Losing Hair? Common Causes of Hair Loss in Men and Women

Losing hair can be upsetting to a man or a woman. Whether it is a little or a lot, hair loss is no laughing matter. Here we look at some of the possible causes of why your crowning glory is not what it once was.

Hair loss and hair thinning can be caused by any number of factors. Medical reasons can be to blame, as can genetic or chemical reasons. Stress can also play a role in the loss of hair for both men and women.

Causes of Hair Loss:

There are a variety of medical problems that can give rise to hair loss in both genders. Disease can disrupt and damage the roots of the hair. For instance having an under-active thyroid (known as hypothyroidism) can affect how the hair grows.

Nutritional deficiencies in the body such as a serious deficiency of the minerals iron or zinc can also lead to hair loss or thinning hair in women. The same can be said for men.

Cancer patients who are taking chemotherapy treatments may experience hair loss due to the fact that the therapy affects the roots of the hair. For women this hair loss can be particularly distressing during a time when stress is very high.

There are also instances where balding and male hair loss as well as hair loss in women is connected to a specific kind of medication that a person is taking. For instance, medications that contain high quantities of vitamin A can contribute to thinning hair in women or men.

Other Causes:

It is believed that male pattern baldness is an inherited form of hair loss. An estimated 15 percent of men experience baldness at some point in their lives. It is referred to as male pattern baldness because it follows a distinct pattern in families. To put it another way, young men who come from families where male balding is common are also likely to develop baldness.

This pattern hair loss can also affect women but is less common than it is in men. However there are plenty of young women who experience thinning hair, especially along the part in their hair and this can be traced back further in their families. If a woman’s mother or grandmother had thinning hair, she is likely to as well. There is a genetic link to hair thinning in women.

Stress can also affect hair loss and the regrowth of hair. Hair goes through a growth cycle that is broken down into three stages – anagen, catagen and telogen. When this normal cycle is adversely affected because of emotional or physical stress, it can alter the cycle and can lead to telogen effluvium (a condition that results in hair shedding and hair thinning).

A trauma to the body can also affect the rate at which the hair grows and falls out.

Becca

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Nourish Your Skin and Hair with Natural Ingredients

Nourishing your skin and your hair does not have to involve expensive trips to the beauty salon or pricey products from department stores.

To make both your skin as well as your hair as healthy and as strong as possible all you require is a couple of very basic ingredients that you likely already have in – guess which room? – your kitchen!

Eggs and honey are two ingredients that can be used to make natural skin treatments as well as natural hair treatments. Yogurt and blueberries also work well for your skin when combined together.

Eggs are Eggcellent for Natural Beauty:

Eggs serve as a wonderful base for many different kinds of natural skin care and beauty products. Eggs cleanse and strengthen at the same time. They can be used for facial scrubs, facial masks, hair masks and conditioners for the hair.

Egg whites contain an ingredient known as lysozymes. This important ingredient fights bacteria and is instrumental in cleaning the skin. If you whip up a facial mask that contains both egg whites and honey this will help to rid the skin of impurities and will draw out blackheads on the face. The mask will do even more than that however, as it will hydrate the skin and then smooth and firm it until it looks as good as new!

Another excellent aspect of eggs is that they contain an abundant supply of protein.

Apply egg whites as a base before you shampoo and/or condition your hair. This will not only strengthen the hair shaft but will provide more bounce and volume to your hair.

Honey – Healthy on the Inside and Outside!

Honey is one of nature’s best overall ingredients as it is extremely versatile and can be used to improve the condition of the hair and the skin.

Honey is abundant in many valuable things that make it a worthwhile choice. These include water, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and carbohydrates. All of these items taken together can hydrate the hair and skin and make it healthier instantly.

Honey is sticky as you very well know so the thought of applying it to your skin or hair may not seem very appealing but once you get the hang of using it you will be so glad that you did! You are probably better off buying a squeeze bottle of honey for the purposes of using it as a beauty product. Rest assured that honey rinses off the skin and out of the hair with ease.

Honey works well when used as a face mask as it purifies the skin. It is also excellent for dry skin because it is a natural emollient as it helps to keep moisture in the skin where you want it. Nature’s antibacterial agent is potassium and honey is abundant in this mineral. Honey kills bacteria in the skin and it gets rid of impurities that are hiding in the pores.

Honey can benefit your hair tremendously as well. It helps to bring life back into hair that is damaged, dull looking or has been colored or over processed.

Apply honey to your hair, starting at the roots. Do not touch your hair right away but allow the honey to work its way into the hair shaft. Leave the honey on for approximately 20 minutes and then rinse it off before you shampoo.

Yogurt and Blueberries – Not Just for Eating:

Eating foods rich in antioxidants on a regular basis is essential to your good health. Here is another way to keep your skin healthy – apply antioxidants directly to your skin by way of a facial mask.

Take approximately five to eight blueberries, and squash them up. Then combine them with plain yogurt and mix the concoction up before applying it carefully to you face. Leave it on for about five to 10 minutes and then rinse it off. Your skin should be glowing with health and vitality thanks to the blueberry/yogurt mix!

Becca

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