Tips to prevent hair loss
There are a few things more horrifying than looking into the mirror and realising your hairline is falling further and further back. If you’ve been scooping out clumps of hair from the shower drain, let’s just say you aren’t alone.
Unfortunately, hair shedding is extremely common and can start as early as in your 20s, thanks to your diet, hormonal changes, stress, and genetics. But there are things you can do to slow down the receding hairline and thinning hair. Allow us to throw 7 tips to prevent hair loss and receding hairline in your direction.
1. Increase iron & zinc intake in your diet
While it’s not possible to achieve Rapunzel-like hair overnight, eating a diet rich in zinc and iron can keep strands healthy and promote hair growth. Zinc and iron are critical in producing oxygen and delivering it to your cells.
When you’re not consuming enough of these nutrients, your body will stop sending them to non-essential tissues such as hair follicles. Yes, unfortunately as much as we love our tresses, our body doesn’t categorise our hair as essential for survival. This results in brittle hair, split ends, and even hair loss.
So, take a good look at your meal plan and be sure to add extra leafy greens, red meat, shellfish, legumes, and eggs which will help grow stronger strands.
2. Reduce oily & salty food which clogs hair follicles
That third bowl of mala or pile of truffle fries you consumed this week probably has your hair follicles crying by now. If you are experiencing dull and thinning hair, time to cut back on the oil and sodium.
Like facial pores, your hair follicles can easily be clogged when you consume too much food that’s packed with oil and salt. Clogged follicles won’t absorb nutrients and deliver them to your hair. That means you could be eating hella greens and protein all day but your locks won’t reap any benefits.
3. Consider prescription medication such as Minoxidil
Viral hair gummies on TikTok and DIY hair masks are easy go-tos, but there’s no guarantee that they’ll work in the long run. Prescription strength medication like Minoxidil, however, may offer better results. This medication works by increasing blood flow to the scalp, thickening hair strands, and boosting hair growth.
In Singapore, Minoxidil comes in both topical formula and oral tablets. The former, however, doesn’t require a prescription. Once you’ve started on it, you’ll need to be committed – use it every single day until the end of time.
If you miss a few doses or stop completely, you might find your hairline receding again. We recommend speaking to your doctor or dermatologist before starting on the medication. Possible side effects include scalp irritation and an initial 3-month shedding phase before new hair starts to grow.
4. Wash hair with medicated or thickening shampoo
Healthy hair starts at the scalp. Yours, however, may have a massive amount of dandruff sitting on top of it 24/7. It itches, flakes, and sometimes becomes inflamed. To deal with dandruff and stop the shed, consider using a medicated shampoo that are easily available at drugstores.
IYKYK, but zinc pyrithione and ketoconazole are the 2 holy grail ingredients for dandruff treatments. Both work by eliminating extra yeast and fungus on your scalp, as well as the pesky white flakes that come with it.
Just promise us you won’t overuse it. Even in its mildest form, a dandruff-fighting formula can strip your hair of moisture and turn it into straw. Once or twice a week is the recommended dosage to keep itch and flakes at bay. On other days, grab yourself a thickening shampoo that’ll lift your roots and give your fine hair some fullness.
5. Avoid heat styling & bleaching
Everyone, including your hairdresser, warned you about the damage heat styling and bleaching could cause your hair. But you did it anyway because YOLO and now you may regret that decision while staring at your bald spots.
The high heat from your curling iron, blow dryer, and straightener can wreck your hair’s outer cuticles and create dryness and split ends. Same goes for hair bleach which contains harsh chemicals that can cause breakage. If your crown is looking a lil’ sparse, we’d say give your hot tools and highlights a break or retire them altogether.
However, we understand that sometimes your evening calls for some big curls or you just really want to work the icy blonde bob hair trend. If that’s the case, spray on some heat protectant prior to using the heating tools or do an overnight coconut oil hair mask to hydrate damaged hair.
6. Massage your scalp to stimulate blood circulation
A regular scalp massage is probably the next best thing that can happen to your hair since shampoo.
Not only does it feel fantastic, but rubbing your scalp can help remove buildup and boost circulation so more nutrients can get to your hair follicles. You can either invest in a handheld head massager or run your fingers through your scalp for 1 to 2 minutes on either wet or dry hair. Or, beg your hairstylist for an extra-long scrub session.
Just remember to use light to medium pressure. The last thing you want is to irritate your scalp further.
7. Get in your Vitamin D to boost hair growth
Your scalp just called to say it needed a dose of Vitamin D asap. Like your body and brain, your hair follicles also require an adequate amount of sunshine to absorb other nutrients and regenerate. To ensure you aren’t Vitamin D-deficient, stock up on fatty fish, dairy products, and Vitamin D supplements.
Since Vitamin D is mainly derived from sunlight, you’re encouraged to get some rays. Go for a walk or a run. Just don’t forget to slab on some sunscreen and protect your strands with some SPF hair spray. Direct exposure to UVA and UVB rays can dry out your scalp and make your hair brittle.
Hair loss tips that’ll work
Receding hairline, premature balding, hair thinning – whatever you call it, hair loss is probably everyone’s worst nightmare. But don’t panic just yet. Try the above tips to prevent hair loss and see how it goes. If you feel like a more intensive care plan for your scalp is needed, head over to TK Trichokare and check out the Scalp Purifying Therapy.
In a nutshell, it’s a 6-step customised scalp treatment designed to combat common issues that can cause hair loss such as flaking, itchiness, and inflammation. Each session starts with a thorough Hair & Scalp Analysis, where a certified trichologist uses a magnifier that can zoom in up to 200 times to assess your scalp situation.
Head massages help to improve blood circulation, thus promoting hair growth.
Post consultation, a European Herbal Scalp Masque will be applied to soften the dirt and oil buildup before you’re whisked away for a Revitalising Hair Bath. Basically, this relaxing deep cleanse will be everything your scalp and soul have been waiting for. To top it off, you will experience a head massage that is both relaxing and invigorating.
After that, a trichologist will carefully dispense a customised ampoule and work it into your scalp using an Oxyjet machine. This process helps to increase hair growth, minimise scalp ageing, and reduce inflammation.
Next up is Photodynamic Therapy where you’ll sit under a red laser hood for 10 minutes to seal up nutrients in your hair. Prepare to emerge from the treatment feeling like a new person with squeaky clean scalp, smooth hair, and unclogged hair follicles.
Before and after scalp treatment scans show cleansing of clogged pores and impurities.
Image adapted from: TK TrichoKare
The final step is the post-treatment Hair & Scalp Scan analysis where the trichologist shows you the difference in your scalp condition and explains how each step of the treatment helped to improve it.
Newbies heading to TK Trichokare for the first time will be able to try a Scalp Purifying Therapy at only $40. On top of that, you can bring home a free HairGro Ampoule, Hair Bath, and a CompleteKare Mask (worth $770).
After years of colouring, curling, and pulling your hair into a tight bun, even the strongest of strands can become fragile. Or, perhaps you have genetics to blame. Regardless of the reason, these tips will be able to help reduce your hair loss.
Book a Scalp Purifying Therapy session with TK Trichokare
This post was brought to you by TK Trichokare.
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