Health Articles

One of the most trusted ways of retaining your crowning glory well into your sunset days is to ensure that you’re eating what’s appropriate for your hair growth and that it’s getting delivered straight to your hair roots!

Sophia Loren once confessed to eating pasta “by the ton.” Yet, her glowing back name for something to die for!

The lesson in this is that when it comes to what is good for your hair, we are generally clueless. This article will bust those myths and drive home some home truths! Food for your hair You may be spending a fortune on shampoos and conditioners, but do you know that a much better way to ensure good health for your hair could be simply by eating — and not applying good food to your hair follicles. Not only would the absorption rate be faster, the results would be much better too!

For instance Iron deficiencies are a known cause for thinning hair and a lack of essential fats can cause your hair to become dry. People on low fat or no fat diets are at risk of consuming a lack of essential fats found in oily fish nuts and seeds. Iron-rich food are leafy green vegetables, chicken and turkey, eggs, dried apricots and wholegrains. Likewise, good sources of essential fatty acids on a daily basis. This can include a handful of nuts and seeds, (walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds). In addition, oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines two to three times a week can do wonders for your hair.

Dehydration can affect hair health; therefore drinking still water can help your body’s elimination processes which if sluggish can lead to limp, dull or oily hair.

Just cut out the well-known culprits – sugar, alcohol and caffeine — from your diet.

Instead, substitute these with some of the foods mentioned above and you can have your full crop of hair well beyond your fifties or sixties. Food fixes for hair problems Good food does not just give you healthy hair, it can also fix some problems mentioned below:

• DANDRUFF: It indicates over consumption of refined sugars that can completely throw the body’s elimination system out of gear. It also makes the scalp flaky that may eventually begin to come off in dry flakes, which is dandruff.

The solution: Cut out sugary snacks, avoid hidden sugar in processed food. Instead eat salads, steamed vegetables and wholegrains.

• DRY HAIR: You may have run short of folic acid, which helps build red blood cells and aids circulation to the scalp. The solution: Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables, chick peas, liver and brewer’s yeast. LIMP HAIR: Not enough protein in your diet, leaving hair brittle, porous and dull.

The solution: Switch to a balanced supply of protein- based foods, such as eggs, low-fat dairy products, meat and fish.

• EARLY GREYING: Lack of key amino acids that are the building blocks of protein. Also indicates deficiencies of calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium.

The solution: Consume foods containing Vitamin D, such as milk. Fish oil gives calcium and phosphorus. Potassium is be found in bananas, potatoes, raisins and avocados. Magnesium can be derived from tofu, wholewheat grains, nuts and beans.

• BRITTLE HAIR: Lack of Vitamin C for the hair shaft.

The solution: Consume lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, especially citrus fruits, such as oranges, and strawberries. Brussels sprouts are also good.

In today’s world we have different methods to control our hair loss. Some of these methods work and some do not. The methods we have available today that are effective in stopping this loss or making it look fuller are:

• Surgical: This is expensive and painful. If you elect to go this way, do your homework before proceeding.
• Cover Up Method: This takes what hair you have and combines it with protein fibers to make it look fuller. Or you can use a coloring method to blend your scalp with your hair, which will also make it look fuller.
• Herbal Supplements: Several herbs have been identified that allow you to grow it back naturally. This may take several months, so while you wait, use the cover up method.

So what does the future hold for us suffering from hair loss? Well there are several new procedures being explored to re-grow hair. These new methods include:

• Cloning: This process will allow you to donate as much of your hair as you want. It has already been done, but research is still going on and should be available in the not to distant future.
• New Drugs: There are several new drugs being developed that show promising results. Such drugs as RU 58841, which stops the effects of testosterone and DHT, two major hormones that cause hair loss. Cyoctol also stops the effects of testosterone and DHT on hair loss. Studies show that this drug is 90% effective in stopping and re-growing hair.
• DNA or Gene Adjustment: Research is on going and advancing in using DNA to grow hair. Scientist have already discovered, by accident, that by manipulating genes, they can grow hair.
• Hair Growth Cycle: The normal hair growth cycle is to grow for two to six years and then rest for up to six months before falling out. This rest cycle has been determined to be caused by the chemical PTHrP. This chemical causes the hair follicle to stop growing hair, resting the hair strand and then falling out. Scientist, using mice, have found a way to stop this chemical and allow the follicle to keep growing hair without a rest phase.

