Are you concerned that your hair not as thick as it used to be? Have you noticed bald spots or receding hair line? No fear. You are not alone. Nearly half of women experience noticeable hair loss by the age of 40.
If you are experiencing thinning hair, a visit to your doctor, dermatologist, or a knowledgeable nutrition specialist could be warranted. Once a healthcare provider determines the cause, a treatment plan may then be determined. There are also steps you can take starting right now.
How to Regrow Strong Hair
There are many things you can do to help stop hair loss and encourage the regrowth of healthy, thick hair. For long term results, you can use a combination of any of the following approaches.
Reduce Your Stress Levels
Try to make sure you are taking relaxation breaks, eating well, and getting enough sleep. Studies have shown that too much stress may lead to hair falling out. Take a break; Your hair just may depend on it.
Improve Your Nutrition
Eating regularly and healthfully can really help. Hair is like every other part of your body; it needs the good nutrition to grow properly. If your diet doesn't provide the right nutrients to support healthy hair, you may need a supplement.
Determine and Treat Any Medical Conditions
See your doctor to see if you have a medical condition causing loss of hair. A number of health conditions can be the cause or at least a contributing factor. If the root cause is not addressed, anything else you do to regrow hair will not be as effective.
Use a Hair Regrowth Product
Proper nutrition, lifestyle changes or even treatment of underlying medical conditions may not be enough to completely reverse hair thinning. An effective regrowth product may be necessary. You may want to try a top recommended product as listed in the next section.
Top Recommended Hair Regrowth Products for Women
1. Keranique Hair Regrowth System (Full Topical Haircare System)
Keranique is a highly recommended system to support health hair growth. It contains the only FDA approved ingredient that has been proven to assist with the growth of strong hair. The appearance of thicker, healthier hair can be seen instantly while the Keranique formula begins stimulating new hair growth.
This system gives you three steps to fuller, healthier hair.
Shampoo and Condition Your Hair
Keranique shampoo and condition work together to fix hair breakage, strengthen the hair shaft, increase volume and shine, and stimulate the scalp.
Regrowth Treatment
This is a spray on treatment that contains an ingredient that is FDA approved to help grow hair. Specific patches of thinning hair can be targeted with this special spray treatment, so you can customize your results.
Style While Repairing Hair
The Keranique Lift and Repair Treatment Spray can be used to style your hair while also protecting and repairing it. Just spray it on and style as you usually do. The heat-activated formula protects the hair shaft from damage while repairing split ends and other damage.
Keranique Regrowth Treatment Active Ingredients: Minoxidil (FDA Approved)
2. Women's Rogaine Topical Foam
Rogaine is also thought to be effective at helping alleviate genetic hair loss because it contains the only FDA approved non-prescription ingredient proven to regrow hair. You can use Rogaine foam in three easy steps.
Wash and Dry Hair
Just wash your hair as usual and towel dry it. To maximize your results, try to use a hair repair shampoo and conditioner of your choice.
Apply Rogaine Foam to Hair
Place a generous amount of foam in the center of your hand. Rub your hands and foam together and then apply the foam evenly throughout your hair. Repeat if you need more foam solution to saturate your hair.
Massage Your Scalp
After you apply the foam throughout your hair, rub your scalp to allow for the foam to penetrate the hair follicles thoroughly.
Regrowth Treatment Active Ingredients: Minoxidil
3. Leonor Greyl Complex Energisant Hair Loss Leave-in Treatment (Topical)
This treatment is formulated to gradually repair, strengthen, and thicken hair. It contains Biotin which is known to help promote the body's production of Keratin which can assist with growing hair.
How to Use: You can use this treatment after you shampoo, condition, and towel dry your hair. Then you may apply the treatment oil strip by strip and rub into your scalp. Do not rinse out.
Key Ingredients: Mimosa Bark Extract, Biotin, Agave Extract, Lactic Acid and Yeast Protein.
4. Shedavi (Supplement)
Shedavi is an organic hair growth vitamin supplement that contains Biotin. One capsule taken twice daily will help you to nutritionally support stronger, fuller, and healthier hair.
