Shedding isn’t a particularly flattering issue to solve. Especially when the hair on the floor isn’t falling off the dog.
Whether you have a pet or not, hair loss can be challenging to cope with. If you’re like most people, then you probably associate a good portion of your personality with your hair. So as each strand falls and your hairline recedes, it may feel like a part of you is slowly disappearing.
Thankfully, there are numerous hair-loss solutions on the market today. While there is no cure-all, many of these solutions effectively address hair loss. Not only are there solutions readily available for purchase, but there are lifestyle changes you can make that can also improve hair health. Read on to learn about what you can do to start fighting hair loss today.
Intervene With Medication
These days, topical medications are one of the best hair loss solutions out there. Modern medicines are well-tested and researched. There are two major kinds of medications to understand: minoxidil and finasteride. Both are FDA approved, and many users see promising results.
Minoxidil improves hair growth through a process known as vasodilation. Essentially this involves dilating, or widening, blood vessels to ensure a healthy amount of blood and oxygen reach your scalp. The improved blood flow delivers more oxygen, nutrients, and growth factors to the hair follicles, creating a more conducive environment for hair growth. Additionally, minoxidil is thought to prolong the anagen (growth) phase of the hair follicles, promoting thicker and longer hair growth.
Finasteride, on the other hand, curbs your body’s conversion of testosterone into another hormone called dihydrotestosterone. DHT is a potent form of testosterone that plays a role in the miniaturization of hair follicles in individuals with androgenetic alopecia. Excess DHT binds to hair follicles, shortening of the hair growth cycle and causing the follicles to shrink. Over time, this process can result in hair loss.
Minoxidil and finasteride are effective medical interventions for hair loss. While each targets different root causes, both aim to decrease stressors that affect your hair’s ability to grow. Keep in mind that, while effective, topical medications can take time to show results.
Laser Beam Yourself
Topical medications aren’t the only hair regrowth options worth considering. Low-level laser therapy is another legitimate option for you to weigh. Also known as red light or cold therapy, LLLT is a treatment that’s intended to stimulate cellular function in a targeted area. It’s been studied and applied to many fields, including dermatology and hair restoration.
In the context of hair regrowth, LLLT is often used as a non-invasive treatment for conditions such as androgenetic alopecia. This kind of pattern baldness, among other forms of hair loss, can respond positively to this kind of treatment. That said, the exact method by which laser stimulation promotes hair regrowth is not fully understood. There are some theories, however.
Like minoxidil, it’s theorized that LLLT stimulates blood flow to your scalp, supplying it with the nourishment hair needs to grow. LLLT may also stimulate hair follicles at the cellular level, leading to increased energy production and improved function. This treatment may also reduce scalp inflammation, which can sometimes affect an individual’s ability to grow hair. Though the way LLLT works exactly remains obscured, the fact that it’s proved effective for thousands is noteworthy.
Get Better Sleep
Hair loss isn’t only pre-determined by genetics or solvable by medication and procedures. Even the best forms of treatment are more effective when supported by the foundation of a healthy routine. Prioritizing your general health has positive effects on many aspects of your life. And when it comes to improving your overall health, one of the major areas to focus on is your sleep.
You sleep for about a third of your life, or you should if you get the recommended eight hours a night. If you’re not, then that’s a good first goal to aspire to, as sleep is one of your body’s primary ways of healing itself. Improving your sleep is all about consistency. Focus on going to bed and waking up at the same time. This will regulate your circadian rhythm, allowing you to reach deeper, more restful levels of sleep each night.
For many, the more difficult half of this equation is actually falling asleep. Start improving your ability to actually rest each night by turning off your devices at least an hour before bed. This will give your mind the opportunity to actually unwind from the artificial stimulation of screens throughout the day. Drink tea, do yoga, meditate, read, or any other activity that helps you relax before bed. That way, when you actually do get under the sheets, your mind is soothed and ready to rest for the next eight hours.
Stay Consistent
Echoing the previous section, addressing hair health often involves a high degree of consistency. This is true whether you decide to employ medical intervention, improve your health, or some combination of both. Being consistent with a new product, habit, or routine is usually easy at first. But how do you keep up weeks, months, or even years into the future? The answer: a strong why.
The philosopher Nietzsche once said, “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” This applies to life in general but also applies to your desire to improve your hair health. Keep your reason for why you’re applying this product or doing these habits in the forefront of your mind. That way you can persevere through inevitable long waits to, hopefully, see your hair grow back full and strong in the future.
