As women, there are a lot of reasons why we might experience hair loss or slowed hair growth. If you’re seeing more changes in your hairline, increased hair fallout, or even bald or thinning patches with less hair than before, it can be incredibly concerning and stressful. While hair loss for women is usually related to hormonal changes, either postpartum or perimenopause, it can also be related to stress, health issues, inflammation, or even a new medication. Regardless of the reason why you are experiencing this, know that its incredibly common and you are not alone. And, the good news, there are things we can do to improve the health of our hair and encourage growth.
Of course, hair growth and loss is a frustrating cycle, so nothing happens over night. I can remember when I took out my eyelash extensions and almost all of my eyelashes came out with them! I was stunned! If you think long, luscious eyelashes can make a big difference (they do!), then imagine what almost no eyelashes will do. I was desperate for a solution. While products that I used did help grow them back, I also had to be patient (not easy). I have had other times in my life when I’ve noticed thinning in my hair and as difficult as it is, it takes time, effort, and patience to see results.
That being said, let’s take a look at tried and true products that with consistent use will improve the hair you have and will hopefully improve the amount of hair that grows in.
8 Hair Growth & Repair Products:
3 Supplements for Healthy Hair Growth That Work:
- Nutrafol – This one is not pictured above, because I am not using it currently, but I have in the past. In fact, the last time I saw my hair stylist, she commented on all my new hair growth and the first thing she said was, “Nutrafol?” This endorsement is due to Nutrafol’s amazing reviews and success stories. It’s a powerhouse supplement with clinically tested ingredients that target the root causes of thinning, such as stress, lifestyle and nutrition. This award-winning formula is a gamechanger. Be sure to check with your doctor if you’re breastfeeding or have any health issues to make sure it’s safe for you, but if so, this one is worth the investment, in my opinion.
- HUM Nutrition – This is the one I’m using right now and I’ve recommended it to others who also love it. The gummy formula means one less supplement I have to take in pill form, but it’s still effective. I don’t see as much growth as Nutrafol, but it does help. This is what I was using when my hairstylist commented on all my new hair, so I call that a win. It’s also more affordable than Nutrafol, so now that my eyelashes have grown back, I am comfortable spending less for slightly less dramatic results.
- Collagen Protein – Never discount nutrition and what it can do for your body! Collagen is involved in so many bodily functions, as is protein. This supplement makes it so easy to get more. Add it to hot tea, a smoothie, whatever works for you, and notice a difference in your skin, hair, and nails. Plus, collagen helps with lubricating joints, which can help with stiffness and joint pain as we age. I use a lot of Amy Myers MD products and highly recommend them.
*Affilate links are used in this post for products I buy, use, and love. If you choose to make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no cost to you. Cheers!
5 Products to Protect & Repair Hair:
The second part to the plan is to take care of the hair you do have. By protecting your hair when heat styling, you’ll reduce breakage and damage, which will improve the look and texture of you hair over time. Plus, it’ll mean you can reduce how much you have to trim or cut.
These are the products I’ve been using to protect my hair when styling and to repair my hair between washes. For the Kerastase products, these are the best products I’ve tried for heat protectant and repair, so even though they are expensive, I keep using them. They do last awhile and Kerastase has regular deals on their website, which helps. At my age, I don’t have the energy to keep trying to find new products. Once I find something that works, I stick with it until it doesn’t.
- Kerastase L’incroyable Blowdry Hair Lotion– I use two pumps of this heat protectant on days that I heat style. My hair is a few inches below my shoulder, so that tells you how concentrated these products are. I love the texture and the smell of this heat protectant. It makes my hair soft, smooth, and shiny. It protects hair up to 450f, offers 96 hour extreme frizz control, and helps hair be repositionable with shape memory. That means it helps holds the style in between washes, so on day 2 or day 3, I can touch up my style quickly and go.
- Kerastase Elixir Ultime Oil – A viral, iconic hair oil that you will be just as obsessed with! I add one pump of this oil to the heat protectant lotion and create a little hair cocktail. Then, I smooth if through my hair, doing the top/crown of my head last. This also protects against heat up to 450f, it reduces frizz, improves shine, and smoothes hair. It’s packed full of amazing ingredients that are so good for your hair and the smell is incredible.
- Miracle Coconut Oil – This is a more affordable option that I have also used when my hair gets really dry and starts to look damaged. I highlighted my hair for a long time and it got super damaged, so I was having to use this the night beforeI washed my hair. I would put it on at night, wrap my hair into a loose bun, and sleep with it in. It does make my hair oily, so I have to wash my hair the next morning, but it really did restore the softness and shine to my hair when it was badly damaged. Now that my hair is healthier (I stopped bleaching my hair entirely), I don’t have to use it as often.
