Sleep is one of the most important body functions we have. During sleep, our body restores, resets, and repairs. Getting an adequate amount of sleep is key to living a healthy lifestyle. Not only does it allow your body to conduct crucial functions, it helps your mind, mood, and weight as well.
Scientists suggest making a sleep schedule and sticking to it, in order to ensure quality sleep each night. This means sticking to your bedtime, even on the weekends. But of course, that’s easier said than done. And new research suggests some foods could be messing with your nightly zzz’s.
Nutritionists have researched how late-night snacking interferes with your quality of sleep. Particularly, how these late-night snacks can be derailing your sleep health.
Sugar-filled treats. Sugary treats such as candy, ice cream, and chocolate delay the release of melatonin in your body. Melatonin manages your sleep-wake cycle, so when it gets out of whack, so does your quality of sleep.
Caffeine. This one could probably go without saying, but we’ll say it anyways. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, the chemical responsible for making you feel sleepy. No sleepy feeling chemicals to your brains means your brain stays feeling awake.
High sodium foods. Everyone’s favorite – high sodium foods, such as French fries, burritos, and Asian food wreak havoc on your hydration levels. Dehydration is what causes you to wake up in the middle of the night feeling like you could drink a pool.
Heart-burn causers. Onions, garlic, and hot sauce are common heart-burn causers, especially in those prone to acid-reflux. Eating these foods before lying down can irritate the esophagus, causing you to experience pain and gas.
Alcohol. This one may be surprising to some, as having a drink before bed is a common American past-time. While alcohol may induce sleep, it doesn’t keep you asleep. This is due to alcohol altering the production of chemicals while you’re asleep. This interferes with REM, causing you to miss out on the deep, restorative sleep our bodies need.
Tag Archives: Hair Loss
How to shave your head properly
Many men who experience hair loss decide to cut their losses and go for a complete shaved head. This allows them to maintain a clean look without dealing with bald spots and the worry of what continued and future hair loss will look like.
If you’ve found yourself on this page, you’re likely going through the same thing. Whether you’re ready for a shaved head, or are still exploring your hair restoration or transplant options, we’ve got you covered.
The first thing you should know is that there’s a right way and a wrong way to shave your head. Do it right, and you’ve got a clean, easily-maintainable look. Do it wrong, and you’ve got a messy situation.
The right way:
Trim your hair first. It’ll be much easier to shave your head once you’ve got the hair to a manageable length. Get it as short as you can with clippers, then proceed to the wet shave.
Wash your hair with hot water and soap. This will soften the hair, making it easier (and more comfortable) to shave.
Use your favorite shaving cream. It can be the foam type or lotion type, which ever your prefer. Make sure to cover the scalp completely. This will allow a smoother glide of the razor, allowing you to get all the hairs and reducing the chance of nicks.
Use long strokes. This is how you prevent patchy or uneven spots. Make sure to go around the ears a few times, carefully. This area can be tricky even for the most-experienced head shaver.
Rinse and touch up! Rinse off the shaving cream and excess hair. Feel around and use a mirror to observe any fuzzy patches left behind.
The wrong way:
Going in cold turkey. Skipping the prep step could leave you with patchy, uneven hair that actually hurt you during the process. Trimming and showering in hot water allow you to get closer to scalp with less pain. Take your time and you’ll be glad you did.
Skip the hand mirror. Some people like to use a hand mirror to see the back of the scalp while shaving. Most likely this will confuse you (image appears reversed) and could lead to more damage.
Pro-tips:
Ingrown hairs are a pain. Use a hot towel draped over the head post-shave to prevent ingrown.
Don’t forget the sunblock and hat. Now that you’ve got added surface area on your head, you want to protect it. Scalp sunburns hurt real bad so make sure to always have sun block and a hat on stand-by. Added bonus – the hat doubles as added insulation once the sun drops.
Men: here’s the best way to handle all your facial hair
While beard trends come and go, from clean-shaven to handle-bar mustache to full on lumberjack style beard, the rest of your face isn’t so trendy. Nose hair, eyebrow hair, and ear hair are not subject to the same changing styles or personality your beard is. They pretty much always need to be tamed to keep your face looking fresh and clean.
But what’s the best way to groom your face? Worry not, we’ve compiled some of the best tips around for how to keep those pesky hairs from taking over your face and clean style.
