48% Of Women Have Thinning Hair!

How your hair grows

Your hair is made of keratin (KER-uh-tin), the same protein that makes up your nails and the outer layer of your skin. The part you see and style is called the hair shaft. It's actually dead tissue made by your hair follicles tiny bulb-like structures beneath your scalp's surface.

We have all heard of someone who has thinning hair problem, but do we really know how extensive this thinning hair problem is? Let us take a look at the figures here..

1. 70 million Americans Have Fine or Thin-looking Hair And it's Growing
2. 4 million more women and 4.7 million more men will have noticeably thin-looking hair by 2005
3. By age 65, 48% of all women report they have thinning hair and 75% of all men report they have noticeably thin-looking hair.
4. Research has shown that the problem of thin-looking hair can begin as early as age 17.
5. The problem will grow more extreme as our population ages.

How does hair loss start?

Hair loss is a normal symptom. 50 to 60 hairs are shed each day from a normal scalp. Losing more than 60 hairs a day is called excessive hair loss and leads to generalized thinning of the hair. Hair becomes fine in texture. Loss of hair in men is often determined by heredity or by the Allopetia Androgenetic hormone. Hair loss in women is often caused by pregnancy, stress, fatigue or medical treatment.

Can Thyroid Disease Cause Hair Loss?

An overactive or underactive thyroid can cause hair loss. One may get her thyroid numbers in order after beginning a regimen of thyroid medication. However, there have been reported cases of women experiencing hair loss FROM the thyroid medication.

Hot Tips!

Coloring: If you inherited a tendency for hair loss, you likely have very healthy hair overall. Therefore, your hair can benefit from permanent or semi-permanent color to give body and volume to hair.

Volumizing Products: Many volume-building hair products contain paraffin, which is beeswax. That's not good for hair, because it builds up and can make hair break.

However, volumizing products sold in salons do help. They won't weigh hair down, and they won't damage it. Mousse, for example, can be applied at the root area for support. Then, begin blow-drying the root area, applying tension with a brush to build volume. Use a light finishing spray to hold it.

What Is Hormonal Hair Loss? Can It Be Controlled?

People lose hair for various reasons. Illness and medication, like chemotherapy to treat cancer, can cause hair loss. Hair loss can also be inherited from a parent. Often, hair thins because it is fine-textured, or because too many harsh chemicals have been used on it, so it breaks easily.

What if I have hormonal hair loss?
The following photos show typical female hormonal hair loss patterns.
Typical female baldness begins with a generalized thinning of the whole scalp. Contrary to male pattern baldness is that no receding hairlines or hair loss on the crown takes place.

A generalized thinning of the hair occurs. It is seldom that a man displays the same type of hair loss pattern as a woman

The thickened hair root prevents the hair bulb from returning back to its place in the skin. Because of this, new hair will be produced, but will not be able to settle. The growth phase will then be disrupted and the hair bulb will continuously produce new hair, which, instead of lasting the normal five years, will only become a few weeks or months old. Now you have constant hair loss!

Personally, I prefer products by L'Oreal, such as Excellence. It's easy on the hair. It never made my hair feel any thinner and adding some auburn highlights to my brown hair always makes me feel like a new person. Because my hair is fine, I never use the enclosed conditioners with hair color products. Hair conditioners often make fine hair feel thinner and unmanageable. On the other hand, if you do want to use some conditioner, use only a fraction of what's recommended! And never use conditioners on your scalp, just put some at the hair ends.

Another great product that I highly recommend is Rogaine. Rogaine has gained a reputation of being able to reverse the hair thinning process!

Bottom line: While we're feeling the way we do during the menopausal years, I think it's important to try anything to help ourselves feel and look better.

Now that you know a little more about what are the causes for hair loss, we urge you to find out more about how hair loss, or hair thinning can be prevented! Yes, it is true, there are many effective products on the market right now which has been proven to be truly effective in reversing thinning hair problems! Come! Find out more!

The Truth On Hair Loss Myths...