- Elizabecca Hair Mask – This ridiculously affordable hair mask has a zillion great reviews because it is so good. Almost too good to be true. There are a lot of great hair masks, so use what works for you, but if you’re looking for something new to try that works and won’t break the bank, consider this one. I actually need to order more and writing this post reminded me. Hooray 🙂
- Silk Scrunchies – I sleep with my hair wrapped up in a loose bun and wrapped in one of these. The silk is the most gentle for your hair and it helps preserve my hair style. This brand is affordable and works well. Find what works for your hair, but avoid hair ties that can cause breakage in your hair.
- A Note About Castor Oil – I have seen castor oil recommended in a lot of posts, so let’s talk about it. First, I love me some castor oil. I’ve been using and talking about castor oil packs for literally years. I have used little dabs of castor oil on hair thinning spots and seen success, but I don’t use it all over my hair and here is why: castor oil stains. If you use this at night, make sure you don’t care about your clothes, your sheets, your bedding. Even wearing a hair cover might not be enough, because the oil will seep through. In addition to that, it’s challenging to get out of your hair. I’ve had to wash my hair 2 times or even 3 times to get the oily feeling out of my hair and that alone can damage and weaken hair, causing hair loss. So, I would recommend using castor oil very sparingly on your hair at night. For more ways I use castor oil, check out this post.
Free Ways To Improve Your Hair:
Not everything costs money. There are definitely some lifestyle changes that can be made that will translate to healthier (and hopefully more) hair.
- Reduce Hair Washing – Find out how many days you can make a style last and reduce hair washing days. I wash my hair 2, maybe 3, times a week. Once your scalp and hair are healthier, you may find you can stretch out your hair washing days. When my hair was damaged, I had to wash it every other day, which only increased the damage over time.
- Drink More Water – Water helps everything in our bodies! Make sure you’re drinking more water and staying hydrated. This will show in the health of your hair, and everything else, too. Find the water tumbler that you like and works for you and carry it around with you. I have recently fallen in love with this one. The locking lid means absolutely no spilling and the silicone bottom makes it a lot less dangerous than those big metal water tumblers.
- Do Scalp Massages – When you’re shampooing, take a few minutes to gently massage your scalp. This will help remove build-up, as well as improve circulation and encourage growth. You can use little scalp massagers to help with this, if you have one and want to do it. I received a cute scalp massager with a hair mask I bought awhile back and I still use it. That thing has lasted forever, so if you have something – use it! If anything, it might relax you and reduce stress…which brings me to my next point.
- Reduce Stress – Don’t laugh too hard at this one, haha, but it’s true. Stress really impacts our bodies. I feel like it’s going to be an endless journey to reduce stress, but I’m going to keep trying. When I was researching what contributes to hair loss, I saw stress popping up over and over again. In fact, it stressed me out just reading about how stress causes hair loss! As moms, this is extremely hard to do, but it’s a great reminder that we all need.
- Consider Changing Hairstyles – There are hairstyles that strain the hair and can cause hair loss. I remember watching an episode of the Kardashians and Kourtney had her hair in this super high ponytail with tons of extensions. She shared that after the event, when she took her hair down, it had created a bald spot on the top of her head from the tightness of the style and the weight of the extensions. So, consider if you are wearing any hairstyles or using any hair tools/brushes that are pulling on the hair and contributing to hair loss.
Every small change contributes to big results. So, spend a little time thinking about what could be contributing to your hair loss and see what can be changed to improve hair growth. Maybe try one new thing at a time and go from there. Do what makes you feel better and doesn’t increase your stress levels.
*****
Hair loss for women is a big deal. I can remember the horror of postpartum hair loss – the big clumps of hair that come out after you have a baby. It comes from decreased shedding of hair while you’re pregnant, but it’s still extremely scary. Now, years after having my last baby, I’m experiencing hair loss for hormonal reasons. As women, we never seem to catch a break 😉 But, that’s why it’s so important that we share our experiences with each other and let each other know what works.
I hope this list inspires you to try something new and gets you results. Always know that you are your own best advocate and you should always listen to your body and your doctor. Stop doing anything that increases hair loss or doesn’t make you feel better.
If something on this list helps you, come back and leave a comment below so I can hear your story!
Have a fabulous day,
E