So what do I do in the mean time? Use a herbal supplement with saw palmetto in it. Saw palmetto has been proven to stop hair loss and re-grow hair by regulating DHT.

While you can’t personally re-grow the hair on your child’s head (and we know you would if you could!) there’s much you CAN do to ease the strain, understand and support your child and yourself. Nobody ever thinks about the possibility of hair loss as part of his or her child’s life. But once it becomes a part of yours, whether from chemotherapy or from a hair loss disease like alopecia areata, your child is going to need your help … and you are going to need help, too. And, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF), the older the child, the more help and understanding your child will need. “As parents, we felt powerless. We could not grow hair on our child’s head and we could not discover new drugs that would provide an effective hair loss treatment. We could, however, raise money that would fund research that hopefully one day would do both of those things,” explain Wendy & Brian Ter Haar, parents of a grown child who suffered alopecia areata from a young age. The NAAF advises on ways to become an advocate for your child and other hair loss sufferers by reaching out to lawmakers and your community, educating your child’s school about hair loss, and especially diseases like alopecia areata along with tips for supporting your child. While many organizations exist, you can create awareness and fundraise on your own for any hair loss reason, as high-schooler Tessa Romack did In January, 2009, when she organized a head-shaving event at her school. After 70 shaves for $5 each and the sale of $2 NAAF bracelets, she raised over $2,000 for the NAAF and you can be sure that everyone at her school understood why she walked around bald! Many hair loss charities and organizations are available to support your hair loss issues. One of the biggest is the NAAF, which raises money to support research to find a cure as well as new hair loss treatments for alopecia areata. Its additional mission is to support sufferers and raise public awareness and understanding of this unpredictable, devastating hair loss disease. NAAF can help you get involved with fundraising, provide information for sufferers and the public and advocate for the concerns of those afflicted with alopecia areata. The NAAF also creates and distributes educational materials used by doctors, schools and other health professionals, which you can access for free. Anyone can fundraise for the NAAF, and most other hair loss charities and associations, and two of its most popular benefits include a Tortoise & Hair 5K & 1 Mile Run/Walk and the “Links for Locks” golf tournament which have both provided great results both financially and emotionally.

• According to the NAAF, one of the best things you can do is get involved and find ways to educate others about the issues affecting your child. And the first step is to educate yourself about the hair loss issue that’s important to you.
• Reach out to business leaders, health care providers, educators, civic organizations, and religious groups who share your interest and band together to find strength in numbers.
• Join local, state or regional coalitions focused on your topic and get on their mail or email list.
• Write letters to the editor. Check your local papers to see if they have covered your issue of interest. Let them know if you are organizing an event.
• Attend public meetings, conferences, or “town hall” meetings held by legislators. Speak out during the public discussion portion of any town meeting that affects your issue. Ask questions. Voice concerns.
• Get involved with your legislators. Is there an upcoming bill that affects your issue or concern? Be ready to discuss your concerns, ideas or opinions.
• Give a donation or organize fundraisers to support your organization or its advocacy program. Vote in all elections. If any candidates represent your interests, consider joining the campaign.

