Fantasia Salon / Spa and Wig Specialists

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!

The accepted belief among physicians is that most hair loss is due to a combination of genetics and hormonal changes, such as menopause. The less common form of hair loss, alopecia areata, is believed to be am immune response gone awry in which the hair patches fall out and may never grow back.

Are there natural remedies that can help with hair loss? There are and we’ve talked about some of them before but a refresher course is not a bad thing.

If your hair loss begins around the onset of menopause, you can maintain hormonal balance, hence hair thickness, with herbs containing plant-based estrogens such as dong quai or ashwanganda. Other herbs that exert mild estrogenic effects include damiana, black cohosh and sage.

Another great choice is saw palmetto because it blocks the formation of DHT which, if you remember is a culprit in hair loss in both males and females.

A simple test done at the doctor’s office can determine if you have an under-active thyroid which is a contributor to hair loss. If this is the case for you, adding iodine-rich sea vegetables such as kelp to your diet help boost thyroid function and supply essential minerals needed for proper hair growth.

Prolonged periods of emotional stress are a definite factor in thinning hair in women. Stress may trigger hair loss by weakening the thyroid and adrenal glands. A B-complex supplement to support the nervous system during and after stressful times would be a great idea. Also, the Chinease herb fo ti will help nourish the adrenals and act as an adaptogen to help the body better cope with physiological or emotional stress.

Sometimes hair thinning can be a result of malnutrition. A lack of essential fatty acids needed for healthy cell membranes, can contribute to hair loss, skin diseases and depressed immune response. Fish oils are the most common dietary sources of essential fatty acids. If you are a vegetarian, you can supplement with flax-seed oil to prevent hair from becoming dry and brittle.

So, as you can see, there are natural approaches to help stop hair loss. Since we are a hair-obsessed culture, and thinning hair can make people- especially women- feel unattractive, unhealthy or stigmitized, it’s good to know we can exercise some control with what we put in our body. So yea, herbs (vitamins and minerals) to the rescue!

Reacting strongly to the physical state of your hair may seem like vanity, I mean, who hasn’t had a bad hair day? Your hair is one of the first areas, along with skin and nails, to manifest signs of hormonal imbalance, poor nutrition and illness.

Understanding how hair regenerates and paying attention to any changes in your hair growth and appearance are an important part of taking care of yourself. It’s more than about vanity.

Truth is, a certain amount of hair loss is normal, probably somewhere between 50-75+ hairs per day. But, excessive hair loss and hair thinning indicates that something is not right. The causes of accelerated hair loss are very individual and depend on a complicated set of factors, including hormonal and metabolic imbalances, emotional stress and nutritional deficiencies.

The sad thing is, many conventional doctors downplay hair loss as an inevitable part of the aging process for both sexes. They treat it with topical products which enhance the existing hair but offer no real solution to the causes of hair loss. Therefore, there is no prevention of continued hair thinning. Because of this, many women, especially those in menopause, think there is nothing they can do to stop hair loss.

Regularly referred to with the catch all term-alopecia, female hair loss actually has different degrees of severity, causes and treatments. The good news is that many cases can resolve over time with an active, holistic and hopeful approach.

A balding woman should not resign herself to shopping for hair thickeners. Hair replacement salons such as Fantasia have many solutions for thinning hair beginning with Hair Support System as well as supplements which can help address nutritional deficiencies. Then, depending on the degree of your hair loss; your hair replacement specialist can offer a solution which would be the best for your individual situation.

Are you aware that in America, more than 19.5 women are afflicted with hair loss? Unfortunately, the “Donald Trump” comb over does not work well for most women. With hair loss being such a prevalent phenomenon, lets talk about some more tricks for masking those thinning tresses.

Wet hair damages very easily. Therefore, after showering, always dry the hair with care. Never rub, pull or handle your hair in a harsh manner. Gently dab a towel a the head to absorb moisture without manipulating the hair strands. At Fantasia, we sell a chamois- like towel that absorbs the moisture from your hair - it is wonderful! Wet hair should be groomed with a comb as opposed to a brush. De-tangle the hair using a wide-tooth comb. Forget about brushing you hair 100 stokes per day, that is a myth and can further damage your already fragile hair. The only brushing you should do is enough to style it and no more.

