It’s no secret that our hair changes over time. Hormones, genetics, diet, lifestyle and other factors all play a part in the transformation of your hair. These changes can be unnerving – especially when you experience signs that your hair is thinning.
Hair loss – or alopecia as it is medically known – is a common problem affecting men and women alike. Androgenetic alopecia is the most common cause of balding in women; believed to be genetic and passed down through generations. Great hair comes from a greater scalp, and hormonal changes from periods, pregnancy, childbirth, medicine, menopause and ageing can change the way hair grows, as well as the size of the hair follicles, resulting to increased shedding or patchy hair.
The progressive condition will worsen over time if you don’t act. Learning to recognise the first signs is key to understanding what you can do about it. A number of other conditions including thyroid problems and nutritional deficiencies can also lead to hair loss and thinning, so always talk to your doctor to determine the cause.
Here are some of the early signs of thinning hair:
Widening parting
A widening parting is often the first sign of hair loss in women. As hair thins, more scalp becomes visible.
Thinning hair and receding hairline and temples
Whereas men display a receding M-shaped hairline, women often notice thinning across the top of the head rather than the sides, and recession at the hairline and temples, leaving hair shorter and wispier. This is called hair miniaturisation. When a hair follicle is starting to become inactive, it produces thinner, shorter hair until it eventually stops producing new hair altogether. Take the ponytail test: if you have to wrap your hair band around your hair an extra time or notice a decrease in the circumference of your ponytail, your hair is likely thinning.
Excess shedding
On average, we lose between 50 and 100 individual hairs each day. Your hair may be thinning if you are shedding more than 100 hairs per day, noticeable in the drain of your shower or bath, on your pillow or in your hairbrush.
Luckily hair loss and thinning can be reversed in a large number of cases. Harklinikken’s hair care products work together to strengthen the scalp microbiome and promote the growth of new, healthy hair. Learn more about Harklinikken’s hair-boosting products and how they can help you here.