Natural Ways to Stop Hair Fall or Shedding

Hair shedding is a natural process

that often times can be triggered and accelerated by disrupting the body's cycle. Normative shedding is usually within a range of 50 – 100 hair strands/ day, certainly individual dependent. Past this, concerns should be raised if shedding is more than typically experienced or prolonged over a period of several weeks or months without cause.

The hair growth cycle
1. Anagen (growth) phase > 2 – 7 yrs or longer.
2. Catagen (growth slows) phase > 2 – 3 weeks.
3. Telogen (resting) phase > 1 – 4 months. 10% of your hair is in this phase @ any given time. At the end of this phase, hair goes through the shedding phase which results in new hair growth.

Causes of hair shedding
Birth control, menstrual cycles, menopause, pregnancy, heredity, crash diets, high fevers, anemia, certain medications, major surgeries, chemotherapy.

Most common causes of hair shedding, solutions and natural remedies
Menstrual cycles
With the drop in estrogen levels comes a precipitous drop in iron levels as well, leading to hair loss during periods. In many cases, heavy bleeding triggers thinning and hair loss. Estrogen, the sex hormone, is responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and other secondary functions.

Solution: Replicate or mimic the properties of estrogen and iron.
Remedies: Red clover, flax seed, sesame seeds, Vitamin D and B complex, evening primrose, dandelion, bladder wrack, yellow dock, burdock root.

Crash diets
Usually, a month or two after a new diet begins, hair will fall out at a faster rate than normally experienced. Restricting calorie intake invariably means the intake of nutrients also decreases. Because the hair system is incredibly sensitive to changes in the body hair loss is triggered. This may also cause stress on hair roots trigger the resting phase or what is termed “telogen effluvium”.

Solution: Focus on diet and nutrition.
Remedies: Vitamin D, salmon, eggs, mushrooms, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, lentils, sesame seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, nuts, other healthy fats and fiber, whole grains, beans, broccoli, quinoa.

Certain medications
Drugs cause hair loss by interfering with the normal cycle of scalp hair growth. Medication leads to two types of hair loss:
a. Telogen effluvium: - Most commonly occurs 2 – 4 months after start of taking medication, leads to 30 – 70% more shedding than normal;
b. Anagen effluvium: - Occurs during the growth phase and within a few days or weeks of medication use. It preventing matrix cells, which produce new hair, from dividing normally.

Solution: Avoid pharmaceutical medications and/ or seek out natural remedies.
Remedies: Black cohosh (anti-inflammatory, sedative, expectorant), kava (anxiety), ginseng (fatigue, anxiety), dietary focus, dandelion (metabolism), red clover (menopause), Vitamin B complex, Omega 3 fatty acids.

Menopause
When the levels of estrogen and progesterone drop in the body, hair grows slowly and starts to thin out. A decrease in these hormones also triggers an increase in the production of a group of male hormones called androgens. These shrink the hair follicles resulting in hair loss.

Solution: Strengthen hair follicles with natural supplements and vitamins.
Remedies: B Vitamins (sweet potatoes, tomatoes), Iron rich foods (collard greens, spinach), Vitamin C (seeded citrus), Zinc (nuts).

Key message
A positive lifestyle, balanced diet, and self care will help promote healthy hair growth for a long time.

NOTE: If it appears your hair loss is unusually abnormal, please speak with a doctor.