Worried About Hair Loss? Up to the Minute Research & More

The age old problem of baldness has been the source of jokes, the subject of magazine articles and featured in TV sitcoms for decades - and yet those affected still carry on searching for ways to halt or prevent baldness.

Now a biological clue to male baldness has been discovered, raising the prospect of a treatment to stop or even reverse thinning hair.

The BBC reports

Studies of bald men and laboratory mice have got US scientists (at the University of Pennsylvania) analyzing which genes are switched on when men start to go bald, pinpointing a protein that triggers hair loss.

They are confident that such research could lead to a special cream to treat baldness, saying there is potential for developing a treatment that can be applied to the scalp to prevent baldness and possibly help hair regrow.

Researchers found levels of a key protein called prostaglandin D synthase are elevated in the cells of hair follicles located in bald patches on the scalp, but not in hairy areas. The inhibition of hair growth is triggered when the protein binds to a receptor on the cells of hair follicles. You can read more here.

In the meantime, and while research and development continues for a possible miracle hair growth cream, what steps can you take?

When do men start to go bald?

Most men start the balding process in middle age, with about 80% of men having some hair loss by the age of 70. The male sex hormone testosterone plays a key role, as do genetic factors. They cause the hair follicles to shrink, eventually becoming so small that they are invisible, leading to the appearance of baldness.

Here are some legendary natural home remedies for hair loss

1. Keep your hair healthy with regular hair cuts (every 6 to 8 weeks), gentle weekly washes, daily deep moisturizing conditioners and natural air drying instead of using hair dryers.

2. Massage coconut milk into your scalp, leave on for 30 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Repeat 3 times per week until your hair loss decreases and healthy hair grows in or mix coconut oil with avocado and spread on hair. This combination eliminates flaking and gives your hair a healthy boost — good for natural regrowth. 

3. Apply a few drops of almond oil to hair every day.

4. Saw palmetto has been used to treat hair loss for decades. It is the primary active ingredient found in the vast majority of natural hair loss remedies and can help hair regrow naturally.

5. Ginseng is a Chinese herbal medicine that is said to rejuvenate the scalp, increase blood flow and help regrow hair while Fo-ti is a Chinese herb that has long been consumed as a tea or in herbal medications to help increase hair growth and reduce hair loss.

6. While vitamin A is essential for hair growth, too much vitamin A can actually cause hair loss, so watch your dosage if you take a supplement. You can find natural food sources for vitamin A in mango, orange, carrot, sweet potato and squash. Vitamin B boosts the production of hemoglobin, helping the scalp receive enough oxygen to stay healthy and promote hair growth. How to get more hemoglobin?  Eat potatoes, bananas, garbanzo beans/chickpeas, chicken breast, oatmeal, pork loin and roast beef while remembering that your chicken and meat should be from free range/grass fed/organic sources.

7. Folic acid is found naturally in collard greens, lentils, garbanzo beans/chickpeas, papaya, peas and asparagus - and is another way you can use a natural source to contribute to hair regrowth.

8. Vitamin E (a great way to help blood circulate to the scalp and improve hair growth) can be found in most cereals, almonds and safflower oil. Another vitamin, namely vitamin C is required for the healthy development of collagen, which is necessary for growing strong hair. Kiwi fruit, guava, red peppers, oranges, lemons, grapefruits and many other fruits and vegetables are rich in this vitamin.

9. Exercise when done daily improves circulation throughout your body. As this includes your scalp, you could get faster hair growth. Your heart needs to be pumping at least 3 to 4 times each week for maximum benefits.

The big advantage of many of these suggestions is that they are all part of a very healthy lifestyle so that even if you are unsuccessful in improving your hair growth, your health will surely benefit in any event!

Sources

Almohanna HM, et al. (2018). The role of vitamins and minerals in hair loss: A review. DOI:
10.1007/s13555-018-0278-6. (Accessed, 6 October 2021).

Avci P, et. al. (2014). Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) for treatment of hair loss. DOI:
10.1002/lsm.22170

Bandaranayake I, et. al. (n.d.). Hair loss remedies: Separating fact from fiction.
pdfs.semanticscholar.org/59fc/18f65b86908a393a5646aeb3c6a244ac08db.pdfhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30547302. (Accessed, 6 October 2021).

Choi BY. (2018). Hair-growth potential of ginseng and its major metabolites: A review on its molecular mechanisms. DOI: 
10.3390/ijms19092703

Everts HB. (2012). Endogenous retinoids in the hair follicle and sebaceous gland [Abstract]. DOI: 
10.1016/j.bbalip.2011.08.017. (Accessed, 6 October 2021).

Fortes C. (2018). Mediterranean diet: Fresh herbs and fresh vegetables decrease the risk of Androgenetic Alopecia in males [Abstract]. DOI: 
10.1007/s00403-017-1799-z. (Accessed, 6 October 2021).