Use These Top Solutions to Avoid Hair Fall- Expert Tips for Healthy Hair

Hair fall, being the worst nightmare ever. The word itself sounds terrifying . People are spending  thousands of money to get rid of hair fall. Before diving into solutions, it’s better to find out what’s  hair fall and it’s causes. Scientifically termed as ‘ alopecia ‘ hair fall refers to a “loss of hair from part  of the head or body” . Though the word body is included in the definition, typically ‘head’ is involved.  Once it gets severe it can vary from a small area to the entire body. Hair fall is also called a disorder  caused by an interruption in the body’s cycle of hair production. 

Difference between hair fall and hair shedding 

It’s not easy to differentiate between hair shedding and hair fall, only a certified dermatologist is the  best option to differentiate between the two. Anyhow, losing a few hair strands every day isn’t a  cause of concern. It’s quite normal to shed between 50-100 strands a day. Hair shedding is a normal  situation but it’s an alarming condition to shed more than the average number of strands and you  need to seek medical attention. Hair shedding is a usual process of the body but hair fall or hair loss  needs to be treated. What is special about hair fall is that it’s mainly caused by external factors. Hair loss mainly happens When some external factors prevent your hair from growing furthermore. The  medical term is ‘ anagen effluvium’.  

How can you identify hair fall? 

1. Your hair gets thinner 
2. Regrowth speed of the hair becomes slow. 
3. Your hair fall gradually increases. 
4. Hair requires treatments to grow.  

Among the causes of hair fall, ‘hereditary factors ‘ are more unlikely to be treated as it’s something  that is genetically inherited. Anyhow it’s not impossible to treat this type of hair fall as well. At least  treatments can be done to help slow down the hair fall process. 

The worst things people do when faced with hair fall are, 

• Trying to hide the problem. 
• Buy products which are promoted through commercials which aren’t approved by any  medical authority. 
• Take vitamins and other supplements without the proper guidance of an expert.  

Can hair fall be prevented?  

It’s very hard to completely reverse the process of hair fall yet can be slowed down. It always  depends on the underlying cause, to decide whether the hair fall process is reversible or not.  If the underlying cause is nutritional deficiencies, absolutely hair fall can be prevented with  good food habits. Hair fall caused by recent child births or cancer treatments begin to  reverse eventually with time.  

❖ When we dive into the solutions for hair fall it’s quite admirable to turn to natural remedies  first.  

1. Diet  

If you are not getting enough of some nutrients like vitamin E, vitamin B12, folic acid, biotin  etc… You may be subjected to hair fall in no time. The best way to take nutrients is by  getting a diet rich in nutrients. Eating too few calories every day can also cause significant  hair fall. Diets which are extremely low in proteins can also badly affect your hair growth. 

And also eating too much of foods which are high in sugar, saturated fats and processed  carbohydrates which are low in nutritional value may be a major cause of hair fall. Some  mistakenly argue that dairy products are good for hair growth but actually it’s not. In some  cases the substantial levels of fats in dairy which is later converted to DHT hormones will  become a leading cause for hair fall.  

Given below are some best foods with their nutrients which helps you to avoid hair falling; 

• Eggs – protein and biotin 
• Berries – vitamin C 
• Spinach – vitamins A and C 
• Fatty fish- omega 3 and fatty acids 
• Sweet potatoes – beta carotene 
• Avocados – vitamin E 
• Nuts – vitamin E 
• Seeds – vitamin E, zinc and selenium 
• Meat – protein  
• Beans – zinc 

Fortunately, the hair fall caused by nutritional deficiencies can be reversed. So at any point if  you feel that you are lacking the nutrients needed for hair growth immediately change your  diet and try adding the above foods to your every day diet. And thoroughly remember to  drink plenty of water because internal as well as external hydration is the key to a well  balanced healthy hair.  

2. Take good care of your hair  

Your hair is the best jewellery you could wear throughout your lifetime. So it’s very important  to take care of it like you would do for the jewellery collection. 

• Stated below are some tips for you to stop hair fall naturally with your day to day  hair care practices.  

1. Avoid split ends by regular trimming at least once in 3 months. 
2. Avoid combing wet hair.
3. Wash your hair only with cold and lukewarm water. 
4. Use natural oils instead of chemicals.  
5. Avoid using heating products like hairdryers , curlers etc.

Normally we use shampoo to clean the hair. But always try to use chemical free shampoo. Select the  shampoo that best suits your hair type. It’s recommended by experts to use sulphate free and  paraben free shampoo . After using shampoo don’t forget to use a suitable conditioner as well. It’s a  must to remember not to apply conditioner on your scalp. And also you need to rinse off the  conditioner thoroughly post application.  

When you dry your hair ‘do not blow dry’ . Instead , use air drying or towel drying to avoid harming  your scalp and reduce hair fall by then. Remember to never sleep with wet hair and gently massage  the scalp in every possible time. Massaging is an easy and cost effective way to reduce hair fall. It  increases the blood flow to follicles and helps delivering nutrients that encourage hair growth.  Always be gentle when massaging the scalp to avoid causing mechanical stress on the scalp.  

