Overview
Normal hair loss occurs at a rate of almost 100 hairs a day, according to the Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia. You may notice the occasional hair shedding while showering, combing your hair or waking in the morning. Not until hair begins coming out in patches or clumps should you worry. Environmental factors such as stress, nutritional deficiencies and infection, as well as genetic factors, can contribute to excessive hair loss. Depending on the exact cause, your method of treatment may vary, yet prevention techniques generally work the same regardless.
Step 1
Determine the cause of your hair loss. Before you can decide which treatment works best for you, you will have to examine the potential causes of your loss. For example, the Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia says androgenetic alopecia, or pattern baldness, due to heredity affects 30 percent of men by age 30 and nearly 66 percent by age 60. Therefore, investigate your family history of hair loss while also considering other alternative causes, such as stress, fever, hormonal imbalances due to pregnancy or medication, inflammation of the scalp and inadequate nutrition.
Step 2
Eat a healthy diet. Whether to prevent hair loss or to treat hair loss due to a nutrient deficiency, the University of Maryland Medical Center says a diet rich in iron, protein, B-complex vitamins and antioxidants will help maintain healthy hair growth. Consume plenty of fruit like cherries, blueberries and tomatoes to ward off inflammation, and eat fortified cereals to provide your body with the nutritional building blocks it needs to grow healthy hair. If you maintain a diet that restricts nutritional foods, be sure to take a regular supplement. Even a little of each nutrient can go a long way in hair loss prevention, so do not worry about serving size.
Step 3
Handle your hair with care, recommends the Mayo Clinic. Chronic pulling and braiding of the hair can result in hair loss due to traction alopecia. Similarly, excessive dying and treatment can weaken the hair roots. If you feel like your hair loss may result from styling, then leave your hair alone for awhile, or treat it less aggressively.
Step 4
Use conditioner regularly. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests conditioning hair after swimming or shampooing to bring back the necessary oils for protection against weathering, UV radiation and static electricity. Conditioner can provide your hair with strength and shine.
Step 5
Allow time for recovery. In cases of hair loss related to stress, severe shock or hormonal imbalance following pregnancy, the best medicine may be relaxation, proper hair maintenance and time, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Once your body returns to normal so will hair development.
Step 6
See a doctor. If all else fails, or if you need a prescription for scalp inflammation or infection, your doctor can prescribe most of the necessary medicine. FDA-approved prescriptions of Rogaine and Propecia may enhance hair growth, or at least reduce hair loss, for most cases of genetic causes.