Feeling brave? Forego the at-home work and opt for salon service instead. Noses, ears, and eyebrows are some of the most common facial waxing packages available. A little hurt now means more time in between maintenance sessions.
Nose hair
The first thing you should know is that you should never pluck your nose hairs. First off, it hurts. And there’s just no need for that kind of pain. Second off, it’s not good for you. Our noses have hair for a reason, and plucking them can leave you susceptible to infection.
That being said, long nose hairs are unsightly and kind of gross. So instead, opts for some special facial hair scissors (with a round safety edge) or some cool nose-hair trimmers. Either option can be found during a quick trip to your local store or pharmacy in the hair-care or facial-care areas.
Pro-tip: Press the nose up and back for easier access to the hairs.
Ear hair
We’ve all seen scary ear hair, most likely on our grandfathers (sorry grandpa). Those things can get long and scary very quickly.
Trim some years off your age by trimming your ear hair. The ear can be a bit more tricky compared to the nose when it comes to taming hair, but an electric trimmer will most likely be the easiest tool to aid in your ear-hair-eliminating venture.
Just make sure to be careful. Slowly run the trimmers across the outer surface of the ear. Whatever you do, don’t go digging around inside your ear canal. One wrong move and you can get permanent ear drum damage.
Eyebrow hair
Nobody likes crazy brows or a unibrow, but it can be intimidating to know where to start when it comes to taming your eyebrows. Not sure where to start? Take a deep breath and grab a comb, tweezers, and small trimming scissors. Don’t worry, it’s easy!
First, come your brows up toward your hair line. Take a small pair of trimming scissors and trim any hair ends protruding over the natural shape of the brow. Repeat after combing brows down towards the chin.
Use the tweezers to clean up that unibrow. If it’s been awhile and you’re having a hard time knowing where your brows start and end, use your inner eye and nostrils as a guide.
The best foods for preventing hair loss
Most of us desire to have thick, healthy, strong, lustrous hair. While there’s plenty of hair care products that claim to do this, and some even do a great job, you can’t beat treating from the inside out.
Nutrients and vitamins found in everyday foods can be super hair savers. These foods naturally contain ingredients often added to shampoos, serums, and over the counter treatments meant to help hair and prevent hair loss.
The foods below are nutrient-dense and have been shown to positively impact hair health and prevent hair loss over time.
Spinach – mineral deficiencies can sometimes be the cause of hair loss. Spinach is rich in iron, omega-3 acids, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. All great for hair health and overall health.
Greek yogurt – this thick, protein-rich yogurt is rich in vitamin B5. Vitamin B5 helps with blood flow throughout the body, which means more bloody supply to the scalp and hair follicles.
Salmon – salmon is full of omega-3’s which are inflammation fighters. In some cases of hair loss, inflammation can be the culprit.
Cinnamon – another anti-inflammatory which also improves circulation. Improved circulation means more oxygen and nutrients reaching your hair follicles.
Oatmeal – this breakfast-favorite is rich in iron, fiber, zinc, and omega-3’s. These nutrients are great for growing hair and improving its health.
Guava – did you know guava contains as much as 5 times more vitamin C than oranges? Vitamin C was proven in a recent double-blind study to help women with thinning hair improve thickness as well as hair growth.
Eggs – eggs are full of biotin which you may recognize from the vitamin aisle. Biotin is great for growing hair as well as strengthening fingernails and softening skin.
If you have been experiencing hair loss for some time, you may need a consultation with hair restoration surgeon to best explore your options. Give us a call today.
Is sweat harmful to your hair?
Sweating is a common human experience we all go through. While some of us sweat more than others naturally, everyone can relate to sweating at one point or another.
Through work outs, heat, anxiety, or illness, our bodies sweat. Sweating is a natural body process that often occurs when our core body temperature rises to above normal levels. Sweating is a mechanism our bodies use to cool us and rid our body of toxins. It can also occur during times of heightened emotion because sweat glands are effected by emotions.
For those that sweat a lot, due to nature or their love for working out or working hard, sweaty hair is par for the course. Many sweaty-hair individuals may be wondering if sweat is bad for their hair.
Some harmful effects of sweat are due to irritation and sebum. Sweat on the scalp can cause irritation and itchiness. Sebum build-up can cause hair loss overtime, as well as the ‘shiny head’ syndrome.
The most harmful effect of sweat has to do with DHT. It turns out the sweat contains DHT. DHT is converted testosterone that binds to hair follicles and prevents hair growth. In other words, DHT causes hair loss. While DHT is found primarily in our blood, it can also be found in sebum and sweat.
