Some of the most common questions we get as stylists are around thinning hair; why does it happen? How can I prevent it? What can I do to make it grow back? This very common conundrum affects 50 million men and 30 million women in the US alone facing hair loss, and it can be very challenging to deal with.
At Tease Hair Boutique, we’re always looking for opportunities to serve our clients with clean, sustainable, and effective products that will meet their unique needs. Over the years we’ve explored different solutions for thinning hair, everything from scalp scrubs and serums to offering extensions and styles to mask thinning hair.
We’ve always known that healthy hair growth starts from within, and we’re excited to announce that Tease Hair Boutique will begin carrying Nutrafol in store for our clients. In this article we’ll give you the low-down on what Nutrafol is, why we chose it, and which supplement may help with your hair thinning needs. But first - let’s get into the facts behind thinning hair and what you can do.
What Causes Thinning Hair
Hormones
Hormones have a biological effect on hair growth, particularly as we age. Affecting men and women, hormone changes often have slightly different effects by gender. For men, this can mean changes in hairline and overall thinning whereas for women we often see thinning mostly at our parts. These changes are often caused by a rise in DHT hormones that cause hair follicles to shrink the overall hair lifecycle.
It’s also important to keep in mind that large life events like the birth of a child or going through menopause can have major hormonal implications that result in changes in hair composition.
Stress
Stress can have a large impact on not only our hair, but our bodies as a whole. When we’re stressed, our bodies release higher levels of the Cortisol hormone. This signals hair follicles to prematurely shift out of their growth cycle, accelerating the amount of time it takes for hair to shed and increasing shedding or thinning of your hair. Stress can also affect your sleep and energy levels dramatically, and over time may impact hormones and nutrient absorption needed for healthy growth.
Lifestyle and Environment
Beyond emotional stress, there are stressors that surround you in your lifestyle and environment that can affect hair loss. Everything from what you eat to the products you use, to the amount of sun you get and composition of the water you bathe in can have an effect on hair. These elements combined can weaken the health of the hair follicle, which can result in dry, brittle, or damaged hair.
Metabolism
Your metabolism - or the chemical reaction in the body’s cells that changes food into energy, can also have a strong effect on hair loss. Nutrients are needed for the body to produce hair, and absorption can vary as your metabolism changes with age, resulting in trouble growing new hair and premature breakage.
Nutrition
While our metabolism is responsible for absorbing the nutrients in our food, the nutrients - or sometimes lack thereof- in the food we put into our bodies can have major effects on hair thinning. Our hair follicles can be considered micro-organs, and they are heavily affected when deprived of key nutrients to build hair and support a healthy growth lifecycle.
Aging
As we age, the production of collagen and elastin in the scalp begins to slow, weakening the scalp and causing shorter growth lifecycles for each hair. Aging also has an affect on our hormones and metabolism, which can equally contribute to thinning hair. As you get older, you may notice hair feeling more brittle and prone to breaking as elasticity weakens.
How can you prevent thinning hair?
While we unfortunately can’t prevents the effects of aging, there are plenty of other options that can help to create a healthy environment for hair growth, lessening your chance of thinning and breakage.
Cut back on stress
Sounds simple enough, right? While there are often many factors in our day that cause us stress, cutting back on allowing this stress into our lives can have incredible effects on our bodies and our hair. Things like mindful breathing, frequent breaks, going for walks and/or exercising, and meditation have been proven to reduce levels and in turn the release of cortisol.
Eat a balanced diet
Some days we’re salad and a yoga class, some days we’re pizza on the couch. However if you’re finding that you're having more pizza-on-the-couch-days than you should, you want to reconsider what you're eating. A balanced diet contains fruits, vegetables, dairy grains and proteins and offers vitamins and minerals that are key to healthy hair growth.
Keep a healthy scalp
Overuse of products like dry shampoo or things that can cause buildup can lead to blockage of hair follicles and ultimately stunt growth. Think of your scalp as your garden for healthy hair growth; you want a clean, balanced environment. If your scalp is itchy, flaking, red, or often irritated, chances are your scalp is in need of some love. While there are plenty of scalp scrubs, serums and cleaners available, your best bet is to talk to your Tease Hair Boutique stylist about the best approach for keeping a clean, healthy scalp. You can also check out this article on the importance of scalp health for growing stronger, healthier hair.
