What causes hair thinning?
I talked to Terri Rehkopf who's a hairstylist, salon owner, and "hair healer" who works to find the root cause of hair issues. "Thin hair can be caused by many things. Hormones, genetics, and age are the biggest factors, but even things like postpartum hair loss, autoimmune diseases, stress or trauma and lack of adequate amounts of iron, biotin and protein can all affect the hair," she said. "Lastly, harsh chemical treatments, tight hairstyles and heat styling can make it more likely for hair to experience breakage and loss — leading to thinning hair over time."
Tiffany Rose, founder and CEO of Hollywood Hair Bar, confirmed that a "lack of essential nutrients like iron and zinc" can really contribute to hair thinning and loss. Rose also reinforced that emotional and physical stress play a big part here, too.
Rehkopf also says that she loves to try and use a holistic or natural approach when dealing with scalp or hair issues — AKA not just treating one symptom, but really trying to take better hair of your hair as a whole! This will benefit your hair in the long run to keep it looking healthy. I know I've experienced my fair share of hair thinning due to excessive tight hairstyles, and I'm definitely low in iron...taking all this advice ASAP!
Can you reverse hair thinning?
The good news is: you can reverse hair thinning! It can take a bit of trial and error to see what solution's ultimately right for you, but it's definitely possible!
Rehkopf has a handful of recommendations when it comes to reversing hair thinning. "Seek out products enriched with biotin, like Atomy Scalp Care Shampoo and Conditioner, to fortify your hair and promote strength," she said. "Incorporating oil treatments such as Amla oil and black castor oil mixture can further strengthen both hair and scalp. Apply this treatment once a week, massaging it in and leaving it on for 30 minutes to an hour, or even longer for deeper nourishment. This mixture can also be beneficial for thinning eyebrows."
Castor oil has great properties for hair re-growth, so I will definitely be making that mixture this week! Thank you Teri!
How do you prevent hair thinning?
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Dr. Ross Kopelman, hair surgeon and expert, gave me the inside scoop when it comes to preventing hair thinning. He says, "Prevention is also key to managing hair thinning." He suggests:
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet rich in essential nutrients can help support hair health.
- Managing stress through relaxation techniques, exercise, and adequate sleep can also mitigate hair thinning.
- Regular scalp massages and avoiding harsh hair treatments and styles that can damage hair follicles are additional preventive measures.
Rose also added her thoughts on preventing hair thinning through scalp massages. She told us, "The number one thing to do is to massage your scalp as that can help circulate the blood for hair growth. If you can massage your scalp every day, that is incredibly beneficial for growing back hair. Massaging it with products that are rich and have all-natural ingredients is also key. A product I’d recommend for thinning hair is a shampoo that is power-packed with ingredients that will nourish, moisturize, and put your scalp in prime condition for accelerated growth."
What are some good vitamins or supplements to take for hair thinning?
There's lots of great supplements to take to help your thinning hair, but a lot of the time you can start with simply biotin or iron — two of the biggest culprits when it comes to hair loss.
Rehkopf explained, "Biotin helps your body produce keratin, the protein that makes up hair. It can even be found in some foods like eggs, nuts and avocados! Supplements with Saw Palmetto — which is an herbal supplement — can also be effective in regrowing healthy hair."
What are some good products for hair thinning?
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Rose recommended her own product when it comes to reversing hair thinning. She said, "At Hollywood Hair Bar we offer a Regrowth Herbal Shampoo that is formulated with all-natural ingredients such as rosemary oil, peppermint oil, castor oil, coconut oil and onion juice."
Another great and very popular product is Nutrafol! Many people rave about these hair growth supplements, with almost 17,000 reviews and a 4.2 star rating. They have options for men, women, and even more specifically postpartum hair loss!
Rehkopf suggested products with Minoxidil in them. She said, "Minoxidil is an FDA-approved solution that has been used for decades to help hair growth and applied directly to the scalp. It works by stimulating hair follicles to grow hair in the resting phase." You can find Minoxidil in products like Rogaineand hims!
I also love the JS Health Vitamin for hair growth! I've been using it for years, and I've noticed a huge difference in my hair when using it! Bonus points: it also has benefits for your energy levels as well! We love the sound of that!
Want some recommendations for the hair thinning shampoos? Check out our article here for more recs!
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Header image by Cora Pursley
