Hair has always been one of the most defining human characteristics with emotional and physical components that keep us engaged with it for most of our lives. Whether hairstyles, hair removal or general attitudes towards different kinds of hair – thick, thin, long, short, curly, straight, gray or not – across different cultures and historical periods, hair has even been used to indicate personal beliefs or social position, such as their age, sex, or religion.
Graying Gracefully
“Going gray” doesn’t have to be a negative thing, if you are taking good care of your hair along with your body in general.
There was a time when gray hair sent women and even some men on a visit to a professional colorist or to the drug store to grab some dye to hide the unsightly strands. Not so in the past couple of years.
“Granny hair” continues to trend with young women going to their salons to get their shades of gray while those aging gracefully with natural grays are daringly showing off their hair that doesn’t require such expensive attention.
Some women agree it’s empowering and freeing to go gray and with good care, enjoy what can be a mesmerizingly powerful look.
And it doesn’t have to be boring. After a lifetime of coloring and/or highlighting, it can be scary to think what those chemicals have done to not only your hair but also your body.
It takes a lot of confidence to rock a head of gray hair au naturel. Go for it and enjoy the process. Here are some steps towards a color free, chemical free future for your hair:
1. Go shorter. A different cut helps to eliminate a bulk of the hair you’re trying to match or catch up to — it also introduces the element of new.
2. Go lighter. Ease into gray by going lighter first. This eliminates and/or lessens the demarcation between regrowth. Another way to approach keeping longer hair from being several shades of odd during the graying process is to add lowlights.
3. Keep it healthy. Most important of all – take extra good care of your hair by limiting blow drying and flat ironing and making sure you eat healthy, fresh foods and supplement with products that contain hair health nutrients.
Older women especially say that not using chemical dyes on their silver hair has brought it back to life again i.e. curl and softness returns.
How to Make Your Hair Grow Faster
Gray or not — for most of us, the aging process eventually affects our hair —and don’t we all wish we could make our hair grow faster?
While there is no true secret that we know of to make our hair grow longer overnight, here are some tips that we do know help stimulate hair growth and healthier hair in general.
Cut the dead ends off. This is essential because split ends are common for most people and can cause breakage and generally unhealthy hair. Suggested trim – at least 1/2 of an inch every 6-8 weeks.
Water is very important for faster-growing hair. It helps the body to process and flush out toxins faster and keeps your hair hydrated from the inside out. Hydrated hair is also less likely to break due to dryness.
Brushing your hair once or twice in the morning and once or twice at night will stimulate the circulation in your scalp, feeding the hair follicles and ensuring undisturbed hair growth. But be careful not to brush wet hair because it causes severe breakage, which ultimately prevents hair growth. Use a wide-toothed comb instead.
Give your hair a break when it comes to hot tools, chemical relaxers, or any other tool or service that causes a lot of damage to your hair. The healthier your hair is, the longer it will grow.
What Causes Hair Loss
1. Alopecia
Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss, and there are two main types: alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia. Alopecia may cause hair loss only on the scalp or all over the body. It may result in thinning hair, patches of hair loss, some balding, or total baldness, and it may be permanent or temporary. There are numerous causes, including genetics.
2. Heredity
Look at your heritage for clues of the most common cause of hair loss. The gene can be inherited from either the mother’s or father’s side of the family, though you’re more likely to be affected if both of your parents experienced hair loss.
3. Thyroid issues
Either an underactive thyroid – hypothyroidism, or an overactive thyroid – hyperthyroidism, can cause hair loss because each condition causes a hormonal imbalance. Hormones help to regulate nearly every function in the body, including hair growth. Thyroid issues are most often treatable after completing blood tests to determine the causes and either thyroid medication or supplements like iodine are started if needed.
4. Medications
Prescription drugs like blood-thinners, oral contraceptives, antidepressants, NSAIDs, and beta and calcium channel blockers can all lead to thinning hair or baldness. Too much vitamin A and vitamin A-based drugs called retinoids can cause hair loss as well. Some chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer are known to cause total hair loss as they work to destroy cancer cells which includes hair cells.
5. Emotional Stress
When you’re dealing with a life-altering event, like a divorce or break-up, bankruptcy or other financial problems, the loss of a home, or the death of a loved one can also disrupt the normal cycle of hair growth and cause temporary hair loss. [1]
6. Anemia
Anemia is a very common problem for many women between the years of 20 to 49 due to low iron levels which can be determined from a blood test. The good news is this condition can easily be corrected with a balanced diet and supplementation with iron.
7. Hormonal Changes
Switching or stopping birth control pills can affect hormonal balance leading to hair loss. Similarly, pregnancy-related hair loss is common since hormonal shifts occur during and post pregnancy. The changes in hormones after menopause may also have the same result.
8. Physical Stress
Surgeries, severe illness or even the flu can cause temporary hair loss. Stressful events can place a shock on the hair cycle making you shed more hair which becomes more noticeable three to six months after the trauma.
9. Sudden Weight Loss
Extreme or sudden weight loss can pose a stress on your body and temporarily cause hair fall out. Yo-yo dieting can stress your body and lead to vitamin or mineral deficiencies causing stress on hair follicles and eventually more hair loss.
