
Causes of hair shedding and loss –
Here’s a question we got this week from a local hair salon:
What treatments and circumstances can cause increased hair shedding or loss?
ThrIVe ANSWER: Hair Health IS Whole-Body Health!
Healthy hair starts from within. We take a whole-body approach and target key root causes of hair thinning.
As we approach restoring your body to optimal wellness, you may notice increased shedding. In extreme circumstances, you may even notice unfortunate side effects, like hair loss and thinning.
Here are the SIX main causes of hair loss, hair shedding, and hair thinning:
- HORMONES: DHT sensitivity can be caused by genetics, stress, poor diet, and toxins, as well as hormone or thyroid imbalance.
- STRESS: Physical or emotional stress like giving birth or a demanding job.
- NUTRITION: Nutrient gaps that can result from a poor diet or a compromised gut microbiome. (*THERE IS A KNOWN POTENTIAL CONNECTION BETWEEN MANY WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATIONS AND HAIR LOSS.)
- LIFESTYLE: Refers to your surroundings, the products you use, and the foods you eat. Even with all the effort we put into our skincare routines, we often forget about the skin under our hair. The scalp is its own environment or microbiome. When not properly cleansed and nourished, it often struggles with itching, flaking, hair thinning or loss, and sometimes even complete baldness.
- METABOLISM: Influences how hair follicles receive nutrients from the body.
- AGING: Aging reduces the scalp’s collagen and elastin, weakening its grip on hair strands.
- IF you are struggling with hair thinning or loss, it’s important to speak with your medical professionals, so that we can provide assistance with supplements, medications, dosage changes, and other treatment modifications. We can run blood tests (hormones and micronutrients) to help determine the cause and best course of treatment.
- IF you are losing weight (especially with the help of a GLP-1 agonist, such as Semaglutide or Tirzepatide), you MAY not be fueling your body properly. Consider whether you are following wise nutrition guidelines, getting plenty of protein, and making sure you are NOT skipping meals.
- IF you’ve recently lost substantial weight, know that the stress of weight loss can take a toll on your hair and your gut microbiome. Talk with your medical providers or the providers at ThrIVe about our line of BioTE Nutraceuticals Probiotics, so that you can foster a happy and healthy gut, leading to better overall health.
- IF you are on hormone replacement therapy or thyroid medication, you may need a simple dose adjustment.
- IF you aren’t sleeping well, or are experiencing substantial stress, you may be experiencing stress-related hair loss.
If you are unsure about the source of your hair loss, take the NUTRAFOL Hair Quiz HERE!
Hair care solutions we carry at ThrIVe:
- Nioxin Pro-Clinical Shampoo & Conditioner
- Nutrafol Women’s Balance, Men’s Balance, and Stress Adaptogen formulas (#1 Dermatologist-Recommended Hair Growth Supplement Brand*)
- BioTE Nutraceuticals Bacillus Coagulans AND Multi-Strain Probiotic 20B
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Spectracell Micronutrient Test Panel (measures 31 vitamins, minerals, amino/fatty acids, antioxidants, and metabolites – and how they affect cellular function in a person.)
- Keravive, delivered by Hydrafacial (balances the scalp’s microbiome – a complex environment of bacteria that contribute to scalp and hair health.)
We are PARTNERS in your care at ThrIVe Wheeling, and we are happy to speak with you about your changing hair needs! Please don’t hesitate to ask!