Hair thinning causes can include aging, your genes, shifting hormones, and your diet. Learn what else might be playing a role. Whether you're a woman or a man, it's normal for your hair to thin as you get older, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Suddenly thinning hair could be caused by a variety of reasons, such as a period of extreme stress, pregnancy, discontinuing birth control pill use, hormonal changes, a high fever, or pulling at your hair.
Maintain good hair and scalp care
Avoid harsh hair treatments like heating tools, hair dye and bleaching. Hairstyles like tight ponytails or braids can affect your hair as well. Keep your scalp healthy by washing your hair and scalp regularly. “Any inflammation on the scalp will affect the hair growth cycle,” says Dr.
Here's the hard truth: Little can be done to permanently change the diameter of individual hair strands. Thickening products can do wonders to temporarily plump hair strands, but when it comes down to it, fine hair is genetic and can't be changed.
Although hair re-growth may be possible, you should also know when to seek professional help. If the reason for thinning hair is genetics, it will not grow back on its own. To grow back a healthy, full head of hair, you'll need to take action, and that involves reviewing different hair loss options.
Sandalwood, lavender, rosemary, and thyme oils have been used to treat hair loss for over 100 years. A compound in them is thought to boost hair growth. You can try rubbing one or more of these oils into your scalp for at least 2 minutes every night.
The bottom line. There's no strong evidence to support using biotin for hair growth or to prevent hair loss in people without a deficiency. Because hair thinning and poor hair growth are sometimes associated with a biotin deficiency, correcting a deficiency can help restore hair growth in some people.
Biotin. Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is a complex B vitamin that is often touted for having hair growth benefits. And some of that hype may actually be worth it. Biotin has functions in “creating red blood cells, which carry oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles,” says Dr. Green.
Only riboflavin, biotin, folate, and vitamin B12 deficiencies have been associated with hair loss.
Effective treatments for some types of hair loss are available. You might be able to reverse hair loss, or at least slow it. With some conditions, such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), hair may regrow without treatment within a year. Treatments for hair loss include medications and surgery.
When to see a doctor. See your doctor if you're concerned about how much hair you are losing every day. A gradual thinning on the top of your head, the appearance of patchy or bald spots on your scalp, and full-body hair loss are signs that there may be an underlying health condition.
In other cases, thinning hair is triggered by something going on inside the body — for instance, a thyroid problem, a shift in hormones, a recent pregnancy, or an inflammatory condition. Hair loss may also be genetic. The most common genetic condition is known as female-pattern hair loss, or androgenic alopecia.
If you are experiencing thinning or balding, our Bosley experts recommend washing no more than three times a week.
If no home remedies work for your hair loss, use a daily biotin supplement for at least 6 months to start seeing results.
Still, people who support its use often recommend taking 2 to 5 milligrams (mg) of biotin in supplement form daily in order to strengthen hair and achieve results.
If you can easily see your scalp through the hair, it's thin. If you can't, it's medium or thick.
Telogen hair, or 'resting' hair, comprises around 15% of the hair on a person's scalp. Periods of elevated stress can lead to this hair being temporarily lost, contributing to a visibly thinner scalp and hairline.