Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss, but it can come in many forms. The most common form of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, which is more commonly known as male (or female) pattern baldness. Another very common form of hair loss is traction alopecia, which means hair loss as a result of tight hairstyles that pull on the scalp. Traction alopecia is reversible if it doesn’t go on too long, but it can become permanent if the signs are neglected or ignored. [Read more…] about Facts About Traction Alopecia
Hair Loss in Women
9 Winter Hair Care Tips For 2019
Winter can take a toll on your hair, scalp, and skin. Fortunately, you don’t have to live all winter with flaky, dry skin and scalp or brittle, flyaway, lackluster hair. Whether you have thinning hair or long tresses, a bit of self-care will improve your scalp and hair health this winter. Here are 9 hair, scalp, and skin tips to follow for hair health this winter.
- Avoid Hot Showers
- Wash Your Hair Less Frequently
- Gently Dry Wet Hair
- Use Hair Moisturizers
- Use Natural Shampoo and Conditioner
- Baby Color-Treated Hair
- Decrease Your Use of Heat Styling Tools
- Only Use EWG Verified Hair Styling Products
- Wear The Right Hats and Scarves
Yes, super-hot showers feel good on a winter’s day, especially if you have a chilly bathroom. However, hot shower temperatures can dry out your hair, skin, and scalp. Hot water removes natural oils from your skin and scalp. It also dries the hair shaft. To avoid this, take shorter showers in warm or lukewarm water. If you can tolerate it, finishing a shower with cool water helps close the hair follicles to prevent further moisture loss
If you’re prone to dry hair, give your scalp a chance to replenish its natural oils, otherwise, you could dry out your skin and hair. If you tend toward oily hair, use a dry shampoo to refresh your hair without shampooing too often.
Wet hair is more prone to breakage so don’t rub your dry with a towel. The better option is to pat your hair dry, especially with a microfiber towel because they’re soft and absorbent. Only use a wide-tooth comb on wet hair. If possible, wait until your hair is 80% dry via air-drying before combing for even better results.
Winter is the perfect time to use deep conditioning treatments, overnight hair masks, etc. If your hair is naturally dry, consider it once a week. Otherwise, once every ten days to two weeks is probably sufficient. Using natural, lightweight oil, like jojoba or argan oil, or serum while your hair is still damp and before blow-drying is also a good idea. It creates a layer of protection between your hair and extreme weather or heat styling tools. Just make sure to use a small amount focused on your ends, not roots, to avoid a greasy feel. If that’s too much, try an ultra-hydrating shampoo and/or conditioner instead.
Natural ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, grapeseed oil, jojoba, and almond oil can add moisture to your hair without a greasy feeling. Natural and hypoallergenic ingredients are also less likely to cause scalp dryness. Besides counteracting environmental conditions that can dry your hair, it can also prevent flyaway hair.
Dyed hair already needs special care. Winter makes them more important. Use products designed specifically to hydrate color-treated hair for best results.
Heated styling tools like flat irons, blow dryers, curling irons and hot rollers can dry your hair out any time but, in the winter, the risk of hair damage is greater. If your styling tool has a temperature setting, using the lower setting is better, especially since some hair irons can reach 450 degrees Fahrenheit. And don’t use heat tools every day.
Certain ingredients commonly used in hair styling products can dry your hair and scalp, raising the risk of breakage and flaky skin in the winter. Those same ingredients are labeled items of concern by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) so look for products that are Hair EWG verified, and you’ll both help the environment and yourself. Also, avoid products that contain alcohol because it is naturally drying.
While no one likes “hat hair” wearing a hat or scarf protects your hair from snow, ice, sleet, and extreme cold, which can damage your hair. That said, hats and scarves made of acrylic, wool or scratchy fabrics can cause static in your hair so use cotton or fleece instead or at least wear a silk scarf between your hair and the wool, acrylic, etc. item. Wearing a hat will make you feel more comfortable because a lot of heat is lost through the head. This is even more important if you’re experiencing hair loss.
