Hair loss can be distressing, but there are ways to help regrow hair that’s been lost. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll explain the most common causes of hair loss and provide science-based methods for stimulating regrowth and maintaining the hair you still have.
Understanding Hair Loss
Before exploring solutions, it’s helpful to understand why we lose hair in the first place.
Common Causes of Hair Loss
Heredity
For both men and women, family history is a major cause of baldness. The genes you inherit from your parents can mean your hair follicles are sensitive to hormones that gradually shrink the follicles until the hairs fall out.
Hormonal Changes
Hormones like testosterone and estrogen play a large role in hair growth cycles. Changes in these hormones during puberty, pregnancy, menopause, or due to medical conditions like thyroid disorders can trigger excess hair shedding or thin hair.
Aging
As we get older, the growth phase of our hair cycles gets shorter, meaning hairs fall out faster than they’re replaced. Hair follicles also shrink, producing thinner hairs over time.
Stress
Stress doesn’t directly cause permanent hair loss, but chronic stress prompts hairs to enter the “shedding” phase sooner. This stress-related hair loss is temporary once stress hormones return to normal.
Medical Conditions
Diseases like lupus, diabetes, iron deficiency anemia, eating disorders, and scalp infections can interfere with the hair growth cycle, often causing patchy hair loss. Treating the underlying condition can help hair regrow.
Medications
Drugs for cancer, high blood pressure, arthritis, depression, and more can trigger excess hair shedding as an unintended side effect. Switching medications under a doctor’s guidance may stop hair loss.
Hairstyles and Treatments
Tight hairstyles that pull on the hair roots long-term and harsh chemical processing like perms, bleaches, or straightening treatments can permanently damage hair follicles and cause bald spots.
Understanding the Hair Growth Cycle
Hair goes through three repeating growth cycles:
Anagen (Growing) Phase: This active growth phase lasts 2-7 years. About 85-90% of hair is in this phase at any given time.
Catagen (Transition) Phase: Hair stops growing and detaches from the follicle, signaling the end of the active phase. This lasts 4-6 weeks.
Telogen (Resting) Phase: The hair rests and falls out within 2-4 months so a new hair can begin growing in the same follicle.
Normally 50-100 hairs are shed daily, but stress, changes in hormone levels, and other triggers can shift more hairs into the shedding phase sooner. Understanding your hair cycle provides context on why hair suddenly seems to be falling out in clumps at times.
Lifestyle Changes to Help Regain Lost Hair
While you can’t change genetic hair loss, lifestyle factors within your control can help create an environment to optimize whatever hair you have left.
Eat Hair-Healthy Nutrients
Protein – Amino acids are building blocks for hair keratin. Aim for 0.7-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily from fish, lean meat, eggs, beans, and nuts.
Iron – Carries oxygen to follicles. Found in spinach, lentils, and red meat. Pair with vitamin C foods to enhance absorption.
Zinc – Facilitates cell growth and repair. In oysters, chickpeas, spinach, beef.
Biotin – Helps form keratin structure. Eggs, salmon, cheese, and whole grains contain ample biotin.
Antioxidants – Protects follicles from free radical damage. Found in colorful fruits/vegetables like berries, tomatoes, and spinach.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Condition the scalp and nourish follicles. The best sources are fatty fish, walnuts, and flax/chia seeds.
Vitamin D – Active form helps grow new hair. Sunlight, fortified milk, salmon, and supplementation can provide vitamin D.
Reduce Stress Levels
Chronic stress pushes more hairs into the shedding phase. While some loss is normal, managing stress protects hairs not genetically prone to shedding.
Relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing can lower stress hormones like cortisol.
Massage enhances circulation to the scalp to nourish hair follicles.
Fun hobbies take your mind off worries so hair can grow without disruption.
Talk therapy can uncover thought patterns that fuel stress so you can address its causes.
Stop Unhealthy Hair Habits
How you style and treat hair can damage follicles, leading to breakage and loss over time.
Avoid tight hairstyles like braids, buns, or ponytails which tug at the sensitive root area and can loosen hairs. Style hair loosely.
Use heat styling minimally — choose air drying over blowdrying, and limit the use of hot tools like curling irons and straighteners to reduce heat damage to the strands.
Handle wet hair gently — hair is weakest when wet. Comb through tangles with a wide-tooth comb before washing to prevent breakage.
Reduce chemical processing — permanent dyes, bleaches, relaxers, and perms can burn and irritate the scalp and hair cuticle over time. Allow hair to regenerate without chemical treatments when possible.