If your child is suffering from a hair loss condition, no matter what the cause, it becomes important that the other people in your child’s life understand what your child is going through, too. It’s important that the kids and teachers understand that your child’s hair loss is not contagious and that it will not in itself limit your child from doing all of the activities that other children do. “When challenges are presented, it can be discouraging when resources are not readily available. The purpose of the NAAF School Packet is to provide useful information to help both teachers and parents, as it offers ideas about lesson plans, books to read, as well as feedback and insight from other teachers and parents,” says Lisa Butler, Director of Support, Public & Government Affairs for the NAAF. The NAAF has created a free children’s video that is intended for use in the home as well as the classroom. In addition most schools currently prohibit the wearing of hats within the classroom and many have adopted a school-wide “no-hat” policy. But if your child wants to wear a hat, you can apply for an exception through the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) by following the instruction sin the NAAF School Packet. You might also consider providing a “Crazy Cap Day” through the Children’s Alopecia Project or “CAP” at your school. On a specified day, everyone who wants to wear a hat pays $1 to raise awareness and funds. According to the NAAF, little ones under five years of age are generally not as affected by hair loss – it’s we adults who have to answer the questions and deal with our own feelings of pity, sorrow, guilt, or embarrassment. Once children are in Kindergarten and the primary grades of elementary school, they may be faced with curious comments or teasing which you need to be aware of. By third grade and into the teen years children become highly focused on their appearance as well as others’ appearance, which reaches its height during teen years and can be very painful. Pediatric dermatologist Nancy Easterly suggests ways to help children deal with their feelings about their hair loss:

• Tell your child that it’s OK to feel bad, to cry.
• Teach your kids that all kids (and adults, too!) have problems to cope with – some you can see like hair loss or skin diseases and some that you cannot see like learning disabilities. These things you overcome make you a stronger, more caring adult.
• Explain why your child is losing their hair in the simplest terms possible depending on his/her age whether it is from medication and infection or a disease like alopecia areata.
• Find local support groups for children with hair loss issues and join up for groups and activities.
• Consult your child about choices when problems and feelings arise and help them follow through on appropriate actions.
• Encourage your child to take up activities they excel at and enjoy – things that make them forget about their hair.
• Listen to how your child is thinking and feeling about him or herself every day.

Using a shawl as a head scarf! One of the most unique ways of wearing a shawl is on the head as a scarf cover. It gives a casual yet elegant appearance without being too difficult to accomplish. The versatility of shawls as head coverings is a good reason as to why they are quite popular. Depending on the print and how it is tied, the shawl can fit into various trends. Pick a floral or daintily printed material and it can appear quite feminine. On the other hand, a bold print fits quite well with the bohemian style.

If you are wondering how to wear it… the first thing that you need to do is gather the materials necessary. The good news is that there is only one basic thing that is needed: the shawl itself. Other materials such as a ponytail holder or clips are only needed if you feel that you need extra assistance in keeping your hair in place.

Pick a quality shawl which measures at least 36 inches by 60 inches. Otherwise, it may not be enough to cover the head sufficiently. Another consideration aside from size is the material itself. If you are planning to use it, pick one that is made out of a non-slippery fabric. That way, it is easy for it to stay put on the head. If you choose materials such as satin or silk, you may have to spend a lot of time adjusting and retying it because it keeps on moving.

There are two basic ways on how to wear these:

1. The first is called the ponytail tie, which as the name suggests emphasizes the hair. This style works best on those with long hair. To begin, pull the hair back into a ponytail above the base of the skull. Take the scarf and fold it to make a long, thin strip. To do this, take the fabric and fold it along lengthwise repeatedly to create a two to three inch band. Take the shawl and position it across your forehead. Make sure that that the ends fall down in equal lengths to make it easier to tie. Wrap the scarf around the ponytail and tie a knot to secure the scarf into place.
2. If you sport a shorter haircut, a variation of this tying method is to use the shawl to pull the hair back. Follow the preceding steps but instead of knotting it around the ponytail, create a knot at the back of your head, just above the base of the skull. The ponytail tie is an easy method on how to wear a shawl as a head covering. Once you have gained enough confidence, you can try a more complicated version called the twist tie. It is similar to the ponytail tie in that it also wraps around the head. The difference is that that it involves twisting the shawl.

To use the twist tie as a means of covering the head with a shawl, place the chosen garment around your head in a lengthwise manner. Make sure that the top portion of the fabric covers the top of your forehead. Take the ends and twist them to create a rope-like design and make a knot at the back of your head.

While you might think that the word alopecia refers to baldness, it actually refers to hair loss/thinning anywhere in the body that witnesses hair growth.

Given below are brief descriptions about the common types of alopecia. Also given is a brief about various vitamins for thinning hair.

