If you are trying to find out signs of balding then you would agree with me when I say…
That, there comes a time in our lives, at least once, whether you are a man or woman when your hair starts falling out…
….and you basically, start wondering and asking around whether those falling strands of hair in your hand are clear signs of balding or something temporary and not to worry about much.
In fact, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, each day, most people lose an average of 50-100 strands of hair normally. Furthermore, this number can jump up to about 200-300 strands per day, on the day they are washed.
What’s even more interesting is that these signs of balding and hair loss, contrary to popular belief, are not limited to men only, rather, women are equally likely to witness their hair thinning out and ultimately causing hair loss in women.
However, for them, it is most common in their old age like 50s and 60s but it can happen at any stage of their life, for a host of reasons.
But, the ultimate question arises, how to stop balding and how to prevent hair loss by addressing its root causes?
If you want to find out an effective remedy for your hair thinning out or apparent signs of balding, then missing out on this post is not an option for you.
Signs and symptoms of balding (Hair loss)
If you need to first understand the underlying biology of hair growth, the obvious symptoms of balding, and finally their root causes. Let’s find that out, step by step, in the next few sections.
The following are the obvious signs of balding that you should make you concerned.
1. Round and patchy bald spots
Smooth and coin-like round bald spots are one of the most common signs of hair loss and balding process which generally affect your scalp but it can affect other areas of your hair like beards etc in men. You might feel itchy at the point of hair fall.
2. Sudden thinning and loss of hair strands
One day, out of nowhere, while washing or styling your hair, you might find your palm-full of hair. This type of sudden hair loss is generally due to an unexpected emotional or physical trauma but generally, it does not lead to round bald patches.
3. Full-body hair loss
This sign of balding is due to certain medical treatments like chemotherapy used for the cure of cancer, which leads your body to lose all of its hair content but doesn’t worry, such kind of hair loss is temporary and would soon come back.
4. Scales of patch spread all around your head
This kind of hair loss is primarily due to a skin disease called ringworm and it is generally known by signs of redness, swelling and breaking of hair strands at the spot of ringworm growth.
5. Gradual receding of hairline at the top of your head
This is a widely known and most common sign of balding which equally affects both men and women during their aging process.
Form men, this receding of lines in the form of M shaped letter, but for women, this is not the case as they typically keep their hairline intact but spread of bald patches on their head.
6. General hair thinning at the crown head
Thes signs of balding and this type of hair loss are most common in women where they witness that their hair is gradually thinning at the crown of their head, not any other part of the head.
Hair loss causes: Why we get bald sometimes?
To properly understand the exact underlying cause of hair loss or balding, first, you need to understand how our hair grows inside our head or scalp.
Think of your hair on your head as plants of your garden. The better their treatment over the surface, the stronger they would be underneath the ground.
In a similar vein, the better the treatment and upkeep of your hair under the scalp surface, the better the health of your hair strands, and ultimately the lesser their chance of falling or breaking out.
Anything which meses with the cycle of hair growth would obviously manifest in the form of balding and hair loss. So, in short, the causes of hair loss are actually the causes that mess with a normal hair cycle.
The following are the most common causes that cause balding and hair loss in men and women.
1. Hormonal imbalance – Both men and women at their young age go through this when their androgens hormones elevate or decrease to abnormal levels leading to some signs of balding and hair loss.
2. A nutrient deficient diet – Most people often ignore this but a diet plays a very crucial role in your hair health. When fed with deficient nutrients, especially protein and iron-deficient diet, your hair is going to suffer a temporary hair loss.
3. Genetics – Both men and women may have their genetic disposition to male and female pattern baldness. Or, if you have a family history of balding, in either of your parent’s families, you are obviously going to suffer from it.
4. Sudden weight loss – A sudden weight loss is also found to accompany a temporary weight loss, especially in women. However, you don’t need to worry as this kind of weight loss is temporary and you can get back your precious hair.