Because of the damage caused by DHT, its believed to be best to limit the amount of time DHT is on the scalp and hair follicles, in hopes of preventing the DHT from bonding with the hair follicles and causing hair loss.
This is why its important to wash hair regularly, particularly after a sweaty session. Washing hair will cleanse the scalp of sweat and sebum, leaving the scalp healthy and DHT free. You can read more on hair washing here.
If you are experiencing hair loss and believe it may be in part due to DHT-containing sweat or sebum, give us a call today for a consultation.
Future cure for baldness and graying – studying the KROX20 protein
Researchers in the UK stumbled upon a possible cure for baldness and graying during cancer research.
While trying to understand the way tumors form and interact with nerve cells, they discovered a protein called KROX20. The protein is commonly associated with nerve development and is present in skin cells that are programmed to become hair follicles and hair shafts.
These pre-hair follicle cells produce a stem cell factor (SCF) essential for hair growth and pigmentation. In mice studies, deleting this stem cell gene turned mice’ hair white. Deleting the KROX20 protein resulted in an absence of hair growth and eventually, bald mice.
While scientists were aware that KROX20 and SCF were factors in hair growth and pigmentation, they were not fully aware to what extent and the degree of importance.
The newly discovered connections are promising news in the hair loss community, as there is currently no cure for this ailment that effects over 80% of the US men and 50% of US women throughout their lifespan.
Future research will continue and hopefully answer questions regarding the effects of KROX20 and SCF in humans. Further, scientists are hopeful that down the road, the research will offer implications and insight into human aging as a whole.
While the potential KROX20 and SCF cure for baldness and graying is still a ways-away, there are some current scientifically-proven options for those experiencing hair loss. Stem cells have been helpful in reversing recent hair loss and preventing future hair loss through PRP (platelet rich plasma therapy). And laser-light therapy has shown great results in male and female patients alike.
If you’d like to learn more about your up-to-date scientific hair loss options, give us a call for a medical management of hair loss consultation.
Men: here’s the secret to confidence and youthfulness
Self-esteem plays a huge role in our overall happiness and well-being. As we age, we can often feel insecure which brings our confidence down.
While both men and women suffer from self-esteem issues, women seem to have a lot more opportunities to regain their confidence. Whether it’s through clothes, cosmetic procedures, or a new haircut, there’s a huge market aimed towards helping women feel their best as they age.
Men, on the other hand, don’t have a lot of options for maintaining their youth and confidence. But what we do know, is that men’s hair plays a huge role in their view of themselves.
In a survey, the majority of men reported hair loss as a “major concern.” Even noting that they believed their hair loss was a “major concern” for the women in their life as well.
This same study found that men are extremely concerned with losing their hair. They reported it was directly tied to their self-esteem. In fact, the men stated that hair loss was more of a concern for them then losing their sanity.
It seems clear that men’s hair is the key to their confidence. This is not surprise, seeing as how the appearance of our hair drastically changes our appearance. Think: no hair versus a full head of hair, a receding hair line versus a lower one.
The health and fullness of your hair is directly correlated to how youthful you look. Men with more hair and a healthy hair line look younger, whereas lack of hair and a receding hairline instantly age you.
If you’re experiencing hair loss and suffering from lowered self-esteem, give us a call today. We can help you regain your hair, confidence, and youthfulness.
Post-hair transplant surgery shock hair loss
Sometimes, after a hair transplant surgery, a condition known as shock loss occurs. Shock loss is when your natural pre-existing (aka native) hairs fall out. This can occur in the recipient as well as the donor zones. This hair loss causes new areas of baldness that were not there previous to the hair transplant.
Shock loss occurs due to the stress of surgery and the body’s response to that stress. Anytime we have a surgical procedure, we are putting the body through a type of stress. Stress responses differ from person to person.
In hair transplant surgeries, we sometimes see shock loss as a stress response. This happens because the surrounding follicles near the extracted or implanted grafts because traumatized or “shocked” by the procedure.
The good news is that shock loss is often a temporary condition. The hairs usually return during the next hair growth cycle (2-6 months). In cases where the hair loss is permanent, the hairs that were effected by shock loss were likely weak follicles. This means that they were on their way to dying off and becoming bald areas soon.