You might be surprised to learn that many people are unable to untangle fact from fiction when it comes to hair loss. Some of the blame lies with the many companies and individuals exploiting hair loss myths in order to sell bogus hair products. Other myths may linger because people with hair loss, particularly women, are reluctant to talk about an issue that remains sensitive and sometimes emotional. The timing and pattern of pattern baldness is also different in men and women.

While men tend to start losing hair in the 30s and 40s, hair loss begins in the 40s or 50s in women, though it can occur as early as the 20s. And while men first lose hair in the front and at the top of the head, women’s hair thins diffusely throughout the scalp.

Until recently, women have been reluctant to seek treatment, but hair restoration surgeons say that women make up more and more of their practices. In reality, hair loss is just as common in women as it is in men, though the degree of loss tends to vary by gender. ‘By the age of 50, over 50 percent of men have significant hair loss.’ Dr. McAndrews says.

‘For women, about 25 percent have significant hair loss by the age of 50, though it may be less apparent because women are more conscientious about hiding it than men are.’ For most people, hair loss is a result of a genetic predisposition. For some, however, hair loss may result from a condition called telogen effluvium. Telogen effluvium is a condition where a lot of hair may fall out in a relatively short period of time.

The most common causes are childbirth, high fever, severe illness and even high stress. In most cases this type of hair loss is temporary. Other common causes are like inadequate protein or iron in your diet, or poor nourishment caused by fad diets or an eating disorder. Chemicals used for dying, bleaching, straightening or perming hair as well as excessive hairstyling or hairstyles that pull your hair too tight can also cause gradual hair loss.

Is their a miracle cure for hairloss?

There comes a time in every man’s life when he starts to lose his hair. For some, it can be as early as their twenties or even their teens, while others don’t start to lose any hair at all until their forties or fifties. As it is so widely seen as a sign of old age, however, there is a big social stigma attached to hair loss, which leads people to seek various treatments to get their hair back again.

Hair loss is not always caused by old age, however, as many diseases can also cause people to lose their hair. Although cancer is the most well-known, it is not uncommon to lose some hair after quite minor diseases, or after having surgery. Hair loss is also a side effect of some medicines, such as antidepressants.

So is there a miracle cure for hair loss? Well, not really.

The most common treatments that people try are the creams available in most pharmacies, such as Rogaine. They do cause some extra hair growth, but also tend to make your head very itchy in the process. However, as soon as you stop using it, the hair loss will resume, so keeping your hair could turn out to be very expensive for you.

A cheaper option could be pills like propecia, which has also been proven to work, although only in about half of patients. It must, however, also be taken for the rest of your life if you want to keep your hair until you die.

Hair loss can often also be stopped by simply making some changes in your lifestyle, like eating less fat and trying to avoid stressful situations. In many cases, this is the most effective treatment of all, as so much hair loss is brought on entirely by work-related stress: it’s well worth taking a week off and seeing if you still have the problem after that.

Above all, if you’re trying to treat your baldness, remember the three Ps: patience, proven treatments, and taking pictures.

How Stress Causes Hair Loss?

The problem of thinning hair may be caused by a genetic predisposition that comes from a family history of thinning hair. Health problems such as Hyperthyroid or Hypothyroid conditions; medications such as chemotherapy, any hormone replacement medications including birth control pills are culprits often overlooked.

It is normal to shed some hair each day as part of this cycle. However, some people may experience excessive (more than normal) hair loss. Hair loss of this type can affect men, women and children.

Are you Stressed?

Thinning hair can also be attributed to stress and trauma that can cause constriction of blood supply and poor vitamin assimilation to the scalp and hair. Or, simply from poor nutrition and diet that can include a high consumption of animal fat, high protein and fad diets. Even external environmental toxins and pollutants, such as chlorine, metals, minerals and water pollution cannot be ignored. All these factors can be causing your clients' hair to look thinner.

Under a microscope

The hardening prevents hair growth. The hair cycle slowly becomes disrupted and more hair is shed than normal. In time hair growth stops completely and baldness results. Here you see an example of a hair follicle as seen under a microscope.

Age and hormones

Most people naturally experience some hair loss as they get older. But age, changing hormones and heredity cause some to lose more hair than others.