5. Cosmetic and beauty styling procedures – Yes, certain cosmetic and beauty styling procedures like too much shampooing, bleaching and a lot of hair dying can lead to thinning of hair first and ultimately making them weaker and easier to fall with the passage of time.
Similarly, other hairstyling procedures like tight braids, use of rollers and hot curlers, can slowly damage the hair shaft, ultimately leading to their breakage.
With that being said, this kind of hair loss is not permanent, although severe damage can lead to permanent hair baldness generally, it is temporary and you would be able to get your hair back in a few months.
6. Medical conditions – Certain medical conditions like the listed below can lead to a temporary hair loss. Unless these medical conditions don’t form scarring, this kind of hair loss is temporary and you would get back your hair.
- Thyroid
- lupus
- diabetes
- iron deficiency
- anemia
7. Stress – This is another common cause of hair loss in both men and women as some sudden emotional or psychological trauma can lead you to lose your hair. But don’t worry, such type of hair loss is temporary.
8. A temporary body Illness – This is another common cause of hair loss in both men and women as some serious medical conditions and illnesses can lead you to lose your hair.
For instance, a common head disease like ringworm can lead to a temporary hair loss in the form of a circle at the ringworm affected area on the head. But don’t worry, such type of hair loss is temporary.
In women, illness arising out of their childbirth can put a temporary break in their normal hair cycle and can lead to hair loss.
9. Drug treatments – Drug treatments like those involved in these can also lead to a temporary hair loss in both men and women.
- Chemotherapy
- Cancer
- Blood
- birth control
10. Burns, injuries, and X-rays – These medical issues can also lead to a temporary hair loss but you can bounce back once the problem is solved.
Alopecia (hair loss) and its types
Now, you know what are the common signs and causes of hair loss but to find an effective remedy for your exact problem, you need to know the different types of hair loss or balding.
Below are the different types of Alopecia or hair loss in most men and women.
- Involutional alopecia – a type of hair loss where hair slowly as you age.
- Androgenic alopecia – a type of hair loss caused by a genetic condition, commonly known as male pattern baldness in men their 20s and female pattern blindness in women in their 40s.
- Alopecia areata – a type of hair loss common in children and young people which is generally temporary.
- Alopecia Universalis – a type of hair loss occurring in body parts like eyebrows, eyelashes, etc.
- Telogen effluvium – a type of hair loss which is actually, not truly the hair loss but surely is a thinning of hair over your scalp because of a problem in the hair growth cycle.
- Scarring alopecias – a type of hair loss that is permanent due to certain skin conditions like acne, folliculitis, and cellulitis leading to permanent scarring and diminishing the ability of hair to regrow.
Treating hair thinning and hair loss in women
Hair thinning and the resulting hair loss in them is something which is a thing that happens to most women throughout their age. Furthermore, this thinning of hair is generally due to a lack of proper care given to hair, not a sign of serious hair loss in the future.
Just try out these remedial thin hair tips to properly take care of them before you lose a lot of hair on your head.
Best thinning hair tips for women
Hair thinning is another very common balding-related problem, especially for women. If you are suffering from these, then below are some of the best tips to deal with this messy hair thinning.
1: Shampoo and condition your hair regularly
A thin strand of hair needs to be regularly taken care of with daily shampoo and conditioning until the strands become thicker and healthy.
Particularly, use a thin hair-designed shampoo and conditioner which not only properly removes the hair damaging dirt in it but the addition of a good conditioner which helps in making them thick and voluminous.
2. Style your fine hair with care
This is very important as the styling of your fine hair is so critical for their health and strength.
Since your thin air is already fine and weak, hair styling methods like the use of blow dryers with high heating directly onto your hair and strong chemicals curl-relaxing products, can lead to immediate breakage and falling out.
3. Try getting a Permanent style for your fine hair
This could be a very nice little hack for your fine hair.