Condition your hair properly. Creamy conditioners, oily hairdressings, and heavy gels only weigh the hair down. And, they draws attention to an already diminishing, slender hairline. Instead, opt for leave-in conditioners which will replenish the hair follicles and enhance the overall appearance of the hair.

Easy on what you are doing to your hair. Lots of chemical treatments can contribute to hair loss. Back off on the coloring and perming and go for a more natural look. Stay away from small rollers and tightly coiffed hair as this can be a recipe for hair loss. The more you “pull” on your hair, the more likely it is to fall out.

Before combing wet hair, add styling products or a leave-in conditioner and use a volumizer to dry the hair. For an easy and fast style, scrunch hair to create natural, wavy look. This will give the illusion of a thicker, fuller head of hair.

And, should the time come that you can no longer hide the problem and are having self confidence issues, talk to your hair dresser about thinning hair solutions, they would be happy to assist you as helping you look good helps them look good!

Our appearance is usually something we take pride in, one of the first things we focus on when getting ready for our day. Our hair is generally a huge part of that focus. Let’s talk about some myths and facts about hair loss.

Hair loss does not affect men only. True, women and children can also experience thinning hair and hair loss. Men tend to lose great amounts of visible hair, women hair tends to become thin and over time, will become noticeably thinner. Some women (and men) will become bald, particularly when going through treatments for medical issues such as cancer. Children can also experience thinning hair and hair loss particularly with alopecia.

Smoking affects hair loss. Smoking interrupts blood circulation to the scalp as well as other parts of the body, so, yes this is true. I have previously written about studies which were done to determine if this were true and the conclusions were that smoking definitely can contribute to hair loss.

Losing your hair is hereditary. True again. It’s all about genetics and family history. If either parent had tinning hair or baldness, or a family member on either side, you may be the one who ends up with the (gene) predisposition for baldness.

Dyeing your hair makes it fall out. There is no evidence to suggest that dyeing, highlighting, or perming hair causes it to fall out prematurely. That said, those processes can damage your hair, so, talk with your doctor and hair stylist about using products which will be gentle on your hair and scalp.

Wearing hats all of the time will cause you to lose your hair. Hats can cover up a bad haircut, a bad hair day or evidence of thinning hair. However, while it may be a risky fashion statement, it will not cause your hair to fall out!

If you have hair loss, you will just have to live with it. Not so, there are many solutions today for thinning hair and hair loss. There is a full range of things from medications to solutions such as MicroPoint Links, Hair Support System, and many other options.

If you find yourself dealing with thinning hair and hair loss, decide first if you want a natural, non-surgical approach, or if you want to use drugs and surgery. Once you make this decision, check with your stylist or doctor to see how you should proceed.

Trichotillomania is a very misunderstood condition.  It is compulsive pulling of the hair, typically as a symptom of various anxiety related conditions, including obsessive compulsive disorder or OCD.  People with trichotillomania often end up with patches of short hair, bald patches and or thinning hair.  This condition can create a destructive cycle of shame and embarrassment, which, only lead to more hair pulling.

Between 1 to 2 of every 50 people suffer from trichotillomania.  Most will never tell their friends, family or significant other due to the embarrassment associated with this compulsion.  Most of the sufferers will never come into a hair salon because of shame.  Most color and cut their own hair at home.

Some salons who have worked with clients with trichotillomania, have some definite ideas as to how to work with these people.  Charlene Blacer, owner of The Secret Mane Salon in Pennsylvania, says she never shaves a client’s hair as, she insists, this only defeats the purpose.  Blacer has extensive knowledge of the disorder.  She has a reputation for returning her client’s hair back to a state of health and vitality.

