Womens Hair Loss Treatment

Thinning hair is only a problem for older women, right? Absolutely and positively NOT! Many women in their late teens and early twenties experience thinning hair and hair loss. Contrary to popular belief, hair loss in women is not always associated with menopause.

There are numerous causes for hair loss including cystic ovaries, hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, psychological or physical stress and dietary deficiencies. Chemotherapy, birth control pills, beta-blockers, coumadin, anti-depressants and others can cause thinning hair in women. It’s always wise for a woman to visit the doctor to determine the underlying cause for her hair loss problem.

The loss of hair can be an emotionally devasting experience for any woman. And to make matters even worse, those around her don’t understand how she feels which only exacerbates the problem. Unless you work in the industry like we do at Fantasia, there’s not a lot of sympathy for women dealing with thinning hair and hair loss.

For women, hair loss can lead to serious emotional and psychological problems. Granted, there are many emotional issues for men who are losing their hair, but, as a whole, men tend to get a lot more support from their family members, their friends and society as a whole.

Women typically do not actually develop bald spots like men do. In women, when hair regrows as part of the normal hair life-cycle, it may grow back thinner and shorter than it used to be. Hair loss in women results in thinning and sparsely growing hair. Eventually a woman’s hair may look like “peach fuzz”.

Because thinning hair in women is not as obvious as bald spots, people in a woman’s life tend to not take it so seriously. A woman may become very self-conscious about her appearance. She may be too embarrassed to even mention it to her doctor. And we’ve even heard stories of women mentioning it to the doctor and the doctor has the attitude that since this isn’t a life-threatening condition, she should just “live with it”.

But, when a woman’s family and friends don’t understand how devasting the problem is for her, and she feels there is no one to turn to for help, her self-esteem can plummet and she can experience anxiety and depression.

This is what we do at Fantasia, we are here to help these women. If you or a loved one can relate to any of this, please call and schedule a consultation with one of our Hair Support Specialist. We understand what you are going through and can help you find a solution.

Let’s first talk about some of the common myths physicians and hair loss specialists hear on a daily basis where hair loss is concerned. Some of these we have discussed before, others you may be reading for the first time.

• Frequent shampooing contributes to hair loss
• Wearing hats and wigs cause hair loss
• 100 strokes of brushing hair daily creates healthier hair
• Permanent hair loss is caused by perms, colors and other cosmetic treatments
• When women lose their hair, it will come back significantly thicker (from chemo, or medications)
• Shaving one’s head will cause the hair to grow back thicker
• Standing on one’s head will cause increased circulation and thereby stimulate hair growth
• Dandruff causes permanent hair loss
• There are cosmetic products which will cause the hair to grow thicker and faster
• Stress causes permanent hair loss
• Hair loss does not occur until late teens or early twenties
• Hair loss affects only intellectuals
• There is a cure for androgenetic alopecia

The reality is this. There are two types of hair loss, medically they are known as anagen effluvium and telogen effluvium. Anagen effluvium is typically due to internally administered medications such as chemotherapy, which poisons the growing hair follicles. Telogen effluvium is due to an increased number of hair follicles entering the resting stage.

Here are the most common causes of temporary hair loss or, anagen effluvium:

• Medication - Drugs used to treat cancer, blood thinners, antidepressants and high blood pressure medications. Also birth control pills and extreme doses of vitamin A may cause hair loss.
• Diet - Too little protein and too little iron in your diet can lead to hair loss. This is why extreme diets are not a good idea.
• Stress or illness - You may begin losing hair in one to three months after a stressful situation such as major surgery or an illness of a loved one. High fevers, severe infections or chronic illness can result in hair loss.
• Childbirth - You may lose large amounts of hair within two to three months after giving birth.
• Alopecia areata - A condition in which hair loss occurs only in certain areas, resulting in hair loss patches the size of a coin or larger.
• Thyroid disease - An over-active or under-active thyroid can cause hair loss.
• Ringworm - If this fungal infection occurs on your scalp, it can cause small patches of scaling skin .

It is not as easy to determine the cause of baldness, or failure to grow new hair. It is generally associated with genetic predisposition, aging and levels of endocrine hormones. Changes in the levels of androgens can affect hair production. For example, after the hormonal changes of menopause, many women find that the hair on their head is thinned while facial hair is growing coarser.

Genetic hair loss and moult or increased hair shedding, or chronic telogen effluvium accounts for by far, the majority of all hair loss complaints in women, up to 95%.  Unlike men, who tend to lose a lot of hair in a particular area, like the temple and crown - male pattern baldness; women are more likely to thin diffusely from behind the front hairline to the crown.

