B6 and Zinc: Nutrients to Prevent Hair Loss

Hair loss can be devastating for many people. Your hair is often one of the first things people notice about you, and if it’s falling out and noticeably thinning, you might understandably feel self-conscious and even unattractive. Fortunately, some causes of hair loss are relatively easy to address. For example, nutritional deficiencies can cause hair loss. Two key nutrients for healthy hair are vitamin B6 and zinc.

Hair Health
Normal, healthy hair goes through a natural growth and loss cycle. As this cycle occurs, most people lose about 50 to 100 hairs a day. If you are losing significantly more strands than this — which is often apparent by hair coming out in the shower or being left in your hairbrush — the health of your hair may be suffering. While there are several possible causes of hair loss, experts state that hair is strongly influenced by nutrition. Thus, you can experience excessive shedding if you have certain nutrient deficiencies.

B Vitamins and Hair
The B vitamins — commonly called B complex vitamins — are integral to healthy, strong hair. Because the body cannot store or manufacture B vitamins, they all must be obtained via diet or supplements, including B6. Vitamin B6 is found in chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, shrimp, milk and cheese, among other foods. Plant-based dietary sources of B6 include lentils, spinach, brown rice, sunflower seeds, wheat flour and carrots. Vitamin B6 is also available in multivitamins and in separate B vitamin supplements.

Zinc and Hair
Zinc is another nutrient that helps maintain healthy hair. If your diet is deficient of zinc, you may lose excessive hair and notice that the hair you keep is duller and more difficult to control. Like vitamin B6, zinc can be obtained in many animal foods, such as meat, poultry, cheese and seafood. Vegetarian sources of protein include whole grains, legumes, sunflower seeds and pumpkin.

Recommendations
If you suffer from excessive hair loss, consult your physician for evaluation and advice. Certain health conditions other than B6 and zinc deficiencies — such as thyroid disorder, extreme weight loss and hormone imbalances — can contribute to hair loss. Your physician may want to rule out these other potential causes before discussing nutrient supplementation or a better diet as a way to combat hair loss. Before trying any vitamin or mineral supplement for hair loss, obtain your doctor’s approval.

How to Remedy MPB

What are your options once male pattern baldness (MPB) inevitably strikes? You’ve probably seen all the ads in the back of men’s magazines, heard all the commercials on the radio and seen all the infomercials promoting miracle treatments for men. But do any actually work? Or is everyone just shilling snake oil?

Pharmaceuticals

Amazingly, only two pharmaceutical drugs have been clinically proven to treat hair loss and are currently licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of male pattern baldness. Generically they are known as minoxidil and finasteride.

• Minoxidil

Minoxidil was the first drug approved by the FDA for male pattern baldness. Taken orally as a pill or applied directly to the scalp as a cream, minoxidil is available over the counter and thus does not require a prescription. Although it’s not exactly clear how minoxidil improves hair growth, minoxidil, like finasteride, may cause minor side effects in some men. If you’re considering this hair loss product, be sure to talk to your doctor for help in weighing the potential risks and benefits.

• Finasteride

Finasteride has been available since the late ’90s as a treatment for male pattern baldness. Finasteride works by inhibiting an enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, the androgen hormone that’s responsible for shrinking hair follicle cells, leading to male pattern baldness. Although finasteride has been shown to increase hair count and appearance, it does increase the risk of sexual disorders like erectile dysfunction.

Hairpieces

Though it’s not exactly a permanent fix, a hairpiece is still a popular choice among men for managing hair loss. The advantages are clear: It’s fairly inexpensive (at least compared to surgery) and has little to no side effects (although some pieces can cause the hair beneath the piece to shed). However, finding the right hairpiece can be a harrowing experience. Hairpieces vary in their base material, in the hair itself and in way the hairpiece is attached to the scalp. For this reason, many first-time buyers are unhappy with the quality, service or price. If you’re considering a hairpiece, do your homework first to ensure you’re satisfied with your piece.

Hair Transplantation

For those wishing for a more permanent fix to their hair loss woes, look no further than hair transplantation (also known as surgical hair restoration). The procedure involves taking hair, along with underlying tissue and skin, from other parts of the body, like the back or sides of the scalp, and transplanting it to balding areas on the top of the head.

Though the procedure is generally safe, there is always the risk of minor side effects. More important, however, is that some clinics are still carrying out outdated and potentially dangerous techniques that should no longer be performed. If you are considering hair transplantation, you need to be diligent in finding a qualified surgeon. The American Hair Loss Association even goes so far as recommending against accepting a referral from your family physician. Instead, check their website or other online resources for guidance.

Laser Therapy

Of all the different treatments for hair loss, who would have thought of equipping a comb with a laser light? Well, someone did, because it led to the development of laser combs and other low-level laser (LLL) devices like it. Laser therapy for hair loss comes with no side effects.

Full Speed Ahead

Science is moving forward at a blistering pace. While the last few decades didn’t produce a magic bullet for male pattern baldness, the future looks much more promising. With new drugs on the horizon, as well as innovative techniques like gene therapy and hair cloning, it’s only a matter of time before new and exciting therapies can give balding men everywhere the hope of a full head of hair.

Men Are Resorting to Natural Hair Loss Treatments Too

Natural remedies have been used for innumerable centuries to treat hair loss in men. Anybody who’s used them will tell you that they are the best hair loss treatment you can possibly find. No matter what the reason might be for hair loss, natural remedies are sure to be an effective and safe treatment for it.

Some natural remedies may not be proven scientifically but there is overwhelming anecdotal evidence in their favour. In this age of synthetic and chemical products that come with loads of side effects, more and more people are waking up to the benefits of herbal remedies for hair loss.

Here are some of the leading herbal remedies that have been passed down for generations:

• Maidenhair fern – Boil this herb and massage it on to your scalp once every week

• Rosemary – Infuse rosemary into tea and use it to rinse your hair every day

• Mallow roots – These roots are boiled in wine and massaged into your scalp every week

• Nettles – Nettles are infused in water after which it is combed through your hair every day

• Artichoke leaves – The leaves are to be simmered in water for a few hours. Once the concoction is ready, apply it to the scalp before you go to sleep

• Catnip – Make an infusion of this herb and rinse your hair every day with it

• Parsley seeds – Crush the seeds and apply the powder to your scalp once every month. Allow the powder to remain overnight and brush it out thoroughly in the morning.

Other herbs you can use are quince, boxwood shavings, jaborandi, willow-leaf hebe, nutmeg, and cloves. These herbs can be made into an infusion and rinsed through your hair regularly to promote healthy hair growth.