The science behind hair thinning – Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Thinning hair is a nightmare for anyone as bald patches are not something to ignore.

Strands on your pillow, on the shower, on your hairbrush: While it is true that more men tend to go bald than women because of genetics, thinning hair is also a great concern for women.

Losing hair is a natural and healthy part of the renewal process of the hair, but when do we know if it is already something to be concerned about?

Fact is that a person can normally shed 50 to 100 strands of her per day. Now when it comes to people that lose more than that, it’s another case.

On April 6, Philstar.com spoke with L’Oréal Professionnel hair educator Donna Ico Sanchez to ask about the science behind hair thinning.

During the interview, Sanchez mentioned some of the most common reasons for hair thinning such as heredity, aging, lifestyle habits, nutrition loss and underlying diseases.

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However, she emphasized that even young people as early as mid 20s encounter hair  thinning and this is because of a disrupted hair growth cycle.

“Ang hair natin, it has a hair growth cycle—anagen, catagen, telogen—after telogen, the hair comes off, ‘yun ‘yung shedding phase which is normal. ‘Eto na ‘yung normal na nakikita mo sa shower. However, minsan the hair undergoes telogen or the resting phase too early, which is called ‘the sleeping phase’ of the hair. That is when excess hair thinning occurs,” Sanchez said.

Hair loss, hair thinning and problems with hair growth occur when your growth cycle is disrupted. This can be triggered by conditions such as metabolic imbalances, illness or improper nutrition. Thus, people suffering from hair loss or thinning don’t have healthy hair follicles. This is why their hair just do not grow like it used to.

A healthy hair therefore is usually a sign of how well nourished you are.

“What happens if ‘di nakatubo ‘yung hair is meron kang tuldok sa scalp, that’s your hair follicle. However, nothing is coming out. Yun na ‘yung napapanot.”

In terms of sex, Sanchez said 50 percent of men suffer from hair thinning but that does not mean women are exempted from it. Women are nearly as likely to lose, or have thinning hair.

Although men and women go through the same cycle, women tend to be more exposed to hair styling which can ultimately damage their crowning glory.

Sanchez said, however, that there are some things you can do to avoid disrupting your hair cycle and that is nourishing yourself from the inside and outside.

Eating food rich in essential fatty acids, protein, B vitamins, and minerals such as zinc, iron and selenium to grow healthy hair. Moreover, avoiding too much stress and getting a break from too much styling may also reduce hair thinning.

In addition to that, she also recommends making Serioxyl a part of your hair ritual. Serioxyl has ingredients called Glucoboost for stronger hair growth and Stemoxydine 5 percent to target dormant hair follicles to reveal up to 1,700 more hair strands.