for the problem to stop or be reversed. If you have a thyroid problem for example, or anemia, high fever, infection, etc. only a doctor can prescribe the right treatment. First, the illness has to be treated and completely cured. Normally, once the underlying medical condition is treated, the hair loss problem will resolve itself. Only in rare cases will further treatment be required.
Some people choose to seek medical help when the hair loss has no medical problem causing it. This type of hair loss may be permanent and soon becomes noticeable and embarrassing. Hair restoration treatments may be the best option in such cases.
Follicle Injections to Treat Hair Loss
Hair loss is a term we are hearing about with increasing frequency. The problem is targeting men and women of different ages because of diverse factors. There are several different types of treatments including surgical procedures that have a good success rate. However, if you are not too keen on going through a prolonged surgical procedure, you can choose follicle injection treatment, which is based on the new cloning style treatment. This type of treatment is not yet available to the public at large, but is shaping up to be a winner in giving new life to dying hair.
Follicle injections are based on two older treatments involving transplanting hair from either the individual’s own body or from someone else. Transplanting body hair to the scalp has not always proven successful; body hair does not fare well on the scalp which is probably why it grows well on the body in the first place. The second method is also not very successful because transplanted tissue faces a high risk of rejection.
Follicle injection is based on the earlier transplanting concept, but makes use of the individual’s own hair so the risk of rejection is practically non-existent. This type of treatment will work only for people who have at least a small percentage of healthy follicles still producing hair.
Follicles comprise a number of different cell types and cloning some of them is possible. Healthy hair follicles are removed from the person’s scalp for the treatment. While the entire follicle cannot be rebuilt, part of the framework can be constructed to trigger the scalp into completing the process.
From one donor follicle, several cells can be cultured in a laboratory. Once the cells are ready, they are injected into the scalp. The downside to the treatment is that each follicle framework needs to be injected individually into the scalp in the position where it is meant to be. We are talking about probably hundreds of injections to provide a reasonable coverage of one bald patch. You can think of it as getting a tattoo on the scalp because the injections are not deep-penetrating.
Treatment is generally administered in several sessions because of the number of injections involved. The scalp is bound to feel a great deal of itchiness after receiving so many pokes; however, you cannot scratch. Take some paracetemol to help control the itch. Follicles generally take a few days to settle into their new homes, get accustomed to the environment and then get busy producing hair.
Foods that Help You Keep Your Hair
There are a number of factors that lead to hair loss including poor nutrition, thyroid disease, medication, hormonal problems and chemotherapy. Have you ever noticed that in some cultures people have very luxurious hair growth with limited hair loss problems? In western society the hair loss problem is pretty wide spread because the diet people consume lacks essential nutrients. Overeating is not the solution, because the body can still be deprived of its nutrients.
The body needs a large number of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and phytonutrients to enjoy overall good health. The foods we eat will determine how healthy the hair growth is and whether we get to keep our hair or it falls off due to lack of nutrients.
The following list is a guide to what needs to be consumed and why these foods should be consumed. Readers are recommended to do further research to enhance the list.
• Soy beans: iron helps with the production of hemoglobin that provides the tissues with oxygen and vitamin E helps the blood to circulate better in the scalp area. Soy beans have high levels of both iron and vitamin E. Try adding boiled beans to salads and meat dishes.
• Chickpeas: another very useful type of beans filled with vitamin B6 and zinc, both of which are necessary for healthy hair. Zinc works in conjunction with vitamin A to build protein for the hair. Deficiency in zinc and vitamin A leads to dandruff, which may result in hair loss problems. Chickpeas can be added to salads, and meat and poultry dishes.
• Almonds: most people are under the misguided impression that almonds cause high cholesterol levels. Almonds are one of the best sources of iron, protein and vitamin E. It is also a cholesterol lowering food. High cholesterol can lead to hair loss and almonds can help prevent this from happening.
• Milk: cow’s milk is a good source of iodine that provides calcium for strong bones, teeth and healthy hair. Milk that is fortified with calcium, protein and vitamins is a good all round source of nutrients for healthy hair.
• Whole wheat: contains silica and iron; silica is seldom found in western diets. It is very necessary because it helps the body to absorb nutrients more effectively.
• Fish: certain oily fishes such as salmon, mackerels and sardines among others are a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids. These essential acids can help to nourish the follicles to promote healthy hair growth and prevent balding.
Hair Loss – Get Timely Help
The first time we spot a few extra hairs in the brush or on the pillow and we are plunged into the very depths of misery. For women, the loss of their hair is truly unthinkable, and it’s not all that easy for the guys either. Hair loss is treatable, but baldness is not always curable. It depends on the individual and the severity of the problem. For the most part, severe hair loss leads eventually to baldness that is permanent. There are baldness treatments that have shown positive results, but finding a permanent cure may be difficult.
Don’t make the mistake many people have and lived to regret; don’t ignore the early warning signs of hair loss. As with any illness, early detection of the problem can result in a cure while late detection often means the problem is too advanced to be treated. While cancer may be a rather serious comparison, it is a typical example.
Everyone refers to the loss of about 100 strands of hair as normal; however, anything above 50 strands daily needs to be looked into. The early warning signs of hair loss problems that should be taken seriously include:
• Thinning hair where the scalp is suddenly more visible than before
• Lots of hair left behind on the pillow each morning
• Lots of hair in your hairbrush after every brushing
• Plenty of hair-fall clogging the drain after a shower
• Hair falling easily if you run your hands through your hair
These things should not happen under normal circumstances; if they do, it is better to see a doctor to find out for sure what the problem is. Once the doctor runs some tests, the underlying problem causing the hair fall will be revealed. Doctors generally treat the problem causing the hair loss first. You can also take a vitamin supplement, make changes to diet to get rid of all the fats and sugars that are not good for your hair growth, and get in some exercise. This will help you to maintain a healthy body and also a healthy growth of hair.
From pills to hair loss tonics and other treatments, there is probably something for you out there. But don’t take anything or apply anything until you are sure it is safe to do so. The real problem has to be identified first before you can take treatment. Not all hair loss problems are genetic or hormonal. It could be an allergic reaction to some product you use that is causing the hair fall.
Hair Loss and Hypnosis Therapy
Anyone who has lived through the sheer agony of hair loss will understand why people are desperate to find a treatment that will reverse the process. No one regardless of whether they are 25 or 85 wants to lose their hair. Hair loss happens for a variety of reasons, but there are treatments to stop it, prevent more hair loss and promote hair growth.
In 2009, the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis published findings that indicated the strong possibility of using hypnosis as a treatment method for alopecia areata. This type of hair loss occurs in patches and is generally caused when the body’s immune system engages in a self-attack.
People’s belief in hypnosis is divided with some believing and some disbelieving in it totally. Let us get one thing clear at the start, hypnosis per se cannot cure hair loss; however, through suggestive therapy people can enjoy better mental health leading to less hair fall. Few studies have actually looked at psychological treatments to deal with hair loss. Dr. Willemsen who carried out the research, believed that hypnotherapy enhanced mental wellbeing, which in turn improved the health of the scalp.
For the purpose of the study, twenty eight people with severe hair loss problems were selected. For all the individuals, conventional medication had already been tried, but was not successful. The individuals underwent hypnotherapy treatment for a period of six months. Treatment was based on a combination of stress reduction therapy and hypnosis therapy for regrowth of hair. The sessions were conducted three or four times a week, then once every three weeks.
12 of the 28 people demonstrated positive results from the combination therapy with new hair growing over 75 percent of the scalp area. There were no side effects experienced from the therapy.
Hypnotherapy results for this study showed that hypnosis can effectively combat hair loss, improve stress levels and decrease depression. The real link between hair loss and hypnosis is yet to be established. But the assumed link is that a healthy mind is a happy mind, leading in turn to healthy hair growth. The treatment shows that people suffering from a great deal of mental stress can find relief from stress and at the same time encourage hair growth through hypnosis.
Hypnosis therapy has a long history of use in help to remove stress, release pent-up tension, free people from anxiety attacks and basically reprogram the mind to be happy. Hypnosis therapy is based on the principle that a happy mind equates to a healthy body.
Hair Loss and Trichology
Hair loss actually has quite a devastating impact on both men and women who are unfortunate enough to experience the problem. The hair loss problem is intensified especially when the person least expects the loss. From genetics to stress, hair loss problems can arise due to a number of causes. While the causes may differ, the self-consciousness and loss of self-confidence are the same in every situation.
Where do you go to seek answers to your questions, gather information and find the right treatment? In a word, a trichologist – not a medical doctor, but a specialist in different types of hair loss and problems related to the scalp such as persistent dandruff.
Trichology refers to the science that concerns hair and scalp issues. The methods employed to deal with the problems are not medically oriented as the trichologist is not an official medical expert. Trichologists are however, educated in physiology and anatomy covering skin and body, nutrition, chemistry, hair problems and scalp issues.
A visit to a general practitioner may result in securing the right treatment for the problem based on tests the doctor conducts and the ensuing results of the tests. There are topical solutions, medicines, herbal remedies, laser treatments and hair transplant surgery to resolve the problem of hair loss.
When do you consult with a trichologist? Any problem related to the scalp or hair is within the purview of a qualified trichologist. In fact the majority of consultations with trichologists are to resolve hair loss problems. Dandruff, excessive production of oil, greasy hair and other problems can all lead to thinning hair and hair loss.
The first step in seeking treatment though a trichologist is to set up an appointment for a consultation. An examination of the scalp and hair and a discussion of the patient’s history will result from the consultation. Through analysis, the underlying factors causing the hair loss are revealed. Only after identifying the real causes of the problem will the trichologist consider the following:
• Whether the problem will be better treated by a medical doctor
• Is the problem serious enough to deserve treatment; if yes, what type of treatment will be ideal to provide the most benefit to the patient?
• Does the problem justify surgery? If the reply is positive, the trichologist will provide detailed information on the various options and help to identify a suitable clinic, surgeon and method for optimal benefit.
Finding the right trichologist can be tricky, so make sure to check that the individual is registered with the Institute of Trichology.
Hair Loss Associated with Menopause
Hair loss can be devastating regardless of why it happens, as both men and women feel the painful effects of this problem. Hair loss cannot really be categorized as a disease, but it may be caused by a disease. Another reason why women experience hair loss is due to menopause. This is a condition that all women go through on reaching reach their late 40s or older. Hair loss caused by the hormonal changes in the body can be treated by herbal remedies, lifestyle changes and hormone replacement therapy.
Hair loss in menopausal women results from the fluctuation in hormone (estrogen an