Blacer says “I determine which hairpiece will work for a client’s individual needs.  Once their own hair starts to grow in, I may change the piece or they can upgrade to hair extensions, or use the piece as a clip in.  My work is amazing, and no one can tell it’s a hair piece.”

This is a great commentary on Blacer’s work and hopefully, any good salon working with hair loss issues would be able to say the same thing -that no one can tell it’s a hair piece.

Hats off to Blacer who has also formed a non-profit organization, Help Me 2 Stop (the website is:  www.HelpMe2Stop.org)  The purpose of her organizationis to help people suffering from Trichotillomania who do not have the financial resources to be able to restore their hair back to health.

Hopefully with salons like Blacer’s working with people with this disorder, helping them to restore their hair, we can bring more of an understanding to a very misunderstood condition.

We’ve talked a lot about nutrition and hair loss but new information keeps coming out so there’s more to talk about!  That is the interesting thing about nutrition.  It is the newest of the sciences so daily we are learning new things!
Stress can play a huge role in hair loss so getting the stress out of your life to the best of your ability is critical.  Lemon balm and chamomile teas are both very soothing and will help to calm you down.  Chamomile works on anti-anxiety centers in the brains, hence the calming effect.  They are worth sipping throughout the day and can also improve sleep.

Make sure your iron levels are adequate. Iron is a mineral that we get from lean red meat, oily fish, eggs, fortified breakfast cereals and dark leafy vegetables such as spinach.  Unfortunately many women are not getting enough iron and one sign of long-term iron shortage is thinning hair.  Try to consume at least one iron-rich food per day and take mineral supplements just for extra insurance.  Iron supplements are not recommended as  they can cause an imbalance of the absorption of other minerals.

There are supplements on the market targeting thinning hair, some are better than others.  Key ingredients to look for in these supplements are vitamin C and soluble silica plus protein coming from marine extracts.  There are studies showing that these key ingredients have good effects on hair gain, comparable to hair restoring drugs.  Unfortunately, all drugs have side effects so, if you can do it naturally, you will be better off in the long run.

The hair follicle needs the proper amount of iodine in the diet.  One way to get iodine in the diet is to eat fish.  Another way would be to use iodized salt.  Iodine is essential for a healthy thyroid gland.  An under-active thyroid reduces the activity of hair follicles and slows the rate of hair growth.

Always remember, anything natural is not an instant fix.  It’s going to take some time.  But, not only will your hair grow back in time, you will feel healthier all over once you balance out your body with the proper vitamins and minerals.

Thinning hair can make a woman feel less feminine and can cause depression and anxiety. Then to add insult to injury, finding the gray hairs popping up only adds to these feelings. Sometimes, if the thinning hair is due to hormonal issues, when the hormones level off the problem will correct itself. Here are some things you can do to help in the meantime.

If you have long hair, its a good idea to have it cut short, in layers. Shorter layered hair adds fullness and body, as opposed to long hair. With short hair there’s no “pull” from the scalp.

Don’t use combs on your hair. Use a soft brush. Try to avoid hair spray and use a good mousse or soft gel after washing to give your hair volume without harming it.

Blow dry your hair in the opposite direction that you would normally part your hair. Once it’s dry, brush it back the other direction. This technique will actually double the look of the volume of your hair.

After you wash your hair, dry it as normal. Then put your head upside down and give it a vigorous shake. Once back in the upright position, either place your hair using your fingers rather than a brush or a comb, or pick your hair to style it. The upside down shaking gives a great deal of fullness to otherwise, thin looking, flat hair. It’s amazing how creative you can be when you have to!

Avoid using any type of hair comb or instrument that tugs and pulls your hair.

Alternate shampoos periodically, every month or so. Seek the advise of you stylist about this.

If your hair is thinning at the temple area, cut it short and create wispy bangs which can help camouflage the areas which have thinned out.

Be sure to tell your stylist you do not want a feathered cut. Feathering has a tendency to make thin hair look even thinner. You want to achieve a full looking layered cut, not something wispy and thin. A professional- seasoned stylist should be able to give you good ideas about the best cut to minimize your thinning hair.

