The telltale signs of thinning hair and hair loss

For many of us, our hair is quite literally our crowning glory. We strive for it to be voluminous, shiny and beautiful on a daily basis. But we’re not all blessed with Victoria’s Secret Angel hair. In fact, hair thinning is the biggest hair concern for Australian women with 76 per cent of women currently suffering from the problem, according to the TNS Usage and Attitudes Study*. If a less-than-luscious mane is a problem for you, read on to find out why your hair might be falling out, and how to do something about it.                                        

Reasons why your hair might be falling out

If you think hair loss is just a hereditary condition, think again. While one cause of thin hair or fallout can be due to your genes, there are other factors that may be responsible. Poor health, stress and a change in hormone levels (such as during pregnancy or menopause) can all contribute to hair loss and thinning. Your eating habits may also be to blame. The body requires vitamins and minerals and other nutrients to assist in a healthy scalp and hair growth, so if you go on a very strict weight loss diet or change your eating habits, this may also cause noticeable hair changes. 

The 4 signs of hair thinning

No doubt if your hair starts thinning, you’re likely to start noticing it straight away. If you’re unsure whether your hair breakage is caused by damage from too much heat styling, or if there's more of a serious problem behind it, there are a few key signs of thinning hair to look out for. These include a loss in density (often most noticeable along the hairline), reduced volume at the roots, brittle hair fibres that are prone to breakage or fall out easily, and a head of hair that’s sparser in appearance.

How to prevent hair loss

While you may not be able to influence your hormone levels or change your genetic make-up, stress and diet are certainly in your control. Identify the causes of the high levels of stress in your life and try counteracting them with more exercise (which releases endorphins) - from intense workouts to more meditative practices like yoga and Pilates to help clear your mind. Also, take better care of your hair by indulging in gentle yet nourishing treatments weekly, pat dry wet hair rather than rubbing it rigorously, and avoid tight hairstyles to limit stress on the hair and scalp.

How to treat hair loss

Hair thinning occurs when the hair follicles enter a prolonged dormant phase and when the hair bulb activity is reduced. This provokes lack of hair density, resulting in less hair per square centimetre, and a smaller hair diameter. For hair that has already started to fall out and show signs of thinning, talk to your hairdresser about L’Oréal Professionnel’s thinning hair programme, Serioxyl. An at-home treatment for redensifying and strengthening hair, Serioxyl contains Stemoxydine, which is a molecule that helps awaken dormant follicles by mimicking the environment required for stem cell stimulation. In the Serioxyl range is the Denser Hair Serum to help grow new hairs, and a three-step haircare kit consisting of a shampoo, conditioner and densifying mousse, available in formulas for natural or colour-treated hair. The recommended duration for using the Serioxyl regimen is a minimum of three months to provide optimal results for +1700 hairs and denser, thicker-looking results**.

Give your hair an instant volume boost

While your Serioxyl haircare products work on treating your thinning hair, the Serioxyl Thicker Hair Serum can give you immediate volume and improved density. It’s formulated with a cocktail of thickness-boosting actives to redensify hair for a fuller, thicker and more texturised look. The star actives, Intra-Cylane (a plumping molecule) and Incell (a natural hair ceramide) strengthen the hair fibre to give you strong, thick and stress-resilient hair. To use, apply a few pumps evenly to wet hair along the lengths and ends and blow-dry or leave your hair to dry naturally.

Looking for some ways to ditch that stress that could be contributing to hair loss?? Here are 4 ways to stress less

Do you suffer from thinning hair? Please share with us in the comments section below 

Image: Getty

*TNX Data, TNS Usage and Attitudes Online Study, 2011 sample size n=1027.
**Clinical study vs. placebo carried out of 101 people with daily application for three months, average value for hair lacking in density.