Introduction
Hair loss is a condition so common that at least one person on your block might be googling “How to prevent hair fall?” as you read this article! If this condition has gripped a majority of the population, it only makes sense for researchers to try and find solutions.
Luckily, quite a few of these solutions or treatments exist, and in this article, that is precisely what we will be discussing. Before we head into how to prevent hair loss and restore hair growth, let’s try and understand the stages of hair growth and why hair fall occurs.
The Four Stages of Hair Growth
Growth always takes place in stages, and that is a given because you don’t wake up one day with a head full of hair! Yes, that would be the dream, but unfortunately, like everything that takes time, hair growth also takes time; this time is spread across four stages, the anagen, catagen, telogen, and exogen phase.
Anagen Phase (Growth phase)
This phase that is also known as the growing phase lasts longer than the others. It lasts anywhere between 2 to 7 years of age. During this phase, the cells in the root of the hair divide rapidly, adding to the hair shaft, and your follicles push out hairs from your scalp .
Fun fact, most of the hairs on your head are still in the anagen phase!
Catagen Phase (Transition phase)
This phase begins as soon as the anagen phase ends and lasts for a good 10 days or so. During this phase, your hair growth is slowed down since your follicles start shrinking and separating themselves from the strand of hair. Only about 5% of the hair on your head remains in this phase since it is very short-lived .
Telogen Phase (Resting Phase)
This phase is essentially when nothing, in particular, happens to your hair. Only a small part of the hair on your scalp stays in this phase that lasts for around 3 months. Your hair doesn’t fall, but neither does it grow. However, new hairs start to form in the follicles that have just finished the catagen phase.
Exogen Phase (Shedding Phase)
The telogen phase is split into two phases; one we already discussed, the telogen phase, and the second being the exogen phase. In this phase, the hair from our scalp is shed, and we lose about 100 to 150 strands a day. This phase lasts for a few months and happens as new hair continues to grow in the follicles.
Now that we have an idea of what is happening up there, let’s try and understand why our hair falls and what we can do to prevent it and restore hair growth.
How to Prevent Hair Loss?
Losing about 150 strands a day is normal, but once you start noticing a drastic increase in this number, it becomes a cause of concern.
Causes of hairfall
- Heredity
- Hormonal changes
- Certain Medical conditions
- Stress
- Result of aging
You could prevent hair fall by making lifestyle changes or being more conscious about what is going into your body and on your hair, but if your hair fall is a result of aging, you can only try to slow it down at best.
Here are a few general instructions you could follow to prevent hair loss
- Avoid hairstyles that pull your hair away from your scalp
- Minimize heat exposure to your hair
- Avoid tugging at your hair when brushing it
- Use mild shampoos and conditioners
- Avoid hot showers; use lukewarm water instead
- Try and avoid any form of chemical that might come in contact with your hair; for example, bleach
Apart from these general instructions, here are certain factors that you might want to pay attention to while trying to prevent hair loss.
- Diet
Oxidative stress, a condition caused due to the imbalance in the production of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant defenses, is a cause of concern and can affect hair loss.
Consuming antioxidant-rich foods and avoiding the consumption of sugars, processed foods, preservatives, and alcohol, can protect your hair follicles from oxidative stress and, in turn, help prevent hair loss.
- Scalp Massages
Head massages increase the blood circulation in your scalp and can help keep your follicles healthy and prevent hair loss. It can also help promote hair growth. Using your favorite essential oil during this massage can add to the benefits of the massage.
- Supplements
Sometimes, your body can not absorb all the nutrients that are offered through your diet. At times like this, you turn to supplements to ensure that your body is not lacking anything essential since a deficiency can affect your hair loss. Consuming Iron, Zinc, Vitamin D, Niacin, Vitamin B12, and Selenium can help prevent hair loss, improve hair growth, and ensure that your hair is healthy and strong.
Keeping these instructions and factors in mind and making a conscious effort to ensure you’re taking care of your hair can help prevent hair loss and improve hair growth.
To restore hair growth or the lost hair, you would either have to get a hair transplant or consider alternatives like mesotherapy, exosome therapy, or redensyl for hair growth.
You could also try home remedies like applying aloe vera, onion juice, rice water, coconut oil, etc., to your scalp, but their efficacy is still a question that is left unanswered.
Bottom Line
With all said and done, one thing that I would like you to take away from this post is that hair loss is natural, and you might not be the only one who experiences it. Yes, it may affect how you go about your life, but it should never be a reason to shy away from anything.
After all, it’s just hair, and there are always going to be ways to prevent hair loss and to regrow what hair you might’ve lost!
