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Hair loss: Vitamins and Minerals

March 6th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

Does what we eat really have an impact on how well your hair grows? It certainly does. Healthy hair growth requires a multitude of vitamins. Your hair reflects the overall state of your health.

Although hair loss isn’t life threatening, it is really an indication of one’s internal health and it can result in serious issues with an image and self-confidence. Numerous elements of hair loss are hereditary, nevertheless there are many precautionary steps you’ll be able to take to preserve wholesome hair and scalp.

The most effective vitamins for hair growth contain any B vitamins. They are generally present in whole grain products, fresh fruit, brewer’s yeast, eggs, seafood, poultry, meat, and milk. These types of vitamins are water-soluble, meaning they do not build-up within your body not unlike vitamin A does.

The most effective way to maintain a healthy head of hair, with a vitamin and mineral intake is a great diet. Minerals and vitamins are plentiful in raw vegetables and fruit. Eat them each morning or as in between meal snacks. An excellent mineral product could possibly be an electrolyte liquid mineral supplement.

B Vitamins Are essential To have Healthy Hair

  • Para-aminobenzoic acid may stop your hair from graying.
  • Inositol will help prevent hair loss.
  • Niacin (vitamin B-3) promotes circulation to the scalp.
  • Panthenol (vitamin B-5) may stop hair loss and assistance to regrow hair.
  • Biotin can also prevent your hair from graying too soon.
  • Biotin It is also a vital vitamin for stopping hair loss.
  • Vitamins B-6 and B-12 have already been proven to perform a role in healthy hair growth.
  • Protein
  • four - six glasses of water.

Vitamin E May help With Hair Loss

Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant which encourages your scalp by simply improving blood circulation. An improvement in circulation can make additional nutrients available to help your hair follicles so they can develop stronger, more healthy hair.

The majority of People in America obtain sufficient vitamin E within their diets, however it does not hurt to consume lots of leafy green vegetables, whole grain products, as well as nuts, considering that these types of foods include additional vitamins for hair growth.

Vitamin A Performs A Role In Healthy Hair Development

Vitamin A is essential for over-all health. It is also good for hair follicles, since it keeps the hair root lubricated. Vitamin A is found in red, yellow, and orange vegetables, leafy green vegetables, liver, and eggs.

Be cautious using vitamin A. Your system doesn’t break this one down as it does the B vitamins. Vitamin A can increase in your system to harmful extremes, therefore do not take more than you may need.

Vitamin C Is vital Regarding Healthy Hair

All people have heard about the advantages of vitamin C in stopping the common cold. However are you aware it is also an excellent vitamin for ones hair? Eat a lot of citrus fruits, kiwis, strawberries, pineapples, tomatoes, and green and red peppers, and you will by no means have a insufficiency with this nutrient.

In the event you Smoke cigarettes, Stop!

Your hair will appreciate it. Smoking will cause a person’s capillaries to get smaller therefore a smaller amount of blood will get through to your hair follicles. Less blood means less nutrients for healthy hair development.

Eating some sort of well balanced diet plan along with a lot of whole grain products, fresh fruit, and vegetables will not only help you stay healthy and balanced, but it will also help to avoid thinning hair as well as rapid graying.

Alternative Hair Loss Treatment

March 1st, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

The biggest drawback with laser treatments is the cost. Clinical laser treatments are not just expensive, but some will require you to return for so many sessions. Low level laser therapy may be effective, but when you are dealing with only a slight hair loss concern, then perhaps you should consider using non-laser hair loss treatment alternatives.

The best non-laser treatment we recommend is the use of essential oils. This will directly affect your scalp and hair follicles by introducing helpful organic enzymes into the skin. Of course, you should still see a doctor prior to starting any direct skin application of oils to ensure that you are not allergic to the ingredients.

1. Using Oils on Your Scalp

Oils are to be directly applied and massaged into your scalp. Use your fingers to spread the oil evenly and brush all the way down to the roots of your hair to effectively reach the scalp. The mixture should then be allowed to sit for at least twenty minutes. This will allow the scalp to properly absorb all the nutrients it needs from the oils. To wash, simply rinse and use ordinary shampoos. If you want to increase the intensity, place 2 drops on water, and rinse your hair with it. Let the water stay on your hair overnight by using plastic wrapping on your hair.

