Earlier this year, a survey among experts at the annual Aesthetic & Anti-Ageing Medicine World Congress in Monaco revealed a very interesting finding - hair loss is the number two aesthetic concern for women between the ages of 35 and 55.
If you’re genetically predisposed to hair thinning you can expect your hair to thin as you get older. This isn’t a big issue if you have lots of it, but if you have very fine hair or simply don’t have as many strands as you’d like, then you’ll want to take action the moment you notice a shift because there are things you can do to successfully mitigate hair fall, provided you start treatment early.
The other causes for hair loss are ‘reactionary’, meaning they’re caused by a particular trigger like a hormonal imbalance or illness. In this case, the hair loss is often temporary but, again, you’ll want to do as much as possible to limit it.
These are just a few of many things that can trigger hair loss in women:
Hormonal imbalance, or shift Your hormones play a huge role in regulating hair growth. Oestrogen (the female hormone) helps keep hair in the growing phase for longer while androgen (the male hormone) shorten your hair growth cycle. For this reason, things like pregnancy and menopause have an effect on your tresses and a condition like polycystic ovarian syndrome, characterised by too much androgen, can cause hair loss.
An illness There are many illnesses that can cause hair loss. These can range from a medical condition like a leaky gut or a ringworm infection of the scalp, to a chronic disease like lupus, hypothyroidism or diabetes. If the condition is temporary your hair loss should stop once it’s treated, but you’ll still want an action plan to exercise a little damage control. If you’re dealing with something chronic you’re going to need to take action as soon as possible to do the same.
A nutritional deficiency A poor diet lacking in certain vitamins and minerals can definitely take its toll on your locks. A vitamin B12 deficiency, for example, affects the red blood cells that carry oxygen to your tissues, including your scalp and hair follicles. An iron deficiency that results in anaemia can do the same thing. Also, iron is needed for your hair to produce the protein that forms its structure.
Weight loss Be it due to a crash diet or a medical issue like an illness, a sudden drop in weight can trigger hair loss that’s often only seen 6 to 12 weeks later.
Stress It’s true, stress can literally make your hair fall out! Stress causes the release or increase of certain hormones, two being androgen and cortisol. An excess of androgen can trigger hair loss and even certain scalp conditions like dandruff. Cortisol can also act as a catalyst for shedding and, paradoxically, having too little of it can have the same effect.
Treating hair loss at home
There are many things you can do to limit hair loss at home but, in a world, with so many badly formulated products making promises they can’t fulfil its important to get expert guidance on what will and won’t work. This is why we suggest you make an appointment with one of the doctors at The Renewal Institute who can help diagnose any underlying conditions as well as help you create an ‘at home action plan’, regardless the cause.
At Health Renewal, we offer an array of proven supplements that can help limit hair loss and encourage new hair growth. These range from single nutraceuticals to MSM (a sulphur compound that forms bonds which strengthen hair and encourage growth).
Speaking of mix, we also sell our own brand of supplements, often in combination, and one great ‘power couple’ is our Body Renewal Hair Loss Pack. It includes our Opti Nutrition shake and Hair Plus Caps to ensure you’re getting everything you need for optimal hair growth.
You’ll also find proven topical treatments like Pelo Baum and Minoxidil. Pelo Baum contains peptides, vitamins and amino and nucleic acids that stimulate the hair follicle and work on the inherited genetic susceptibility causing androgenic hair loss. Minoxidil widens the hair follicle to create thicker-looking hair, prolongs the hair’s growth phase (so more are active for longer) and can encourage the growth of new hair.
Our doctors can also prescribe a medication like finasteride (sold under the brand name Propecia) that blocks the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that causes your hair follicles to shrink.
Treating hair loss in-office
At The Renewal Institute we take a 3D approach to dealing with hair loss and usually won’t suggest just one treatment but a combination of several hair loss treatments to ensure the best results.
Just two treatments that can have a visibly positive effect on your hair include carboxytherapy and mesotherapy. Carboxytherapy for hair loss involves microinjecting carbon dioxide (CO2) gas directly into your scalp to help grow new capillaries. In turn, these improve blood flow which is essential to optimal hair growth. Mesotherapy is similar as it also uses microinjections but, instead of CO2, it delivers an elixir of carefully chosen follicle-encouraging actives, things like growth factors, vitamins, amino and nucleic acids.
Another way we can help improve your hair in-office is with Photo Dynamic Therapy (PDT). This involves exposing your scalp to different combinations of light that stimulate blood flow and when used together with a topical product like Pelo Baum or Minoxidil, the treatment is even more effective.
We also offer a Hair Loss and Hair Growth IV infusion treatment which is a great way to supply the nutrients your hair needs the most - things like glutathione, vitamins C and the B complex, selenium and zinc - directly to your bloodstream.
Also, don’t discount a botulinum toxin, like Botox®. If it’s injected into the scalp, it can relax the muscles that are attached to your hair follicles which helps improve their blood supply.
In short, hair loss isn’t something any woman wants to deal with but if you take action fast and get professional help, be it guidance on the right products to use at home or a selection of in-office treatments like what’s offered at The Renewal Institute, you’ll have a great shot at mitigating the effects.