I’m Losing My Hair – What Do I Do?

Here’s the math: lose hair = stress = lose more hair. So what’s the deal with hair loss?

Hair loss doesn’t just come with age, but is caused by a variety of factors – we discuss this here. Here’s to cracking the code, one strand at a time.

Don’t feel guilty, it’s not your fault! One in every 4 women suffer from either hair loss or thinning in their lifetime. The causes include genetics, diet, mineral deficiency, severe stress, and pollution.

While you can’t do anything about your genetics, you can work on the other stuff!

• Eat plenty of iron-rich foods such as red meat, chicken, broccoli, and kale. Insufficient iron leads to anaemia, which stops nutrients from boosting your hair follicles, resulting in hair loss.
• Protein is another hair must-have. Lack of protein leads to dry and weak hair. So load up on poultry, eggs and cheese!
• Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron better, so consume foods like citrus fruits and leafy vegetables alongside your steak. Vitamin C also aids in the production of collagen (think supple skin), which in turn strengthens your hair shafts.
• Omega-3 fatty acids prevent hair from becoming dry and brittle. Your body cannot make its own Omega-3 fatty acids so it relies completely on your diet. Tuna, salmon, and mackerel are great sources of these fatty acids.
• Not having enough biotin (a B-vitamin) accelerates hair loss. To prevent this, eat more whole grains, liver, and egg white. Whole grains are also a good source of zinc. A zinc deficit leads to dry and itchy scalp, and hair loss.

What NOT to eat: Aspartame – an artificial sweetener which causes hair thinning and loss. Consuming food additives are bad for your hair.

• We cannot stress how important picking the right shampoo is. Your best bet would be a mild shampoo made out of nature’s hair boosting ingredients such as neem and mulberry.
• Be gentle! Don’t pull too hard when brushing your hair. Also make sure you have the right hairbrush. Choose a soft brush made from natural fibres. To avoid damaging your hair, don’t brush from top down, but from the underside out. Also avoid brushing your hair when it’s wet as wet hair is breaks easily.
• Don’t wash your hair everyday. Washing your hair everyday dries your scalp and places your hair under a lot of strain. Try washing your hair every other day; if it doesn’t get greasy by the second day, try washing it every 3 days. To keep your hair healthy and hydrated, condition after shampooing!
• Get a massage. Rub and knead your scalp with egg oil to increase blood circulation, thereby strengthening your hair follicles.
• The kind of hairstyle you are going for is also important. We would suggest styling your hair into loose braids or loose ponytails more often than tight braids or top knots as those styles tend to pull your hair too hard.

What NOT to do: use hair dryers, curlers, and straighteners – the heat makes your hair brittle and fragile. Perming is also bad as using chemicals on the inner bonds of your hair weakens them and makes them more susceptible to breakage.

1. If you have very long hair, try sleeping with a braid. This will place less strain on your hair as you toss and turn in the night. Plus, you’ll wake up with gorgeous waves! For more tips on waking up to pretty hair, check out our piece here.
2. Steer clear of cigarettes. Smoking is bad for health, from top to toe!
3. Get caffeinated! Sadly, we’re not referring to coffee, but shampoos or hair products that contain caffeine. Studies show that caffeine stimulates hair growth.
4. Reduce your stress factors. Less stress equals less hair pulling, whether consciously or not.
5. Use a wide-toothed comb when combing your hair as it doesn’t pull your hair as much.