Practical guide to combat hair thinning

Hair thinning or hair loss can be caused by many different factors including both controllable and uncontrollable circumstances According to NHSUK statistics around 50 pct of women over the age of 65 experience hair loss or hair thinning and twothirds of all men are affected Although itrsquos a common issue ndash and usually nothing to worry about ndash thinning hair can be a difficult and upsetting process emotionally impacting both our confidence and identityRob Smith Senior Principal Hair Care Scientist at Dyson gives a breakdown of the causes of hair thinning and effective ways to combat itThe four phases of the hair growth cycleAnagen It lasts two to eight years This first phase of the cycle is where hair is actively growing The cells in the root of the hair add to the hair shaft At any time 8090 pct of the hairs on a head are in the anagen phaseCatagen It is usually four to six weeks long the catagen phase is a short phase which occurs at the end of the anagen phase The hair strand detaches from its blood supplyTelogen It lasts two to three months when the hair is neither growing nor falling out Exogen It happens when the hair sheds and falls out which can last two to five months On average people lose between 50 to 150 hairs each dayCauses of hair lossThinning hair can occur for many different reasons Age and stage of life can affect our health hugely and cause a change in the condition of our scalp These includePregnancy During the second and third trimesters of pregnancy the number of hairs in the active growth phase known as anagen increases After the birth hormonal changes can lead to follicles moving to the catagen or telogen states resulting in postpregnancy hair sheddingEmotional stress A sustained level of emotional stress after a serious life event such as bereavement can cause hair follicles to shift from the growing phase to the resting phase After two to three months this can often become more noticeable even if it is temporary with more hair thinning and fall outGetting older Many people experience hair thinning during the ageing process The rate of hair growth slows as your body ages and each hair strand becomes smaller with less pigmentation ndash which is why people begin to develop grey hairIllness Thinning hair and hair loss can happen during illness One such effect is an autoimmune condition called alopecia areata a disease that develops when the bodyrsquos immune system attacks the hair follicles as part of its defence system causing hair loss This can happen anywhere on the body Thinning hair and hair loss can occur during treatment for illness too The main example includes cancer treatment specifically during chemotherapyHereditary hair loss One established reason for hair loss is genetics where hair loss isnrsquot the result of a disease but a natural combination of hereditary genes hormone levels and the ageing processHormonal effects The hair cycle and hair follicle structure are highly affected by various hormones These include androgens such as testosterone sex hormones such as estradiol and thyroid hormones such as thyroxin and cortisol which are released by the adrenal glands as a stress responseHow to reduce or treat thinning hairLosing hair can be a difficult experience Hair loss and thinning can stem from many different reasons often exacerbated by lifestyle factors including highstress levels an unbalanced diet iron deficiency and sudden weight loss But there are some things you can do To maintain healthy steady and effective hair growth itrsquos important to prevent hair thinning from an early ageThings you can do to promote hair growth includeEating a healthy and balanced diet Staying active reduces stress and stimulates endorphins Embracing relaxation techniques such as meditation and massage Improving the balance of your work and personal life If you are suffering from dietary or health deficiencies then the use of supplements can have a benefit on hair growth but not all do so In fact in some cases consuming too much Vitamin E or Selenium can have the effect of actually increasing hair lossIf yoursquore interested in which shampoo or hair thinning treatment to use the first step is trying to identify the source of the problem to establish why your hair is shedding or falling outMany shampoos claim to reduce hair thinning and promote hair thickness as well as improve the shine and the general appearance of your hair Itrsquos important to research the formulas and check the science behind them Caffeine for example has a growing body of evidence14 in promoting hair growthThere are also scalp treatments available one of the more common actives recommended being topically applied Minoxidil15 which has been shown to increase hair density for some conditionsIt is worth mentioning however that even proven treatments donrsquot work for everyone Can hair grow back after thinning or baldness In many cases hair thinning can be resolved or improved by a variety of techniques already mentioned aboveHowever if the hair follicle has stopped producing any new hair strands over a long period new hair is unlikely to grow there especially if the underlying causes remainHow to make hair look thickerIf your hair continues to thin there are a range of options to consider that can help hair appear thicker and fuller some of these can be quite invasive so make sure you understand the risks and benefits These includeBlow drying hair in an upward motionWigs and artificial hairpieces Hair transplants Light therapyTattooing your hairlineHow to hide thinning hair at the frontCreating an illusion of thicker hair and fuller volume can also be an effective way of approaching the loss especially if yoursquore trying to preserve your selfconfidence Hair care products such as styling mousses can help add volume and body to your hair supporting you to feel more confidentCreating a middle part to drape hair over both sides of your face will help to create the illusion of fuller hair A similar technique used by salon professionals is to add layers to your hair to add volume and provide definitionHair thinning is normalHair thinning can be a difficult process to go through but it is a natural part of life Depending on the reason for your hair loss and thinning there are many ways to slow the process and preserve your hair It is worth talking with a Trichologist for advice in finding a solution that works for you as an individualThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever