Sunday, February 19, 2012

Being Proactive About Hair Loss

In my previous two posts I discussed how to lower the influence of genetics on hair loss and dietary/lifestyle measures you can take to fend off baldness. In this post I will talk about how to be proactive in treating your hair loss and choosing the right course of action moving forward.

If you are losing your hair, you may be feeling the negative mental side effects of the stigma associated with baldness. Losing your hair makes you susceptible to feelings of loss, desperation, and fading youth. The good news is that while science has not quite reached the zenith of curing hair loss, you have far more options than hair loss sufferers did just twenty years ago. Before you grab the clippers and go for the Bruce Willis look, you should take a look at your options.

First Things First

Discovering hair loss can seem like a sudden shock to your system. When you confirm you are experiencing baldness you may feel a calm but hopeless feeling. This happens because we have seen this scenario unfold many times with out friends and relatives so we assume their destiny is ours. The truth is once you get past the “why me?” phase, you can begin dealing with the issue proactively. Once you have accepted that your hair loss is not going away, you become much more empowered to take on the issue. Relax and remember that you have options your father and his father never had.

Where To Start

Before getting into options lets dispel the myths so that you can know what to worry about and what not to worry about. If you are experiencing Male Pattern Baldness, your hair is thinning due to a genetic predisposition that causes your scalp to stop producing hair. In other words, your hair loss is only a symptom of a different problem. This means that your hair loss should be looked at critically rather than superficially.

The Myths

There is a lot of information out there that point hair loss sufferers in the wrong direction. Getting these myths out of the way will likely change how you feel about your hair loss. First of all, wearing a ball cap does not cause or exacerbate hair loss. This myth has been dispelled repeatedly but I thought it would be worth mentioning. 

The worst action a hair loss sufferer can take is to not touch their hair in fear of losing more. If you stop touching or brushing your hair, you reduce stimulation to the scalp in turn causing faster hair loss. This may save a few hairs in the short run, but when those hairs fall out eventually, they will not be replaced because the follicle will have entered a dormant phase. While dormant follicles can be revived over time, it is much easier to prevent them from entering a dormant phase in the first place.

Which Hair Loss Solution?

The solution you choose to treat your hair loss should be based on at least a few factors. There are many things to consider such as cost, safety, and effectiveness just to name a few. Not all hair loss solutions are created equal. I opted for a natural hair loss solution to avoid developing new health risks and to curb financial cost. Other hair loss sufferers may choose a more clinical option like hair transplant surgery.

My advice would be to research all of your options weighing out the pros and cons carefully before making your decision. When you’ve found a solution you believe in, you should give it a chance to work. Many hair loss sufferers jump from solution to solution spending lots of money and achieving little in the way of results. There is nothing wrong with switching your course of treatment based on new information but remember any hair loss solution is going to require time to take effect.

Taking Care Of Your Hair

Examine how you take care of your hair. Doing so will help you remove any harmful habits that could be speeding up your hair loss. Do you use a cheap shampoo that is loaded with chemicals? Is your shampoo even designed for your type of hair? Are you using shampoo too frequently? Since hair loss is only a symptom of a deeper problem within your scalp, you should examine what you’re putting on your scalp every day.

The scalp is a complex area with subsets of organs, which produce hair. There is a balance of oils (notably sebum) that naturallly coats your hair. Too much, too little, or unevenly distributed sebum can cause more problems. Many who know about sebum’s role in hair loss feel that too much sebum or hardened sebum causes and/or exacerbates hair loss. In reality, if you try to shampoo away sebum your scalp will respond by producing more sebum.

This just one example of hair care gone awry. In order to take the best care of your hair, you should use a shampoo designed to meet the needs of your scalp. I use a shampoo called Nioxin, which cleans the scalp without upsetting the balance of essential oils. This is not an expensive shampoo but it is designed to be used by those suffering from thinning hair. Many shampoos are designed for hair loss sufferers and add another weapon in the battle against hair loss.

Develop A Proactive Attitude

Being proactive with hair loss is the best way to keep you hair and recover hair that you have already lost. There are a number of measures you can take to address hair loss. Don’t be afraid to handle your hair. Begin at home, looking at what you’ve been doing to maintain your hair. Look for a course of treatment that is right for you. You have an opportunity to treat your hair loss, so if you really want your hair back put down the clippers and take action. With good research, consistency, and a positive attitude, hair loss can be a thing of the past. 

Samuel Reed is a hair loss survivor and the author of Hair Reborn: The Holistic Approach For Natural Hair Regrowth available in print and digital formats on amazon.com. 


Hair Reborn in Digital From Amazon Kindle  


Hair Reborn In Print From Amazon

To learn more about reversing hair loss naturally visit:

Hair Reborn Book Official Website


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