Whether your hair is curly or wavy, long or short, let’s get one thing straight: hair loss is completely normal. On an average day, women tend to shed up to 100 strands of hair, so it’s no wonder we often notice a few errant strands in our hair brushes or shower drains.

But if you’re losing far more than that, the hair loss may be indicative of a deeper issue – especially when the hair begins to thin out and doesn’t appear to be growing back. While many find hair loss distressing, don’t be alarmed. There are a number of things you can do to encourage fuller, thicker locks.

Here are some of the most common causes of female hair loss, including what to look out for and how to deal with it.

What causes female hair loss?

Thinning hair can often be the result of genetics, but for others, the hair loss is reactive to different lifestyle factors. For the latter, increased hair fall can be a symptom of stress, a diet lacking in nutrients, hormonal imbalances or even an illness.

Hair loss can also occur as we age, or when we’re subjecting our strands to excessive damage, such as heat styling, hair extensions or even intensive hair treatments. You might also find that you’re more inclined to hair loss if you’ve recently lost a significant amount of weight, or after taking certain medications.

How do I deal with hair loss?

If you’re concerned at the considerable amount of hair that you’re losing – particularly if it’s sudden or if you start to notice patchy parts of your scalp where regeneration is sparse – it’s best to seek the advice of a professional trichologist or GP, who can offer advice and further treatments options to address it.

But if it’s only an uplift in shedding, try not to panic. There are a multitude of different treatment options, and hair loss is really common (and stressing about the state of your hair will sadly only make the situation worse).

The hair cycle is actually longer than you’d expect, so it can actually take up to three months to identify whether it’s an issue, or just a temporary thinning. The best thing you can do is maintain healthy hair practices in a bid to prevent further hair loss and revive ailing locks.

Prevent and protect

Focus on the health of your hair for a few months by incorporating these simple practices into your daily routine.

• Take a daily all-in-one hair supplement

The Hair Elixir is WelleCo’s latest ingestible beauty innovation. The unique vegan formula thickens, strengthens and nourishes right down to the follicles to minimise hair loss and reduce breakage, while encouraging the formation of keratin and boosting your body with powerful minerals and an adaptogen to fast-track growth.

The Hair Elixir is designed to maintain healthy hair with a vegan blend of biotin, amino acids, zinc, omega complex and iodine from organic seaweed. The powerful formula also contains the adaptogen Rhodiola to help the body adapt to stress, which can be a common root cause of adult hair loss.

• Eat protein-rich foods and complex carbohydrates

Protein is particularly important to the health of our hair because our strands actually consist of protein. Ensure you’re getting enough protein-rich foods on your plate with each meal – at least a palm-sized portion – such as lean meats, eggs or tempeh, or try WelleCo’s Nourishing Protein.

Complex carbohydrates can also benefit the hair, so ensure that you’re getting enough fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet, as well as oats, beans or quinoa.

• Give your hair a break

Be gentle with your hair when it’s already dealing with loss. Chemical treatments and hair colouring can exacerbate the situation, as can all those tight, sleek top knots and ponytails.

Commit to a few months without heat styling while your hair repairs, and take extra care of it when it’s wet, as this is when the hair is at its most fragile. Ensure that you only use a detangling spray and a comb to brush it out while it’s still fresh from the shower, and use a UV protectant if your hair is going to be exposed to the sun (yes, your hair needs sun protection too).

Softer hair ties that won’t snag or pull at your hair can also be beneficial, so consider investing in silk scrunchies or hair ties that will protect your hair.

After 2 to 3 months of these daily practices, reassess the health of your hair. Is it feeling thicker, stronger and healthier? If it takes a little more time, don’t get discouraged. Remember that restoring the health of your hair and encouraging new growth takes time, so give your body the time and nourishment it needs to repair any imbalances.

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