Targeted Treatment Options
While supporting overall hair health through diet, stress relief, and limiting damage helps create the best environment for regrowth, the following targeted treatments can also help stimulate follicles to grow new, thicker strands.
Minoxidil Topical Solution
Minoxidil is an FDA-approved over-the-counter treatment that comes as a liquid or foam to apply directly to the scalp twice daily.
How it works:
Minoxidil prolongs the growth phase of hair to grow thicker, stronger strands. It works best at regrowing hair at the crown of the head.
Effectiveness:
40% of men saw moderate to dense hair regrowth after 3-6 months of consistent use. Works best at early stages of hair loss to revive dying follicles. Requires ongoing use to maintain benefits.
Potential side effects:
Burning or itchy scalp, dryness, and dandruff with initial use often resolve. The risk of heart problems is low but possible in those with existing conditions.
Low-Level Laser Light Devices
Wearable caps and headband devices use laser light energy to stimulate follicle activity. These are FDA-cleared for both men and women and can be used at home.
How it works:
Low-level lasers boost blood circulation at the scalp to nourish follicles, activate the growth cycle, and strengthen existing hair.
Effectiveness:
Over 6 months, 48% of users saw a halt in hair loss progression and 35% noticed new regrowth based on clinical study averages. Positive effects are dose-dependent, so compliance with frequent treatments is key.
Potential side effects:
None known. Completely non-invasive. The initial shedding phase may occur as weaker hairs fall out to make room for thicker hair. No serious risks.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections
A promising treatment is typically done in the office. Blood is drawn, processed to extract platelet-rich plasma with growth factors, and then injected back into the scalp.
How it works:
Growth factors and proteins in your blood stimulate follicle stem cells and soft tissue regeneration to grow new, youthful hair.
Effectiveness:
Over 3 months, patients see an average increase of 17 hairs per cm2. Existing hairs also become thicker. Multiple treatments can improve results.
Potential side effects:
Short-term headache, redness, and swelling at treatment sites on the scalp resolve within days. Repeated use over time seems extremely safe.
Maintaining Hair through Ongoing Care
While stimulating regrowth is the initial goal in hair loss recovery, maintaining results requires diligent ongoing care woven into your daily life.
Create a Supplement Routine
Take a hair-focused vitamin packed with:
- Biotin
- Vitamin A, C, D, B-complex
- Zinc
- Iron
- Silica
- Omega-3s
- Protein
Or make your stack such as:
- Multivitamin
- Fish oil capsules
- Zinc supplement
- Biotin capsule
When to Take Them: Consistency matters – take daily with food to help absorption.
Repeat Stimulating Treatments
Treatments like PRP injections, and light therapy require multiple sessions over weeks or months to see satisfying regrowth. Sticking to the treatment plan can help hairs cycle from shedding to the active growing phase.
For light devices, use consistently 3-4 times per week according to label instructions to pile up stimulating exposures.
For PRP, repeat injections every 1-2 months. The first set helps halt hair loss, while later rounds spur regrowth. Over time, injections can be spaced further apart for maintenance.
Ask your doctor how long to sustain therapy based on your level of hair loss and response. Investing now yields compounding rewards later.
Use Thickening Products
While working internally to revive follicles, use safe topical products for the illusion of thicker hair:
Volumizing shampoos and conditioners make hair appear fuller using ingredients like protein and B-vitamins to strengthen strands.
Root boosting sprays swell hair shafts with polymers to add lift at the roots between washes.
Coloring root touch-up powders lend the appearance of thicker hair by concealing visible scalps between strands.
Caffeine shampoos may curb further loss by blocking DHT hormone effects tied to male and female pattern baldness.
Scalp concealers like colored powders and keratin fibers cling to existing hairs to temporarily make hair look denser overall.
Continue Healthy Lifestyle Habits
What you do day-to-day influences long-term hair quality. Sticking with supportive habits equates to better growth over decades.
Reduce stress triggers through sufficient sleep, relaxation breaks, supportive relationships, and smart goal-setting.
Eat a balanced diet high in hair-healthy nutrients from a variety of whole foods. Stay adequately hydrated daily.
Exercise most days to increase blood circulation as well as mood-boosting, stress-busting endorphins.
Limit heat/chemical damage by letting hair air dry, using protective heat sprays, and spacing out perms, coloring, and permanent straightening.
Be gentle brushing/styling – use wide-tooth combs and leave-in conditioning products to prevent breakage.
The best offense against hair loss is a consistent, patient approach focused on overall hair health along with stimulating follicle regrowth. Over time, strategic efforts optimize density and help you regain lost hair.
