Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Tips for Hair Loss Prevention

Men who encounter bald spots and receding hairlines may behave differently. Some deal with it; others shave what they had completely because it is considered much more acceptable and even “cool” these days; others are overwhelmed by it and decide to take measures to remedy the problem. Older men seem to have the same responses. Women who experience more than normal hair loss tend to take it much more seriously, no matter what the age. It is seen as an ugly intrusion into their personal and professional lives – an uninvited guest who must be expelled at whatever cost.

There is not one treatment for everyone in the prevention journey. Each body is unique in its hormones, chemicals, etc. and reacts differently to any available treatment. First, you must eliminate any medical cause, and a trip to the doctor is in order. Hair loss can be a sign of disease, infections or illness, these have to be eliminated. Second, take charge of your stress levels, your lifestyle, and your diet. If you snack on junk food regularly, stop! Get yourself on a diet that contains good protein, iron, lots of fruits and vegetables, and healthy oils. And get with the exercise! Exercise increases blood circulation, and that means circulation to your head. Increased circulation creates healthy cells, and hair and hair follicles are made up of cells. Cells reproduce when they have enough energy to do so, and they don’t have enough energy if circulation is bad. If your personal or professional life is full of stress and anxiety, you have to find ways to reduce this. Again, exercise and regular relaxation methods are a must. Often, therapy may be required. But, the bottom line is, stress and anxiety cause hair loss.

Traumas cause hair loss. Surgery, new parenthood, loss of job, pregnancy, death, etc. are all life changing events, and your body acts like a radar system. If you have hair loss that is the result of natural causes, such as hormone changes and heredity, and if this hair loss bothers you, affecting your normal lifestyle, then you need to do something about it. Your options are many, and you have to explore and choose those that are right for you. This is not a “one size fits all” procedure.

1. Test common products available. As soon as you experience hair loss that has been confirmed not to be a result of another health condition, begin your investigation of the wide variety of treatments available. You will have to experiment and you will have to be patient. Many are offered at local drug stores or on the Internet. Some come with money-back guarantees. Many products require 3-6 months before you see visible results. Try them. 

2. Keep your body healthy. Try natural remedies which are available at any health/nutrition center or on hundreds of Internet sites. These work for some people and are reasonably priced. Body health translates into scalp health and allows follicles to continue to produce hair to replace that which is lost. Good diet and exercise, to increase blood circulation are really important.

3. Still no success? Consider inexpensive methods – hair pieces, wigs, extensions.

4. If you have the money, go for hair transplantation. Average cost is about $10,000, so be prepared! In the end, only you can decide if your hair loss if a problem in your life. If it is, you owe it to yourself and those around you to do something about it. And don’t lose your optimism. While you are exploring and experimenting, medical researchers are spending millions of dollars trying to find the ultimate cure for hair loss. They are close.

5. Stop injuring your hair: Harsh shampoos and coloring/treatment products, used in excess, will kill your hair. Your follicles cannot replace hair as fast as it is falling out when your hair is severely damaged. Likewise, use dry heat as little as possible – blow dryers and curling irons dry out and crack hair, causing it to break off in more than normal amounts.

7. Find ways to reduce stress and anxiety in your life. If you over-react to stressful situations, lose sleep, sorry constantly, you are on the road to more health concerns than just loss of hair. But make no mistake about it; your hair will fall out in greater amounts.

8. Don’t give up. Use the product that works best for you right now, and look for new advances in the area of hair loss. Medical research is “on this,” in a big way, and lots of money is being poured into the search for a permanent, universally effective treatment.

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