2. The Essential Oils

As a non-laser hair loss treatment, oils provide you with a versatility that does not limit you to one kind. There are different oils available for hair loss treatment. The most commonly used oil is jojoba oil since it not only help hair follicles, but it also promotes total scalp health with anti-dandruff formula.

Rosemary is also widely recommended but has harmful effects if swallowed, so be careful never to ingest rosemary. Thyme, lavender and grapeseed are slightly milder in effect but can help in your battle against hair loss. Just be aware that grapeseed might cause minor irritation. If the aforementioned oils are hard to find, more common oils like sesame, soybean and almond oils can also be used.

Hair Loss After Pregnancy

February 27th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

Hair loss after pregnancy is a very common occurrence. As distressing as it can be, especially with the concerns of having a new baby, the hair loss is simply indicating that your hair is slowly but surely returning to it’s normal condition.

Hair Growth Cycle

Let us begin by understanding your hair growth cycle. Under normal circumstances, around 90% of your hair is in the growing phase while 10% is in the resting phase. Every two or three months your resting hair will fall out and new hair will start to grow in its place. Therefore, under normal circumstances it is normal to lose around 100 strands of hair per day.

During pregnancy, women experience high levels of estrogen as a natural chemical reaction. This helps the growth and health of not only the baby inside you, but protects and strengthens you also. This increased level of estrogen sends signals to the follicles for more hair growth.

The most effective (and enjoyable) way to manage hair loss after pregnancy is to treat yourself to an attractive new hairdo. Ask your hairdresser to give you a good cut, and maybe some highlights or new color as well. Ask for a style that is easily managed on your busy schedule, but that also looks great on you.

When using a blow dryer make sure that you are using the lowest setting, as wet hair is very fragile and can be easily damaged. Also make sure that you are not brushing through wet hair with a fine tooth comb as you could be setting yourself up for a lot of hair loss later down the road.

The period of hair regrowth can take up to three months. This can lead hair to be at several different lengths as it grows back, something which is more noticeable if a large amount of hair was lost. Pre-pregnancy thickness may take up to a year to return.

Hair problems come in a few months after pregnancy when estrogen levels begin dropping to the usual levels outside of pregnancy. With less estrogen in the system, hair may start falling. There is no need to worry though. This will only be temporary. In a few months, the rate of hair fall will eventually return to normal.

More often than not, the biggest loss is among women who wear their hair long. There is nothing you can do to stop the natural resting stage. However, many women feel this is a good time to go for a short cut. Mainly the reason for this is they do not have the time to style their coiffure as they did before the baby was born.

The condition is also obviously not life-threatening and is not permanent. After several months, strands will return to their usual volume and rate of growth. This means you may not need to use special products or supplements to remedy the condition.

Regular oil massage helps the scalp to remain conditioned. You can try various relaxing oils for your head massage. There are some essential oils, which can be used when you are expecting. After the massage give your scalp a luxurious steam with a warm towel and relax. This would surely help reduce the loss of hair after pregnancy.

The best thing to do about the situation is to not panic. Actually if a woman panics and creates a lot of heavy stress on herself, the situation may take much longer to reverse. Stress is one of the major causes of hair loss in women that haven’t been pregnant, so she should keep her cool and realize that in time, things will be back to normal.

Don’t forget to eat nutritious foods such as fruits and vegetables that contain high antioxidant levels which may protect the hair follicles and promote hair growth. Do forget to worry however, about losing your hair since it will only add more stress that can contribute to further hair loss.

Male Pattern Baldness Treatment

February 21st, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

Male pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss, affecting some men as early as their twenties, but many more by their sixties. Men with a genetic predisposition to hair loss have areas on their scalp that are especially sensitive to the male sex hormone. As men age these areas and the hair follicles that are located there, suffer from a biological imbalance caused by the male hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Slowly, over a period of years, hair follicles shrink and become less and less productive. Hairs that are produced are thinner and weaker, and as they are lost there are less new hairs to replace them, leading eventually to increasing areas of the scalp that are bald.

