Our hair is an important part of our personal appearance, conveying not only our style and personality but also our health. Glossy, soft, abundant hair is certainly a sign of well-being. Unfortunately, having a spectacular mane is not easy and requires a certain amount of effort on our part. Sometimes, regardless of our diet or beauty routine, you may notice more hair strands on your pillow than you normally do and this raises an alarm.

Some degree of hair loss is normal, as our hair is constantly growing and falling from the same follicles. Our strands have quite a short lifespan that goes from 2 to 7 years if they are lucky. Over time, our strands may become finer and colorless while many of our follicles get old and stop producing hair, and this is only natural. However, clogging the drain with large clumps of hair all of a sudden is certainly a warning sign that something else is going on.  

In some cases, hair thinning may be linked with health concerns, such as nutrient deficiencies or an autoimmune disease while some other times, it’s simply genetic. In any case, hair loss can affect our self-esteem and make us look for treatments that can make it grow again, this time thicker and stronger. 

While there are no magic solutions, there are definitely natural treatments available so we can have that abundant, voluminous hair we always wanted. Keep reading and discover the best 5 natural ingredients that accelerate growth and rebuild thinning hair in the shortest time!

Thinning hair: Why it Happens and What to Do

Did you know that hair loss is not exclusively a male problem? Almost 30 million women suffer from this problem in the USA alone (1).  However, most women do not go bald as men do but typically experience thinning hair in different areas of their scalps. The good news is that hair loss and thinning can be stabilised with treatment. In some cases, it may even be reversible!

The reasons behind thinning are difficult to pinpoint, but some of the most common include taking certain medications, pulling your hair too tight, or experiencing too much stress. Some others are more internal and involve a hormone imbalance, an autoimmune condition, or a thyroid issue. For some women, thinning may simply be genetic.

The first step towards healing is to consult with your physician to understand what is going on with your body that is making you lose those extra strands. Sure, some hair loss is normal (between 50-100 strands per day, in fact, as stated by the American Academy of Dermatology), but more than that is a warning sign that something is not quite right. Together with your doctor, you’ll figure out the best type of treatment for thinning hair. Don’t wait! The sooner you figure out the reasons for your hair loss, the more likely it is that regrowth treatments will work!

How to Accelerate Hair Growth

So, is there anything to be done to stop thinning and make your hair grow a little bit faster? Luckily, the answer is yes! Many natural treatments, different products, and even dietary changes can speed up growth and help you have that abundant mane you are looking for.

First, let’s understand the structure of your hair and how it grows. Your strands are born from little follicles under your skin, which are supplied by the blood in your scalp, receiving all the nutrients it needs to be strong and beautiful. As it grows, it pushes through your skin and passes by an oil gland that makes it soft and glossy. If you suffer from thinning, chances are some part of this process is failing.

For example, if you have an iron deficiency, your blood is probably not able to transport oxygen and other nutrients to your follicles. Or maybe your glands have been damaged by using an incorrect beauty product and don’t produce enough oil for your hair to look shiny and abundant. No matter the reason behind your hair loss, you can take the bull by the horns and take certain measures to promote hair growth:

• Get a scalp massage: This can help activate your hair follicles and stimulate hair growth by making your blood flow to the area. And, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love getting a good massage? The best part is that there are no side effects and you can do this yourself while taking a shower.
  
• Use essential oils. These are liquids derived from plants and fruits and sometimes they are very effective in the treatment of certain health issues. For instance, lavender and pumpkin seed oil (2) has been used with success by people with pattern baldness. If you decide to try it, make sure you are not allergic to it by trying a bit of the oil in a small patch in your arm.
• Try out anti-thinning products. Today, you can find anti-thinning shampoo, conditioners, and other products in the market that can help your hair look thicker by giving it volume. These products also contain amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that may encourage your follicles to grow hair a little bit faster.
• Try not to diet, especially without the help of a professional who makes sure you’re not restricting nutrients you need for hair growth. Protein intake, for example, is essential for having the glossy hair you always wanted.
• Caffeine can give your follicles a boost, as discovered by a 2014 study (3). Taking a cup of coffee or tea or using a caffeine-infused shampoo can be a great idea to avoid hair thinning.
• Take health supplements. Hair growth many times depends on your overall good health. If you are malnourished, for example, or have some kind of mineral deficiency, your follicles may fail to generate new hair. Taking hair supplements with the nutrients you need to have healthy hair will help you keep a shiny, abundant mane without much effort. Certain vitamins and minerals have a key role in hair health, such as biotin, zinc, iron, and vitamin B5, among others (4).

#1 - Biotin - How can it Help?

Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is a must-have in any hair supplement. It has an outstanding ability to help with hair growth and regrowth (5) while keeping your skin, eyes, and liver healthy. The recommended intake for adults is 30mcg a day, and you can get it through a balanced, healthy diet (6). Some foods rich in biotin include:

• Eggs, especially the yolk. One cooked egg gives you approximately 10mcg of biotin.
• Legumes like peas, lentils, and beans are also great sources of biotin, in addition to dietary fibre and other essential nutrients. 100 gr of soybeans can give you almost 20mcg of biotin (7).
• Nuts and seeds, in addition to providing you with proteins and unsaturated fat, are also great if you want to incorporate more biotin into your diet. You can enjoy them cooked or raw.
• Sweet potatoes have around 2.4mcg of biotin every 125 grams (8).