There are ways to avoid shock loss prior to and during hair transplant surgery. Avoiding mega-sessions, being informed about the hair loss and growth process, and choosing a surgeon that utilizes a precise hand technique as opposed to robotic all play a role in shock loss.
Post-surgery shock loss and graft-shedding are sometimes mistaken for each other. To clarify, shock loss refers to your native hairs falling out near where grafts were extracted or placed. Shedding refers to the newly transplanted grafts cycling through the natural hair growth cycle. Graft-shedding is natural part of the hair transplant process.
If you would like to learn more about hair transplant surgery and what it entails, give us a call for consultation.
What is the right age for hair transplant surgery?
Hair loss can affect those of all ages. Men in particular, commonly see hair loss symptoms as early as their early 20’s. Women on the other hand commonly see hair loss symptoms as early as their late 20’s.
Even though the 20’s seem to be a common age to start seeing hair loss symptoms, we sometimes see patients as early as their late teens.
Those who experience hair loss at a young age are often devastated about their symptoms. While most people accept that hair loss comes with aging, it is not as easy to accept when it comes early and unexpectedly.
Younger patients are often able to notice their hair loss symptoms earlier than older patients. This is good news because catching hair loss early on is the best way to prevent it from continuing.
While there is no age cut-off for hair transplant surgery, it is usually not recommended as a first solution for those who are early in their hair loss progression. This is because it is very likely that the hair loss will continue progressing as the patient ages and hair transplant surgery doesn’t prevent future hair loss.
The only way to prevent future hair loss and maintain the current hair is to utilize medical management. Medical management is an ideal first step for younger patients just beginning to lose hair. They can maintain their current hair, possibly reverse the hair loss they have experienced, and prevent future hair loss. All the while planning for their hair transplant surgery later on down the road.
No matter your age, if you’re experiencing hair loss you should schedule a consult with an experienced hair restoration surgeon as soon as possible. They can address the cause of the hair loss and work with you to find a solution that’s right for you. Give us a call today.
What is the Norwood Scale?
If you’ve been researching hair transplants you’ve likely heard of the Norwood scale.
The Norwood scale is a tool that was developed to help diagnose the progression of hair loss. It was developed in the 1950’s and has been revised several times since.
The scale has approximately 8-12 stages depending on the version of the scale used. While there are many different variants of hair loss (much more than 12), the Norwood scale illustrates the most common ones.
Over time, as hair loss progresses, an individual may move to a different number on the scale. Similarly, a hair transplant changes the individual’s number on the scale as well.
Knowing your number on the scale allows you to keep track of your hair loss over time. This is particularly useful for those utilizing medical management. Medical management helps to maintain your current hair and prevent continued and future hair loss.
This tool not only helps you diagnose the progression of your hair loss but also helps in communicating with physicians and surgeons. Having an agreed upon scale allows everyone to be on the same page. This is particularly important when having a hair transplant surgery.
How to determine your level on the Norwood Scale
The 8 level Norwood scale follows the hair loss progression below:
Type I. Minimal hair loss.
Type II. Insignificant hair loss at temples.
Type III. The first stage that requires treatment.
Type III Vertex. Receding hairline and thinning hair on vertex.
Type IV. Bigger pattern on the vertex and hairline.
Type V. Patterns at both sites are bigger but a thin division line is still present.
Type VI. The bridge is gone but several strands of short fine hair may remain.
Type VII. The most severe form of hair loss. Little hair on the front or top of the head.
To determine your exact degree of baldness utilizing the scale, you should meet with a certified hair restoration surgeon. They will analyze your hair and give you a level and quote during a consultation.
If you’d like to determine your Norwood level, give us a call for a consultation today.
I’m only 19, why am I balding?
This is a common question we receive here at Modena Hair Center. Many individuals, men in particular, wonder why they are experiencing balding in their teenage years or early 20’s.
Balding at an early age can cause confusion and embarrassment. While most men experience balding as they mature into their 30’s and 40’s, it is not uncommon for men to experience balding as soon as they become adults.
The age at which men experience balding is highly influenced by genetic factors. If the men in your family experienced early balding, you are likely to suffer the same fate.
While genetics play a big role, it is still possible for you to bald at an early age without having a family history of the trend.
Luckily, noticing your hair loss early on is beneficial. Men are more likely to notice and deal with their hair loss if it impacts them at an earlier age. Dealing with hair loss at the first sight of symptoms is the best way to reverse hair loss while also preventing continued and future hair loss.
