Hair loss is more complicated than patterned baldness. In fact, over 80 million Americans have experienced clinical hair loss. And while male pattern baldness is a well-known condition, about 40% of individuals struggling with hair loss in the United States are women.

Hair loss is a clinical condition that can be attributed to many factors, including heredity, lifestyle habits, and health problems. Treatments that can restore or regrow hair are very expensive, and people often search for natural alternatives.

Let’s take a closer look at what causes hair loss and explore whether clinical-grade CBD topical products can help restore scalp health condition and promote hair growth.

What Causes Hair Loss?

Hair thinning can be caused by many different things. From the shampoo and conditions we use to the way, we style or treat our hair. Certain diseases and even some types of prescription medications can also lead to problems with hair growth.

There are five main causes of problems with hair growth include:

Androgenetic Alopecia

This condition is the most common cost of hair loss for both men and women. Androgenetic alopecia happens primarily because of genetic (hereditary) factors that change how androgen hormones (like dihydrotestosterone or DHT) work in the body.

When too much DHT is produced, it binds to hair follicles and causes them to shrink. New growing hair follicles develop that are also more thin and fine and break or shed easily. Eventually, individual follicles stop growing new hair altogether, and that leads to pattern baldness.

Stress That Causes Telogen Effluvium

If you have high levels of stress or chronic stress, you may feel like “pulling out your hair” in frustration. But the truth is that stress can quickly lead to loss without any intervention. What happens when your body has high levels of stress? It can cause hair follicles to loosen or fall out, unlike undamaged hair, which stays firmly rooted in the scalp.

Even if you take steps to stimulate hair growth using products or treatments, chronic stress will continue to result in low hair growth. People who experience physical or emotional trauma from major surgeries, rapid and extreme weight loss, or chronic illness can see noticeably thin hair in just a few months. But moderating stress levels can also result in healthy hair growth and thicker hair.

Poor Diet and Nutritional Deficiencies

When you are young, the ability to absorb nutrients and vitamins from dietary food is good. However, as we get older, our ability to process and retain those valuable nutrients declines. And that can lead to nutrient deficiency, which can cause health problems.

Diets that are lacking in essential nutrients like biotin, Vitamins A, C, D, and E, iron, and zinc can cause hair loss. Hair follicles rely on certain vitamins for hair health. When you are not taking in enough of these natural ingredients (through diet or nutritional supplements), your hair can become brittle, thin and break off easily, which can lead to noticeable hair loss.

Traction Alopecia (Tension and Damage from Hair Styling)

Do you wear your hair in a tight ponytail or bun every day? Sure, you want to fasten your hair in an updo so that it stays put all day, but did you know that high-tension hairstyles can cause your hair to fall out? It is called traction alopecia, and it is a leading culprit when it comes to thinning hair.

Damage from Hair Products

Forget what the label promises on some leading brands of shampoo and conditioners. Some of them contain chemicals like parabens (wax), sulfates, and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives. Yikes! And those chemicals can do real damage to your scalp, causing inflammation and leading to large-scale damage and hair loss.

Other hairstyle products as well, such as hair wax, hairspray, gels, and straightening treatments, can also contribute to a buildup of residue on the scalp. That clogs up hair follicles and can reduce hair growth. Try to buy hair care products that have natural ingredients that are free of harmful chemicals that can cause hair loss.

Combing or brushing wet hair can also inhibit hair regrowth by damaging or scarring the scalp. Each hair shaft can be damaged, which has a negative impact on hair health and hair growth. Being gentle with both hair and scalp can help you reduce hair loss and enjoy healthier hair.

Common Health Conditions That Contribute to Hair Loss

Hair loss is a concern that affects millions of Americans. But sometimes hair loss is a symptom of a health condition and not due to lifestyle factors or diet. Certain health conditions may contribute to thinning hair, which may be difficult to resolve unless the disease is resolved or well-controlled.

There are many different diseases that can cause hair loss, but the four most common causes of thin hair growth or shedding are as follows:

Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism

Both thyroid disorders can cause hair loss due to hormonal imbalances. Hypothyroidism is caused by an underactive thyroid gland, which produces less thyroid hormones than your body needs. The result is a slowdown of certain metabolic activities, causing fatigue and also impair hair growth.

Hyperthyroidism results from an overactive thyroid gland, which accelerates the body’s metabolism. This also disrupts androgen levels and interrupts healthy hair growth cycles. The risk of developing a thyroid disorder is higher for women; 1 in 10 women will develop hyperthyroidism or hypothyroid problems. And thyroid disorders are one of the leading causes of hair loss for women.

Lupus

Selena Gomez was diagnosed with Lupus and has shared her struggles with the autoimmune disease. Chronic inflammation results when the immune system begins to attack healthy cells instead of infected, oxidized, or damaged molecules.

The inflammation caused by Lupus can extend to hair follicles, causing weak and brittle hair strands that easily break off. Some people with Lupus develop a secondary condition called discoid lupus erythematosus, which causes scarring and sometimes permanent hair loss. The most common prescription treatments for Lupus include corticosteroids, which can also cause hair thinning and loss.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

This condition is more than just the development of polyps or cysts inside ovaries. Women who have been diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome experience hormone imbalance due to the impaired functioning of the ovaries. This can lead to increased levels of androgens.