• Alopecia Universalis. This is a condition when the patient loses hair throughout his/her body. The hair loss is generally quite rapid, and the patient would also lose his/her eyelashes and eyebrows. This condition occurs owing to the immune system going askew and giving rise to misdirected immune responses. The progression that moves this condition from a benign state to pathogenic can be influenced by environmental and genetic triggers.
• Alopecia Barbae. This condition refers particularly to the loss of facial hair, especially the beard. However, this condition can occur in, both, men and women. Losing hair in small circular spots is a typical sign of this form of alopecia. The causes of this condition haven’t been established yet, and while some people can experience re-growth quite soon, for some others this can become a life-long condition.
• Alopecia Areata. This condition generally affects the scalp, but can affect other body parts as well. The loss of hair in this condition is generally rapid, and hair loss is often more prominent on one side. Existing evidence points to this condition resulting because of irregularities in the immune system (as is the case with Alopecia Universalis).
• Alopecia Totalis. Alopecia totalis refers to complete hair loss on the scalp. This condition could come about rapidly, or as a slow progression, and this is also occurs owing to an autoimmune disorder. This form of alopecia can be an intermediary stage in between alopecia ‘areata’ and alopecia ‘universalis’, and can occur in men and women at any age.
• Androgenetic Alopecia and Adrogenetic Alopecia. These conditions refer to male pattern baldness (MPB) and female pattern baldness (FPB) respectively. The most commonly believed cause of MPB is a person’s genetic make-up, and the genes for MPB can come from the mother’s or the father’s side. FPB can occur during menopause, and primarily leads to even hair thinning through the scalp, but does not lead to a receding hair line.

Vitamins for Thinning Hair Various vitamins like Vitamins A, C, E, B3, B5, B6, and B12, are known to aid and promote hair growth.

If you are to look in the market you would find various ‘vitamin’ based oral and topical applications that claim to cure different types of alopecia. However, if you do think about looking for vitamins for hair thinning you should ensure that you look for one with proven results. Since the marketplace has a surplus of such products, it is important that you exercise some caution in picking any such product. So when it comes to hair thinning and hair loss, identifying just what condition you suffer from should be your first step. Only then should you go looking for vitamins for thinning hair.

Most grandmothers would advise their granddaughters to take good care of the hair. They say it is one’s crowning glory. I guess up until now, this is true because of the emergence of hair growth formulas. Nowadays, men and women are very conscious when it comes to their crowning glory so they tend to find answers on how to make their hair beautiful than ever. Having healthy hair means you are healthy and beautiful so it is just right to make investments. If you have healthy hair, you can be confident about yourself.

Because of all these factors, the formulas have become famous. These formulas were first developed during the late 1990s. These can be very good assistance in making your hair the best. But people also need to have a balance diet, above all. Everything good starts with a good and balanced diet. There are many formulas available but still, one should choose the best for his or her hair type. Though, all the formulas can assure you of vitamins for faster growth. And there are some that has a mixture of shampoo and conditioner. There are also most formulas that have amino acids and botanical blends.

Those who want to have a shiny and beautiful hair should know the essentials of growth formulas or vitamins. They can make scalps healthier and they make hair volume great.

So why are hair growth formulas important? These are the features. First is, hair growth formulas contain electrolytes that makes our hair look healthy. It also aids in controlling the hair to look still. It aids in preventing damages and lastly is, it is complete with important minerals necessary for the growth of healthy hair like Niacin, Biotin, Methionine, Green Tea Extract Saw and palmetto Capsicum.

Many people use hair growth formulas because they are perfect for all hair types, those that can cater for both oily and dry hair. It also promotes the natural color of the hair. Most importantly, it assures us of a fast hair growth. It maintains the strength of the hair. And it prevents damage and breakage.

For most people, hair growth formulas are the answer their aching problems. When you have a damaged hair, it is very hard to grow it back healthily. It’s big-time luck if you could find a good solution and hair growth formulas are one of these. But still one should start caring for his/ her hair w hile he/ she is still young. One should remember some things like, buying quality kind of comb or brush, having a trim once a month, limiting the unnecessary use of hair iron and dryer, avoiding chlorine and saltwater, avoiding brushing the hair when wet. One should also try to massage the scalp and regular hair treatment.