By far, the most common type of hair loss seen in women is androgenetic alopecia, also know as female pattern baldness. This affects approximately one-third of all susceptible women and although it’s most commonly seen after menopause, it may begin as early as puberty. True hair loss occurs when lost hairs are not regrown or when the daily hair shed exceeds 125 hairs. Genetically, hair loss can come from either side of the family.

Whatever the reason for your hair loss, Fantasia is here to help you find the right solution for you.

One of the most traumatic experiences a woman could endure in her life would be baldness. I read somewhere recently that it’s because women are more vain than men. I don’t think that’s it at all. Quite frankly, I know some pretty vain men. Women are supposed to have hair, plain and simple. Total baldness for a female can be completely heart breaking. To see one’s hair fall out in clumps and be able to do nothing about it is something no woman ever contemplates.

Society may mock men suffering from baldness but at least it’s tolerated. A woman suffering from baldness is just not acceptable by society. We live in a culture where we judge each other by looks and until people are ready to accept one another as they are, bald women will continue to be treated as outcasts. Hair for a woman is regarded as a symbol of beauty and desirability. Without hair, some women feel completely like failures and the effects for them can be disastrous. Hair loss can be seen to some women as losing their femininity.

Many people assume it is only men who suffer from hair loss but nothing could be further from the truth. Millions of women the world over suffer from some form of hair loss and the numbers are rising each year.

Hair loss is not painful and it’s not dangerous in and of itself. But, for six out of ten women who will suffer from it at some point in their lives, it can be a devastating blow to their self confidence, and, cause a whole host of issues including marital breakups, career problems, social isolation and even suicide has been known to follow in its wake.

If you think I’m exaggerating, think again. At Fantasia, because we specialize in hair loss solutions for women (as well as men and children), these are the issues we talk with women about everyday. We understand the devastation of the problem and are constantly striving to make our salon an even better environment so healing can begin to take place for those afflicted. If you or someone you love is in need of a solution for their hair loss problem, please have them call and schedule an appointment with one of Fantasia’s trained Hair Loss Specialist. They are compassionate, caring professionals who are thrilled to help people get their life back and would love the opportunity to work with you.

How many times have you heard, you are what you eat? Well, guess what, it’s true and it’s true especially when it comes to hair loss.

Hair loss can be devastating to your confidence and your social life whether you are male or female. Women especially can experience much anguish over thinning hair and hair loss issues.

So, what about diet when it comes to hair loss? What you eat can have a tremendous impact on hair loss and hair re-growth.

Nutrient rich blood flow to the scalp is essential for natural hair growth and luster. Dry brittle hair is a classic symptom of pour hair health. So is excessive oil a symptom of poor hair health.

Your hair needs good oils, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Good fats that help keep the LDL cholesterol down and are heart friendly are also healthy for your hair. You can get your good oil from almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, pistachios and good olive oil, flax-seed oil or hemp oil. Flax-seed oil is high in omega 3 but hemp oil is even better as it has the correct balance of omega-3 and omega-6. Both of these are very important for hair.

Healthy hair needs B-vitamins. These assist in making red blood cells which carry oxygen to all the cells and this is important for hair health. Foods that contain B-vitamins are: whole grains such as wheat, oats, quinoa, wheat germ and brewers yeast. Also, chicken, turkey, sea foods, dairy products, eggs, leafy green vegetables and a variety of beans.

The importance of minerals is underestimated. Did you know vitamins are not utilized if the mineral balance is out of whack in your body? A lack of minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc and silica can contribute to thinning hair. Mineral rich foods include dark leafy greens, sprouts, sea weed, fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin C is important for hair health and the absorption of minerals such as iron. Fruit , especially citrus is high in vitamin C.

Hair is mostly made up of protein. A protein rich diet should include sea foods, poultry eggs, and nuts to help keep hair lustrous. If you like red meats, make sure to choose lean cuts.

You should try to stick to a common sense diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and nuts and eat minimal if any processed foods. Most of these foods contain preservatives, pesticides and MSG which are not good foods for health or when trying to resolve hair issues.

Organic foods not only taste better but also have a higher nutrient content which is what you want when trying to improve the condition of your hair.

Hairs to your health, Bon Appetite!

We know light can heal. This is the premise for laser treatment for stimulating new hair growth. The basic theory is that laser treatment (light) is linked to cell function. Encouraging healthy cell function should work to promote regeneration of healthy hair.

