How your hair grows
Your hair is made of keratin (KER-uh-tin), the same protein that makes up your nails and the outer
layer of your skin. The part you see and style is called the hair shaft. It's actually dead tissue made by your hair follicles tiny bulb-like structures beneath your scalp's surface.
We have all heard of someone who has a thinning hair problem, but do we really
know how extensive this thinning hair problem is? Let us take a look at the figures here.
1. 70 million Americans Have Fine or Thin-looking Hair And it's Growing
2. Forty percent of women have visible hair loss by the time they are age 40, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
3. By age 65, 48% of all women report they have thinning hair
4. Research has shown that the problem of thin-looking hair can begin as early as age 17.
5. The problem will grow more extreme as our population ages.
How does hair loss start?
Hair loss is a normal symptom. 50 to 100 hairs are shed each day from a normal scalp. Losing more than
100 hairs a day is called excessive hair loss and leads to generalized thinning of the hair. Hair becomes fine in texture. Hair loss in women is often caused by diet, lack of nutrients, pregnancy, stress, fatigue or medical conditons.
Can Thyroid Disease Cause Hair Loss?
An overactive or underactive thyroid can cause hair loss. One may get
her thyroid numbers in order after beginning a regimen of thyroid medication. However, there have been reported cases of women experiencing hair loss FROM the thyroid medication.
Hot Tip!
Volumizing Products: Many volume-building hair products contain paraffin, which is beeswax. That's not good for hair, because it builds up and can make hair break.
However, volumizing products sold in salons do help. They won't weigh hair down, and they won't damage it. Mousse, for example, can be applied at the root area for support. Then, begin blow-drying the root area, applying tension with a brush to build volume. Use a light finishing spray to hold it.