This Androgenetic Alopecia, as it is termed, is not easily cured because of its genetic component and because gene therapy is still in its infancy. Scientists are not yet able to manipulate the genes responsible for the condition, although maybe one day they will be.

For many men, the gradual loss of their hair is not of great concern, particularly if they are over fifty. A younger man though, still wanting to make the best of his appearance, may find the realisation that he has progressive balding quite distressing. If the hair loss has become pronounced, some men will resort to completely shaving their head to give a more “macho” appearance. Many more though will be desperate to find ways of restoring their hair, and there are several ways to do this. The options available include chemical applications such as minoxidil, DHT blockers such as finasteride, low-level laser treatment, hair extensions, and hair transplantation.

Chemical Applications
The main agent used to apply to the scalp in liquid form is minoxidil (Rogaine or Regaine), which is usually applied twice a day over a period of several months. Clinical trials have shown that hair loss can be reduced by up to 90% and new growth may even be promoted by up to 20%. Its precise mode of action is not clear but it seems to work better for younger rather than older men, and for smaller areas of baldness.

DHT blockers
The most popular pill is finasteride (Propecia), which is taken once a day and blocks formation of DHT so reducing general levels in the body. Clinical trials have demonstrated more than 50% of men who took it experienced cessation of hair loss and some regrowth. It may be necessary to carry on taking the medication indefinitely and there is a very slight risk of reduced libido. There are some natural DHT blockers available such as Saw Palmetto but they have been largely dismissed by the FDA as being less than effective.

Low-level laser therapy
This is a relatively new type of treatment which is said to give good results. Soft lasers have been used for a while to help with wound healing and part of this effect is due to increased blood flow to the affected area. This effect is utilised in the form of low-level laser energy applied to the scalp either by means of a hood or by means of a special laser comb. The former is used at a treatment centre and a series of treatments is required over a few months. Some types of low-level laser comb are suitable for home use, either by themselves, or in conjunction with other treatments such as minoxidil, or in conjunction with clinic treatment visits.

Hair extensions and transplants
Hair extensions can be made of human or artificial hair and coloured to blend in with one’s own hair. These are then fixed to existing hair on the head in a way that makes them virtually invisible. They may need to be re-tightened every few months but are a cost effective alternative to hair transplants. Transplants are of course the most natural of hair replacements since they are using your own healthy hair follicles and relocating them. These are often done now in the form of small skin grafts containing 1-4 follicles. These are time consuming to perform and then it can be a few months before they fully take, but for many the results are worth it.

Anybody suffering male pattern baldness should not despair as there is a wide choice of treatments that can help to slow or even reverse the hair loss, and, in our modern society, medicine and technology are improving our lives continually.

The Reasons For Women’s Hair Loss

February 14th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

Are you losing your hair? As a man, this can be a common sign of aging. But for many women it is a frightening and embarrassing reality. There are things that every woman should know about the reasons for womens hair loss and the ways that you can treat the problem before you are left completely bald.

Unlike male pattern baldness, a woman losing her hair has a number of treatment options. It all depends on the underlying cause which, in many cases is fairly simple. That is the good news. The bad news is that since there are a number of different causes, it may take time to find the one that is causing your problems. Here are a few of the most common reasons.

The first is hormones. They affect every system in a woman’s body and the growth of her hair is no exception. Pregnancy has a huge effect on the body and the hormonal changes during and after pregnancy can affect hair growth and its subsequent loss. This is because during pregnancy, all hair growth halts at a specific point. It causes hair to be retained past the point when it would otherwise. Then, after pregnancy, the hair is no longer preserved and much of it is shed. This can be distressing, but in the end you are left with the same amount of hair you had before pregnancy.

However, many women have loss of hair as a result of hormonal changes are not pregnant. If you are not pregnant or you are getting to the point where hair has thinned noticeably past what you had before you were pregnant, you need to visit the doctor who will likely work to rule out other factors.