If it turns out that your hair is till thin after the hormonal issues have resolved, it may be time to seek a permanent solution for thinning hair so that you can return to your vibrant self and begin enjoying life to the fullest once again.

We’ve talked a lot about thinning hair.  We have discussed solutions for thinning hair primarily.  However, finding a long term solution for the problem requires that one be ready to deal with the problem.  Sometimes it can be a process for that to occur.  So, in the meantime, we will discuss some things you can do in the interim, until you are ready mentally and emotionally for a long term solution.

Here are some things you may want to do:

Try coloring your hair.  Just because you are experiencing hair loss does not mean that the hair you have is not healthy overall.  Therefore, you may benefit from some permanent or semi-permanent color to give body and volume to your hair.   If your hair loss is due to medications, unfortunately they can weaken the hair.  In this case you would want to use semi-permanent color.  It does not contain ammonia or peroxide.  It will not damage the hair but will give it body and volume.

Use volumizing products.  Try to avoid volume-building products that contain paraffin, which is beeswax.  This is not good for the hair as it builds up and can make fragile hair break.

The volumizing products sold in professional salons will help.  They won’t weigh the hair down, and they won’t damage it.  If you choose to use mousse, it should be applied at the root area for support.  Then, begin blow-drying the root area, applying tension with a brush to build volume.  Use a light finishing spray for holding.

Shampoo and condition your hair when dirty.  To best protect the hair, shampoo only when the hair is dirty.  Because fine hair gets dirty faster, people with fine-textured hair need to shampoo more frequently–even though fine hair breaks more easily.

Find a style that suits fine hair.  Blow dryers should not be a problem, even if dealing with fine hair.  However, be very careful about putting high heat directly onto hair.  Refrain from using flat irons and curling irons because they can break and further damage the hair.

Get a perm.  Perms can help give volume to fine-textured hair.  However, the hair should be healthy and not dry and brittle.  A gentle body wave would be the best because tighter waves can damage the hair.  Bear in mind, chemicals in perms can be harsh so this solution should only be used as a last resort for fine haired people.   It’s best to have a professional stylist give you a perm to assure that the hair is not further damaged.

These again, are some temporary solutions to try if you are self-consious about your thinning hair problem.  When you are ready for permanent change, contact your professional salon dealing with thinning hair solutions, they would be happy to help you.

Thyroid problems and malfunctions can cause thinning hair and hair loss in addition to many other symptoms. The thyroid may be a small hormone but it is an important one. The thyroid is a hormone producing gland in your neck. One of it’s many functions is to regulate how quickly your cells burn calories. Skipping meals, low-calorie diets, stress and hormonal changes such as pregnancy and menopause can all influence how well your thyroid performs.

The thyroid communicates with the cells by releasing hormones into the bloodstream which act as chemical messengers. Some protein is necessary for this process along with vitamins A and E and small amounts of minerals such as selenium, zinc and iodine. Here are some ways you can support your thyroid:

• Protein: Adds nuts or seeds to your cereal or start your day with beans, eggs, or whey protein in the form of a smoothie.
• Vitamin A: Liver, eggs, fish, oranges and green vegetables will supply vitamin A in your diet.
• Vitamin E: Sunflower seeds, wheatgerm, rice bran oil and olive oil.
• Selenium: Brazil nuts, fish, offal, garlic, eggs and mushrooms.
• Zinc: Oysters, liver, lentils, eggs and beans.
• Iodine: Seafood and seaweed, particularly kombu and arame.

Some foods can actually reduce thyroid hormone production when consumed in large amounts. These include soybeans, cassava and the brassica family of vegetable such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and watercress, if consumed raw.

Don’t forget to consider your stress levels. Stress can have a negative impact on health and the thyroid is particularly sensitive to stress.

Symptoms of thyroid deficiencies include constant cold hands and feet, fatigue, thinning hair, constipation and dry skin. If you have any or all of these, it’s a sign that your thyroid may need some good nutritional help.