Above all these hair growth formulas one should realize the importance of being careful when it comes to their physical appearance. This counts a lot so we should not underestimate its importance. The bottom-line is, you should exercise, eat right, minimize stress, and get lots of sleep and rest.

Zinc is a trace mineral that has many important roles in the human body. All of these roles are essential for the growth of thick, healthy hair. Zinc helps the body reproduce cells, absorb vitamins (yes, even those all important vitamins for hair loss), controlling hormones and the synthesis of proteins.

Whilst all of these are obviously important one of the more important ways zinc helps the body is by controlling hormones, most importantly testosterone. By keeping an eye on your testosterone levels zinc is doing its part to not only hold on to your precious hair, but also help you grow more!

So now we all know that zinc is important to stop normal hair loss the next question is how do we get enough zinc in our bodies? The most obvious choice is through our food. Food that is rich in zinc include: shellfish, wheat germ, veal liver, squash seeds and peanuts. Unfortunately their are a few issues when it comes to getting all of your zinc from food. The main issue is that the body only absorbs a small amount of zinc that is present in our foods, between 25-30% in fact. The other is that what you consume the food with affects how much zinc is absorbed. Both calcium and fibre prevent the body absorbing zinc completely. Calcium competes with zinc for consumption whilst zinc and fibre bind together so that your hard earned zinc ends up in the toilet bowl.

With normal consumption of zinc through eating food being hit and miss at best, then getting zinc through supplementation seems to be the obvious choice. Whilst most zinc supplements aren’t primarily considered a thinning hair product they do help against normal hair loss and aid growth. Another option to make sure that your body and hair get all the zinc they need is to take a hair growth supplement that not only contains zinc but also other vitamins for hair loss, such as b6 and biotin. This shouldn’t be difficult as all of the best hair loss treatment products contain a range of vitamins and minerals that will give you luscious, sexy hair.

Bear in mind that the recommended daily amount of zinc is around 15mg per day and going over this could have adverse effects on not only your hair growth but also your body in general.

Remember that truly healthy hair can only be achieved when you have a healthy body.

When the shampoos, the creams and the pills are not working to stop hair loss, there is the option of surgery. Drugs can hinder your daily lifestyle and you have to take them every day, probably for the rest of your life, whereas the surgical procedure, it’s just once off and you get rid of the problem once and for all. Chances that you will face the same problem are slim.

The hair transplant surgery is the most surgical procedure to stop hair loss. If you have thin hair or some bald spots on your head, this will be the best surgical procedure for you. The doctors or surgeon, extract hair from the healthy parts of the head and then placed on the spots in need of healthy hair. It takes skill and care to perform this procedure, as the hair should, be an exact imitation of the original healthy hairs. The skin is removed, from the healthy part of the head and then the hair is divided into single units. Women with a thin hairline are the ideal candidates for the hair transplant surgery.

Another surgical procedure used in reversing hair loss is the scalp reduction procedure. The name says it all; the scalp is literally reduced by removing the bald spots. If you think you are going bald on the crown of your head, this procedure will solve your problem. When they surgically remove the bad skin, they sew together the good skin to cover the wound. No more bald spots after that.

A receding hairline is best solved by, flap surgery. The procedure entails, skin from the back part of the head, is flapped to the front of the head, covering all the bald parts. With time, the hairline is restored, and long, healthy and thick hair begins to grow back. The growth cycle, is returned to normal and the bald spots on the front part of the head are taken away for good, problem solved. You will not suffer from a receding hairline anymore.

Like all surgical procedures, how you treat yourself, your eating habits and how you take care of the affected parts all changes. For the next one or two months you will be going through a series of treatments that your doctor will prescribe and recommend. Antibiotics and other forms of medication will also be needed to ease your pain and aid in recovery. Infections are also a high possibility after surgery so taking your prescribed medication is very important. Certain creams may also be used on ‘new skin and hair’ after surgery to help effect the change and prevent any hair loss on the scalp.

Surgery solves your problem at the time you are in theatre and allows your hair to begin growing normally again. It has become a popular option among women who want their hair back to normal.