hair-loss

Men and women lose their hair for different reasons and most of us are left feeling self-conscious and confused about how to find real solutions.

Most of us actually like our hair, even thought it’s often not the way we would like it to be, or it’s a constant source of frustration -- nothing worse than a bad hair day. We often spend a lot of time either thinking about how to wear it or taking care of it. Hair care products are a HUGE industry, no real surprise there. But, what do you do when you realize you are losing more hair than you are growing? Yes, girls and women lose hair everyday too.

First, some Hair Anatomy and Physiology (you knew I had to write something about this).

Hair is a structure that originates from hair follicles in the dermis. The entire hair structure consists of the hair follicle, sebaceous gland, hair muscles (arrector pili), and in some instances the apocrine gland. Hair is a keratinized structure that is pushed upward from the hair follicle. Growth of the hair is centered in the bulb (or base) of the hair follicle and the hair under goes changes as it is pushed outward.

Hair has been found to go through cyclic phases identified as anagen -- the growth phase, catagen -- the atrophy phase, and telogen -- the resting phase. This hair photo is human hair magnified 3600 times. A vascular network at the site of the follicular bulb nourishes and maintains the hair follicle. Melanocytes are found in the bulb and are responsible for the color of the hair.

The hair muscles -- the arrector pili, located under the sebaceous gland provides a temperature regulation function by contracting and reducing the skin surface area that is available for the dissipation of body heat. (Those little muscles cause what we call 'goose bumps' or 'goose flesh' when you get the “chills”).

Get Info on Re-Grow Massage Oil - It Promotes Healthy Hair Growth and Protects Against age-related Hair Loss - from our friends at Native Remedies. Quality products all the time! ~ Amy, RN ~

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What causes Alopecia or Hair Loss?

Hair loss can be a traumatic experience for many people. A healthy head of hair is often an important factor in how you feel about yourself and in feeling good about your appearance. When hair begins to fall out, appears thin and lifeless or comes out in patches, this can cause a great deal of distress and insecurity.

The health of your hair is a good indicator of the health of your body. When hair loss becomes excessive, it is important to find out what is causing it so that you can also treat the underlying problem.

There are many causes of hair loss, including:

* Aging (e.g. male pattern baldness)
* Harsh chemicals (e.g. hair coloring, incorrect brushing and tight hair bands or rollers)
* Smoking
* Stress
* Hormonal changes
* Thyroid problems
* After effects of pregnancy
* Dietary deficiencies
* Fungal infections of the scalp
* Side Effects of medication (e.g. anticoagulants, gout medication, antidepressives, contraceptives and excess Vitamin A)
* Reaction to illness or major surgery (hair may fall out up to three months afterwards)
* Reaction to chemotherapy

Rarely, hair loss may be an early symptom of disease like diabetes or lupus.

What should I do if I notice excessive hair loss?

It is important to pay attention to undue hair loss, even if this is just to reassure yourself that all is well. The first step would be to visit your doctor, homeopath or health care professional who will usually ask a series of questions and even do some tests to find out what is causing your hair loss.

If it is found that you have a medical condition which is responsible for the hair loss (e.g. thyroid problems) then treating the condition will often reverse the hair loss. Each case is different and the underlying causes should always determine how your particular problem is handled medically. Once the cause has been found, there may be a number of different ways of treating it, ranging from a change in medication, treating an underlying medical condition and using products to promote hair growth.

What about male pattern baldness?

Male pattern baldness is one of the most common causes of hair loss in men and early balding often runs in families.

Male pattern baldness is hormonal in origin. Young men have relatively high amounts of a hormone called testosterone in their bodies. As they grow older, the testosterone levels fall due to the presence of an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase, which converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT effects the hair follicles and slows down hair production, producing weak, shorter hair and even stops the hair follicle from producing hair at all. Over time, this causes balding.

While this is perfectly normal and many men come to accept that a balding or bald head does not affect their attractiveness, others have difficulty in accepting the change and seek treatment. This can range from using prescription drugs like finasteride (which inhibits 5-alpha reductase) or Minoxidil to expensive hair implants.

How can natural remedies help?

Hair is mostly made from a fibrous protein called keratin, which is also found in fingernails and toenails. The supply of nutrient-rich blood to the scalp and hair follicles is essential in promoting healthy hair growth and preventing hair loss.

Natural remedies can help hair grow stronger and more plentifully by nourishing it at the roots, stimulating blood flow and the supply of nutrients to the hair follicles and thereby promoting healthy hair growth and slowing down excessive hair loss.

What is ReGrow Massage Oil?

ReGrow Massage Oil contains a blend of carefully chosen essential oils used therapeutically in aromatherapy.

Essential oils are extractions of living plants and contain well known healing properties, containing a complex combination of many healing chemicals which work on the physical as well as the psychological level. Good quality essential oils are highly concentrated and contain no synthetic additives.

The essential oils in ReGrow Massage Oil have been especially chosen for their beneficial effect on the skin and hair follicles. However, as is always the case with nature, their use will bring a number of additional benefits such as stress, anxiety, insomnia and headache relief, as well as improved memory, circulation, digestion and a host of other healing properties. Nature is always generous!

As most aromatherapy oils are too concentrated to be use directly on the skin, they are usually blended into a carrier oil which should be chosen according to the therapeutic effect needed as well as the properties of the essential oils used. The carrier oil used in ReGrow Massage Oil is Avocado oil, chosen for its high nutritative value.

Rich in nutrients, especially Vitamin E, Avocado oil further extends the therapeutic effect of ReGrow Massage Oil on the scalp and hair follicles.