3. Minimize using hair styling products. 

People, especially girls, love to have various hair styles. Some people even go for permanent hair  styling methods like straightening, relaxing, coloring etc… But do you know that overuse of certain  hair styling products particularly those with harsh chemicals leads to severe hair fall? It’s not at all  recommended to use hair styling products every day at any cost. Though you use those products  even in an essential situation, you need to choose products with natural ingredients instead of  chemicals. Hair fall usually starts from dryness and breakage of hair . So don’t allow your scalp to remain dry . Maintain the moisture of the scalp . Individuals who are between the age of 16-24 tend  to experience severe hair fall as they frequently use harmful products and hair styling tools . Heated  tools just like dryers and straighteners can sometimes reach damaging temperatures causing  breakage and frizzy hair which promotes hair fall.  

Never compromise your hair well being for your fashion choices . Always prioritize your healthy hair.  

4. Use essential oils. 

Essential oils are highly aromatic and concentrated liquid extracts from plants and fruits. They have  immense therapeutic powers. Essential oils are also a best solution for all types of hair problems  including ‘hair fall’ . It’s a natural and an effective way to solve your hair fall problem. Here are some of the best essential oils you can use to stop hair fall instead of harsh chemicals.  

1. Lavender essential oil – can speed up hair growth 
2. Rosemary essential oil- enhances thickness of hair strands and promotes hair growth. c. Peppermint essential oil – increases circulation on the scalp. 
3. Cedar wood essential oil – promotes hair growth and reduces hair fall. 
4. Thyme essential oil – stimulates the scalp and promotes hair growth. 
5. Clary sage oil – increases hair growth. 

Though we concentrate more on natural ways and remedies to stop hair fall , there is a point from  where you have to turn towards medications from natural remedies by consulting a dermatologist. 

Now let’s look at some artificial ways that will help you stop hair fall.  

5. Low Level Light Therapy ( LLLT)  

In a clinically controlled study 39% increase on hair growth was identified through LLLT . Through  LLLT stem cells can be activated. LLLT is now a FDA approved procedure and has a success rate of  more than 80% . But it’s not a treatment where you can turn for immediate results. It takes at least 2  months for LLLT to show results typically after the first treatment. The disadvantage is that once the  treatment being interrupted, the hair fall will start again. So it’s a must to continue LLLT until the hair  gradually turns to its initial status . LLLT improves the thickness and density of the hair strands  causing reduction in hair fall. This is a home treatment so ‘it’s worth a try’ . Until today , no side  effects of Low Level Light Therapy have been detected. You need to utilize the red light caps at least 3  times a week . Some people are doubtful whether to use another treatment along with LLLT or not.  According to clinical trials , along with tropical minoxidil therapy using LLLT could be quite  successful. LLLT basically stimulates your scalp and produces more hair on your scalp helping you to  stop hair fall. But keep in mind to decide whether to use the treatment or not depending on your  budget and your lifestyle. 

6. Use medications  

Dermatologists who are specialized in hair fall , often recommend medication to stop hair fall and if  it’s possible to promote regrowth of hair. But you need to be very careful when dealing with pharmaceutical drugs. Mentioned below are some facts that you need to consider before seeking  medications.  

• Whether the medication is approved by the Food Drug Administration (FDA) as some  medications can cause side effects and could be harmful. 
• Your status of health – you must be well aware of your health status before trying to  use medications for hair fall. It’s not safe to use them during pregnancy, while  nursing or being treated for a critical illness. 
• Price – after all it’s all about money. So you need to be cost effective on medications .  Some medications are quite expensive and not affordable. As you need to continue  the medications for a long period of time they should be of a reasonable price.  

As mentioned earlier, the drugs that you use to avoid hair fall must have taken the approval  from FDA . So far 2 drugs have been approved by FDA . Namely, minoxidil and finasteride .  

▪ Minoxidil – belongs to a class of drugs known as ‘ vasodilators ‘ . This is not used for  sudden hair fall, genetically inherited hair fall or post pregnancy hair fall. This is a  solution to be used evenly to the affected area of the scalp. Minoxidil should be kept dry on the scalp and this is not recommended for children below 18. You need to use  it as directed by your dermatologist and should immediately discontinue using it if you  face scalp irritation.  

▪ Finasteride – it is used to treat androgenetic alopecia. Especially known as male  pattern hair loss. Finasteride will increase the number of scalp hairs . This has been  shown to be clinically effective in 90% of men having ‘male pattern boldness ‘ . In the  long run it also helps hair regrowth. Finasteride is quite recommended for long time  use. You may take it for years without having any side effects.  

Despite of all above remedies and medications we would like to suggest you to take good care of  your hair growth regularly. It may help you to avoid reaching the stages of medication to prevent hair  fall. With proper and gentle care it is inevitable that your hair will be your crown and pride .