Know what’s in your products
With so many options on the market, it's easy to get bogged down with strong scents and commercial promises when selecting a hair care routine. What isn’t advertised is the harmful ingredients found in some hair products that can lead to additional hair loss. Formaldehyde, Sulfates, and dimethicone, to name a few, can cause harm to the scalp and hair follicles, resulting in brittle, breaking and thinning hair. Make sure you’re aware of the ingredients in your products and opt for clean, salon-grade options like Kerastase.
Products specifically for hair loss
A very common problem, there are numerous hair loss products on the market that boast reduced hair loss and growth of shiny, new hair. Speak to your Tease Hair Boutique stylist about which hair products may help to solve your external problems, and consider a supplement like Nutrafol to help address hair loss problems from within.
What is Nutrafol?
The number one dermatologist recommended hair growth supplement, Nutrafol offers clinically-backed, hair growth nutraceuticals tailored to different needs and life stages, including postpartum and menopause. Each capsule contains a mix of ingredients that work to address some of the key culprits of hair thinning and loss in men and women: stress, hormone changes, nutrition, environment, and metabolic aging.
Ingredients
Created with natural, 100% drug-free ingredients, all Nutrafol supplements are formulated with powerful and potent plant extracts for superior results. Key ingredients include hormone-balancing ashwagandha, strengthening marine collagen peptides, density-increasing tocotrienol complex, antioxidant rich curcumin, and hair-loss reducing saw palmetto. Kelp minerals, resveratrol, horsetail and keratin can also be found in Nutrafol supplements, with composition differing slightly by need.
Science-backed
Thinning hair has multiple root causes as outlined above, and Nutrafol supplements include key ingredients that are natural, healthy, and targeted to each specific cause. As the number one hair growth supplement recommended by dermatologists, Nutrafol is clinically tested with proven hair growth results. Furthermore, Nutrafol is peer-reviewed and published - a distinction that put their innovative products to the test and yielded 80% increase in overall growth and 81% increase in thickness of hair.
Nutrafol Supplement Options
Nutrafol offers supplements solutions for both men and womens, tailored to different needs and life stages.
Nutrafol Women
Best for: Women ages 18-44 experiencing signs of hair thinning.
This daily supplement targets root causes of hair thinning such as stress, lifestyle, and nutrition for faster-growing, thicker, fuller hair. The recommended dose of Nutrafol women is four pills daily, boasting high hair improvement rates after 6 months of use.
Nutrafol Women’s Vegan
Best for: Women ages 18-44 with a plant-based lifestyle experiencing signs of hair thinning.
This daily supplement is specifically designed for women with a plant-based lifestyle, targeting root causes of hair thinning using the 100% vegan hair growth formula with their Synergen plant complex design. The recommended dose of Nutrafol women is four pills daily, boasting high hair improvement rates after 6 months of use.
Nutrafol Women’s Balance
Best for: Women ages 45+ experiencing signs of hair thinning.
Designed for women 45+ who are experiencing hair thinning often due to metabolic and hormonal changes caused by aging, Nutrafol Women’s Balance is clinically proven to target key roots of hair thinning triggered by menopause. The recommended dose of Nutrafol women is four pills daily, boasting 100% of women showed improvement in hair growth after 9 months of use.
Nutrafol Postpartum
Best for: The first year post-birth experiencing signs of hair thinning and shedding
This OBGYN-developed and breastfeeding-friendly formula supports postpartum whole-body recovery through vital replenishment of key nutrients. Targeting the root cause of postpartum hair thinning (physical and emotional stress, hormonal changes and nutrient depletion), Nutrafol Postpartum has incredible results of 91% of users seeing a reduction in shedding after only two months of use. The recommended dose is 4 capsules once a day with a meal.
Nutrafol Men
Best for: For men 18+ experiencing signs of hair thinning and less scalp coverage.
This daily supplement proactively targets root causes of hair thinning in men with excess shedding and decreased scalp coverage. Genetic predisposition to an increase in DHT hormones is the top culprit of hair loss in men, and this formula works to address these issues with 100% drug-free ingredients that won’t compromise performance. It is recommended for men to take 4 capsules once a day with a meal.
Bottom Line
While there are countless hair loss treatments and options on the market, Tease Hair Boutique prides ourselves on finding the best natural, sustainable, and effective options for our clients. We’re excited to announce the sale of Nutrafol products at our Tease Hair Boutique location beginning this October, with each stylist receiving in depth training to help identify which product is right for your specific hair needs. Make sure to ask your Tease Hair Boutique stylist about the best Nutrafol option for you during your next appointment!