6 Tips for Treating Temporary Hair Loss
It’s normal to lose anywhere between 50 to 100 strands of hair every day. With 100,000 hair follicles on your scalp, losing 100 doesn’t seem like much. Excessive hair loss, however, could cause patchiness, bald spots, or clumps to fall out.
If you’re experiencing temporary hair loss, consider one of these hair loss treatment options. With these tips, you can maintain your luscious locks without stress.
Read on to discover how to put an end to your hair loss today.
1. Adjust Your Diet
Changing your diet can ensure your body receives the vitamins and minerals it needs to produce healthy hair follicles. Consider following the Mediterranean diet, which prioritizes:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole-grains
- Fatty fish
- Lean meats
- Olive oil
A diet full of anti-inflammatory foods could minimize hair loss.
Make sure to add plenty of healthy proteins to your diet. For example, eggs contain both biotin and protein, which are essential for hair growth. Biotin aids in the production of keratin, a hair protein that can improve hair growth.
Berries are full of vitamin C, which offers antioxidant properties that can protect hair follicles from free radical damage. Your body also uses vitamin C to produce collagen, which can strengthen your hair before it gets brittle enough to break.
Vitamin C can help the body absorb iron, which can also minimize hair loss.
Consider leafy green veggies like spinach, which offers vitamin A, C, folate, and iron. Sweet potatoes provide beta-carotene, which is also linked to hair growth.
Consult a nutritionist before making major changes to your diet.
2. Consider Vitamins or Medications
Consult a doctor to determine if you have a vitamin deficiency. A deficiency in the following could affect hair growth:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B
- Iron
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Zinc
- Vitamin E
If you have a vitamin deficiency, you can add vitamins to your routine to maintain healthy skin and hair. For example, your doctor might recommend biotin forte with zinc, saw palmetto, calcium, or selenium. Make sure you’re choosing vitamins and supplements from a reputable company.
A doctor might recommend over-the-counter hair loss medication like minoxidil to prevent your hair loss, too.
Though some medications can benefit your treatment for hair loss, others can cause hair loss. Talk to a doctor to determine if you have drug-induced hair loss. They could recommend a different course of treatment for your underlying condition.
For example, you could experience thinning or lost hair due to:
- Blood-thinning medications
- Drugs for depression
- Oral contraceptives
- Anti-inflammatories
- Beta and calcium channel blockers
- Excessive vitamin A
- Chemotherapy drugs
If you’re taking any of these medications, talk to your doctor. Don’t stop taking prescribed medications without consulting a doctor first. They can help you make informed decisions with your health goals in mind.
3. Try Low-Level Laser Light Therapy
Low-level laser light therapy is FDA-approved to aid hair growth. Treatment involves using a wand or helmet to reduce skin inflammation, which can initiate hair growth.
Choosing low-level laser light therapy will allow you to avoid drug interactions or side effects. You won’t have to worry about developing a tolerance, either.
Side effects include a slight scalp burn, which you can minimize by reducing time exposure.
Otherwise, consider in-office platelet-rich plasma treatments.
4. Minimize Stress
An intense amount of stress could trigger hair loss as well. Emotional trauma might even cause acute telogen effluvium.
If you’re dealing with a life-altering event, seek help to learn how to minimize excessive stress. For example, you can pick up yoga or meditation. Journaling and exercising could help reduce cortisol (the stress hormone), too.
Hair loss after a stressful, life-altering event can occur three to six months after the event.
5. Consult a Doctor
An underlying health issue could contribute to your hair loss. Determining the underlying issue can help you begin the appropriate course of treatment.
For example, hormonal imbalances and excess androgens (male sex hormones) can cause hair loss and androgenic alopecia. Androgens can weaken your hair follicles, leading to excessive shedding. Estrogen-related changes due to menopause or birth control could contribute to androgen sensitivities.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), prostate cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure can cause hair loss, too.
Schedule a consultation appointment with a doctor. They can test your blood and review your symptoms to determine what’s causing your hair loss.
For example, they might determine you have an overactive (hyperthyroidism) or underactive (hypothyroidism) thyroid. Both can cause a hormonal imbalance, leading to hair loss.
Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis are autoimmune diseases of the thyroid gland that can cause hair loss, too. Your thyroid hormones regulate hair growth, among other bodily functions. Hair loss treatment that begins with getting your hormones under control could stop your hair loss.
6. Change Your Hair Care Routine
Women tend to lose more hair strands daily than men. Unfortunately, hair coloring treatments and heated styling tools can contribute to your temporary hair loss. In fact, 40% of women lose extra hair daily because of the way they style their lovely locks.
Women are also more likely to experience additional hair shedding due to menopause, pregnancy, and other life events.
If the above hair loss treatment options aren’t working, consider evaluating your hair care routine. You could cause damage and breakage each time you style your hair. Over time, you could experience hair thinning and hair loss.
Even excessive shampooing can cause problems. Look for shampoos and conditions that are mild and suited for your hair type. Minimize unnecessary damage by gently massaging your scalp as you apply these products.
Otherwise, vigorously rubbing your scalp can contribute to temporary, damage-induced hair loss.
Try a fortifying, revitalizing shampoo instead.
Avoid blow-drying, straightening, or curling your hair with heated styling tools too often. Minimize how often you pull on your hair (including when you style it into a too-tight ponytail), too.
Instead, treat your hair with the gentle loving care it deserves to avoid future breakage.