Written by the SiWell content team
Everyone loses an average of 50 to 100 hairs daily, which is completely normal. If you are noticeably losing more hair, or if your hair is visibly thinning, then we speak of excessive hair loss. This usually has one of six causes: hormones, stress, lifestyle, heredity, hair care, or an underlying illness or medication.
Below, you can read what each cause entails, how to recognize which one applies to you, and ten concrete things you can do yourself.
What are the most common causes of hair loss?
Hormones
Fluctuations during pregnancy, after childbirth, during menopause, or due to a thyroid disorder can cause hair loss. Recognizable by: it appears quite suddenly, distributed over your entire head, and coincides with a life stage or a change in your cycle.
Read more: hair loss during menopause and postpartum hair loss.
Stress
Prolonged stress can disrupt the hair growth cycle, causing more hairs to enter the resting phase simultaneously. Characteristic is the delay: hair loss often only begins two to three months after the stressful period. People rarely make the connection as a result.
Lifestyle and nutrition
Unilateral eating, strict dieting, or insufficient sleep can lead to a deficiency of iron, protein, or certain vitamins. Your hair is not vital tissue, so your body cuts back on it first.
Heredity
Hereditary hair loss occurs in men and women. In men, you usually see a receding hairline and a thinning crown, while in women, a widening part. This pattern is genetically determined and cannot be reversed with diet or care.
Hair care
Excessive blow-drying, dyeing, styling, or tight updos can break hairs and damage the hair root. This is not true hair loss but hair breakage, and it is the only cause you can almost immediately eliminate yourself.
Illness or medication
Conditions such as alopecia areata, a thyroid disorder, or anemia, and treatments such as chemotherapy, can cause hair loss. In doubt? Then a blood test with your GP is the first step, not a supplement.
10 things you can do yourself
1. Eat enough protein. Hair consists largely of keratin, a protein. Fish, eggs, nuts, legumes, and dairy provide the building blocks.
2. Address stress. Chronic stress disrupts the hair growth cycle. Daily exercise, being outdoors, and getting enough rest help more than any product.
3. Have your blood values checked. Iron deficiency, a slow thyroid, or a low vitamin D level are common and easily treatable. Ask your GP for a blood test before you start supplementing yourself.
4. Wear your hair loose more often. Tight ponytails, braids, and buns continuously pull on the hair root. This is called traction alopecia and can eventually become permanent.
5. Choose a mild shampoo. Wash mainly your scalp, not the lengths, and rinse thoroughly.
6. Massage your scalp. Many people find it pleasant and relaxing, and it's a good time to gently clean your scalp. There is no proof that massage stimulates hair growth, so see it as care, not as treatment.
7. Limit heat and chemical treatments. Blow-drying on the highest setting, straightening irons, and dyeing make hair more brittle. Let it air dry more often.
8. Drink enough. One and a half to two liters per day is an excellent guideline.
9. Get enough sleep. Your body repairs tissue during sleep. Aim for seven to eight hours.
10. Supplement possible deficiencies. Zinc and selenium are two minerals with an EU-recognized role. Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal hair and selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal hair. Both contribute to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. You normally get them from your diet; a supplement is intended for when that is not sufficient.
What we can and cannot say with certainty about silicon
Silicon occurs naturally in the human body, including in connective tissue, skin, hair, and nails. Research has been done on it over the years, including on oral intake in women with sun-damaged skin (Barel et al., 2005).
SiWell Triple A Silicon is a liquid supplement with stabilized silicic acid, zinc, and selenium. View the composition.
Good to know Zinc and selenium are nutrients that you normally get through your diet. A supplement is a complement to a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle, not a replacement. The mentioned contributions apply to the recommended daily dosage of 12 drops (0.5 ml), which provides 4 mg of zinc and 30 µg of selenium. Do not exceed the recommended dosage.
Frequently asked questions about hair loss
How much hair loss is still normal? An average of 50 to 100 hairs per day. If you see significantly more in your brush or shower drain, or if your part is widening, it is worth investigating where it comes from.
When should I see a GP? For sudden or patchy hair loss, for hair loss accompanied by fatigue, weight changes, or an irregular cycle, or if it doesn't improve after six months. A blood test rules out iron deficiency and a thyroid disorder.
Does hair grow back after hair loss? In the case of temporary causes such as stress, childbirth, or a deficiency, usually yes, although it takes months. In the case of hereditary hair loss and dead hair follicles, the hair does not grow back.
Does a supplement help against hair loss? Only if there is a deficiency. If your diet is in order, there is little to supplement. Zinc and selenium have a recognized contribution to the maintenance of normal hair; this is different from a remedy for hair loss, and that is how you should read it.
Read more: what you can do for thinning hair · silicon, zinc, and selenium for thinning hair
Sources
- EFSA NDA Panel (2009). Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to zinc. EFSA Journal.
- EFSA NDA Panel (2009). Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to selenium. EFSA Journal.
- EFSA NDA Panel (2011). Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to silicon. EFSA Journal.
- EU Register of nutrition and health claims, Regulation (EU) No 432/2012.
- Barel A. et al. (2005). Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on skin, nails and hair in women with photodamaged skin.