Also, avoid going outside with wet hair in the winter. The cuticle is still open when hair is wet so it will be more prone to frizzing or having static afterward, plus it can literally freeze, which also damages your hair.
Take good care of your hair and scalp this winter, and you’ll feel and look better. If you want to make a change to your thinning hairline, talk to the experts in hair loss at RHRLI. We operate at our state-of-the-art facility using the ARTAS® hair transplant system and our surgeon, Dr. Baiju Gohil, has years of experience including over 400 successful procedures. Contact us for a personal consultation to assess whether robotic hair restoration is appropriate for you. Learn more by contacting us today.
What You Can Do to Slow Hair Loss
No one wants to experience hair loss but the sooner you start addressing it, the better the results you can have. If you start to notice thinning hair, a widening hair part or signs of a receding hairline, here are nine steps you can take to slow your hair loss. [Read more…] about What You Can Do to Slow Hair Loss
Can Psoriasis Cause Hair Loss?
Psoriasis is an unsightly, uncomfortable, frequently painful medical condition that affects about 7.5 million Americans each year. It’s still not fully understood but psoriasis causes skin cells to over-produce creating red, irritated patches of skin and scales that cause severe itching. It is believed to be an immune system disease involving T cells and white blood cells but this has not been conclusively proven. Psoriasis is unsightly but not contagious. [Read more…] about Can Psoriasis Cause Hair Loss?
PCOS Related Hair Loss In Women
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a disease that causes many problems for women suffering from it, including potential fertility issues. A common side effect is excessive body hair, but it can also cause hair loss in women. While PCOS Awareness Month may be over, it’s never too late to learn more about this stressful condition. [Read more…] about PCOS Related Hair Loss In Women
Hair Dye and Hair Loss
Anyone who has dyed their hair knows that it changes the feel of your hair, and frequent dyeing can make it brittle. But can dyeing your hair really cause hair loss? Sometimes, yes. Let’s dive into why and how hair dye can contribute to hair loss. [Read more…] about Hair Dye and Hair Loss
History of Hair Restoration
For thousands of years, men and women have been seeking solutions to hair loss. From concoctions by ancient herbalists to wigs to modern surgical procedures, treatments for hair loss are as old as civilization.
[Read more…] about History of Hair Restoration
Family History and the Risk of Hair Loss
It’s the question most men ask – how much does family history affect hair loss?
Hair loss happens to both men and women for a variety of reasons. The most common form around the world is androgenetic alopecia. That’s the reason more than 50 million people in the United States alone are affected by hair loss. One out of every three men has some degree of this type of hair loss by the time they’re 35.
[Read more…] about Family History and the Risk of Hair Loss
Hair Protection Tips for Summer
People think of summer tans and swimming affecting the skin. Summer can also take a toll on your hair.
How Summer Can Hurt Your Hair
- The hot sun dries out hair just like everything else.
- Sunburned scalp can be painful.
- People assume hair protects the scalp but that’s not necessarily the case, and people dealing with hair loss have special concerns.
- Summer humidity can make hair lifeless and limp.
- Hot weather leads to sweating, which can contribute to problems like hair being frizzy, dandruff, and split ends.
- Dry feeling summer hair can lead to over-conditioning, which can also make hair limp.
- Chlorine from swimming pools can dry hair and affect processed color.
- Saltwater from the ocean can also increase the dryness of your hair.
- Colored hair fades faster in the sun and some experts warn that hair can burn and turn brownish.
- Sunscreen can leave greasiness near the hairline.
Trans Women, HRT, and Hair Loss
When preparing to transition, trans women have to consider many health factors, such as how hormone replacement therapy (HRT) might affect other medications they’re taking or existing health conditions, but androgenetic alopecia, also commonly referred to as “male pattern baldness”, often isn’t at the top of the list. Despite that, hormone-treated transgender women and hair loss can be complicated.
[Read more…] about Trans Women, HRT, and Hair Loss