For many people, their hair is a major part of who they are. According to a 2017 study conducted by Vouchercodespro.co.uk, the average woman in the UK will spend £756 a year on her hair, adding up to over £48,000 in her lifetime. If those statistics include you and you have just discovered a bald patch, or noticed how your hairline seems a little further back, or that your hair feels thinner, or maybe you have lost all of your hair, it’s no wonder that it can cause personal distress affecting your self-image and confidence.
It is, however, completely normal to lose anywhere up to 100 hairs each day. Most of us don’t even see it as we produce more hairs than we lose. But if your scalp isn’t replenishing the lost stock of locks, you may soon begin to feel self-conscious about it.
Hair loss: the facts
- Every hair on your head has its own individual life cycle. This cycle is divided into four phases: anagen, catagen, telogen and exogen.
- The anagen phase is the active hair growth stage, this lasts between two and six years. Over time the anagen phase becomes shorter leading to thinner and weaker hair being produced.
- The catagen phase is when the hair stops growing and detaches from its nutrient supply. This lasts about ten days.
- The telogen phase, also known as the resting phase, lasts for around three months. While the old hair is resting, a new hair is beginning to grow in its place.
- The exogen phase is when the old hair is shed, making way for the new emerging hair to grow.
If hairs enter the catagen and telogen phases too early, this can lead to excess shedding and noticeably thinning hair. If follicles halt the anagen phase altogether, this results in hair loss.
- Some types of hair loss are permanent, like male and female pattern baldness. This type of hair loss usually runs in the family and is not avoidable.
- Many types are temporary and may be caused by any number of triggering factors such as, illness, stress, cancer treatment, sudden weight loss, iron deficiency, hormonal changes, certain or harsh hairstyles and styling, the sun’s harmful rays, smoking and an unhealthy lifestyle or diet.
- A certain amount of hair loss and thinning is also a completely normal part of getting older.
Hair loss: what can you do about it?
No treatment is 100% effective at stopping hair loss, but there are measures you can take to slow the process down or help to prevent it if your hair loss is causing you distress.
- Speak to your GP about finasteride and minoxidil. Both are used for male pattern baldness, only minoxidil should be used for female pattern baldness. But keep in mind, these treatments aren’t available on the NHS, they can be expensive and they don’t work for everyone.
- Other treatments include Steroid injections and creams, immunotherapy, light treatment, tattooing, hair and artificial hair transplants, and scalp reduction surgery. Not all of these treatments are available on the NHS.
- Hair loss caused by a medical condition usually stops or grows back once you have recovered.
- Also speak to your GP about the possibility of counselling if you are struggling mentally with the loss of your hair.
- Get more protein and iron in your diet. A low-protein, low-iron or severe calorie controlled diet can cause temporary hair loss. Try boosting your protein and iron intake with supplements.
- Live a healthy lifestyle. Exercise, eat a balanced diet, avoid too much alcohol, give up smoking and take time to de-stress and your efforts will be reflected in your hair.
- Avoid tight hairstyles that pull at your scalp or treating your hair too often with perms, bleaching and dying that can all make hair weak and brittle.
- Use the right professional quality products where possible for your hair and scalp.
At B.O.B salons, we have done the research and use brands, such as Paul Mitchell, which use only the best and finest ingredients and do not test on animals. They share our stance on only using ingredients that are good for your hair, health and the natural world.
Their range of Tea Tree Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Collection products help to slow down the process of thinning hair and improve the current condition of your hair. The exclusive Regeniplex® blend within all of the scalp products contains Kakadu plum, pea peptides, clover flower, turmeric and ginseng, and absorbs into the scalp to help stimulate and protect against breakage, resulting in fuller, thicker hair.
Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Shampoo
A sulfate-free cleanser that gently removes impurities to prime the scalp for stronger, thicker-looking hair.
Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Conditioner
A lightweight conditioner that detangles fine, fragile hair.
Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Tonic
A twice-daily spray that creates an optimal scalp environment for thicker, stronger, fuller hair.
Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Root Lift Foam
The Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Root Lift Foam is perfect for adding volume and texture to fine and thinning hair. Ingredients such as Vitamin E, panthenol and cornstarch plump strands for thicker, fuller-looking hair, all in an eco-friendly, non-aerosol dispenser.
If you are looking for help choosing the right products for hair loss, speak to a member of the B.O.B team today by calling 01344 860969 or by booking online here.We can advise you on the best scalp and hair products for you. And never forget, a person’s wholeness does not ultimately come down to looks. You are and always will be more than your hair, more than the way you dress and more than the way you look.
The B.O.B Team x