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Stop Hair Loss from Sucking the Life Out Of You

Millions of people, both men and women, are frightened of going bald. Often just the site of a few hairs at the bottom of the sink can cause distress. As a matter of fact, taken alone this shouldn’t be a source of concern; both men and women typically lose between 50 and 100 hairs every day. Hairs that you shed during the course of a day often stay there until you shower or wash your hair - then you see them in the sink and panic!

It can be really hard to tell if your hair is starting to thin. Bald spots may be one of the signs but there is no guarantee that it will show up that way. There is a way to find out if your hair is starting to thin - the so-called “tug test”. Using your thumb and index finger, hold about 15-20 strands of hair, and pull it firmly and slowly. If more than 6 hairs were removed, it might be safe to assume that your hair is starting to thin.

Hair loss can be caused by a number of factors including illness and heredity. It is more prevalent in the elderly, but in some cases can start in an individual as early as the teenage years. This early onset is usually a sign of illness or improper diet. Medical treatments or procedures such as chemotherapy can cause hair loss in individuals at any age.

Wearing hairstyles that pull hair also causes hair loss, like braids, because there is tension on it. Losing hair is really a great worry especially for teenagers that are concerned with their appearance. The good news is, in the adolescent stage once the cause of it is found and corrected, hair usually grows back.

There are a number of misconceptions surrounding hair loss. Here are just a few of the more common ones:

* Treating your hair to 100 or more strokes with a brush every night will stimulate growth. This is false, and as a matter of fact harsh treatment can actually irritate the scalp and inhibit new hair growth. Be gentle to your hair and scalp!

* Hairs need to breath. The do, but they get their oxygen from the blood in our scalps. Hats or wigs will only impact hair growth if they are too tight and limit circulation in the scalp.

* Frequent cleansing and shampooing of hair can cause hair loss. This is only true if the cleansing becomes an irritant to the scalp. Most hairs that are removed by shampoo are the hairs that have already fallen out in the course of the day.

* Protein shampoos and conditioners will help promote hair growth. This is not correct. Shampoos and conditioners that contain protein coat and fill the surface of existing hairs making them appear fuller and more smooth - but they don’t promote additional hair growth.

Taking care of your hair and scalp are key elements to maintaining a full head of hair. If you care deeply about the amount of hair that you are losing and think that it might be a product of your age or heredity, there are a number of over-the-counter hair loss treatments available, several of which have been shown to be very effective in preventing and even reversing hair loss. You should do everything that you can to find one that works for you as soon as possible and use it regularly to avoid further hair loss.