Disheartened, helpless, distressed. These are some of the feelings that accompany the shocking sight of seeing your hair fall out. As women, hair fall can strip us of our femininity and drive us into emotional warfare. What’s worse—we feel like we don’t even have a sword to fight with.
You are not alone.
In fact, most women experience hair fall and it can start as young as 18-years-old. Next time you have brunch with your girlfriends, consider the fact that one-in-three of you is dealing with hair loss. While the causes of women’s hair fall look different for each of us, we can all relate to the stress it ignites.
As we weave through the seasons of our lives, our circumstances change and so do our bodies. The initial shock of seeing your hair everywhere is unsettling, especially when there seems to be no effective solutions. We’re here to be your guiding hand on the road to your fullest, healthiest hair yet.
Ready to take the first step? To stop hair from falling out, we first must address the causes of women’s hair fall.
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF WOMEN'S HAIR FALL?
In an insightful recent hair loss study, researchers at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons unlocked key information about the hair growth cycle. While it’s typical for women to lose 50-150 hair strands every day, excessive shedding occurs on a cellular level.
Genetics, age, diet and stress are common causes of hair loss, but what is at the root of these triggers?
The study revealed that there are mysterious cells that stifle new hair growth by keeping follicles in the resting phase. As the science and research of hair fall advances, it’s important to address the genetic and reactive triggers.
Let’s take a closer look at the most common causes of women’s hair fall.
WHAT'S IN A GENE?
Genetics are the biological framework that make us who we are. Each of our unique features were passed down from someone on our family tree. While you might thank your grandfather for your quick-wit and blame your mother for, well, anything and everything, none of us are genetically flawless. We are each predisposed toward certain physical qualities – good and bad.
Female Pattern Hair Loss (FPHL) is one genetic inheritance that affects half of women. The visible signs of FPHL fall into three classes:
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Type 1 - is slight thinning around the crown of the head
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Type 2 - can result in less volume and a widened part
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Type 3 - is the most noticeable at the top of the scalp where excessive thinning occurs
What can you do to combat genetics? You may be up against an army of chromosomes, but INTACT is clinically proven to strengthen and restore hair at the root.
WHAT STRESS DOES TO YOUR STRANDS
It’s no secret that stress is toxic. Yet it’s often the result of something bigger and wreaks havoc throughout your life, disrupting your physical, psychological and emotional well-being. Stress even strikes during seasons of abundance. Up for a big promotion at work? The anxiety and anticipation – even in the prospect of something amazing – can make your strands scatter from your scalp.
Why does stress cause hair fall and what is happening on a biological level?
Stress wears many faces: it can show physically as eye-twitches, acne or hair loss. It also boils beneath the surface by way of neurogenic inflammation and cell secretion. Sadly, this can lead to the death of certain vital life or growth cells.
One such category of cells are hair follicle stem cells that are responsible for the regeneration of the hair growth cycle.
What can you do? Take a mindful swing at stress by inviting zen into your life. Time to pencil in some much deserved “me” time. Practice meditation, attend a yoga class, get a pedicure, take a long bath. Whatever your personal antidote for stress is, carve out more time for it.
HORMONOAL IMBALANCE AND HAIR LOSS
The same culprit that causes bloating, mood swings and fatigue can also make your hair fall out. I am woman, hear me roar... particularly loudly when my hormones are out of balance.
Imagine balanced hormones as a tidy sock drawer (We see you, Marie Kondo). Well, what happens when that drawer gets all messy? It’s certainly not going to “spark joy.” This equilibrium is similar to hormonal balance. Think about it. When your hormones are balanced, all is right in the world. The second they go haywire? Watch out world, here comes the brain fog, irritability and for many women, hair loss.
Feel like a marionette puppet dancing at the hand of irregular hormones? That’s because hormones are the foundation of women’s health. They regulate our heart rate, metabolism, reproductive organs and hair growth cycle. Hormones are the matriarch of our biological composition and we want to make her happy so we can keep our hair.
The good news is that hormonal hair loss can be isolated to one specific hormone: Androgen, the female testosterone hormone.
