It’s 2 a.m., and googling “why is my hair falling out?” is being typed into a search engine somewhere near the clogged shower drain.

For many, it begins with a thought such as hair is falling out and rattles forth to panic. And your ponytail isn’t quite as thick as it used to be.

Is it me or does the part in your hair seem wider than it did a week ago? You’re not alone there, don’t worry. About the majority of causes of hair loss can be treated the great news.

Over 80 million American men and women experience hair loss, often casually referred to as hairfall, and there are many conflicting theories regarding it. 

Hormonal, dietary and lifestyle factors cause the majority of hair loss. “Reversing the process if you can identify the cause is always best.”

Hormonal Shifts: The Silent Hair Thief

More than just mood, hormones also control hair growth, with hair usually the first to respond when thyroid hormones are imbalanced.

Hypothyroidism stunts growth and also thins. Hyperthyroidism may cause hair to become weak to the touch and brittle.

Shedding may occur in women due to pregnancy or problems after childbirth, or menopause. That pregnancy hair? 

It’s temporary, shedding in large amounts three to six months after delivery (telogen effluvium). Menopause also lowers estrogen levels, and this causes more thinning in women.

In men, testosterone converts to dihydrotestosterone, which causes male pattern baldness because this shrinks hair follicles.

Go to a doctor for a hormone and thyroid blood test. Medication should bring a thyroid imbalance under control within months. 

The FDA approves minoxidil to restore hair lost from DHT. Men can stop DHT with finasteride, while women can seek hormone replacement therapy or other medications from a dermatologist in the vicinity. First, address the hormonal imbalance.

Nutritional Deficiencies: When Your Diet Works Against Your Hair

Your hair is comprised of nutrients; this is why deficiency presents itself so quickly on your scalp. Iron deficiency (common in women) reduces follicle oxygen supply, leading to hair loss.

If protein is deficient, it affects keratin production in hair. Hair is made mainly of keratin. Vitamin D, zinc, biotin and other B vitamins hold a role in strengthening and growing of hair.

Lean proteins, leafy green vegetables, nuts, fatty fish, and brightly colored vegetables might offer assistance. Test levels of iron, ferritin, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and zinc in advance of taking supplements.

If deficiencies undergo correction, the thickness can return to specification. It will do so in 3-6 months. Supplements may help you if you know you have deficiencies; otherwise, do not take supplements.

Stress and Lifestyle: The Hidden Hair Disruptor

It may not be visible from the outside, but stress can harm your hair. The body stops noncritical functions like hair growth. 

This can lead to telogen effluvium, within which large amounts of hair enter a resting phase and fall out after three months.

When people do not sleep enough (reducing growth hormone and increasing the stress hormone cortisol), smoke, consume excessive alcohol, and do insufficient exercise, these actions may create a local environment around the hair follicles that promotes hair loss.

You can fix it with regular exercise causes a reduction of cortisol within the body, and it improves circulation, sleep during 7-9 quality hours.

Educating people about mental health conditions and using methods to lower stress like meditating, doing yoga, or doing breathing exercises may also be useful.

Lifestyle changes may also be helpful, for example, daily exercise, establishing a regular bedtime or having a regular nighttime ritual.

Also Read : Hair Care Tips for Strong and Shiny Strands

Overstyling and Hair Care Mistakes

Sometimes, we can be our own worst enemies to ourselves. Tight ponytails, braids, and buns can all lead in the direction of a type of hair loss called traction alopecia. Constant pulling damages hair follicles.

Heat styling, bleaching, and chemical treatments cause hair shafts to be weak in general. Frequent washing causes hair to lose oil. 

Too little washing and too much brushing hair that has been washed can lead to build-up and can block hair follicles.

Ways to ensure hydration include allowing hair to air-dry rather than blow-drying, not using hair stylers for hair, avoiding heat damage by using heat protectant for hair, avoiding strong sulfates inside hair shampoo, using conditioning products which have moisture-retaining properties for hair, and using extra-wide combs to detangle hair from the ends toward the roots in hair.

A few adjustments to a standard routine can mean less breakage, more shine, and more strength.

Medical Conditions and Medications

Certain diseases can inhibit hair growth in some cases.

• Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease of sorts. The disease results in bald spots.
• Conditions of the scalp, like psoriasis, dermatitis, and fungal infection, are inflamed and thinned.
• PCOS can also be linked to hormonal changes that lead to scalp hair loss and excess body hair.

Other drugs which may trigger shedding include antihypertensives, antidepressants, and anticoagulants, and temporary total hair loss may be caused by chemotherapy. Overuse of vitamin A may also cause shedding after a point.

See a doctor if a medical problem is suspected. Treat the underlying issue by using medicated shampoo on scalp issues or by adjusting the dose of a medication to restore scalp hair. Only stop taking medications your doctor ordered after a conversation with the doctor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much hair loss is normal?

A: People lose 50 to 100 hairs each day during the typical hair growth cycle. See a doctor should hair loss passes this level or should patches of hair loss appear.

Q: Can you reverse hair loss at all?

A: Yes, if stress, diet, or hormones cause an imbalance. Minoxidil may treat genetic loss in contrast.

Q: When will I see results?

A: You will see visible results for the average person in 3-6 months. Hair grows approximately half an inch per month. It requires consistency and patience.

Q: Are supplements worth it?

A: Supplements are only helpful in deficiencies. Biotin and hair gummies will not help in the event you get enough vitamins and minerals via your diet.

Q: Should someone visit a dermatologist or a general doctor?

A: You can start with your GP. The blood can be checked for thyroid levels, vitamin levels, and iron levels. For persistence, see a dermatologist with specialization in hair loss.

Take Action Today

In general, hair loss causes distress among the public but most don’t have to be seen in doctors,” he said. What about looking into what causes it, such as hormones, nutrition, stress or lifestyle? Then one can decide on a treatment.

Steps to start:

• Think about your diet. Think about your stress levels. Think about how you style.
• Examine the thyroid, hormones, and nutrients for levels.
• Change your lifestyle through more sleep, better eating, and de-stressing by yourself.
• Progress: Take monthly photos for tracking of your improvement.

Your hair has an incredible ability for hair regrowth when given the right conditions. It didn’t get fat overnight, and it won’t get fit overnight either; consistency over time is everything. When you work on the issues underlying it, thicker and shinier and healthier hair is 100 percent possible.

Your hair has great potential to grow back. Give it what it wants, and it will do the same. To have fuller hair you want to start paying attention to what your scalp is telling you now.

A handful of correctable factors cause most shedding. These factors are hormones out of balance, missing nutrients, stress, or bad habits. Once these factors are taken care of, such dramatic hair re-growth can result. The result is thicker, shinier, healthier hair.