Turn Thinning Baby Hairs Thicker and Longer

If a loss of baby hair has you worrying over your thinning edges then you aren’t alone. One medical center estimates that more than 80% of men and nearly 50 % of women will experience a significant amount of hair loss throughout their lifetime. So what can be done about losing baby hairs? How can you see regrowth along your thinning hairline?

Causes for Hair Loss along your Hairline

The first step in addressing hair loss is to look at the root causes behind your thinning. Once you have identified what is causing your locks to lessen then you can take targeted action to encourage new hair growth.
Some reasons you may be shedding more than normal include:

Tight Hairstyles

Tight hairstyles such as ponytails or buns, weaves and sew-ins all can trigger hair loss specifically along your hair line where baby hairs want to grow. Consistently wearing braids that pull at your roots, or tightly brushing back your edges will lead to breakage and hair loss.

Solution: Be gentle on your hair! Choose a natural shampoo and conditioner without heavy chemicals and give your a hair a break from tight hairstyles that pull at your hairline. Even wearing a wig causes rubbing along the edges of the hairline leading to loss off those baby hairs, so rotate through your hairstyles and give your hair a chance to grow.
Use a silk scarf lightly tied around your hair at night or invest in a silk pillowcase for a soft and non-abrasive nighttime routine. While you’re regrowing hair that has been worn too tight for too long consider avoiding hats or headbands that would rub on your hairline as well.

Pregnancy and Postpartum Hair Loss

During pregnancy you may have seen the best hair of your life. Pregnancy hormones actually encourage your hair follicles to stay within their growth phase for longer than they would normally. This means less hair loss than normal during your pregnancy and the appearance of thicker more luxurious hair. Unfortunately, a drop in estrogen after the baby is born often leads to a large amount of hair shedding.

Solution: The good news is this is a temporary condition and you don’t need to fear that your hair will continue to shed at an alarming rate forever. Within a year you should see your hair growth and shedding return to normal.

Drastic Weight Loss

If you’ve undergone weight loss surgery or have been on a restrictive diet that’s led to some major weight loss then you may see more hair loss than usual. When your body loses a lot of weight in a short amount of time it is perceived as stress on the system, and depending on your diet you may also be suffering from nutrient deficiencies. This type of hair loss is known is telogen effluvium and is a side affect of your sudden weight loss, sending your hair prematurely into the shedding phase.

Solution: Any diet that is so strict that you are losing clumps of hair is not a diet that is serving your body well. Talk to a medical professional about healthy diets. Eating a balanced diet is actually key for hair growth so including protein rich foods and fresh fruits and vegetables with the vitamins and minerals that encourage new hair growth is critical to encouraging healthy hair.

Thyroid

According to the American Thyroid Association, 5% of U.S. adults suffer from hypothyroidism. If you have an underachieve thyroid you may notice weight gain, moodiness, extreme fatigue and digestive upset and hair loss. If your thyroid isn’t functioning properly your daily life is going to suffer so pay attention to any other symptoms you may notice to see if your hair loss is linked to something more serious.

Solution: If you suspect your thyroid could be the cause of lost baby hairs and thinning hair then you should make an appointment with your doctor to determine if you suffer from hypothyroidism.

Anemia

Your diet does affect your hair and one major deficiency will see your hairline thinning and that is a lack of iron. Anemia, which is the name for iron deficiency, not only will have you feeling sluggish but will also potentially cause hair loss as well. Iron is an essential part of an enzyme that helps cell growth which may be why a lack of iron could lead to a lack of growth in new hair follicle cells.

Solution: Receiving treatment for Anemia and taking proper care of your hair will help regrow those baby hairs in time. Adding topical treatments like natural oils and a gentle scalp massage can help encourage circulation and a healthy scalp for hair growth while you’re raising your iron levels.

Stress

High stress levels got you down? They also have you losing hair unfortunately. Significant stress will send your hair follicles into a resting phase and if your hair stays in this phase for a long period then they may fall out easier when styling or washing. Even a serious illness like coming down with Covid-19 or any high fever can send your body into stress mode leading to significant hair loss.

Solution: Managing stress will benefit your mental health and your hairline so getting help with your stress levels or learning tools for managing stress is critical. Scalp treatments can actually be a soothing act of self care that can help to manage stress so find a haircare routine that adds peace to your evening and helps you destress at the end of the day.

Hormones

Hair loss is caused by your follicles’ response to the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Your body naturally converts testosterone into DHT, but when testosterone levels rise then the DHT can rise to what is higher than normal and start to cause problems with hair loss. Women do have small amounts of testosterone and if your female hormones are out of balance then it actually gives an edge for a rise in hormones such as DHT.

Solution: Balanced hormones are a key for happy hair so having your hormone levels checked will help determine if elevated DHT is the culprit behind your thinning hair line.

Don’t let thinning baby hairs get you down, determine your underlying cause of hair loss and take action today!