What is the cause of hormonal imbalance? Women experience cataclysmic hormonal changes during menopause, pregnancy and postpartum. However, hormones are also largely influenced by our diet and lifestyle.
THE 3DS: DIET, DEFICIENCY AND (AUTOIMMUNE) DISORDERS
Sometimes women experience a trifecta of symptoms and hair fall is the byproduct of an underlying medical issue. There are three potential reasons: diet, deficiency and autoimmune disorders.
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On a diet? Rapid weight loss generates stress. What have we learned about stress and hair loss? It’s toxic to our tresses.
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Dietary deficiency. Vegans often experience B12 deficiency as this is one nutrient available exclusively from animal proteins. Hair cells also need a hearty helping of iron, which is why anemia and iron deficiency are leading causes of women’s hair fall.
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Autoimmune disorders and thyroid issues are big threats to your locks. The thyroid gland regulates the metabolism and produces vital proteins that hair follicles depend on for healthy growth. Additionally, autoimmune diseases like lupus can cause patches of hair to fall out.
If you’re suffering from a deficiency or autoimmune disorder, it’s vital to work with your doctor to treat the underlying medical issue. But what if the issue isn’t genetic or biological? Time to look at our beauty habits.
Abrasive Beauty Routines
We’ve examined some of the biological and genetic causes for women’s hair fall, but what about our beauty patterns? You might not be able to change your genes, (rightfully so, you’re one of a kind!) but you do have control over how you maintain and style your hair.
How you manage your mane influences your hair growth cycle. From washing to styling, blow-drying, conditioning, and everything in between: beauty routines matter.
Brushing and Styling Your HairIt’s important to consider how styling your hair influences its vitality and health. Brushing your hair and wearing styles that tug at the scalp adds pressure to your hair follicles. Wearing tight hairstyles can exacerbate hair loss. What's worse, continual pressure can result in Traction Alopecia, a.k.a permanent hair loss.
We need weekends and self-care days to unwind and restore, and so do our lovely locks.
HOW TO STOP HAIR FROM FALLING OUT?
Women’s hair fall is a complex and distressing issue that takes a serious emotional toll. The American Academy of Dermatology estimates that 40% of women will deal with hair loss by age 40.
Our best defense? Women are strong and resilient, and so is our hair. Now that we know the causes of women’s hair fall, let’s get straight to the solutions. Here’s what you can do right now to stimulate hair growth, restore your strands and retain healthy, beautiful hair.
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Track Your Protein Intake: Your hair is made of protein cells. One thing you can do every day to stimulate hair growth is get an adequate amount of protein. The FDA recommends a daily protein intake of 46-50 grams for women.
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Vitamins and Nutrients: Eat a balanced diet full of proteins, vegetables and complex carbohydrates. If hair fall is an issue, you’ll also want to track your daily iron, B12, Vitamin C, D3, Zinc, Selenium, and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
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Safe Beauty Practices: If you’re experiencing excessive hair loss it’s crucial to address your beauty routine immediately. The last thing you want to do is stress out your strands. Say goodbye to tight hairstyles like buns and ponytails. Instead, use a loose scrunchie or scarf to tie your hair back gently at the nape of your neck.
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Minimize Stress Triggers: Whether you have short, long, curly, straight, thin or thick hair, one thing we all relate to is shedding. Dealing with hair fall is an emotional rollercoaster, but stressing about it perpetuates more hair loss. It’s impossible to completely relinquish the emotional attachment we have to our hair. The good news is that there are effective solutions like INTACT to protect and retain hair.
AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION TO WOMEN'S HAIR LOSS: INTACT - ANTI HAIR SHEDDING TREATMENT
INTACT Anti Hair Shedding Treatment is a clinically-proven and dermatologist developed solution for women’s hair shedding, hair thinning and hair loss. Simply apply INTACT onto your scalp, let product stand for at least 30 minutes, wash your hair and get ready for a force of defense against hair loss that works after just one use.
DITCH HAIR FALL AND RECLAIM YOUR MANE WITH INTACT
You’ve been through enough trauma from hair fall and it’s time for solutions that work. INTACT reduces hair shedding by up to 77% by securing and strengthening your hair at the root. With INTACT, you can finally control hair shedding and back to having more beautiful hair to love.