Stress can also affect a woman’s body in unexpected ways. Hair loss is only one of the ways chronic stress can damage us. If a woman is very busy, she may not be looking after herself properly. A poor diet or consumption of too much alcohol can cause hair loss from malnutrition. If you suspect stress may be an issue, try using relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga, or take a vitamin supplement designed to deal with stress. You may be amazed at the results you can achieve.

If your hair is thinning, the reason may be as close as your medicine cabinet. Women who are undergoing chemotherapy often lose their hair. Even the eyelashes and eyebrows can be lost as the medication does its work. There are other drugs which can have the same effect but you should always check with a pharmacist or medical doctor before making any changes in the chronic medications you are taking.

Alopecia is a medical term which refers to the loss of hair. It can be caused by a deficiency in the amount of thyroid hormone being produced, or even an iron deficiency. Another cause can be lupus or several other potentially serious medical diseases. You need to have these ruled out before beginning any treatment regimen.

To fight hair loss, you can select one of the many excellent over the counter products for women. They can make a huge difference in the fullness and appearance of your hair.

Stress Hair Loss

February 12th, 2010 Dan Hicks No comments

Are you starting to lose your hair? Do you have a receding hairline, thinning hair? More and more hair falls out, but not nearly as much grows back?

Stress hair loss is one of the major causes of hair loss nowadays, as our lives continue to get more stressful and hectic. Many people may be offering solution to it in form of ridiculously expensive hair transplant surgeries, or some new “magic pill” on the market, that will be as ineffective as the last one. But, not being the type of person who would want to pay thousands of dollars for a hair transplant or fill my body with chemicals, I rather searched for some hair growth remedies that would naturally help me grow back my hair. From what I have learned, here are my solutions for the top 5 causes of stress hair loss.

• Realizing What Effects Stress Has on Hair Loss:

In our day and age, we take stress as a normal part of our lives, when it is in fact very harmful to our body. Take your time to deliberately avoid stress and stressful situations in your life as they can be a major cause of your hair loss problem.

• Environmental Stress:

Not many people even consider this one when dealing with stress hair loss. Environmental stress includes all the outer factors your hair is dealing with like hair products, shampoos, even prolonged exposure to weather. It is important to review what kind of environmental stress your hair is exposed to and try to reduce it as much as possible.

• Nutrition:

Eating a balanced and healthy diet is very important if you are trying to grow back your hair, or at least stop your hair from falling out. Make sure your are not missing out on any essential nutrients, especially if you follow a very strict diet or if your diet is not diverse enough.

• Not Taking The Time To Un-Stress Yourself:

Massage, sauna, meditation, relaxing music, laughter or just talking to a person that is close to you, un-stressing is essential these days considering the fast paced lives we live. Not only will it help you get your hair back but also make you a more relaxed person.

• Not Getting Enough Rest And Sleep:

Ever noticed how rested people seem to be more relaxed? Sure you would not think of sleep as one of hair growth remedies, but it is essential, as it helps your body to rejuvenate and heal itself.

Male Hair Loss Prevention

December 20th, 2009 Dan Hicks No comments

Let’s face it. Only a few fully embrace baldness, while most dread even the thought of losing their precious locks. For this reason, men actively find ways to prevent hair loss.

Most dermatologists point to hormones and hereditary as the factors and main reasons why losing your hair happens. But, this doesn’t mean there are no male hair loss prevention measures.

But before trying any treatment for thinning hair, it’s best to know what causes you to lose hair in order to understand the most effective solution that stops baldness.

Here are three male hair loss prevention techniques:

1. Eat food rich in nutrients. There are a lot of nutrients that are said to promote hair growth like:

Iron – makes your blood healthy and allow oxygen to be efficiently distributed in the body. You hair needs oxygen carried by your blood to grow, so a healthy daily dose of iron will do your hair good. Great sources of iron include spinach, nuts and milk.

Protein – contains amino acid which is the building block of the cells. It allows the scalp to replace lost hair. Sources of protein are meat, eggs, dairy products and soy beans.