Female-pattern baldness starts with the replacement hairs becoming progressively finer and shorter. They can also become almost transparent.

It has been recorded that about 50 percent of women experience hair loss have female-pattern baldness! Unfortunately, it is often permanent just as in men. Not all hair thinning and loss must be permanent. There has been various cases of perimenopausal women, for example, experiencing thinning and lost hair who, once their hormone levels become balanced, can experience the thickness of previously thinning and the regrowth of lost hair that occurred during the ebbing and flowing hormonal years.

Hot Tips

Get Wavy! Permanents can help give volume to fine-textured hair -- but hair must be healthy, not dry or brittle. Only a gentle body wave is advised, because tighter waves can damage the hair. Because chemicals in permanents are harsh, a permanent should be only a last resort for fine-haired people.

Hot Tips To Prevent Hair Loss!

While Androgenetic Alopecia is the number one reason why individuals experience hair loss, it is not the only one. Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, ringworm and fungal infections can cause hair loss. Certain medications such as blood thinners, gout medication, birth control pills and too much vitamin A can cause sudden or abnormal hair loss as can following a crash diet, sudden hormonal changes, chemotherapy and radiation. If you are taking prescription medications, talk to your doctor and find out if your medication is contributing to your hair loss.

At any given time 10% of our hair is in what is called a "resting phase" and after 2-3 months resting, hair falls out and new hair grows in its place. Some people, however, experience more hair loss than is normal.

Over here are some excellent resources on how to prevent further hair loss:

Avoid mega-doses of vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can cause your hair to fall out.

Exercise, do yoga, meditate or find some other practice that will help to reduce your anxiety and stress levels. If you wear pigtails, cornrows, use a curling iron, hair dryer or hot rollers, try changing your hair style to one that puts less pressure and stress on your hair and scalp.

If hot oil treatments or chemicals such as those used in permanents are causing inflammation to the scalp, discontinue their use, or reduce the number of times you are using them.

Use gentle shampoos and conditioners to avoid any unnecessary damage to your hair.

In men, herbs such as saw palmetto and licorice root help block the formation of DHT. The same holds true for supplementation with zinc. As an added benefit, studies show that these supplements can also help prevent prostate enlargement.

Massage your scalp with rosemary oil in an olive oil base. Both rosemary oil and massaging the scalp can stimulate the circulation in the scalp and promote hair growth. Again, if you are experiencing hair loss, check with your doctor to ensure that a more serious disorder isn't the cause.

Did I Inherit A Hair Loss Gene?

Men who start to go bald even before a mid-life crisis may have their mothers to blame, according to a new study. Researchers have found that the main construction manual for a full head of hair is located on the X chromosome, which sons always inherit from their mothers.

This genetic storage space contains the so-called androgen receptor gene, a long time balding suspect. Looking at men who were losing their hair at a relatively young age, a team led by Markus Nothen, PhD, of the Life & Brain Center at Bonn University, Germany systematically examined all of the genetic patterns within the X chromosome to see why certain hairlines recede faster than others. It’s not a pretty picture.

The study, published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, claims that a single alteration in the androgen-receptor gene is the major reason why some men end up going bald before their fathers. Nearly half of bald men would not be bald if they did not have this genetic variation. The hair loss in these younger men, he added, was much more severe than in the men who still had a reason to use a comb in their 60s.

The two approved medicines to treat hair loss (Rogaine and Propecia) need to be taken for a long time to see results. With Propecia, doctors sometimes advise their patients not to expect any results before at least six to eight months. And both need to be used indefinitely to maintain its effect. Once you stop, hair loss will continue.

Although there are only two medicines approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat hair loss, many people are interested in other, alternative treatments. The herb saw palmetto has been used for many years in Europe to treat symptoms of an enlarged prostate and there is some evidence that it may also be effective in treating hair loss.

Can Too Little Protein Cause Hair Loss?

Hair usually grows about half an inch per month, although this slows as you age. Each hair remains on your head for two to six years, and during most of this time is continually growing.

But many factors can disrupt this cycle. The result can be that your hair falls out early or isn't replaced.

