Hair is one of the first things we see when we encounter a person. Needless to say, a healthy, shiny mane is attractive and boosts a person’s confidence–males and females included. If you don’t know yet, hair is a bunch of dead, keratinized cells¹, meaning, as it grows longer, it is just cells that pile up. And, these do not stay forever on our heads. At most, hair can hold onto our scalp for a maximum of 5 years. Our concern is how to prevent premature hair fall and promote hair growth so that we do not experience permanent hair loss that could lead to baldness.

Common Reasons for Hair Fall

Before we can prevent something from happening, we have to understand the background scenario and the surrounding circumstances. Such is the case for thinning hair or hair fall.

There are different reasons for hair fall and the common ones are:

• Age
• Genetics
• Pregnancy and/or hormonal changes
• Disease and/or Medication, such as chemotherapy
• Stress
• Pulling hairstyles
• Too much use of hair products
• Hairstyling
• Bleaching, Dying, Perming

Practical Tips to Promote Hair Growth

Have you identified the reason why you are losing hair?

While there are situations where hair loss is inevitable, such as when one is undergoing chemotherapy or radiation to treat cancer, other reasons can be remedied. Here are some of them:

Get enough rest

Stress is linked to a variety of diseases², but one obvious result is hair loss. If you are experiencing too much stress at work or with your home situation, you may need to employ some stress management techniques. Or, you may need to remove yourself from that situation altogether, as hair loss can be the least of your problems in the long run.

One way to relieve your body of stressors is to get enough rest. Make sure that you get the recommended amount of restful sleep at night and take naps whenever you can.

• Read: Good Quality Sleep Keeps the Monster Mom Away

Gentle Care for Hair

A lot of hair products available in the market prove to be too strong and contain chemicals like sodium lauryl sulfates (SLS) and polyethylene glycols (PEGs). These are both harmful to the body and also cause hair loss.

Choose mild and natural products, like Moringa O2, that clean and condition hair gently but without harmful chemical ingredients. Their products are:

• Alcohol-free
• Paraben-free
• DEA-free
• Phthalates-free

4 Steps to Awesome and Healthy Hair

The Moringa O2 line has a three-step regimen to promote hair growth.

Step 1: Prepare

At least 30 minutes before bath time, massage the Moringa O2 Herbal Hair, Scalp, and Skin Therapy Oil onto the scalp. The oil nourishes the scalp and protects it from getting stripped of its natural oils while shampooing.

Step 2: Cleanse

The Moringa O2 Herbal Anti-Hairfall Shampoo helps manage and minimize hair fall because it strengthens hair from the roots. It gently cleanses the hair and scalp with its natural formulation. Moreover, it has a mild scent that’s not intrusive.

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Step 3: Condition

The Moringa O2 Herbal Anti-Hairfall Conditioner is best for thinning hair because it is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals like omega, good fatty acids, B vitamins, iron, and zinc.

Avoid Hairstyles that Stress the Hair

For one, do not pull your hair when combing or brushing. You may want to use a detangler so that hair is easier to manage, especially those with long and thick manes.

If you can, avoid hairstyles that “pull” the hair, like high ponytails or braids. Or at least, wear them only occasionally. Those who frequently pull their hair back and tie it tightly into a bun often experience traction alopecia³.

Furthermore, do not tie hair when it is still wet. Hair gets pulled out from the roots easily because pores are open.

Get a Regular Trim

It is okay to want to maintain long hair. But it would be nicer if you visit the salon and get a regular hair trim, like once every 2 months. That should also keep the hair healthy and free from split ends.

Avoid Too Much Styling and Chemical Treatments

The use of heating implements like a hair iron or dryer can weaken the hair. This is also true for those who often undergo chemical hair treatments, like bleaching, dyeing, or perming. While these chemicals may not prevent hair growth, they do damage the hair⁴. Plus the manipulation in the application of these products can weaken the hair from the roots. You can just imagine how many hair strands get pulled out after every salon treatment!

Take Supplements

There are two over-the-counter food supplements that you can take to promote hair growth. These are biotin and collagen. Ask your doctor about these, especially if you are taking maintenance medication. The results are gradual but you will experience constant hair growth over time.

Home Remedies to Promote Hair Growth

Here in the Philippines, we are fond of using herbal remedies for hair growth. Many swear by the effects of these 3 natural ingredients, namely:

• Aloe vera
• Coconut milk
• Gugo

These are applied directly and massaged onto the scalp and allowed to stay for at least 1 hour before shampooing. The advantage is, that these are cheap or can just be grown in the backyard. However, the downside is that the application can be tedious or we just do not have the time to do it in our busy schedule.

Sources

• ¹ Hair, Structure and Function, https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-biology2/chapter/hair/

• ² Stress, World Health Organization, https://www.who.int//news-room/questions-and-answers/item/stress/

• ³ Traction Alopecia, What is Traction Alopecia, https://knowyourskin.britishskinfoundation.org.uk/condition/traction-alopecia/

• ⁴ Will Hair Dye Cause my Hair to Fall Out?, Walk-In Dermatology, https://walkindermatology.com/will-hair-dye-cause-my-hair-to-fall-out/