5 Derm-Approved Ways To Get A Handle On Hair Loss

Whether set off by a joyful high, such as motherhood, or a stressful low (a.k.a. death or divorce), any kind of hair loss rings an internal alarm bell. In that moment of panic, it can be comforting to know you’re not alone. “Hair loss is incredibly common,” says Dr. Neera Nathan, Vegamour’s on-board dermatologist. “COVID itself triggered a lot of hair loss, and we know stress and big life changes that are out of our control contributes as well. There’s always been a stigma around it, but it’s starting to decrease.” The telltale signs of hair loss can differ depending on the type. “The biggest clues of telogen effluvium are if you are having a lot of hair fall and hair shedding, if it happens suddenly and you’re seeing clumps of hair in the shower or lots of hair on the hairbrush,” she says. Or maybe you’re noticing other worrisome changes up top. In that case, you could be experiencing androgenetic alopecia. “In females it presents as widening of the part line, while in males it’s going to present as a receding hairline,” she says. The good news is that with a few steps you can take control of the situation and get hair regrowth back on track. “The way I always approach hair loss is with a combination of treatments,” says Dr. Nathan. “If you’re using just one actor that targets one pathway, you’re missing out on potential gains from attacking by multiple angles.” Here are five ways to get a handle on hair loss to recapture your mane character energy. —Ingrie Williams

1. Take Action Today

“Androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium are reversible, but time is hair. says Dr. Nathan. “You really need to start doing something ASAP.” It’s best to seek out an appointment with a dermatologist as soon as you’re concerned. In the meantime, be pro-active. “The truth is that after puberty, all of us slowly start to lose our hair,” she says. “For some people, it’s a much steeper curve, or there’s times where you have a lot of loss. Others it’s a much shallower curve, and you don’t really notice that half your hair is gone until age 50 or 60.” Just as everyone’s skin ages and develops wrinkles, diminished hair growth is a universal experience and a natural part of the aging process. But that doesn’t mean you can’t give nature a nudge. “I think preventative skincare is meaningful, but no one really talks about preventative haircare as far as preventing hair loss,” she says. “Using a growth serum on your scalp to keep your hair follicles healthy, just like we use a retinol serum on our face to keep our skin looking healthy, long before we have wrinkles, is also a good idea.”

2. Zone In

If your goal is a head full of long, lustrous strands you need to shift focus to the source: your roots. “Hair growth is one hundred per cent about the scalp,” says Dr. Nathan. “That’s where the hair follicle, which is the growth factor for hair, is located.” If you’re hoping for results you can’t afford to neglect this area of the body. “Anything you put on your scalp, and what you’re doing or not doing to your scalp is directly affecting hair growth,” she says. “And anything you’re doing down on the lengths or ends of your hair is not making a difference up top.”

Revamp your hair care routine by incorporating a scalp treatment into regular care. The Vegamour GRO Hair Serum for Thinning Hair ($86) increases the appearance of hair density and reduces signs of shedding and fallout while leaving hair more resilient. It contains a series of ingredients that work together to support hair growth, including turmeric, which is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has topical caffeine, which Dr. Nathan calls one of the most underrated hair growth ingredients. “There are studies that show that it’s particularly good for counteracting stress at the hair follicle. And there is a study that shows that topical caffeine is as effective as 5 per cent minoxidil,” she says. The blend also contains red clover. “That actually has hormone blocking, or DHT blocking, properties,” she says. “Red clover has anti-androgen effects, and we know that excess androgens at the hair follicle cause hormone-related hair loss, especially in men and women.”

3. Stick With It

While hair loss may seem to occur in a flash, the road through regrowth can feel painfully slow … because it is. In a healthy state, average hair growth is one inch per month. Prioritizing regular scalp care is critical. “It’s like going to the gym. If you stop, you lose the gains, and lose the results,” says Dr. Nathan. “And that’s the case with anything we do for hair. It’s really important to be consistent.” Taking the time to massage a treatment into your scalp, using fingers or a scalp brush, can also pay off. “We know that four minutes of scalp massage can actually make your hair thicker, one study showed that. But you do need to use it daily,” says Dr. Nathan. As far as how long it takes to see results, the three-month mark is a realistic goal post.

4. Eat Your Gains

An inside-out approach can also help you make strides with hair growth. “Diet is quite intricately linked to both our skin and hair, more than most of us realize,” says Dr. Nathan. First step, consider upping your protein intake. “Our hair is almost 100 per cent protein. So, it’s linear to think I need to get enough protein to make hair,” she says. Vitamin D is also an important factor for the hair cycle. “For the growth phase of the hair to start you need vitamin D. If you’re deficient, your hair is going to have trouble growing,” she says. Visit your health practitioner for a blood test to have your baseline level checked and get put on the right path toward solutions that suit your body’s needs. Any supplement regimen is very person-specific, so it’s best to check with your doctor before you start, says Dr. Nathan.

5. Come Clean

Want your hair to thrive? Book yourself for frequent wash-day dates. “Hair washing is such a missed opportunity to clean the scalp, which so important because that alone is anti-inflammatory and can support healthy hair growth,” says Dr. Nathan, “And if you have buildup on your scalp, from hair care products, or just sweat or dead skin cells, that’s going to block the hair follicles or prevent hair growth.” Those with tighter coils should be shampooing at least once every two weeks, while anyone with looser curls, waves or straight strands should make it a weekly habit. In addition to nourishing shampoo blends that can help strengthen strands, consider adding an anti-dandruff formula to your shower lineup. “Even if we don’t think it, most of us have some sort of clinical dandruff or inflammation at our scalp, especially if we’re having hair loss,” says Dr. Nathan. “Any inflammation of the hair follicle stunts hair growth.” Formulas with active ingredients such as zinc and ketaconazole offer anti-inflammatory benefits.

Hair Regrowth Tool Kit

• Vegamour GRO Hair Serum for Thinning Hair, $86, sephora.com
• Briogeo Scalp Massager, $21, thedetoxmarket.ca
• Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, $24, Shoppers Drug Mart
• Sisu Vitamin D, $14, well.ca