Dealing with hair loss in the early stages
When hair loss is noticed in the early stages, it is more likely to be reversed. Additionally, the individual’s effort is more likely to prove successful at warding off future hair loss.
When you notice hair loss right away, you have likely caught the condition before the hair follicles have died. This is great news because once a hair follicle dies there is no bringing it back to life. That means that once that hair follicle dies, that hair loss is permanent.
If you catch the hair follicles before they have died, you can utilize medical management methods to restore your hair, reversing the hair loss. Examples of effective medical management tools are medication, topical solutions, specialized shampoos, laser therapy, and PRP therapy.
These medical management tools can not only help to reverse recent hair loss, but will prevent future hair loss as well. This prevention will be the key to maintaining and protecting your hair.
If you’re experiencing hair loss and would like to find out more about your options, give us a call for a consultation today.
Steroid injections for hair loss
One hair loss treatment method is steroid injections. This targeted hair loss approach is used on patients suffering from a specific type of hair loss known as alopecia areata.
Alopecia areata is a condition in which the immune system attacks the hair follicles causing hair loss. Much is still unknown about this type of hair loss. What is known is that naturally occurring antibodies are mistaken as foreign antibodies and programmed for destruction.
Individuals suffering from alopecia areata usually present with clumps of hair falling out. This leaves round bald patches across the scalp. Others may experience sudden diffuse thinning across the scalp, while others may experience hair breakage.
It is common for alopecia areata patients to notice their symptoms come and go. The hair loss may be permanent or non-permanent, depending on genetic history factors.
An effective treatment for alopecia areata is cortico-steroid injections. With this type of treatment, steroids are injected directly into and near the balding areas. The steroids boost the immune system’s defensive capabilities and allow the hair follicles to withstand destruction. While this treatment method isn’t always effective, it’s the most common and effective treatment for alopecia areata at this time.
One other treatment for alopecia areata that has shown some effectiveness is Rogaine (minoxidil). Rogaine works to stimulate the hair follicles promoting strength and growth.
If you think you may have alopecia areata, you should meet with an experienced and qualified hair restoration surgeon who specializes in the medical management of hair loss. A simple exam and hair analysis will determine if you have this condition.
Feel free to contact us today and schedule you medical management consultation.
The benefits of getting a good night’s sleep
Sleep is one of the most important body functions you experience. During sleep, your body restores, resets, and repairs.
Getting an adequate amount of sleep is a key factor in living a healthy lifestyle. Not only does it allow your body to conduct important functions, it helps your mind and mood as well.
With so many benefits, it’s hard to believe that most individuals don’t get enough sleep. After all, who doesn’t love a good snooze?
Unfortunately, due to busy lives, adults in general are not getting enough sleep. This habit could be causing your aches, pains, mood swings, and halting your body from conducting some of its most crucial functions.
Most doctors recommend getting 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. While this task can be easier said than done, we’ve compiled a list of a few reasons why you should prioritize a good night’s sleep.
- Improves memory – during sleep your mind strengthens and practices memory skills.
- Helps you live a longer, happier life – research has shown that those who get adequate sleep live longer and are happier.
- Prevents inflammation – inflammation is linked to a plethora of diseases. Studies have found that those who get less than 6 hours of sleep a night have more inflammatory proteins in their body.
- Sparks creativity – want to bring more creativity to your job and life? Get more sleep. This benefit has to do with memory which helps spur the creative process.
- Improves stamina in the gym – studies have been conducted that evaluated athletes who got 8-10 hours of sleep versus those who got less and found that those with more sleep performed better on the field.
- Helps you keep your grades up – those who have trouble sleeping are more likely to struggle with learning. Keep your brain sharp by sleeping more.
- Allows you to sharpen your attention – lack of sleep can cause similar symptoms as ADHD. Keep your focus by focusing on sleep.
- Maintains a healthy weight – did you know your body burns fat while you’re sleeping? It’s true. Metabolism is processed during sleep. This means that not getting enough z’s can keep you from your weight goals.
- Lowers stress – it’s no secret stress contributes to illness. Keep yourself healthy by getting a good night’s sleep.
- Wards off depression – not only does sleep improve your mood, reduce anxiety, and curb irritability, it provides increased emotional stability as well.
Does hair color determine density?
A question that comes up often is whether or not hair color plays a role in things like density, thickness, and eventually, hair loss.
