Hair Loss

Why am I losing my hair?
If you are worried about losing your hair, you are not alone. Seeing hair collecting in your brush or in the shower drain is not unusual. In fact, statistics from a number of sources indicate that about 25% of men start to see hair loss as early as 21 with the percentage increasing to 66% by 35 and almost 85% for those 50 and over (American Hair Loss Association). Women are also not immune as almost 40% experiencing hair loss are women, with 50 percent experiencing the problem by the time that they reach 50. Women become particularly concerned about hair loss in their eye brows and eye lashes while men are more focused on pattern baldness.

On average, we lose approximately 100 hair follicles per day. The total number of hair follicles on average is between 100,000 and 150,000, so 100 does not seem like many. However, as we age, the rate of growth of new hair also declines, according to WebMD. And with 10% of our hair follicles at rest at any one time combined with slower growth and hair loss, thinning areas will appear to increase in size.

Put a stop to it now
Here are five easy ways to strengthen your hair and prevent further hair loss:

Protect Your Hair From Damage. Try to avoid washing hair too often, using harsh cleaning and styling products, wearing tight ponytails, brushing hair when wet and exposing it to high temperatures or styling tools.

Balance Your Diet. Ensuring your meals are rich in protein, iron, zinc and vitamins is integral when it comes to maintaining and promoting healthy hair. Opt for eating foods that are rich in nutrients; such as fish, meat, green vegetables, fruit, yogurt and pulses. You’ll also want to make sure to keep well hydrated, so make a conscious effort to drink six to eight glasses of water throughout the day to encourage healthy hair growth.

Complement Your Diet with Supplements. Including supplements in your diet is a great way to provide extra care for your hair. The two most popular hair vitamins are Viviscal Pro, which contains an amino-mar complex to boost hair growth, and Nutrafol, which target multiple common root causes of thinning hair like stress, diet and hormonal imbalances.

Choose Natural Hair Products. When purchasing hair conditioner and treatments, look out for natural, products that contain botanical properties and essential oil extracts in their ingredients list. Using natural remedies, along with sulfate and silicone-free products, offers a milder, healthier alternative to care for your hair. A popular shampoo and conditioner are Viviscal Professional Thin to Thick Shampoo and Viviscal Professional Thin to Thick Conditioner.

Stimulate New Hair Growth. Increasing blood flow to the scalp helps provide essential nutrients and stimulate hair follicle growth. Enjoy giving yourself a mini head massage a few times a week, working in circular motions on the scalp with your fingertips, treating your scalp with a massaging brush in the evenings, or try physical exercise that will increase blood circulation. Workouts that are great for the scalp include yoga, aerobics and running.
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Taking things up a notch
For many, the typical solutions just won't cut it. Whether you've tried topical or oral solutions, some conditions require more long term treatment. 



Platelet Rich Plasma Injections (PRP)
Our blood contains two different elements – red blood cells and plasma.  The plasma contains white blood cells and platelets. Platelets are rich in growth factors.  PRP has been used for decades to increase healing injured tendons, ligaments and muscles, for example in joints with arthritis and more recently to help increase collagen production in facial skin rejuvenation.  PRP is a three-step process by which a small amount of a patient’s blood is drawn (Step 1) and put in a centrifuge. Spinning the blood allows it to be separated, obtaining the platelet rich plasma (PRP) (Step2).   The PRP is then placed in a syringe and injected into the area of thinning hair (Step 3) at the level of the hair follicle. Combining the PRP with thrombin or calcium chloride results in the production of growth factors (cytokines).  By performing multiple injections about one half an inch apart in the target area, the PRP stimulates growth of existing hair follicles and generation of new growth. Each hair follicle can have multiple hairs growing from it. The PRP increases blood supply to the hair follicle and increases the thickness of the hair shaft as a result.

The standard protocol is for this less than one-hour procedure to be performed once a month for three months initially and then once every four to six months to continue the growth cycle. Information from realself shows that 73% of patients believe that it is worth it.  Research from India indicates that average increase in hair growth experienced was approximately 30%.