National Hair Loss Awareness Month: Everything you need to know
August is National Hair Loss Awareness Month, and while it’s nice to highlight a widespread, yet taboo subject, we know that the emotional challenges associated with hair loss last year round. When it comes to hair loss, there is a lot of misinformation floating around the internet, so here is our no-bull take on things.
When talking about hair loss, most tend to think it is a male dominated issue. While there is some truth to that; men do tend to suffer from it more, women are not off the hook. Here are some of the figures.
- Two out of three guys will start to lose their hair by 35.
- 85% of American men have significantly thinning hair by the time they’re 50. (Keeps.com)
- 25 percent have thinned or lost hair
- 95 percent of female hair loss is androgenetic, meaning that it results from hormonal changes, as in pregnancy or menopause
- During menopause, 4 out of 10 women suffer from thinning hair (Hairloss Doctors)
Clearly, hair loss is not an estranged issue, but why is it so common? And what exactly causes it? There are some old wives’ tales that things such as washing your hair too much or wearing hats will make your hair fall out. Those claims are simply not true. Dr. Rina Allawh of Montgomery Dermatology says: “Scarring hair loss is typically as a result of an inflammatory process that causes formation of scar that prevents hair from growing. This may also be due to repeated trauma to the scalp, such as thermal damage. Non scarring processes include hormonally driven hair loss, autoimmune causes (such as lupus, alopecia areata), medication-induced, stress induced or post-surgical.” (Revian)
So aside from excessive heat treatment to the scalp, most topical irritation has little to no effect on hair loss. On the other hand, the hard to swallow reality is that 95% of male and female hair loss cases are caused by androgenic alopecia, commonly referred to as male (female) pattern baldness. Since androgenic hair loss is passed down genetically, it is unfortunately not preventable. But fret not. If you are not suffering from genetic androgenic hair loss but are experiencing some balding or thinning, there are a handful of lifestyle changes that could help. And if you are one of the 95%, safe and effective medical treatments are available. The best remedy for you is going to depend on the cause.
For example, it’s normal for women to lose hair after pregnancy due to the changing of hormones. This is called postpartum hair loss. Simply, over the course of time as your body reaches its normal hormonal balance, hair will begin to grow normally again.
Another clinical condition that may be the cause of hair loss is called Traction alopecia, and it is caused by over-styling and pulling the hair, resulting in the damaged hair follicles, leading to hair loss. In some cases, traction alopecia can result in permanent hair loss but can also be remedied with new hair care practices. Traction alopecia is most common in women who wear hair extensions or braids, which can pull on the hair and cause damage to the follicles.
It should also be noted that for men, hair loss can be cause by poor physical or mental health or any of the following:
- Hereditary hair loss
- Disease
- Alopecia areata
- Stress
- Hormonal imbalance
- Diet
- Medical treatments
Living an overall healthy lifestyle is paramount in staving off the possibility of hair-loss due to nutritional deficiencies and imbalances. Eating a balanced diet high in protein has been shown to have a significant positive effect on hair, skin and nail health. We encourage you to read more on that here! In addition to diet and exercise, supplements can also be a good choice to ensure you are receiving all the necessary vitamins and minerals to support hair health. Nouráge has it covered with a Hair + Wellness supplement which contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, adaptogens and clinically-proven Keratin to nourish your hair and body.
If all lifestyle oriented causes have been exhausted, you may consider talking to your doctor about one of the following treatments.
- Hair transplant. During this procedure, Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) or Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) methods are used to harvest hair from one region of your scalp and graft it onto the balding or thinning region.
- LLLT, or Low-Level Laser Therapy. This involves using pulses of light to encourage your follicles to expand, function properly, and produce thicker hair.
- PRP, or Platelet-Rich Plasma, Therapy. During this procedure, a sample of your own blood is taken and enriched. Then, it is injects back into the scalp to stimulate follicle health and growth.
- SMP, or Scalp Micropigmentation. If you suffer from mild thinning or do not wish to attempt other hair loss treatments, there are specialists that offer scalp micropigmentation. During this treatment, a doctor will tattoo your scalp to create the appearance of short hair.
Nouráge is formulated with a balancing blend of powerful antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, adaptogens and clinically-proven Keratin to nourish your hair and body from the inside out. The result: fuller, healthier hair and renewed wellness.
• Maintains healthy hair growth
• Increased density and thickness
• Supports shine & strength
• Replenishes nutrients for overall vitality
Shop Hair + Wellness by Nouráge.
In honor of National Hair Loss Month, Nouráge is offering 50% off first month subscription of Hair + Wellness. Use code: HairGrowth50. Offer expires August 31st, 2021.
https://www.keeps.com/learn/national-hair-loss-awareness-month
https://www.toppik.com/hairtoppiksblog/national-hair-loss-awareness-month/
https://revian.com/national-hair-loss-awareness-month-hair-loss-truth-or-tales/
https://www.hairlossdoctors.com/blog/2015/06/02/female-hair-loss-statistics-know-158887