10. Inadequate Protein
Hair needs ample amounts of quality protein to promote hair growth, shine, and bounce. Sources of protein can come from either animal or vegan foods. Adequate amounts of protein should be consumed daily. Your protein levels can easily be checked with a simple blood test.
11. Excessive Vitamin A
Certain vitamins such as vitamin A in excess can become toxic to the liver and trigger hair loss. The daily value of vitamin A is 5000 international units (IU) per day for adults. However, this amount can easily be exceeded above 10,000 IU’s daily when taking various vitamins that might collectively include vitamin A.
12. Vitamin B Deficiency
Again, vitamin B deficiency can simply be corrected with a balanced diet which includes plenty of fish, meat and starchy vegetables as well as adding a quality vitamin B supplement.
13. Poor Diet
First, it is key to feed your body the nutrition it needs to function properly, then look to ways to boost your nutrition to make sure you’re getting the key nutrients your hair’s craving. Hair thrives on protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. Get them from lean meats, leafy greens, nuts, beans, fish and plenty of filtered water.
14. Overstyling Hair
Extreme styling like tight braids, tying hair with rubber bands, use of harsh chemicals or high heat can cause breakage of hair, damages the hair growth and finally hair loss. Often hair will regrow when these harsh treatments are stopped over a period of time and gives you the confidence to see new healthy growth.
15. Lifestyle
Even lifestyle choices can have an impact on the health of your tresses. A recent study showed that smokers were more likely to experience premature graying for both women and men and men may be more prone to baldness. Another study showed that smokers developed areas of alopecia and gray hair, reduced thickness and scarcity of hair follicles. [2, 3 ]
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Foods for Healthy Hair
1. Fatty Fish
Salmon, sardines, and mackerel are packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids that your body can’t make, so you must get them from food or supplements. They help your hair grow and keep it shiny and full. Not a fan of fish, then try hemp seeds which provide high amounts of omega-3 fats. I like to recommend adding an omega-3 supplement to most people’s daily diet to ensure adequate amounts of omega-3’s.
2. Greek Yogurt
This yogurt is packed with protein and has an ingredient that helps with blood flow to your scalp and hair growth. It’s called vitamin B5 (known as pantothenic acid) and may even help against hair thinning and loss.
3. Greens
Like so many dark green leafy vegetables, spinach is full of amazing nutrients vitamin A, iron, beta-carotene, folate, and vitamin C which work together for a healthy scalp and mane. They keep your hair moisturized so it doesn’t break. Kale is another great green choice.
4. Spinach
Spinach is an important food when it comes to the health of your hair. Spinach contains a good source of iron, vitamin A and C as well as protein, all of which can help fight hair loss. Iron is a key nutrient found to maintain a healthy scalp and hair growth.
5. Eggs
They’re rich in a B vitamin called biotin that helps hair grow. Not having enough of this vitamin can lead to hair loss. Biotin also helps strengthen brittle fingernails. Eggs are also one of the richest sources of natural protein.
6. Lentils
Full of protein, iron, zinc, and biotin, lentils also have plenty of folic acid. The body needs folic acid to restore the health of red blood cells that supply skin and scalp with hair-improving oxygen.
7. Nuts and Seeds
Pistachios have been linked to helping with male pattern baldness, cashews have biotin, walnuts contain oils that add to the amount of elastin in your hair. Elastin keeps hair supple and stops it from breaking.
8. Avocados
Avocados are a good source of proteins, healthy fats, vitamins like A, B, D, and E, and minerals such as copper and iron. These nutrients help to promote healthy hair growth and prevents hair damage from free radicals. Avocados are great to eat but you can also make a moisturizing hair mask using a whole avocado and coconut oil. Apply the mixture on your scalp and hair for a beautifying hair mask treatment.
9. Lean Red Meat
Protein works to promote hair growth and helps your hair stay strong and healthy. Foods such as chicken and beef all have a high amount of protein and are necessary for proper hair growth and thickness.
10. Fruits
Fruits are known to be a reliable source of vitamins and nutrients, making them a major constituent of a healthy diet. It is therefore not surprising to know that fruits can enhance hair growth, strength, and quality. Fruits are high in nutrients like vitamin C which is essential for healthy and shiny hair. It also helps you produce collagen which is necessary for hair production.
11. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are especially high in vitamin A and other nutrients like copper and iron which are important for hair growth. Low levels of vitamin A can cause your hair to be dry and brittle. However, excessive vitamin A can lead to hair loss. It is all about balance, not too much and not too little.
12. Oysters
Eating enough zinc in your diet can help to prevent slow hair growth, dandruff and hair loss. Oysters are rich in the mineral zinc which is involved in healthy tissue and repair. Other foods high in zinc include crab, lobster, beef and beans.
Best Vitamins for Hair Growth
Whatever the state of your hair, there are always benefits to using some supplements to help you get and keep the healthiest head of hair possible. The first one that I am super excited about is Whole Body Collagen. It is not only great for hair, but it also helps skin and nails look great. Also, great is H-S-N Complete™ which is a comprehensive formula which combines a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and botanicals that provide the building blocks necessary for healthy hair, skin, and nails.
Ready to grow your hair to its healthiest? CONTACT ME TODAY and let’s assess what would work best for you personally. Somewhere along the path of a good diet and other lifestyle changes – beautiful hair is waiting for you.