Laser hair loss treatment is efficient as it has low power requirements. The therapy utilizes different light doses to produce the desired effect on the scalp and balding areas. Laser treatments typically take about 30 minutes and should be done for 9 to 10 weeks and in some cases, more. For the treatment to be of benefit, the proper amount of light must be concentrated on the problem areas.

An added benefit of laser hair loss treatment would be an improvement general overall health of the scalp. If dandruff has been an issue, it will be reduced or eliminated. If all goes well, after the 9 week period, you should see hair growth beginning in bald spots and re-growth being generated in spots that were thinning. The remainder of your hair should experience a growth spurt, as well as thicker hair strands. After the initial hair re-growth, follow-up and maintenance appointments with laser light therapy are recommended as well as “booster” treatments once a mongh for continued hair re-generation.

Just as sunlight, through the process known as photosynthesis, helps plants grow and thrive, the energy of light through laser treatment can help aid in the healing of human injuries. Studies about this are soon to be published in scientific journals.

There is a new FDA-approved laser treatment called a “Lasercomb”. The comb works only if you have significant areas of hair left on your scalp. As you comb through your hair, the laser is supposed to be directed at your hair follicles to stimulate new hair growth. This technology is not cheap, the combs cost as much as $500. Directions tell you not to use it daily, only for a few days per week for about 15 minutes per day. It will take approximately three to six months using a Lasercomb to actually determine if this treatment is working for your hair.

A possible alternative solution for both men and women suffering from hair loss could be laser therapy. This will take both time and money, and is certainly not an immediate fix.  If you are looking for something more “instant”, contact Fantasia and talk with one of our Hair Support Specialist, they would be happy to help you with a solution that will work for you and give you immediate results.

Did you know that being stressed out can cost you? It can cost you in terms of health and it can cost you your hair. Stress is one of the huge factors for female hair thinning and hair loss. I saw this first hand with my mother when my father became terminally ill with cancer. She always had luxurious, thick hair. Dad suffered with cancer for a year before passing away and about six months into his illness, Mom had lost so much hair that you could see her scalp.

There are also medications which can cause hair loss. Of course we all know that chemotherapy treatments for cancer can cause complete hair loss but there are medications for other ailments which can also cause problems. If you are on a medication- you should keep track of any side effects or symptoms. You might be able to change your medications to something which will not cause you to lose your hair.

Poor diet can be a huge contributing factor for female hair loss. Your hair requires specific nutrients to be healthy and strong. If you go day after day with out getting proper nutrients, your hair will suffer. You should find out what nutrients are required for healthy hair. If you don’t eat the proper foods daily, make sure you supplement to get these nutrients. It could be cheap insurance for you.

Aging is another reason why women experience hair loss. Usually around 50, a woman’s hair begins to thin and may fall out. There are some great solutions for this type of hair loss that will keep it to a minimum. If this is you, your someone you care about, a Hair Support Specialist at Fantasia can help you find the perfect solution for you.

Hormonal changes a woman experiences in her life can contribute to hair loss. Consult your physician to help you get your hormones in better balance.

In summary, stress, illness, diet, age, medications and hormones are typically the reasons for hair loss in women. For men it’s different. Usually they lose their hair because of genetic reasons.

We’ve said this before but far better to be dealing with thinning hair and hair loss today as a woman than in years gone by. Today we have solutions which allow you to live confidently and have an active lifestyle. If you have questions, call us!

According to a specialist in hair restoration, hair breakage, thinning and loss is very common in women of all ages. Thinning hair can be related to diet, stress, hormones and heredity. According to the American Hair Loss Association, women make up approximately 40% of all reported hair loss conditions.

One main cause of female hair loss is iron deficiency or anemia. Anemia is one of the major  conditions which affects one in five women, or 10 million women in the US. It could be one of the most widespread health issues facing women today.

By the time you notice significant hair loss, you have probably lost about 50% of your hair. Here are other leading causes for hair loss, some well know, some not so much so.

• Stress: For up to 6 months after a stressful time, a women can lose her hair.
• Low thyroid: very common cause for thinning hair
• Nutrient deficits: Biotin, zinc, essential fatty acids all contribute to healthy hair
• Toxic exposures: Mercury, arsenic
• Parasitic and allergic reactions
• Hormonal imbalance: Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone all have to be in balance.  Childbirth and environmental pollutants can trigger hormonal changes.

