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3 HEALTH TIPS to Help with Hair Loss Eighty eight percent of women experiencing issues with hair loss feel that it has a negative impact on their daily life. Seventy-five percent feel that it negatively impacts their self-esteem. Why is our hair so important to us? It boils down to the simple matter of our hair being, well, not so simple. After all, this isn’t just hair. Instead, we, as women, attach our sexuality, confidence, self-esteem and even our femininity to our hair. So, whenever our hair starts experiencing any adverse reactions, such as falling out, breaking, frizzing, splitting at the ends or turning gray, panic sets in because, to some of us, it is not just losing hair—it feels like losing a crucial part of who we are. If you’re experiencing hair loss, no need to panic. Here are some basic health tips to help with hair loss and know when it is time to go see your doctor.
1.
EVALUATE YOUR DIET AND LIFESTYLE HABITS: Take a good look at how you eat, sleep, work and live, and then ask yourself the following questions: • Is your diet supplying the nutrients you need to support healthy hair growth? Remember, healthy hair starts from within. • Have you done a lot of crash or yo-yo dieting? If so, keep in mind the effects may not be seen for up to three to six months. • Are you vegan or vegetarian? All of these factors can cause a relative protein or nutrient deficiency that can cause hair loss.
• Are you constantly under severe stress, or have you recently experienced a traumatic event or illness? In this case, hair loss may continue for eight to twelve months. • Do you smoke or consume excessive alcohol? This can lead to excessive hair loss and premature graying of the hair. Knowing that your diet, lifestyle, or stress level may be damaging your hair is a great way to begin to isolate the problem.
2.
EXPLORE YOUR HAIR-CARE ROUTINE: Look at what you do on a daily basis and try to determine if this routine is helping or hurting the growth of your hair. These are some questions you may ask yourself: • How often do you perform some processing on your hair? • Do you perm, relax or color your hair? • Do you often wear your hair in tight ponytails, braids or curlers? • What types of shampoos do you use? • How often do you shampoo? • Do you condition your hair? Over treating your hair, using harsh shampoos or conditioners and perpetually twisting or tightening your hair can do damage that can lead to permanent hair loss or simply unhealthy hair. Less can be more. See if you can limit the amount of processing. Yes, we may be not ready to let our gray hairs show but coloring too frequently may leave us without any hair to color.
BY DR. EUDENE HARRY
Here are some tips to try in order to keep from over coloring your hair and keep it healthy between salon visits: • Try using powders or sticks that temporarily camouflage grays so that you don’t have to color as frequently. • Speak with your hair-care specialist about coloring products that may be gentler on the hair. • Avoid combining processing procedures, such as relaxing and coloring, at the same appointment. • Limit styling your hair with high-heat appliances. • Occasionally, let your hair air dry. • Speak with your stylist about products that make this process possible.
3.
TAKE STOCK OF YOUR MEDICATION AND SUPPLEMENT LIST: For example, did you know that too much vitamin A or the mineral selenium can actually cause hair thinning and loss? Certain medications or drugs can cause the hair to go into the resting phase too early, thus causing excessive shedding. This can occur weeks or even months after starting the medication. Some examples of drugs that can contribute to excessive hair loss are thyroid medications, acne medications with vitamin A, cholesterol-lowering drugs, anti-seizure medications, and blood pressure medications to name a few. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist about your medication and supplements and their potential side effects.
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