7 Reasons Your Natural Hair is Thinning or falling Out
Being natural is supposed to provide an opportunity to learn, experience, and discover so many new things about your hair. However, what do we do when we start to experience unexpected hair loss?
Here are seven reasons your natural hair may thinning or be experiencing breakage.
#1 Hair Product Choices
Understanding what your natural hair needs in order to thrive can truly be a system created after many of trial and errors. If you are a believer in the influence of hair type and hair porosity, choosing the right product for your hair can be somewhat intimidating.
Many naturals experience shedding when they change their hair routine or when they deviate outside of what their hair deems to be the norm. If you do experience hair shedding or breakage after changing your natural hair care regimen, permit yourself to go back to what has worked for your hair in the past.
Remember too that sometimes, it’s okay if you keep it simple and stick with what is tried and true.
Sil’s Pro Tip: Hair Normal Shedding Tips for Naturals
Our hair naturally shedding from our scalp daily, on average 80-100 strands.
Be mindful that you will see more shed hair on wash day during the detangling process if you are styling in mostly protective styles like buns, twists, braids etc. because the accumulated hair is unable to fall out.
#2 too much stress
One of the most common ways stress affects hair is by causing hair loss. Stress can trigger a type of hair loss called telogen effluvium, which occurs when hair follicles are prematurely pushed into the resting phase of the hair growth cycle. This can result in hair shedding in large amounts, leading to visible thinning of hair. Stress can also cause a condition called alopecia areata, which is an autoimmune disorder that causes patchy hair loss.
Stress can have a profound impact on the health of your hair. It can cause hair loss, dull and dry hair, and premature greying. To prevent stress from damaging your locks, it's essential to practice stress-management techniques such as exercise, meditation, and deep breathing. With these tips, you can keep your hair looking healthy and vibrant, even during stressful times.
Schedule a Session, to speak to someone who can assist you along your journey.
#3 Medications that Cause Hair Loss
Medications can trigger problems at the root. Examples of medications that can cause hair loss problems include antidepressants, thyroid medications, excessive vitamin A intake, blood pressure medications, some forms of birth control, and even over-the-counter inflammation medications. These medications interfere with our natural hair growth cycle, causing it to function out of sync with from its usual order. Hair can sometimes grow before its ready, then break due to its overall fragile state.
Hair loss due to medicine takes place over a two to four-month period. This timing means that you may not even experience your first signs of medication-induced hair loss for several months. Should you suffer hair loss as the result of a medication, talk to your physician as soon as possible. He or she may be able to prescribe a different medication or adjust your dosage, or recommend a more holistic option with less side effects.
#4 Poor Hydration
Dry hair is the biggest culprit of hair loss. Poor hydration robs hair of its moisture, leaving it prime for breakage. You have an opportunity to improve your hair’s moisture. It’s a simple task.
Drink more water. Believe it or not, drinking upwards of eight to ten glasses or two liters of water each day can have a profound impact on the strength of your hair and the rate at which it grows. You can also include more water based foods in your diet, like cucumbers, watermelon, apples, etc to sneak in even more hydration into your body.
#5 Poor Detangling Methods
Are you rushing through the detangling process? If so, you may want to slow down and perfect your technique with a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush. Our detangling habits and cleansing practices play a critical role in how well our hair survives the hair washing process. Sectioning your hair into smaller sections can help to make the detangling process more manageable and reduce the risk for breakage. Consider using a detangling agent with a lot of slip such as a leave-in conditioner or detangling moisturizer to help make this process easier.
If you are prone to more tangles because you have a tighter texture, you may want to incorporate finger detangling during your wash day as well.
#6 Unhealthy Scalp
Hair growth requires a healthy scalp. Dry scalp, scalp infections or certain skin conditions can trigger hair loss. If you ever experience any of these conditions, schedule an appointment with a dermatologist or hair consultant immediately. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can treat these things independently with a home remedy. Seeking the help of a trained specialist first will save you time and provide the best solution to meet your specific needs.
Investing in a great quality cleanser that removes dirt and oils effortlessly, and try incorporating scalp massages and DIY scalp oils weekly to promote scalp health and better hair growth.
#7 Not Enough Protein
Check your diet! Even if you are a vegan, you must find ways to incorporate healthy protein into your daily meal intake. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, failure to take in an adequate amount of protein can completely shut down our hair growth cycle. If you shut down your hair growth cycle, pretty soon you begin to experience hair loss or balding.
Try adding some of these proteins to your diet : leafy greens, nuts, tofu, tempeh, or beans.
Unfortunately, some of us are more prone to balding or hair loss than others thanks to it living in our genes. If you notice that there is balding or thinning in your family–specifically, those who have experienced hair loss by a particular age; it is possible that you are carrying the same genes and may experience androgenetic alopecia.
Your physician may be able to help you with hair loss by prescribing medications, but you can also purchase over-the-counter products or start including self care rituals in your hair care regimen that will promote healthy hair growth.
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