We’ve talked many times about DHT being a culprit as is is a natural compound known to clog the hair follicles, thereby restricting blood flow to the hair root. If you have thinning hair and are growing hair on your face, more than likely you have an elevated testosterone level.

Would you believe that hair thinning and breakage are such a problem today that the biggest names and salons are taking special measures to help their clientele combat hair loss? The celebrities have issues just like the rest of us. Many salons, such as Fantasia, have shampoos and treatments where the hair is analyzed under a microscope allowing us to see the problems and recommend specific products such as Hair Support System, which nourishes the scalp.

The good new is that today, there are many treatments available for hair restoration from correcting metabolic issues, to non-surgical solutions to surgical solutions where the follicles from the back of the head are transplanted to the crown and the frontal regions of the head. While Fantasia doesn’t provide surgical solutions, we can make recommendations to professionals who do.

There is truly something for everyone which will allow you to go on living life to the fullest!

I’m sure you can imagine that people have been trying to come with a cure for baldness for centuries. Because of this, there are some pretty innovative treatments out there which I thought it would be fun to share with you.

But first, my disclaimer. None of these treatments have FDA approval, and none have been tested in large-scale studies. They may or may not work. This article is not intended as medical advice but purely for information. So, if you chose to try any of these things, do so at your own risk.

Every one of these home remedies are taken eigher by mouth or rubbed into the scalp. Make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients. So, here goes. First, are remedies remedies taken by mouth:

Drink a glass of any of these daily:

• Coriander leaf (cilantro) juice
• 1tsp apple cider in vinegar
• Smoothy of banana, honey, yogurt and skim milk ( taste great even if it doesn’t work!)
• Juice a mixture of any of the following: alfalfa, lettuce, fresh spinach, cilantro

Okay, now these are remedies designed to be rubbed on your head and have been passed down for centuries:

• Mix 1 cup mustard oil with 4 tablespoons of henna leaves
• Use alma oil, either alone or mixed with coconut milk and or lime juice
• Rub cow dung onto the bald spot (for those with access to a farm)
• Mix a chopped onion and 20 birch leaves in a bottle of alcohol (not sure if it’s rubbing alcohol or the stuff you drink.)
• Grind a bit of locorice and mix with a little saffron in skim milk (warning: saffron is pricey)
• Use coconut milk
• Aloe vera juice
• Mix honey and egg yolk and apply to scalp
• Rub the bald sppot with an onion until it’s red, then rub honey into it.
• Mix castor oil and almond oil, warm and rub into scalp
• Grind black peppercorn with either lemon or lime seeds and rub the paste on thinning spots.
• Put raw mango pulp in a jar of oil and let it age for a year, then rub it into your head (hopefully you won’t be totally bald by then by the time it’s aged…)
• Make a paste of hot olive oil, honey and cinnamon

Again, who knows if any of these age old remedies work? I suspect if any of them do actually work it could be due to the fact that some vitamins and minerals are being absorbed into the scalp and thereby stimulating the hair follicles in turn causing hair growth. We know that vitamins and minerals do help facilitate hair growth.

Perhaps a better plan than any of the above would be to try Hair Support System which we sell at Fantasia. We know it works, it is nutrients for the hair and scalp and it’s definitely less messy (and smelly) than some of the above mentioned remedies!

Hereditary influence is a factor in almost all cases of permanent hair loss. Temporary hair loss, on the other hand, can result from nutritional deficiencies, as well as other causes. If a proper diet is maintained, poor nutrition will be avoided and thus, this will help reduce hair thinning and hair loss. Here are a few facts which may help us re-evaluate what we should or should not be eating.

Did you know that a high fat and high sodium diet contributes to hair loss? This type of diet is harmful to our kidneys and increases the acidity of our blood which results in hair loss. Having a low to moderate fat diet may help slow down the hair thinning process. According to some studies, male pattern baldness is connected to high testosterone levels which may have resulted from a diet too high in fat and animal protein.

However, on the other hand, too low protein in one’s diet is not good for the hair as it can lead to hair loss since it can make the hair go in to a resting phase. So, balance is a good thing.
Mono-saturated fats such as those found in nuts and extra virgin olive oil encourage hair growth and revitalize hair follicles.

Too high carbohydrate diets are not good for healthy hair. Carbohydrates are converted to glucose during the digestion process. This raises the blood sugar level of the body which can promote hair loss. Avoid foods with high carbohydrate content such as rice, pasta and potatoes.