A new discovery has been made in finding out what actually causes hair loss, namely: the hardening of collagen. Persons who do not suffer from hair loss have supple collagen and persons who begin showing signs of hair loss have hardened collagen. Collagen hardening interferes with the healthy functioning of the hair roots. The vital exchange process of the hair follicle cycle is disrupted and the hair becomes suffocated.

But What Causes Hair Loss?

Diet: Too little protein in your diet can lead to hair shedding. So can too little iron. Bottom line: Too strenuous dieting can result in hair loss! If you want to lose weight, do it the sensible way, especially if you have a hair thinning/loss problem to begin with.

Childbirth: Some women lose large amounts of hair within two to three months after delivery.

Hot Tips!

One great tip is after washing your hair, dry it in whatever manner you normally do. Then turn your head upside down, give your head a vigorous shake, and once back in a standing position, either "place" your hair using your fingers, rather than a brush or comb. You can also use a hair pick to style your hair. The upside down, shaking, also gives a great deal of fullness to otherwise flat looking thin hair. You'd be amazed at how creative you can be with your fingers without pulling at the root of the hair!

To protect hair, the best practice is to shampoo only when hair is dirty. Because fine hair gets dirty faster, people with fine-textured hair need to shampoo more frequently -- even though fine hair breaks more easily.

For that reason, fine-textured hair benefits from a good shampoo and volume-building conditioner

Can Female Hair Loss Make Me Totally Bald?

View the pattern that affects women only. Loss of female hair is not the same as male hair loss determined by heredity. Female hair loss is temporary and is seldom an advance warning of baldness. Transient loss of hair should not, however, be ignored. It is possible for a woman to suffer from hormonal hair loss leading to baldness.

Some of the most common causes are:

1. Pregnancy
2. Severe emotional stress
3. Under medical treatment
4. Hormonal hair loss
Is there a relationship between hair loss and menopause?

The most common cause of hair loss is low thyroid function, which is common among menopausal women.

Other causes include, but are not limited to: changes in hormone levels, increased testosterone, increased stress, which can either be physical stress, or emotional stress, various medications, scalp/dermatological issues and heredity.

Any time sudden hair loss is experienced, one must consider events which took place up to three months prior to the hair loss, as factors affecting hair loss can often take up to three months to have an effect, i.e., were you diagnosed with something new in the past few months? Did you start taking medication during the past few months? Did you go through a traumatic experience. Subsequently, any treatments for hair loss should be given at least three months to have noticeable effects.

There are of course various ways to solve hair problems, such as:

1. Wig / toupe
2. Hair-weaving (weaving in extra hair)
3. Hair transplant
4. Cosmetic hair treatment courses
5. Therapy

There are only a few products available worldwide which have been conclusively proven to combat hair loss. They are Aminexil, Alopesan 400, Maxilène, Minoxidil and Finasteride. It’s very important for you as a consumer to know this if you are thinking of taking steps to combat your hair loss. Rogaine is another one of the more popular brand names in the hair loss industry.

Bald Heads

Over the ages, baldness has been considered a disease. Lately, it has also been followed as a fashion. However, greater numbers of people still feel that a head covered by hair is always more attractive than a bald one.

Every month, hair grows by about 1 inch. Normally, around 85% of the hair on your head is always in the growing phase at any time, and 15% is not. Five years is the maximum amount of time for which hair normally lives. Considering these statistics, it is difficult to understand the causes of hair loss, which might be more apparent in a few of us.

The follicle is a cavity in the skin where the hair sits. In cases of hair loss this follicle shrinks over time, thereby causing shorter and thinner hair.  The final result could be a very tiny follicle with no hair in it. Usually the hair grows back, but for people who are already balding, the follicle is unable to grow a new hair.

Peladic is a disease which leads to hair loss. Some people are repelled at the sight of a bald head, and fear going bald themselves. This fear is called peladophobia.

In the dating arena, some women feel very strongly against men with bald heads, and insist that dating a bald guy is almost next to impossible. However, many women do not mind dating a man with a purposely shaved head. It’s almost like dating on the basis of your capability to grow more hair on your head.