By getting a permanent style wave for your hair would not be helpful in giving an apparent volume to your hair but could save them from breaking and falling out before you address their health.
However, there are some cautions that you need to exercise to achieve this successfully.
- First, never give a tighter style wave to your fine hair as it can break it rather a gentle body wave is enough.
- Second, don’t go for permanent styling wave, as harsh chemicals in it, can permanently damage you’re already damage-prone hair.
- Thirdly, always undergo this styling through a professional stylist.
4. Professional hair coloring can help
Giving your hair a semi-permanent coloring can help add volume and body to your fine-textured hair as it is not damaging provided that, the services of a professional stylist are used.
Since semi-permanent coloring does not contain permanently damaging ammonia or peroxide(which is often found in permanent), it can give your fine hair a new life.
5. Try out volume building products
Finally, volumizing hair products can help your fine-textured hair to increase their strength and avoiding falling out.
Many of these products found in salons like Mousse is a good example. By applying it your root area and getting it to stick to it by using a finishing spray can be really that simple as it will not damage or break out your hair.
However, avoid volumizing products like paraffin which is essentially beeswax as they build up in your hair over time and ultimately lead to breakage.
How to prevent hair loss to stop balding?
Serious hair loss which leads to balding temporarily or permanently occurs less often, however, the preventable type of hair loss and balding can be prevented before it takes root.
So, to prevent hair damage that leads to balding follow these tips and strictly adhere to them.
Best Prevention tips for hair loss
The following are some of the best preventative tips to avoid hair loss and signs of balding in the first place.
1. Always treat your hair naturally
Always prefer natural treatment of your hair to avoid the risk of their waking and ultimately breakage. Most of the man-made beauty products, if not used in moderation, would ultimately take a toll on the strength of your hair.
If an artificial treatment is inevitable, be moderate and give your hair a proper time to recover from chemical treatments.
2. Choose your hair products with care
Very much related to giving most of your hair treatment as natural, the choice of your hair care products is a very crucial step in determining the long term quality of your hair.
Never compromise on the quality of your product choice and if you ever have to choose a tough hair option for your hair, choose a gentle and moderate one.
3. Brush gently and properly
Learning how to use hair properly for hair is also very important. When you are brushing, you are actually distributing the natural hair oil produced in your hair to other parts of the hair and scalp which is important for adequate nourishment.
Use full strokes of hair and move your brush gently. Moreover, never brush your hair on wet and damp hair which are fragile at this state and brushing at this point could lead to breakage of hair or alternatively use a comb to define your hair.
Other best hair care tips
- Tie your hair loosely – Never do very tight hairstyles like braids, ponytails, etc
- Treat your hair with care – Be mindful of twisting, rubbing your hair
- Avoid harsh styling instruments – Never use harsh treatments for your hair like curling irons and permanent coloring, etc.
- Chose medical drugs wisely – Be very careful of drugs and medications which could have hair loss as a side effect.
- Do sun damage protection – Protect your hair from harmful sun rays
- Shun smoking – as it has been found to be a reason for baldness in men.
Hair regrowth: How to get back your lost hair?
It is very Understandable. You have just lost your have hair and getting bald but you need to realize that you are not alone and there are many out there like you. So, don’t be disappointed, never lose hope and you can always get back your hair.
In fact, most of the hair loss is generally temporary while permanent are rare but whichever of the two, you can get back but that requires patience and hair care discipline at your part.
So, let’s go through some of the best hair growth strategies and home remedies that can help get your lost hair.
1. Increase your protein intake
It is that simple. Since your hair is nothing but protein, a protein-rich diet can help grow back your lost hair. A protein diet is crucial for the healthy functioning of our bodies too.
Healthy dietary protein sources are:
- beans
- eggs
- fish
- nuts
- lean meats
- Seeds
- Turkey and many more.
2. Aromatherapy can help hair growth
According to a study conducted in 2011, aromatherapy can be useful in stimulating hair growth, however, further research is required to confirm it.
