The Truth About Hair Loss

There’s a bit of secrecy around hair loss, especially for women… it’s rarely talked about. The only mention you might see is in products promising thicker hair.

Why don’t we talk about it?

The reality is that 40% of women will have visible hair loss by the time they reach 40, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. And that number increases to 55% by the age of 70.

For both women and men, hair loss can be absolutely devastating to your self-image and emotional well-being.

But it doesn’t have to be. The first step in de-stigmatizing hair loss is talking about it!

Before we dig in on this topic though, know that there are a lot of potential causes of hair loss. If you are concerned about the amount of hair you are losing, or the speed at which it seems to be shedding, check in with your healthcare professional to eliminate any health concerns.

Facts and Stats

If you’re looking in the mirror and wondering if your scalp is showing more than it used to, or if you feel that your ponytail isn’t as hefty as it once was, you might be experiencing some hair loss. And some hair loss is normal.

The average human scalp has about 100,000 hair follicles. At any given time, each of your hair follicles is in a different phase of growth, and that includes hair loss.

The lifecycle of hair occurs in stages, including the Anagen phase (which is where your hair grows), Catagen phase (where the follicles transition from growth to resting), Telogen phase (where the follicle is resting), and Exogen phase (where the old hair sheds as a new hair emerges).

Seeing some hair in your brush or in the bath is perfectly normal and shouldn’t cause any concern. For a new hair to emerge, an old hair must go. That’s the exogen phase. On average, you’ll shed about 100 hairs each day.

If your hair looks or feels thinner, if you spot thinning edges, or your scalp becomes more noticeable, however, it may be a sign of excessive loss.

The good news is that most causes of hair loss in women are temporary and reversible. Reversing excess hair shedding may be as simple as watching your nutrition or changing your hair care routine.

What Causes Hair Loss in Women?

As we mentioned, there are a lot of potential causes of hair loss in women. While your body and your lifestyle are unique, some common reasons for hair loss are listed below.

#1: Stress

For many of us, stress has become a significant and regular occurrence in our daily lives. Unfortunately, when left unchecked, stress can lead to many health-related issues, including hair loss.

If your hair loss has been triggered by stress, managing your stress could be the key to returning to a healthy rate of hair growth.

The next time you’re starting to feel your stress level rise, remember to take a deep breath and look for some healthy relief. A quiet bath, a walk-in nature, or a movie that makes you laugh… A little self-care goes a long way here. And your hair will benefit.

#2 Weight Loss

Research shows that rapid weight loss can cause your hair follicles to go into their resting phase. This is the phase where hair stops growing. The resting phase can last for two or three months, and at the end of this phase, your hair begins to shed. Like the rest of your body, your hair needs calories to grow. Cutting calories while you’re losing weight forces your hair follicles to conserve energy and rest.

Once you’ve balanced your nutrition out, your hair growth should return to normal.

#3: Childbirth

Known as one of the most physically and emotionally charged times in a woman’s life, sudden hair loss during and directly after childbirth is more common than you might think.

According to medical experts, this is often because of the hormonal shifts brought on by pregnancy.

During the nine months of active pregnancy, your hair stays in its growth phase (Anagen), and does not shed like it normally would. When your hormones shift again postpartum, your hair enters its resting phase. This is followed by the shedding phase. This can feel like a reason to sound the alarms, but it’s usually temporary and a natural part of childbirth, even if your doctor doesn’t mention it in advance.

#4: Damaging Habits

Do you love a good hot oil treatment? How about dry shampoos? Styling sprays? Hair color? Hot styling tools?

We love our hair, and we love to change it up. But excessive use of hair styling and care products, and chemical treatments like permanents and dyes, can cause scarring to your hair follicles, which may result in hair loss.

Your hair becomes stressed and can fall out if you style with heat frequently, bleach your hair, or get permanent treatments.

Even harsh styling habits like pulling on your hair to make tight braids or cornrows can be harmful.

Give your hair a little time to breathe. Take a few days off of your hot tools, maybe skip a week of dry shampoos, and extend the time a bit between coloring… for the health of your hair follicles!

#5: Scalp Health

The health of your scalp is critical to hair growth. Most hair loss is related to the condition of your scalp and follicles. The products you use to clean, condition, and style your hair play an important role in keeping your scalp clean and healthy.

Harsh ingredients in your hair care and styling products – like sulfates, parabens, phthalates, and silicones – can not only harm the condition of your scalp, but many of these cause hormonal disruptions in your body.

Hormonal disruptions can cause hair loss and worse – some have been known to cause cancers.

The key to preventing hair loss because of your scalp health is to find a hair-care regimen that promotes a clean and healthy scalp, without harsh ingredients.

All LuxeOrganix shampoos and conditioners were designed with this in mind. Our Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner was created to protect and enhance curly, colored, and keratin-straightened hair. These products help eliminate frizz and add moisture to dry, damaged hair. Our Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner were developed using botanicals that support hair growth. They gently stimulate and soothe with healing anti-inflammatory essential oils and plant extracts to overcome and prevent scalp issues. These products help thin, lifeless hair feel fuller and more vibrant. Finally, our CoWash Cleansing Conditioner is perfect for all hair types. It helps extend the time between shampooing while leaving your hair soft, smooth, and more manageable without the build-up that dry shampoos leave behind.

#6: Nutrition

Your mom always told you about eating healthy but she may not have told you that your beautiful tresses depend on it.

Nutritionists have found that Vitamins D and B12, Biotin, Folate, and Riboflavin are linked to healthy hair. Many of these can be found in the food you eat, as well as in common multivitamins.

An often misunderstood aspect of your nutrition is fat. Scientists correlate a lack of healthy fats in a person’s diet to hair loss. Healthy fats are extremely important for hair growth because fat helps your body assimilate vitamins that are essential for healthy hair. Make sure your meals include some unsaturated fats like Omega 3s to keep your hair growing and shining.

#7: Genetics

Sometimes, hair loss comes down to your genetics. You’ve probably heard of male-pattern baldness, right? Experts at the Mayo Clinic say that the most common cause of hair loss in men is androgenic alopecia… male-pattern baldness. This often presents as a receding hairline and bald spots in men.

There’s another similar condition you might not have heard about, though, and that’s female-pattern baldness.

This balding also occurs gradually and in predictable patterns: thinning hair along the crown of the scalp in women. With female-pattern hair loss, new hair that comes in is finer and thinner that the older hair it replaced. What eventually happens is your hair follicles shrink and can stop growing hair altogether.

You should visit your doctor or dermatologist if you think you may be experiencing this type of hair loss, as they can help with a treatment plan.