How to deal with thinning hair
Written by Jonti Ridley
Before we even start, hair loss can be caused by a million and one different reasons. If you’re concerned your hair is thinning beyond a ‘normal’ amount – check in with your GP. Stress, hormones and diet are just a few factors that may be the cause, but on the off chance it’s something more than that you’ll be glad you checked in with your GP first.
Everybody loses their hair, it’s a fact of life! The rate and reasons differ between individuals (obvs), but it’s nothing to ashamed of or disgusted by. Our hair has a natural hair growth cycle, and by design needs to come out eventually. First is the anagen stage (active growth, 2-8 years), then the catagen stage (a short transitional phase in preparation to shed, 3 weeks) and the telogen stage which when your hair finally gets the boots from the follicle. However, once the hair is shed, the follicle remains dormant before sprouting a new strand – for three months!
Thankfully, a million and one causes means a million and one potential solutions. Here are a few Gina Tips to help take extra care with thinning hair:
- Ditch the high-pony
One of the most common causes of a receding hairline is too much stress on the hair, causing it to snap off and thin out. Where is all this stress coming from? That uber-tight ponytail! Switch your elastics to a softer alternative (like our damn good silk scrunchies), so your strands are no longer feeling the stretch and pull from a less forgiving elastic. Reducing the tension by switching styles, to a loose low bun for example, also prevents snapping.
- Put down the tools
The very last thing thinning hair needs, is hot tools. Even with the best heat protectant in the world, hot tools are still going to damage your hair. If the quality and health of your hair is already compromised, burning it to your will just isn’t worth the accumulative damage. The loss of moisture and natural oils will lead to more brittleness and snapped ends – reducing your body of hair and natural volume. Bummer all round really.
- Wig, sis
It goes without saying that if you’re finding the majority of your thinning is occurring around the front of your hairline, gluing down a lace-front may work against you in your hair recovery journey. However, for those facing thinning or balding spots around the side or back of your head, a wig might be for you. Whether you opt for something more realistic or natural to go to work, or bright pink waist-length ringlets, wigs can not only elevate your outfit to a completely new look – sometimes it’s an awesome confidence boost. Remember: you never need a ‘reason’ to wear a wig (or anything else for that matter), wanting to is an entirely valid enough reason to do so.
4.Supplementary Assistance
When it comes to hair, vitamins are absolutely your friend. Always Err on the side of caution when purchasing vitamins and supplements, this is the time to be picky. Anything that promises you instant results is lying to you, the process of your body processing vitamins takes some time and even longer to see tangible proof of them working. Ingredients such as Biotin, Zinc and B3 are great to look out for, as well as Iron, Vitamin C and Collagen. You can get most of these from your diet, however, it can be pretty tricky to get the volume you might need with your ‘natural’ intake.
- Doctor, Doctor
We are very much, obviously not medical professionals – so we’re neeeever going to give you medical advice. There are however medical avenue’s you might want to discuss with your doctor to tackle your hair thinning head-on. Addressing underlying medical issues that may be the cause of your hair thinning is step number one.
Fortunately, the amazing world of beauty and haircare have had astronomical advancements in recent years, and those facing hair loss have never had more options for treatment (including medication, plasma injections, LED treatment and hair transplantation)
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