Main Ingredients: Biotin and a proprietary blend of natural herbs and botanicals including MSM, Kelp, Pumpkin Seed, and many others.
5. Elon R3 Extra Strength Women's Hair Growth Supplement
Elon can be taken twice per day as directed to assist with your skin and nails as well as promoting the regrowth of healthy, stronger hair.
Ingredients include: Biotin, L-Cysteine, and Fish Collagen Peptides.
6. Briogeo B. Well (Supplement)
Taking two of these capsules per day will help you to provide the right amount of essential fatty acids and Biotin helpful in promoting strong, shiny, and thick hair. Use as a part of a balanced diet and haircare regimen.
Main Ingredients: Biotin, Zinc, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B5, Omega 3, 6 and 9 (derived from ahiflower seed oil and micro algae)
7. Nutrafol Women (Supplement)
Taking just four capsules of this supplement daily will help alleviate many of the causes of unhealthy hair: stress, inadequate nutrition, and environmental factors. Nutrafol heals hair from within.
Main Ingredients: Nutrafol herbal blend, Synergen complex, Several vitamins and minerals (including Vitamins A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Biotin, Iodine, Zinc & Selenium)
8. Miss Jesse's Mafura Hair Oil (Topical)
Mafura is a topical hair oil that does the following:
How to Use: Just put a liberal amount of the oil into the palm of your hand, rub your hands together and apply to your hair evenly. For a dry scalp, apply directly to your scalp.
Main Ingredients: Soybean Oil, Mafura Seed Butter, Argan Oil, Avocado Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Abyssinian Seed Oil, Coconut Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil and more.
9. Viviscal by Ulta (Supplement)
Viviscal is a 100% drug free scientifically formulated supplement that works to promote healthy hair growth. It can be taken as directed for 6 months to see the most positive results.
Active Ingredients: AminoMar marine complex
10. The Mane Choice Growth Oil (Multivitamin Topical)
This topical oil helps to stimulate and nourish the scalp and hair while supporting thicker, healthier hair.
How to Use: Apply directly to your scalp and rub in. Do not rinse.
Active Ingredients: Soybean Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Jojoba Oil, Coconut Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Biotin, rosemary extract, sunflower extract, and more.
Key Take-aways
Thinning Hair is Caused by a Combination of Factors
Things that cause thinning hair include:
Treatments are Most Effective When Used in Combination
Changing your diet and reducing stress may both eventually help you restore your hair to its natural beauty, but changing your diet or lifestyle may not be enough.
For best results, try using the following approaches in combination:
READ ON: Common Causes of Female Hair Loss
Female Pattern Baldness
Female pattern baldness usually begins between the ages of 12 and 40. It is first seen as a widening hair part on the top of the scalp and rarely results in complete baldness. While some women are content with their appearance, despite the thinning hair, others wear wigs or try to regrow their hair.
Factors that contribute to female pattern baldness include:
Damage to the Hair Shaft
Have you ever used a curling iron and left it in too long? I know I have; it caused my hair to steam and my scalp to burn. It may also have caused damage to the hair shaft. Over time, this type of damage can lead to thinning hair.
Common causes of hair shaft damage include:
Medical Conditions
A variety of medical conditions can also cause or contribute to you losing hair. If you suspect an underlying health problem, a visit to your doctor is recommended. If the root cause is identified and treated, then all your other efforts to promote hair regrowth will be more successful.
Medical conditions leading to a thinning of your hair include:
Excessive Physical or Emotional Stress
Both emotional and physical stress can lead to weak, brittle hair that falls out or stops growing altogether. Most of the time, stress-related hair loss is temporary. It may, however, not be noticeable, for up to three months after a major stressor.
Some stressors that may lead to hair falling out:
Inadequate Nutrition
Adequate nutrition is vital for healthy skin, nails, and hair. Eating a wide variety of foods from multiple food groups is the best way to get adequate nutrients to support healthy, thick hair.
Hair loss may be caused by deficiencies in the following nutrients:
With the right combination of treatment options, persistence, time and patience, thin hair doesn't have to be permanent. Lifestyle changes, improved diet, and the right supportive hair products can help you to achieve the strong, shiny locks you've always wanted.