Alcohol lowers the zinc, vitamin B, vitamin C and folic acid levels in our body. Each of these are important for the health of our hair. Not to mention the fact that alcohol contains a high level of sugar and calories.

Caffeine decreases the levels of vitamins B and C, potassium and zinc in our body. This deficiency of vitamins strains the adrenal glands which increase levels of DHT, which as we’ve previously discussed, induces hair loss.

Anemia is one cause of thinning hair. Avoid anemia by eating lots of iron-rich foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruits, cherry juice, liver, eggs, raisins, dates and whole grain cereals.

Silica is another nutrient that helps improve the health of hair. It can reduce hair loss, promotes healthier hair regrowth, strengthens hair follicles and gives shine and luster to our hair. In studies done abroad, silica has been shown to slow down hair loss. An example of silica rich foods would be raw oats, green and red peppers, cucumbers and sprouts.

Be sure to incorporate iodine rich foods into your diet as they are very critical in maintaining the health of your hair. Use sea salt to flavor your food. Eat vegetables such as spinach, carrots, turnips and cabbage. Pine nuts, mustard, millet and cold-pressed seed oils such as pumpkin, walnut and flax seed oil are also rich in iodine.

Can we stop hair loss with diet alone? Maybe not but we can slow it down and be healthier in the process just by following some of these dietary guidelines.

Because Fantasia specializes in hair loss solutions for women (and men and children), we obviously discuss hair loss a lot. In this post, let’s define the different terms used for various forms of hair loss as there are several.

Diffuse hair loss: This is a gradual thinning of the hair as opposed to bald patches and is the most common form of hair loss in women. The replacement of old hairs by new hairs is slowed down so that the hair becomes sparse and the scalp can be seen clearly through the hair. Causes for diffuse hair loss can be numerous and can include stress, restriction of the blood supply, a poor nervous system and hormonal influences.

Androgenetic alopecia, also referred to as female pattern baldness: This is often linked to hormonal changes with the hair loss following events such as menopause, childbirth or as a result of stopping or starting oral contraceptive pills. The hair loss is generally more uniform over the scalp than in the male counterpart. If you remember our discussions on DHT being the hair loss culprit, that is the cause for this type of hair loss. The hair follicles are genetically predisposed to be over sensitive to DHT and become smaller and smaller over time, leading to eventual hair loss.

Telogen effulvium: This occurs when the growing phase of the hair is interrupted prematurely causing the hair follicles to enter the telogen (resting) phase of the hair cycle earlier than normal. Two to four months later, following the normal cyclic pattern, diffuse shedding of the hair begins. When this happens there are not enough hairs left in the anagen, or growing phase and the result is diffuse thinning of the hair.

Pregnancy: Hormone levels increase as pregnancy begins and slows down the hair growth cycle. Hair that should stop growing continues to grow beyond the usual life cycle. Often this means that the hair appears to grow thicker as more hairs are present than normal. After the birth, hormone levels change very quickly, the hairs that were growing beyond their normal life span enter the telogen or resting phase and begin falling out. This can sometimes appear to happen all at once and cause concern to the new mom.

Late onset thinning: This is diffuse hair loss across the scalp as density is reduced gradually. This is due to age-related hormonal changes as the natural reduction of oestrogen/progesterone production results in the hair follicles becoming smaller and smaller. These follicles then produce finer and finer hair until there is a general reduction of over all density.

Alopecia areata: This loss is very common and will affect 1-2% of the population at some point in their lives. Typically the hair loss is patchy and most sufferers are children and young adults (less than 40 years of age), though, it can affect people of all ages. The hair loss is usually sudden and manifests itself in small, smooth-skinned patches that are likely to gradually widen with time. It can also affect the sufferer’s nails, giving them a pitted, ridges or brittle appearance. The exact cause is unknown, although current theories are that it is an auto-immune disease, stress or that it has a genetic basis. If the hair loss progresses until all the scalp hair is lost, it is known as alopecia totalis or- alopecia universalis if all body hair is lost.

Psuedopelade: is characterised by the development of small, smooth patches without any clinical changes other than transient erythema (redness.) The initial patch is usually on the crown of the head, but can occur anywhere on the scalp. It’s generally regarded as a clinical syndrome, which may be the end result of any one of a number of different pathological processes due to a weakened immune system.

Hopefully, if you hear these phrases or terms discussed by a doctor, health professional or anyone; you will now have a better understanding as to what they are talking about. Should you or a loved one suffer with hair loss for any reason, Fantasia Salon is here to help you find the best solution for your situation.