Hair loss is a natural way of life, and can affect women and men differently. For some, this insecurity can stem from many reasons, including stress, product build-up, diet, hormonal issues, etc. As common as hair fall is, there is a lot that we can each be doing to help stop hair fall and grow back thick, strong strands! 

Beauty Starts From Within

The first step to combatting hair loss is to focus internally. Before we can move on to the topical self-care techniques that we can use to help combat hair fall, we have to focus on the habits that we build for our internal health. A lot of times hair shedding can be due to poor diet or just a general lack of nutrients. For many, eating unhealthily or not enough can have long lasting impacts on your physical health. Eating less than your recommended daily calorie intake, and not providing your body with the necessary vitamins and minerals, can cause hair loss as a side effect, and eating unhealthy foods that are common in the Standard American Diet (SAD) don’t do much to help boost your hair growth. 

So what should you eat? Scientists have stated that eating foods high in protein, vitamins A, B, C, D, iron, selenium, and zinc can really help to boost the strength and quality of your hair and stimulate hair growth. If this isn’t something you can fully get from your foods, then you can try to find multivitamin supplements, but it is best to just have the nutrients come from your food. Many people have seen success from using home remedies for hair loss and taking supplements like biotin or saw palmetto, but always do all the sufficient research before choosing and doing so at your own risk. 

Don't Stress Out

Easier said than done, since stress is a natural part of life. The issue lies with not knowing how to best handle it, and our bodies having adverse reactions without us even realizing it. It can affect the health of your skin, moisture levels, and disrupt the hair growth cycle, causing hair fal-- find out more in our story here. Figuring out how stress can affect you and finding the proper coping mechanisms can help soothe these symptoms. 

Genetics

Many aspects of our body that we try so hard to change, like acne, weight gain, and hair fall, are linked to our genetic makeup. This includes hair loss affecting women and men differently! For male pattern baldness, they typically see a receding hairline, and horseshoe-shaped pattern that leaves the crown of the head exposed. For women, they have general hair thinning that's emphasized at the hairline and crown of the head. If this sounds familiar, it could be worsened by wearing tight ponytails or braids that cause hair breakage and thinning from the constant friction being applied. Do not fret, as there are small changes you can make to help your hair growth journey!

Hair Oils for Hair Health

One of our favorite ways to stimulate healthy hair growth is using oils! They've been used for centuries in Ayurveda to get the long, luscious and strong hair that Indians are known for. Using an oil like WOW Skin Science Castor Oil is beneficial because of its hair growth stimulating properties. You can also use a product like the WOW Skin Science Onion Black Seed Hair Oil, formulated with holistic essentials to revitalize your strands from the inside out!

Hair Treatment Tips

Now that you know what products to use, knowing how to use it is equally important! Check out these hacks to make the most of your hair treatments:

Heat

If you want your hair treatment to work harder for you, we recommend warming up the oil in a microwave safe bowl, or using a hot towel. Warm up a damp towel in the microwave, and wrap around your hair to open up the hair shafts and allow for a deeper penetration from the oils to the hair cuticle. Using a hot oil treatment is a classic move to make the most of your hair oils!

Massage

Boost the benefits by doing a scalp massage with these oils to help stimulate the hair follicles and promote deeper penetration of the oils. Try Ayurvedic massage techniques like this to know where to apply oil and massage:

1. Apply and massage 8 fingers width above eyebrows
2. 12 fingers width above eyebrows
3. 4 fingers from nape of neck in the meridian
4. bend over and massage head (using massage brush or tips of fingers)
5. massage the depression behind the ear
6. apply oil to the rest of the scalp 
7. brush with wide tooth comb and put in loose bun

Once you’ve finished your oil treatment, you can go to sleep and clean your hair the next morning. Keep in mind to use a mild shampoo like the WOW Skin Science Coconut Milk Shampoo, since anything too clarifying or harsh can end up drying out your hair. The proteins in coconut milk add an additional barrier of hydration that boosts hair health.

Most people’s hair is much more vulnerable when wet so it really is not the best time to scrub and add friction to the hair cuticles/shafts, which would cause more breakage and hair loss. Try using a microfiber towel when drying your hair to absorb excess water, without causing a ridiculous amount of frizz for your hair. A microfiber towel will also help to resolve the issue of your hair breaking off from the friction. If you don’t have a microfiber towel, you can use a cotton shirt to dry your hair! When your hair is wet/damp, use a wide tooth comb and start brushing from your ends to limit hair fall. 

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Since hair loss can be hereditary and worsened by our lifestyle choices, tackling it can be tricky. While hair loss is a natural side effect of aging, for many of us, this kind of hair loss can start at a much younger age. Because of this, it is really important to try to do as much as one can do to help lower the chances of losing all of our hair. 

Explore the WOW website for more natural hair care products. From our all natural sulfate, silicone and paraben-free hair care collection we recommend Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Red Onion Black Seed Oil Shampoo. And if you would like to learn more about apple cider vinegar's benefits or onion oil's benefits check out our ultimate guide on how to use them on your hair.