Herbs used by aromatherapy experts for stimulating hair growth are:
- cedarwood
- lavender
- rosemary
- thyme
- Tulsi
3. Scalp massage can stimulate hair growth
Scalp massage is a traditional hair growth technique where it can help the growth of hair by stimulating the blood flow towards the scalp and hence triggering hair growth.
A study concluded that massaging your salps for only about 4-5 minutes a day can stimulate hair growth and can make them thicker in 4-6 months. It is best to use your fingertips to gently massage your scalp in a nice circle way.
Best Natural home remedies for treating hair loss
There are a lot of very good natural remedies for hair loss that can help you get your lost hair as these are very good at nourishing them and giving them the strength to grow out of dormant hair follicles.
1. Jojoba oil for hair loss
Jojoba oil is one of the best natural remedies for hair loss and balding. It offers the following hair growing benefits for the scalp.
- It acts as a deep moisturizer for scalp’s hair follicles which helps to grow healthy and strong new hair strands
- It accelerates the reproduction of new hair cells and does not have a serious side effect for the scalp as its reside is completely washed with water after use on the scalp
To use it as a remedy against hair loss, take a few drops of it in your hands, rub it with both of your hand’s palms until it slightly warms up and then gently massage on your scalp, hair roots.
Finally, wash it off after 10-15 minutes with your regular shampoo or conditioner.
2. Aloe vera for hair loss
Aloe Vera is another great remedy for treating frequent hair loss symptoms.
Here is how it benefits your falling out hair.
- Being naturally a great moisturizer, it triggers hair cells regrowth by creating an enabling environment for hair growth by calming and soothing a damaged head scalp.
- It acts as a great cleanser by removing scalp build-up and excess sebum that might be clogging your hair follicles and preventing hair growth from those choked hair follicles.
Aloe Vera can be used by either directly pouring some Aloe Vera gel on your palm and massaging your scalp with it or you can use aloe vera based hair products like shampoo.
3. Licorice root for hair loss
Licorice root is another good option for naturally treating hair loss.
- Licorice root encourages hair regrowth by reopening clogged choked pores and giving strength to weak hair follicles to trigger dormant hair growth.
- It treats dry, irritated scalp by acting as a moisturizer and soothing agent which creates an enabling environment for hair regrowth.
To actually used as an effective remedy for hair loss, you can either apply weekly on your scalp or you can take it directly orally in a consumable form of licorice tea.
4. Onion juice for hair loss
You might not believe this, but the onion is a very good remedy for naturally treating hair loss.
Essentially, onion juice has a healthy amount of sulfur content which is not only a great blood circulation mobilizer increasing blood flow to the hair follicles encouraging hair growth in them but its amazing antibacterial properties can treat any sort of hair loss causing infections too.
A recent study published in the Journal of Dermatology found its hair-growing properties.
In fact, in a study lasting for 6 weeks, the majority of participants found the application of onion juice twice a day as a real hair growth stimulator which actually worked.
To use it as a treatment for hair growth, take some onion juice on your scalp and let it be there on your scalp for 15-20 minutes followed by washing it off with a regular shampoo.
5. Rosemary oil for hair loss
Rosemary oil is another well-known natural remedy for hair loss. It supports hair growth in two important ways.
- Being essentially a strong antiseptic agent, it helps cure dry, flaky and infectious scalp which are one of the most common factors for temporary hair loss.
- It’s strong cleansing, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties can not only keep your scalp clean and clog-free but provide a foolproof environment for your hair follicles to trigger the growth of new hair strands.
6. Garlic for hair loss
Garlic is another kitchen ingredient that can fight your hair loss.
Garlic is essentially full of minerals and vitamins which matters for hair growth too. Moreover, its strong antibacterial and antiseptic properties keep any scalp infection at bay and maintain a healthy environment for hair growth.