Where androgen hormone levels are high, they can bind to hair shafts. The effect is that the follicles cause thin hair, which becomes thinner and weaker over time, resulting in thinning hair. Chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and other disorders are common for women with PCOS.

Cancer With Chemotherapy Treatments

When someone is undergoing cancer treatment, chemotherapy works to kill off cancer cells. However, the radiation also affects other rapidly dividing cells in the body, including hair follicles. This is why some types of chemotherapy cause rapid hair loss.

Another side-effect of chemotherapy is dry skin. This can also impact the hair and scalp. By improving skin health on the scalp, it can support hair growth and increase hair thickness after the cancer treatments are done.

What Prescription Drugs Can Cause Thinning Hair?

If your goal is to have healthier-looking hair, it is important to determine if prescription medications may be causing a problem. Many people do not realize that common prescription drugs can have a negative impact on all hair types.

Some of the medications that can cause scalp and hair problems include:

• Anticoagulants (blood thinner medications including heparin and warfarin).
• Antidepressants (including fluoxetine or sertraline).
• Anticonvulsants (such as valproic acid and phenytoin) which are prescribed to treat epilepsy.
• Beta-blockers (i.e., propranolol and metoprolol) used therapeutically for cardiovascular problems or hypertension (high blood pressure).
• NSAIDS or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Hormone medications, including oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
• Immunosuppressant drugs (like methotrexate and cyclosporine).
• Cholesterol medications, or statins such as atorvastatin and simvastatin.

If you experience a problem with thinning hair or pattern baldness, you should consult with your primary care provider for advice. Some medications may not cause hair loss, and your doctor can recommend safe alternatives in some cases. Switching to a new medication could help you strengthen hair and achieve increased hair thickness.

How Much Hair Loss is Normal?

When you are in the shower, or swimming, a small amount of hair is likely to be shed. That is because water helps moisturize the scalp and allows dead hairs to loosen and release. But if you are finding more hair in the bathtub or shower, you may be wondering how much hair loss is actually normal.

Now, this may surprise you. According to peer-reviewed studies, your scalp loses about 50 to 100 hairs every day. And that shedding cycle is a healthy part of the hair growth cycle. You don’t notice it because, for every hair that you lose, a new one replaces it.

But if you are starting to notice baby hairs more than fully mature strands of hair, it may indicate that you are losing more hair than your body is regrowing. And since there are many different things that can cause abnormal shedding, it is important to talk to your doctor to determine any underlying health conditions.

For some people who do not have a clinical reason for thinning hair, lifestyle changes, including adopting a healthy diet and moisturizing hair shafts with natural treatments like coconut oil or topicals made from the hemp plant, may help.

Managing chronic stress more effectively can help prevent thinning hair. Look for ways to reduce stress, eat a balanced diet, and your natural hair may recover. By making important lifestyle changes, you can encourage hair growth.

The Importance of Scalp Health Condition

Maintaining a healthy scalp is critical to having healthy hair. The scalp plays the most important role in helping nurture your natural hair and stimulate hair growth. Because the scalp produces sebum (moisture for skin), a balance of essential nutrients, oxygen, and minerals helps create strong roots.

Circulation is very important for scalp health. That allows for good blood circulation, which carries nutrients and oxygen to every hair shaft and root. Balancing the pH level (acidity) in your body is also important because it helps reduce inflammation in dermal papilla cells. Inflammation causes damage to the subcutaneous tissue and hair loss.

Look for all-natural products that you can use to moisturize and exfoliate dead skin cells, hairstyle product buildup, and excess natural oil from your scalp. There are certain nutrients that your scalp needs in order to grow strong and healthy hair.

How Can CBD Topicals Help?

All-natural CBD oil can significantly help improve the health and condition of the scalp. Cannabidiol is high in amino acids, antioxidants, and also essential fatty acids (Omega) that not only moisturize the skin but also help coat, strengthen, and protect hair roots.

More research is needed to learn if cannabidiol can directly help with hair growth. But what is known is that by creating nourishment for skin cells, CBD products may help hair recover in combination with other treatments, such as lifestyle and dietary changes.

Creating Your Own CBD Scalp Treatments

Want to see if CBD products (topicals) can help you get healthy hair? Find one bottle you love, and create a deep conditioning treatment. Follow directions for maximum daily use (provided on the bottle), and massage the CBD oil or cream into your hair thoroughly.

Wrap your hair in a hot, damp towel and rest for at least thirty (30) minutes. Then wash your hair normally. Doing this self-care exercise once per week may help improve your hair’s condition, strength, and thickness.

Another great idea to improve the health of your hair is to dilute your CBD topical. You can use a ratio of one part CBD oil or topical cream to four parts (1:4) of water. After you wash and condition your hair, you can lightly spray your scalp and wet hair on the ends to provide extra nourishment.