B Vitamins – particularly Vitamin B6 and B12. Vitamin B deficiency may result to hairloss and slow hair growth. You can get B Vitamins from cereals, liver, meat and nuts, or find high quality supplements to fill the gap with the nutrients you need.

2. Massage your scalp. A popular natural hairloss treatment is by massaging your scalp because it stimulates the blood flow in your hair follicles which may stimulate minor hair growth. Try a daily scalp massage for ten minutes using almond or jojoba oil since they’re said to help hair growth.

3. Minoxidil is the solution for your thinning hair because the main reason is a hormone problem. The DHT hormone (a by-product of testosterone) is responsible for you losing hair. Meaning that when you have an excess of DHT in your body, this causes your hair follicles to gradually get weaker and smaller then eventually they fall out.

A male hair loss prevention technique and solution — to use the FDA approved Minoxidil 2% that’s been proven to inhibit DHT and allow new hair to grow.

The best way is to prevent hair loss is by using a product with a blend of vitamins, minerals, herbs and minoxidil which block DHT, help to re-grow your hair and keep the strands you already have.

Visit my website today and learn more about a male hair loss prevention that uses natural ingredients which promote hair growth plus give you optimum health.

Causes of Female Baldness

December 15th, 2009 Dan Hicks No comments

We are more aware of certain conditions that involve the many causes of female baldness. Although men have a high chance in getting bald, women are also making their mark in baldness.

There are different causes that could be attributed to the thinning of hair in women. The hormonal changes these women experience every month by their regular menstruation greatly affects the growing of hair. Menopause can also be a big factor that affects the female hair loss. Hair during this time breaks, making it brittle as well.

Pregnancy is also pointed to play a big role and is one of the causes of female baldness. These kinds of hair problems can be treated and are just temporary.

Psychological reasons are also said to be a factor in the thinning of hair. Trichotillomania is a disease that will make the person pull her hair out without a reasonable reason. Being anorexic could also make one’s hair thin.

In most cases, women will not usually notice that their hair is thinning. But as it becomes apparent, the constant reaction would be panic and confusion. You might also ask someone for opinion about the hair loss. But of course, diagnosing the problem yourself will never be enough.

Most women are not suffering from this kind of problem. But one should never think less of preventing baldness. The sooner you try to make it re-grow, the lesser problems you will get in the future. There can also be many reasons why this happens but there are many good reasons not to worry since anyone with the right knowledge can make it stop.

Usage of medications that has the capacity to prevent and re-grow your hair must be taken into account. You must always remember that in choosing hair products, be it a shampoo or a hair re-growth product, a certain degree of attention must be given to avoid using something that does not work.

A combination of stress-free day and healthy foods can also do a miracle. A deficiency in certain vitamins and mineral are also said to be the cause of hair loss.

One of the questions we ask is ‘Can I still re-grow my dead hair back?’ Of course, you can. There are specially designed medicines and products with high credibility background that can help you re-grow your hair.

Products that have Minoxidil on it can lessen the hormones that attack your hair follicles. By lessening the hormones that causes the hair to thin, it will assure you of shinny and healthy hair

Dandruff Treatment

November 25th, 2009 Dan Hicks No comments

Dandruff, scientifically termed as pityriasis capitis, is caused by a fungus called Pityrosporum ovale or Malassezia furfur. These fungi make the scalp dry, which causes the formation of scales and flakes. Though scalp’s skin normally flakes off due to regeneration of skin cells, dandruff is excessive flaking and it is abnormal. Other people consider dandruff as an allergy resulting from a trigger like food and excessive sweating. Dandruff is the most common disorder affecting the scalp. The skin is constantly renewing itself and the dead cells of the scalp that fall in the form of new cells. Everybody loses cells of the skin in this way, but with the film the entire process is faster, and therefore a greater number of cells are shed. The cells are also called into mass that are large enough to be seen by the eye as a film, especially when they put on dark clothing. The scalp can also cause itching. The medical name for this condition is pityriasis capitis. Dandruff occurs after puberty, usually between the ages of 20 and 30 years, and affects more men than women.