A study actually found that using garlic to hair losing scalp areas with another related steroid treatment can encourage the growth of new hair strands as compared to a placebo.
To use it as a remedy for hair loss, make a blend out of garlic and apply directly over your scalp and then wash it off after 10-15 minutes.
7. Coconut milk for hair loss
Have you ever wondered why a lot of hair products like shampoos and conditioners mention coconut as one of their ingredients? If you haven’t ever, then let it be known to you.
Essentially, coconut milk is a deep moisturizer that can effectively treat any kind of stubborn dryness in your hair and you would know already, dryness is one of the leading causes of hair loss in men and women.
As our hair becomes starved of moisture, they start weakening and ultimately falling off. Coconut oil’s potent moisturizing abilities can effectively treat any dryness causing hair loss and bestows good health to your hair follicles.
To use it as a remedy for hair loss, take a few drops of coconut milk on your palms, slightly warm it by rubbing your palms and then wash it off after 10-15 minutes.
8. Apple cider vinegar for hair loss
Apple cider vinegar is another well known natural treatment for hair loss. Precisely, it fights hair loss caused by clogging of hair follicles which could be due to a number of reasons.
When hair follicles are blocked or choked, they become prone to bacterial infection and their inadequate nourishment ultimately leads to baldness. Apple cider vinegar is a strong antibacterial agent and good dirt cleanser, it helps stimulate hair regrowth by strengthening hair follicles.
To use it as a remedy for hair loss, take a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water and rinse your scalp with it before washing your head off after 10 minutes.
9. Safflower oil for hair loss
Safflower oil is another great natural source of fighting hair loss by fighting off dandruff and stimulating hair growth in dormant hair follicles by strengthening them with appropriate nourishment from within.
To make use of it as a natural hair loss treatment, simply take a few drops of it and gently massage over your scalp before rinsing it off with water after 5-10 minutes.
10. Egg mask for hair loss
The egg being essentially a very good source of protein, it is a good hair protein treatment to trigger their strong regrowth.
To use it as a remedy for hair loss, take one egg and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl and properly mix it and then directly apply it over your scalp.
It is best to cover your head thereafter and then wash it off after 10 minutes once you see your hair has been completely soaked and absorbed by this egg mask.
FAQs
Q: What are the first signs of balding?
Ans: Following are the definite first signs of balding
1. Round and patchy bald spots
2. Sudden thinning and loss of hair strands
3. Full-body hair loss
4. Scales of patch spread all around your head
5. Gradual receding of hairline at the top of your head
6. General hair thinning at the crown head
Q: How do you know if you are going bald?
Ans: You can definitely know if you are going bald by noticing the following early signs and symptoms of balding.
1. Round and patchy bald spots
2. Sudden thinning and loss of hair strands
3. Full-body hair loss
4. Scales of patch spread all around your head
5. Gradual receding of hairline at the top of your head
6. General hair thinning at the crown head
Q: What age do you start balding?
According to the American Hair Loss organization, males generally go bald in their early 20s but about 80% of them would surely experience balding at the age of 50 or later.
Similarly, about 75-80% of women would undergo a visible hair loss in their late 40s and early 50s.
With that being said, it is normal for both men and women to lose about 100 strands of hair normally daily. While this number can jump up to 250300 strands per day on the day they are washed
Q: Is hair thinning a sign of balding?
Ans: No, not necessarily. Rather it is a strong indicator of your lack of care for your hair be it proper nourishment, proper cleaning, and upkeep, etc.
However, when your hair is not given its due care and nourishment, this can definitely lead to a sizeable hair loss or balding in the near future but it would not be a permanent hair loss.
You can always treat it and get back your lost hair. Use the following tips to take care of thinning hair.
1. Shampoo and condition your hair regularly
2. style your fine hair with care
3. Try getting a Permanent style for your fine hair
4. Professional hair coloring can help
5. Try out volume building products
