Hair Botox

"As hair ages, we produce less keratin — the protein that renders it strong and healthy — because our bodies can't absorb essential minerals and vitamins as effectively," explains Christyn Nawrot, a national educator for haircare brand Phyto. And without adequate or high-quality keratin, strands slowly become porous, hyper-prone to breakage, and scary-skinny. Thankfully, high-maintenance hair extensions aren't the only option.

Build strength: According to Nawrot, the biggest culprit of aging and keratin depletion is frequent heat styling — with professional-grade (read: hotter and more powerful) tools women now use at home — because it completely zaps moisture from the hair. "Moisture is key," she says. "It allows minerals to develop more readily and helps to keep free radicals away."

Scale back stress: Just as stress can cause a breakout to erupt on your chin, it can also encourage hair to revolt. "The second biggest offender for people with density loss and lifeless-looking hair is stress," adds Nawrot. "Each piece of hair has its own circulatory system, a sweat gland, a sebaceous gland — its own little world. With stress, each follicle becomes tight and rigid." Essentially, stress spikes adrenaline production, which can convert into androgens (male hormones including testosterone) and cause extra hair to fall out. The best Rx: Chill out. But if yoga and meditation aren't on the schedule, ask your doctor about prescription anti-androgen treatments. If you're taking the Pill, switch to a low-androgen one, such as Desogen or Ortho-Cyclen.

Feed your hair: Since hair is a nonessential tissue, that means it's the last one to have access to any of the nutrients you ingest. "The system will take care of what's a priority first, which is cardio and lung function, not the hair," says Liz Cunnane, a Philip Kingsley trichologist. "Hair is always at the bottom of the list, so that's why what and how much you eat are so important." Maintaining a well-balanced diet full of protein, iron, zinc, and antioxidant-rich foods, such as berries and leafy green vegetables, and eating regularly will have an effect on hair. And there are a host of helpful supplements: Vitamin K and cysteine aid in the production of keratin and melanin (to delay the appearance of grays), while iron, zinc, biotin, and silica supplements can combat thinning.

Scalp TLC : "Think of how you treat your face, and approach the scalp in the same way," says Cunnane, pointing out that scalp condition impacts hair health dramatically. Products formulated with powerful nourishers like argan and bur oil, grape-seed extract, and vitamins C and E, quite literally treat the scalp as an extension of the skin.

Losing Streak: If an alarming number of hairs are piling up on your pillow and in your shower drain, talk to your doctor. Roughly 30 million women in North America experience hair loss, and unlike male balding, which occurs in localized areas, women's thinning happens all over, so it's harder to detect. "As you age and estrogen and progesterone decline, something called miniaturization can happen," says dermatologist Dr. Francesca Fusco. This severe shrinking of the follicles — better known as female pattern thinning — can be treated in a variety of ways. There is minoxidyl, the drug found in Rogaine, which you would need to apply daily for the rest of your life, or a mild diuretic pill called spironolactone (by Rx only; it also works wonders on adult acne). "The FDA also recently approved the HairMax LaserComb [hairmax.com], which you comb through your hair to stimulate growth and follicle regeneration," Fusco adds.

Source : Marie Claire