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Saturday, December 17, 2011

Natural Hair Loss Remedies

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expert advice
Hair Care Tips

Natural Hair Loss Remedies

When it comes to strengthening hair and even preventing hair loss, a natural remedy could be right for you.


If you’re suffering from hair loss, hightail it to a medical professional. But a recommendation for Rogaine or a prescription drug may not be what the doctor orders. When it comes to hair loss, there are many different types, causes, and treatments. Anything from heredity (thanks, Mom!) and hormones to extreme stress and crash dieting may cause excessive shedding of hair or bald spots. If a deficiency in certain nutrients is your hair-loss culprit, a natural remedy for hair loss may be in order: better nutrition.

Certainly, popping a handful of vitamins (or even eating right) doesn’t mean you won’t ever lose your hair or that already thinning hair will suddenly grow lush and full. But “having a healthy diet is fundamental to good health in general, and if you have hair loss, you should check for nutritional deficiencies,” says Ted Daly, M.D., director of Garden City Dermatology in Garden City, Long Island. Certain nutritional deficiencies can be responsible for hair loss, so correcting those deficiencies can help address the problem of thinning hair.

According to Dr. Daly, the following nutritional supplements may be helpful for women with certain types of hair loss:

  • Biotin
  • Lysine
  • Iron
  • Zinc
  • Vitamin B-12

Consult with a medical professional before treating yourself with any of these supplements (after all, your hair loss may not be due to a nutritional deficiency). And getting too much of certain vitamins and minerals, like vitamin A, can actually cause hair loss, so it’s important not to overdo any one nutrient.

Testing for a deficiency of iron in particular can be helpful because anemia can cause hair loss. In addition, Dr. Daly recommends being tested for celiac disease, which he says can also cause hair loss. In such cases, a gluten-free diet may solve the problem.

In general, it’s best to get nutrients not from supplements but rather from a healthy, varied diet that’s rich in the following:

  • Protein — good sources include lean cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products, or vegetarian sources like beans and soy
  • Iron — good sources include lean red meat, beans, egg yolks, seaweed, and dark leafy greens
  • Zinc — good sources include lean red meat, poultry, and fortified cereals
  • B vitamins — good sources include lean red meat and whole grains
  • Essential fatty acids — one good source is avocado

Along with nutrition, certain herbs, such as stinging nettle, can also strengthen the hair and help prevent hair loss, says Fred Lisanti, a licensed naturopathic physician and licensed acupuncturist at Integrative Med Solutions in Eastchester, New York. However, Dr. Lisanti recommends consulting an experienced practitioner before treating yourself with herbs.

“Hair is an indicator of blood quality in Eastern medicine,” Dr. Lisanti says. “Strengthening and preventing hair loss can be treated by improving blood quality and strengthening the vital organs involved: the spleen, pancreas, and kidneys.” Seaweeds like hijiki, arame, and wakame are all rich in blood-building iron, he adds.

In many cases, thinning hair can be helped, so ask your doctor if any of these natural remedies are right for you.

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