If you find yourself unable to increase your intake of biotin by means of a healthy diet, health supplements are a great alternative. However, an excess of biotin can have the exact opposite effect to what you are looking for. Be careful when choosing the best hair supplement to take, because most of them contain toxic doses of biotin which can eventually lead to hair loss, acne breakouts, and rashes. Plus, there’s no evidence that adding biotin to shampoos and other hair products actually works when reducing hair loss and thinning.

#2 - Vitamin B5

Vitamin B5, also known as pantothenic acid, can also be your best ally when trying to regrow your mane. This vitamin helps strengthen and restructure damaged hair that occurs as a result of blow-drying or using too many heat treatments. It can also be effective when treating hair damaged by sun exposure or the usage of the wrong beauty products.

Vitamin B5 is typically added to hair products, makeup, creams, and lotions to moisturize the skin, but it can also be consumed in supplements specially designed for hair growth. This vitamin can give your mane luster and volume, improving its texture and increasing hydration. It mostly acts in your scalp, penetrating into lower skin levels to moisturize them. Not surprisingly, vitamin B5 also seems to be effective to minimize mid-fibre breakage, repairing damaged strands and giving them a softer appearance (9). Another amazing benefit of vitamin B5 is that it inhibits acne, making your skin smooth, soft, and dewy!

#3 - L-Methionine + L-Cysteine + Vit B3 (Niacin)

These three critical substances work together to make keratin, the very essence of your hair’s structure. No keratin, no healthy, shiny hair. Our strands have 3 layers: the cuticle is the outer layer, which surrounds the cortex and the medulla. This is the part that’s responsible for your hair thickness and strength. Meanwhile, the most prominent part of your strands is the cortex, which is made up of keratin bundles that contain 75% of L-cysteine, an essential amino acid and antioxidant (10). The rest is made up of other substances, such as L-methionine (essential for normal growth and repair of tissues like your hair) and niacin.

Also called vitamin B3, niacin can repair hair at a cellular level, stimulating rapid, healthy growth (11). Plus, it boosts blood flow to the scalp which helps keratin’s essential building blocks reach individual strands. These amino acids are not produced by your body and need to be obtained from your diet, that’s why they are called “essential”. If you feel you are not getting enough L-cysteine, L-methionine, or Niacin through your food, you can find many natural hair supplements to nourish your hair and boost its growth.

#4 - Aquamin F

Aquamin F is an Icelandic red algae that is an incredible source of plant-based calcium and other vitamins and minerals. It has been proven to support digestive health, joint and connective tissue health, and it works as an anti-inflammatory. Additionally, this super seaweed even assists in nutrient absorption so it helps you get the best out of your supplements.

Because Aquamin F is loaded with calcium, magnesium, Vitamin B, amino acids, Vitamin C and more - it is essential for combatting nutrient deficiencies. During hormonal fluctuations, which is a time when women commonly suffer from hair thinning, calcium and magnesium levels lower which can lead to hair loss. Aquamin F is a rich source of both of these elements and can quickly combat hair loss before or after hormonal thinning has begun. 

#5 - Pomanox

Have you ever eaten a pomegranate? They are loaded with vitamins and minerals and for years have been seen as more than just a fruit. It is widely recognized that due to their vitamin and antioxidant levels, pomegranate can aid in reducing inflammation, improving digestion, and even aid in the prevention of Alzheimer’s, cancer, and heart disease. 

Pomanox is quite simply, pomegranate fruit extract cultivated in the Mediterranean regions of Spain. A super concentrate of this incredible fruit! Pomanox promotes healthy and glowing skin and thick luscious hair. If you have generally fine hair or suffer from hair thinning, Pomanox has been proven to increase hair production and strength through recent clinical studies. Not only will your hair grow faster and fuller, but it will also be stronger and more resilient too!

Regrow Your Hair With These 5 Natural Ingredients!

It’s really hard to win the fight for the perfect hair. One day it seems to be flawless, shiny and breezy, and the next it looks lifeless and thin. Even worse, it may start to shed without an apparent reason. But don’t despair! Fortunately, there are many natural ways in which you can give your hair a boost and help it go back to its best shape.

The 5 ingredients we mentioned above, for example, will do wonders for your hair, especially if you feel you suffer from hair loss. If it sounds like you, the first step is to identify whether you have thinning hair or not and seek medical advice about possible treatments. 

Then, there’s a variety of measures you can take to make sure your hair starts growing stronger than before. Getting a scalp massage, taking a caffeine boost, or using essential oils are some options. The most efficient of them is to increase your intake of essential vitamins and amino acids through your diet or health supplements. For instance, biotin and vitamin B5 are crucial for repairing signs of damage, moisturizing your scalp, and helping your hair regrow. Meanwhile, L-cysteine, L-methionine and niacin act together to nourish your strands, giving them structure and volume while boosting hair growth at the same time.