Diet plays an important role in the treatment of dandruff. The patient must turn to a diet based on fruit for about five days and take three meals a day of juicy fruit. Dandruff can be removed by massaging your hair for half an hour with the curd, which has been kept in the open air for three days, or a few drops of lime juice mixed with amla juice every night before going to bed. Garlic and oil of oregano are also excellent for fighting dandruff. The juice of snake gourd has been found beneficial in the prevention and treatment of dandruff. The juice should be rubbed over the scalp for this purpose. Beets have been found useful in dandruff.

You’ve probably seen this as an ingredient in various shampoos but you can also buy the oil separately. Teatree oil is a natural form of antiseptic, which is why it works for this treatment. Pour off some of your regular shampoo and add a few tablespoons of teatree oil into the bottle in the space you’ve just created. Then mix well before applying your shampoo as normal. You’ll need to remember to shake your shampoo bottle before each use if the oil doesn’t fully mix. Experiment with different brands if necessary and use a clear bottle to remind you to do this. Dandruff can be removed by massaging the hair for half an hour with curd which has been reserved in the open for three days, or with a few drops of lime juice mixed with amla juice each night, before going to bed. One more measure which helps to counteract dandruff is to dilute cider vinegar with an identical quantity of water and dab this on to the hair with cotton wool in-between shampooing. Cider vinegar added to the final rinsing water after shampooing also helps to disappear dandruff.

Some expert, moreover, said that diet also plays a big role in preventing the occurrence of dandruff in many individuals. Eating food rich in vitamin B controls dandruff because it counteracts inefficient carbohydrates and fatty metabolism. Examples of such foods are eggs and cabbage. These two also gives the body some amount of sulfur, which is considered as the mineral for a healthy scalp. However, if eggs cause some skin allergies, it should be minimized but should be replaced by other food rich in vitamin B6. Avoid hair products that contain alcohol like gels and hair sprays. They are known to be one of the major causes of dry scalp.

Effective Hair Loss Cure

November 11th, 2009 Dan Hicks No comments

Loosing your hair can be a blow to your confidence and self-esteem. Even though millions of men suffer from male pattern baldness, somehow that does not make it any easier to deal with. Hair loss tends to give you an older appearance far before your time. If anything, it is jarring to look in the mirror and notice the change. It was a part of your life, and perhaps a part of your partner’s life.

The internet is flooded with drugs and supplements that claim to be the ultimate cure for hair loss. In fact, there is no reason to pay money to a scam artist in exchange for a sugar capsule that will surely not produce results. Stop looking for a magic solution and make an appointment with your doctor. There are drugs approved by the FDA that have been clinically proven to reverse the effects of male pattern baldness.

Baldness in men occurring for genetic reasons is, actually, caused by a reaction to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a form of testosterone that is naturally produced in the body. This chemical has a reaction with an enzyme found in the glands below your scalp. Although scientists do not understand the exact reason, it is clear that the result is shrunken hair follicles and, consequently, baldness.

There are two drugs commonly prescribed to treat male pattern baldness.

  • Minoxidil was the first treatment clinically proven to be effective. At first, this drug was marketed to lower blood pressure, but researchers noticed that it had the side effect of causing hair growth in all kinds of unlikely places. Today it is available over the counter as Rogaine, but it is not considered to be as effective as other treatment options.
  • Finasteride is a second drug commonly prescribed to treat hair loss. Marketed as Propecia or Proscar, it is very effective at suppressing DHT levels and helping the follicles begin producing hair again. Finasteride, like Minoxidil, was first shown to stimulate hair growth during an unrelated clinical trial. In fact, researchers thought it might reduce the size of an enlarged prostate.

Unlike many hair loss cures, a vast majority of men can achieve positive results by sticking with one of these two treatments. If your doctor determines that you do, in fact, have male pattern baldness, he or she may likely prescribe one of these two treatment options.

Talking to your doctor early is important when treating hair loss. Though a physician can prescribe any number of drugs that might help you, the balder you become, the less likely it is that the drugs will provide any significant improvement.