While some people believe the lighter the hair color, the thinner the hair and less density coverage, this isn’t exactly the case.
Statistically, we see that those with a lighter hair color generally have thinner, finer hair. While those with darker hair typically have thicker hair strands. This has to do with the amount of melanin in the hair. The more melanin present in the hair strand the thicker it is.
One important thing to note regarding hair color and hair type, is that hair thickness or fineness and hair density or coverage is not the same thing. Hair thickness refers to the individual hair strands and how thick or thin they are. Hair density refers to the amount of hairs covering the scalp.
This is important because while we see those with lighter hair having finer hair strands, they tend to have a higher hair density.
Based on this information, there is no direct link between hair color and lack of density or eventual hair loss. While you can utilize trends regarding hair color and thickness and density to inform you about your possible hair type, there is no evidence suggesting that hair color is any indication of density or hair coverage.
More likely, your hair’s density is dependent upon your genetics. If your parents or grandparents have experienced progressive thinning, diffuse thinning, or have naturally low density, unfortunately, it’s likely you will as well, as hair traits are highly genetic.
While you can’t change your genetics, luckily, there are many options to help maintain your hair’s density and prevent it from thinning further. If you’d like to learn more about these options, give us a call for a consultation.
Hair transplants for hair line lowering
Many men who experience hair loss experience it in the form of a receding hair line. A receding hair line is when the front hair line loses hair over time causing the hair line to appear as if it’s being pushed back. This also gives the appearance of a larger forehead.
While other types of hair loss such as diffuse thinning or crown balding can be concealed relatively easy, a receding hair line is harder to disguise. Luckily, there’s an option for those wishing to have a more youthful hair line.
Hair transplants.
Hair transplants are a great option for those suffering from hair loss, thinning, or a receding hair line. Transplanted grafts can be placed in any area of baldness or thinning, creating natural density and coverage across the scalp.
When transplanted grafts are placed in or around the hairline, they restore the hair line to a more natural, youthful level. Bringing the hair line forward also reduces the amount of exposed forehead.
For some with naturally large foreheads, hair line lowering helps them achieve the smaller forehead they always wanted.
If you’d like to learn more about hair transplants for hair line lowering, give us a call for a free consultation today.
8 things you should never do to your hair
There are some things that should just be plain avoided if you’re wanting to have healthy, strong, beautiful hair. Certain behaviors, products, and habits you do every day may be causing your hair to become damaged, dull, frizzy, and to stop growing.
Below is a list of 8 things you should avoid to keep your hair growing, healthy, strong, and beautiful.
- Sleeping in your hair products – sleeping in your hair gel, hairspray, or mousse can irritate the scalp and cause buildup. Buildup on the scalp means clogged pores and suffocated hair follicles. Make sure to wash or rinse the hair products out of your hair before bed.
- Hair ties – have you ever noticed fly-aways or hair breakage about halfway down the hair strand? This is caused by tight hair bands. When you wear your hair in a tight hair tie it causes delicate surface strands to break, leaving you with a frizzy, damaged ‘do. Try hair clips instead. You get the same look with less damage.
- Towel-drying hair with cotton towels – tying your hair up in a towel post-wash is a very common practice. But it may actually be causing hair damage. Cotton bath towels are rough on our locks. The fibers grip and pull on the hair, contributing to frizz and breakage. Your best bet – go for a microfiber towel instead. You’ll notice your hair will dry faster and look better.
- Hot styling tools on damp hair – hot styling tools like straighteners and curling irons should never be used on damp hair. After washing our hair, the cuticle is open. This means your hair is in an extremely fragile state. Applying hot tools on it will cause damage deep into the cuticle. This means dullness, frizz, breakage, and split ends. Practice patience and wait until your hair is dry.
- Direct, unprotected sun exposure – this one is extremely important for those with dyed hair. Not only will the sun change the color of your hair, it will contribute to dryness, which means brittle, straw-like feeling hair. Consider changing your products to ones with SPF in them. And if you plan on spending time in the sun, wear a hat to protect your locks and color.
- Sleeping with hair in a ponytail, bun, or tight braid – your hair needs rest to. Give it a break and refrain from tying it up tight in a ponytail, bun, or braid. As you move around in your sleep, your hair is being stretched and pulled. This tension, also known as traction alopecia, can cause breakage and hair loss over time.
