25 Mar 2025

Blackmores

How to Reduce Hair Loss?

3 mins to read

Learn how to reduce hair loss with expert tips on diet, hair care, and lifestyle changes. Strengthen your hair naturally and prevent thinning.

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Many consider their hair an important part of their image, especially those whose occupation involves being in public with customers or in the spotlight as a public speaker or performer.

Hair loss is normal and common, especially with age. It can affect people differently, with various causes appearing in different ways.

However, there are things you can do to keep your hair healthy and minimise hair loss

We lose hair every day. According to Cleveland Clinic, this can be between 50 and 100 hairs a day. Meanwhile, new hair grows daily to replace this. It can happen anywhere on the body, but most commonly on the scalp.

The hair cycles through the following periods of growth:

Growth: The longest phase, between three to five years, it’s when the hair follicles push out hairs
Transition: Hair follicles shrink to prepare for shedding and make way for new hair. Hair starts to separate from the follicles but remains intact.
Resting: New hairs form in follicles that have just released hairs during the transition phase.
Shedding phase: Lasting about 2 to 5 months, hair sheds while new hairs grow in these follicles where the hair was shed.

There may be other types of hair loss that can be impacted by the following:

Causes of hair loss

Genetic

According to Sinclair Dermatology, genetic factors play a bigger role in hair loss than environmental factors. For example, the sex hormone (DHT) that activates male-pattern baldness also activates female-pattern baldness.

Although many will experience thinning and hair loss due to ageing, according to Harvard University, some will experience a more obvious form of hereditary-pattern baldness that can start in the 20s or 30s. However, in women, the changes are more pronounced after menopause. Harvard University describes it as the most common cause of hair loss, a natural condition caused by a combination of genetics, hormone levels, and the aging process.

It starts with thinning hair, progressing to complete baldness.

Though hair loss is permanent, genetic hair loss is managed with medication that can prevent or promote hair growth.

Hormones

Hormones play a role during the hair growth cycle, so any fluctuations can disrupt it. An increase in cortisol levels due to stress, for example, can halt hair growth. Thyroid levels that are too high or too low can also cause brittle hair or hair loss, as thyroid hormones are essential for the production of keratin, the protein building block for hair.

During pregnancy, when estrogen levels increase, this can mean thicker hair.

However, a drop in estrogen occurs a few months after delivery, and as Columbia University reports, hair loss occurs in the first one to six months after childbirth or when breastfeeding ceases.

During menopause, reduced estrogen and progesterone levels can slow hair growth and cause shedding. As the University of Wollongong describes, hair follicles gradually reduce in size until they no longer produce hair.

In men, who have a large amount of testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), is produced from testosterone. According to The Institute of Hair Trichologists, DHT targets receptors within the hair follicles, causing gradual thinning until hair stops growing.

Harsh hair care

Products that contain harsh ingredients, such as dyes, and appliances that emit heat, such as styling irons and hair dryers, can damage the hair. Tight hairstyles can pull on the hair and cause permanent hair loss, which is medically termed traction alopecia. Unfortunately, regrowth from such practices is not possible, and hair loss becomes permanent. As the American Academy of Dermatology Association reports, once a hair follicle is damaged, hair cannot grow from that follicle. Many damaged hair follicles create permanent bald spots.

The Institute of Hair Trichologists points out environmental factors such as air pollution or minerals in the water that may impact hair quality and contribute to thinning. Sun exposure can weaken the hair shaft and also play a role in hair loss.

Infections

Typically these are fungal, such as ringworm of the scalp, or bacterial, such as folliculitis. These infections can lead to scaly skin or inflammation on the scalp. Some may develop a bald spot or small black dots, which are stubs of hair.

According to The American Academy of Dermatology Association, sexually transmitted diseases, such as syphili,s can also cause patchy hair loss.

Once infections are treated, hair often does regrow.

Lifestyle factors

According to the Institute of Trichologists, stress is one of the main causes of temporary hair loss due to a rise in cortisol levels. Stress can also lead to hair pulling, which can also cause hair loss.

Inadequate nutrition can be a major contributor to hair loss. Important nutrients that may be missing in hair loss include iron, zinc, protein and B vitamins such as biotin.

How to support hair health

Proper hair care practices

Use gentle haircare products to prevent moisture from being stripped from hair. Instead of colouring your hair at home, have a personalised service at a salon that includes a scalp and hair consultation.

To reduce hair drying with heated appliances, dry it naturally, or use the lowest setting.

Limit the use of heated appliances such as styling irons. The heat can weaken hair.

Avoid hairstyles that pull on your hair, as this can cause hair loss, which is called traction alopecia.

Healthy diet

A nutrient deficiency, such as iron or protein, can impact hair health and lead to hair loss. According to Harvard University, eating enough vitamin A, B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B7 (biotin), B9 (folate), B12, C, D, E, iron, selenium, and zinc is essential for preventing hair loss and supporting hair health.

In particular, zinc and biotin are the main nutrients supporting hair health and growth.

Biotin helps produce keratin, a hair protein. Zinc helps form connective tissue, which is important for healthy hair development.

According to Harvard University, Vitamin D is required to make the cells that develop into hair follicles. The university also reports that iron aids oxygen delivery to hair follicles for hair growth.

As hair follicles are made of protein, it is important to eat enough of it to support their function in hair growth.

Other lifestyle factors

Quit or reduce smoking as it causes inflammation that can exacerbate hair loss.

Manage stress, well as emotional stress, can contribute to hair loss.

Hair restoration procedures

Hair transplantation procedures involve removing hair follicles from the back or sides of the scalp and transferring them to the bald areas. However, complications can occur, such as infection.

When to seek further help for hair loss

If you are unsure whether the hair shedding you are experiencing is hair loss, see your GP.

If you experience uncomfortable scalp symptoms such as burning or itching, it could be an indicator that an infection or inflammation may be contributing to hair loss.

Your doctor may be able to diagnose your condition and treat you for hair loss. If your situation is more complex, they may refer you to a dermatologist specialising in treating hair loss.

Your GP may refer you to a dermatologist or other specialist if it requires further and more specialised attention and care.

REFERENCES

Hair loss, Cleveland Clinic, updated 26 August 2021, accessed 20 March 2025, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21753-hair-loss
What is hair loss? Sinclair Dermatology, accessed 20 March, 2025, https://www.sinclairdermatology.com.au/treatments/hair-loss/
Hereditary-patterned baldness, Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, updated 15 February, 2024, accessed 20 March 2025, https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/hereditary-patterned-baldness-a-to-z
Scalp problems, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, accessed 20 March 2025, https://www.columbiadoctors.org/health-library/symptom/scalp-problems/
Here’s how hormones and chemotherapy can change your hair, University of Wollongong, accessed 25 March, 2025, https://www.uow.edu.au/media/2024/heres-how-hormones-and-chemotherapy-can-change-yourhair.php
Hormonal Hair Loss, The Institute of Trichologists, accessed 20 March 2025, https://trichologists.org.uk/hormonal-hair-loss/
Hair loss: Who gets and causes: American Academy of Dermatology Association, accessed 20 March 2025 https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/causes/18-causes
Vitamins, minerals, and hair loss: Is there a connection? Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School, accessed 20 March 2025