Brittle, breakage-prone hair? Keep your locks looking
their best with our expert rescue remedies.
Ask most women what they want from their
appearance, and it’s likely healthy, lustrous locks are near the top of their
wish list. Hair naturally thins as you age and follicles become shorter and
finer, but other factors also affect growth.
Our locks are often the first thing to
suffer when your wellbeing takes a knock. Excessive shedding of hair can be a result
of emotional stress, vitamin deficiencies, medication side effects or hormonal
disorders. Although refreshing your hairstyle with a good cut or color can help
camouflage the problem, there are plenty of powerful remedies that can help
your hair back to full health.
‘If the overall quality of your diet is
poor, you won’t provide your hair follicle with enough of the building blocks
it needs for strong hair’
Hair maths
Improve your hair with this simple meal
idea: spinach + salmon + pumpkin seeds + linseed oil = healthy hair salad
‘A good diet is vital for your hair,
because you really are what you eat’
Amanda Hamilton, TV health expert nutritionist and author
- The lowdown: Your hair is made up, for the most part, of keratin, a
structural protein. This is made in the hair follicle using the protein we
eat, with support from vitamins and minerals. If your diet is poor, you
will not provide the follicle with the building blocks it needs for strong
hair. However, if you are experiencing slow hair growth, it’s also
important to rule out potential underlying causes such as an underactive
thyroid. - Boost hair health: Good nutrition also maintains scalp health and produces the
natural oils needed to condition the hair. The most important nutrient for
growth is protein. If you’re on a low-calorie vegetarian or vegan diet,
there’s a chance you’re not getting enough. Studies have also linked iron,
zinc, selenium, vitamin A and omega-3 deficiencies with hair loss. Load up
on oily fish, lean meat, shellfish, wholegrains, nuts and seeds, green
leafy vegetables and mushrooms.
‘Medication or supplementation can boost
hair regrowth’
James Thompson, GP and director of the GP training website 123GP
- The lowdown: Low hair growth or hair loss can be caused by a number of
factors. Your doctor should be able to go through the problem with you,
examine your scalp and try to help you find what the cause may be. Simple
blood tests can help exclude some causes such as thyroid disorders. A
referral should then be carried out if there is a lack of response to any
treatment or not cause is obvious. - Boost hair health: The appropriate treatment totally depends on the cause.
Prescribing iron supplements or thyroid hormones would help to treat hair
loss caused by iron deficiency and an underactive thyroid respectively. Female
pattern hair loss is treated with a medication called minoxidil which
helps to encourage regrowth, while antifungal shampoos (like ketoconazole
shampoo or Nizoral) can also help if the problem is the result of a fungal
infection.
‘The right hair-care routine can help
achieve maximum results’
Pat Peterson,
vice president of research and development at Aveda
- The lowdown: Following a good hair-care regime can help. Research also
shows certain spices, such as turmeric, contrain powerful agents to help
prevent hair loss and thinning. The new Aveda Invati range uses to its
advantage, including turmeric alongside a host of other natural
ingredients, to boost hair health - Boost hair health: The Invati range has been clinically proven to improve hair
loss and thinning by a phenomenal 33 per cent. There are three key
products in the range: the Exfoliating Shampoo ($30) works to cleanse your
scalp, the Thickening Conditioner ($33), works deep into your cuticles to
plump and thicken your hair, and the Scalp Revitalizer ($66) is a day and
night spray-in and massage treatment.