- Weaves – weaves are another tension hair loss culprit. Weaves are sewn into the tightly braided natural hair. This tension lasts for an extended period of time and wreaks havoc on the hair follicles. With continued use, you will experience hair loss known as traction alopecia. For which, there is no cure or reversal method, only hair transplantation.
- Over-styling hair – our hair needs a break sometimes too. Constantly using hot styling tools and products on our hair can quickly cause damage, breakage, and dullness. Every few days let your hair go au natural to give it a break from styling and products.
Are you a candidate for hair transplant surgery?
Hair loss effects over 80% of men over their lifetime and over 50% of women over their lifetime. This common ailment used to have no recourse of solution.
But, thanks to modern advancements in medicine and science, hair transplants are helping men and women all around the world regain their hair.
This life-changing procedure involves extracting grafts from a ‘donor’ area (such as the back of the scalp) and transplanting the grafts into the ‘recipient’ area (aka area of hair loss).
While this procedure has helped so many not only get their hair back, but their confidence and youthfulness as well, unfortunately, not everyone is a good candidate for hair transplantation.
So, how do you know if you’re a candidate for hair transplant surgery or not?
Many factors play a role in determining your candidacy for hair transplantation. Below, are a few of the most prevalent reasons individuals are not ideal candidates for hair transplantation.
- Gender – while this factor isn’t exclusive (we’ve done many successful female hair transplants), in general, most women are not ideal hair transplant candidates. This is due to the type of hair loss that most women experience. Most women experience diffuse thinning hair loss. While hair transplants can still be successful on patients with diffuse thinning hair loss, it can be more difficult on women due to the length and coverage of the hair.
- Early stages of hair loss – if you are in the very early stages of hair loss, it may not be best for you to get a hair transplant just yet. Hair transplants don’t treat hair loss. That means you’re your hair loss will continue as you age. You will most likely need another hair transplant to make up for new hair loss. There are many ways to medically manage hair loss and even reverse it in the early stages. Right now, you may be a better candidate for laser therapy or PRP. You can save hair transplantation for later on down the road.
- A weak donor area – hair transplants require a healthy, full donor area to extract grafts from. If your donor area is weak, this may cause you to not be a good candidate for surgery. The good news is, there are other donor areas besides the back of the scalp that grafts can be extracted from. We have conducted many successful body hair transplants for those with a weak scalp donor area.
Please keep in mind that to determine your actual candidacy for hair transplantation, you should meet with a qualified and experienced hair transplant surgeon. If you are not a candidate for surgery at this time, but are experiencing hair loss, make sure to schedule a medical management consultation so you can maintain your hair and ward off hair loss as long as possible.
The benefits of going organic with your hair and skin care products
While many are familiar with the benefits of eating organic food, not as many are familiar with the benefits of using organic products for the hair and skin.
To first understand the benefits of going organic, we first need to understand what exactly organic means.
The term organic has many different definitions. When it’s used in relation to food or products, it refers to the process in which things are grown or made. When something is labeled organic, the growth or production process doesn’t involve the use of antibiotics, pesticides, or chemicals.
This is important because these toxic chemicals, antibiotics, and pesticides can have lasting effects on the human body, the extent of which is not yet fully known. And consuming these toxic chemicals doesn’t just harm us in the long-term. Many individuals experience reactions to these harmful chemicals short-term as well.
Digestive issues, stomach upset, and rashes are just some of the many short-term reactions some individuals have experienced when consuming non-organic products.
In order to maintain overall health and wellness, its recommended to avoid any unnecessary antibiotics, pesticides, and chemicals. This is extremely important with food, and as we’re learning more, just as important with our hair and skin care products as well. After all, our bodies absorb externally through our hair and skin as well as internally.
With increased awareness comes increased options. Today, there are more organic options for skin and hair products than ever before.
When shopping for organic products make sure to keep a careful eye on the ingredient list.
Organic hair care products will be sulfate-free and have a limited ingredient list. Sulfates and unnecessary chemicals can cause build-up in our hair which can clog pores, block follicles, and prevent hair growth.
Organic skin care products will be free of parabens, sulfates, and other harsh chemicals. Foregoing these toxic chemicals will help prevent rashes, hives, and other unwanted reactions. Our favorite organic lotion is byebye creams.
If you’re turned off by the price of going organic – try DIY instead. There’s a plethora of online blogs that provide detailed instructions on how to create your own shampoos, lotions, deodorants, and much more.
Let us know how you go organic!
