INTRO
Today I'm sharing a bonus collaborative post on improving our hair growth. I'm sure I'm not the only Midlifer who's noticed that their hair isn't as long, full, and lustrous as it used to be in their younger years. This article covers a lot of useful ground from major interventions right down to diet and lifestyle changes that may be helpful.
HOW TO SUPPORT HAIR GROWTH THROUGH DIET, EXERCISE AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES
Hair plays a significant role in shaping a person’s identity. Some could be blessed with voluminous hair up to their senior years, while others could be facing a reduction in the quality and volume of their hair as they get older. If you find yourself resonating more with the latter case, then it could be distressing to see your hair lose its volume and lustre over time. Fortunately, there are many ways you can restore your hair quality and get your scalp feeling healthy and vibrant again.The best part is that you can adopt several approaches to make a positive difference in your hair. From structured medical treatment plans to slight lifestyle changes, patients dealing with hair loss have a lot of options when it comes to making and executing a plan of action to get their scalp looking healthy and luscious. In most cases, it’s essential to get clinical treatment to restore lost volume in the scalp. That said, supplementing hair restoration treatment with the right diet and exercise also has scientifically backed benefits that should be considered in the equation.
Ready to start your hair healing journey? Let’s explore ways in which hair loss patients can restore their hair with positive lifestyle changes.
SIGNS AND CAUSES OF HAIR LOSS
Hair loss can manifest in different ways, it can come about slowly and steadily over a long period, or it can appear suddenly and unexpectedly; ultimately, it depends on the underlying cause.Below are some of the common signs of hair loss:
- Noticeable thinning
- Excessive hair falling on your pillow or shower drain
- A noticeable widening of the scalp
- Hairline receding in the temple or forehead
- Hair shedding when brushing your hair
- Patchy, circular bald spots
- Inflamed scalp with thin spots
Diagnosing hair loss is best done with a healthcare provider, as they have the expertise and resources to determine the cause and prescribe the most suitable treatment plans.
Here are the primary causes of hair loss:
- Genetics
- Hormone changes
- Nutrition deficiencies
- Stress
- Health conditions
- Hairstyling and harsh chemical treatments
- Medications
According to numerous population studies and clinical observations, the most prevalent reason for hair loss is genetics. This is the case for both men and women, with 80% of hair loss being caused by genetics. The next highest cause is hormonal imbalances like thyroid disorders, menopause, or stress.
In any case, if you suspect that you have hair loss problems, it’s essential to find the right treatment and remedies for it. This way, you can get the right treatment to restore your lost hair volume.
LIFESTYLE CHANGES TO SUPPORT HAIR GROWTH
To remain active and healthy, people must continue to eat the right foods, exercise regularly, and adopt positive lifestyle changes to maintain a high quality of life. Consistently taking care of your health can improve a variety of physiological and physical outcomes throughout your life, including continuous hair growth and a healthy hair volume.That said, there are a few especially helpful lifestyle activities you can consider to support healthy hair growth. Here are some of these lifestyle changes in greater detail:
Prioritising The Right Food
Start by incorporating a healthy amount of protein in your diet. This compound makes up hair follicles, making it an integral component of promoting hair growth. Foods like steak, eggs, tofu, and fish contain a good amount of protein.
Vitamin supplements or foods rich in vitamins can also be beneficial. Vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and zinc support hair growth, and a lack of these substances can lead to rapid hair loss. That said, it’s also essential not to overdo it and ingest too many vitamins, as this can also contribute to hair loss.
In any case, it’s essential to have a balanced and healthy diet to ensure that your hair’s growth cycle is healthy and well-regulated.
Get a blood and nutrient test done and determine what vitamin or compound you’re lacking or have too much of—from there, you can recalibrate your eating habits and get enough supplementation to optimise your hair growth cycle.
Exercise to Enhance Blood Flow
In particular, activities that increase blood flow, like running, cycling, and swimming, can be especially beneficial in promoting hair follicle growth. This is because these activities elevate a person’s heart rate, which consequently allows blood to circulate throughout the body more quickly.
This increase in blood flow is crucial for ensuring that the hair follicles get a high oxygen and nutrient supply to sustain growth. Leading a sedentary life can hinder the body’s ability to get enough nutrients in the follicles, as plaque may build up in blood vessels and obstruct a healthy blood flow.
By regularly exercising, patients will be less likely to encounter that problem and can thereby ensure that follicles will continue to be supported and nourished by constant blood circulation.
Regulate Stressors
If you’re dealing with constant stress in your daily life—whether it’s from work, school, or social-related stress—then it’s essential to keep these problems at bay if you wish to keep your hairline.
An effective way to minimise stress is to eliminate sources of stress in your life. If you’re juggling two jobs, consider opting for just one. If you’re tired of doing household chores, consider letting your spouse or child take over from time to time.
Of course, this is easier said than done. Another way to regulate stressful feelings is by doing daily deep-breathing exercises or exercising regularly.
If you find yourself having little time to breathe in your daily life, try to limit time spent on low-impact activities like scrolling social media. Instead, make time for these stress-reducing activities. This way, you can see positive changes in your life in time, with one being a slowdown in hair loss.
Sleep Properly
To fix your sleeping habit, refrain from using blue-screen technology at least one hour before bed. Keep your sleeping environment cool, dry, and comfortable as well. This way, your hair will continue to regenerate and grow.
Minimise Chemical Exposure
To keep your hair from breaking down, treat it with safe chemicals to maintain its strength. Avoid using harsh chemicals—products with sulfates, parabens, ammonia, and sodium hydroxide are the usual suspects.
By opting for chemical-free contents, you will help maintain your hair’s glossiness and health over time.
MEDICAL TREATMENT TO RESTORE HAIR GROWTH: IS IT POSSIBLE?
Besides adopting lifestyle changes, there are numerous ways individuals can restore hair loss in clinical settings. These ways can range from invasive medical surgeries to periodical topical or oral medications.
Let’s take a look at the most common ways to restore hair growth in a clinical setting.
Let’s take a look at the most common ways to restore hair growth in a clinical setting.
Minoxidil: This topical treatment widens blood vessels and stimulates hair follicles to grow hair. This medication does this by extending the follicle’s lifespan and hair thickness over time.
Finasteride: This oral treatment inhibits DHT growth, which, as a result, helps grow hair follicles and normal hair regrowth.
LLLT: Low-level laser therapy helps stimulate growth at a mitochondrial level, increasing ATP production in the process. This, in turn, helps promote hair follicle regeneration.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections: PRP uses concentrated platelets from the patient’s own blood, stimulating dormant follicles and promoting hair production.
Corticosteroid Injections: For hair loss caused by autoimmune inflammation, corticosteroid injections help reduce this symptom and allow hair to regrow in affected areas. Useful for conditions like alopecia areata.
Knowing the best type of hair growth treatment is best discussed with a licensed medical professional. We hope these tips will help you approach hair regrowth with certainty, clarity, and empathy for yourself.
Good luck on your hair regrowth journey!
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Hi, Leanne- - I enjoyed this collaborative post, and the excellent tips and reminders. Healthy diet, exercise, sleep, stress control and minimal exposure to chemicals is so important to our overall health, including the health of our hair. It's good to know that there is also medical treatment available for when hair loss is severe or cannot be controlled any other way. <3
ReplyDeleteHi Donna - you summed it up beautifully - I also appreciated seeing all the information laid out so clearly and thought it was worth sharing - every little bit helps when we're seeking answers.
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