The Main cause of Hair Loss and how if effects our Limbic System –
It is no secret that losing hair is traumatizing for many people. The onset of hair loss can make a very big negative impact on a person’s self-esteem ultimately affecting their life in numerous ways, like a ripple effect. Many allopathic doctors don’t give hair loss enough weight when looking at a person’s overall health and well-being. With the many cancer patients that I’ve seen in my salon chair who asked me to shave their hair off in preparation for treatments, at that moment in time, their mortality was not what frightened them, it was facing the loss of their identity and the hair that made them feel like who they know themselves to be.
The trauma begins –
One of my relatives had cancer when he was 6 years old. Many of the kids at school made fun of his bald head even though he had special permission to wear a hat in class. The world can be cruel, but it doesn’t hold a candle to how we judge and see ourselves. The trauma of the kids bullying him created a self-doubt, and then he began to see himself differently.
We look in the mirror every day and subconsciously form much of our confidence based on whether or not we like what we see reflecting back. If we don’t like that reflection, we begin to feel “less than” and compare ourselves to the harsh and competitive world out there. Like the majority of people who spend some time on social media, we then begin to apply that comparison to others who are using filters and only showing the only best of themselves.
The trauma spiral –
The trauma of losing hair can make a person question their very value. This can put an unknown amount of stress on a person if they no longer have the confidence they once had. There is a part of the brain called the Limbic system which is correlated with life trauma and lower levels of cortisol. Those with thinning hair often subconsciously make the hair loss a factor they think about all day long, especially when they look in the mirror. Throughout any given day, some will worry about too much wind, too much sun on their head, and tend to have a paranoia thinking about how others are perceiving them at any moment.
Experiencing life trauma that repeats all day, could create compromised cortisol levels and a more sensitive connection in the brain between the Limbic system and the Hypothalamus, which can result in a disfunction of the HPA Axis (a pathway that helps to regulate stress). This may potentially inhibit the body’s ability to handle stress in an optimal way. This could then create a sort of spiral effect that cultivates a situation where the body doesn’t have the best levels of stress hormones to balance itself out, thereby depleting more minerals as it burns its stores in an effort to reach homeostasis.
Diving into the main cause of hair loss –
All over the internet, you will find articles about the causes of hair loss. Hormones, genetics, infections, postpartum, stress, thyroid, autoimmune, allergies, etc. This list could be a mile long when you start to break down each one of these causes. While these are all factors in the mysteriousness of hair loss, we need to dive deeper into the “why” behind all of these causes. This is where holistic health philosophies may shed some light on things. Any one of these causes can be broken down to one main cause of hair loss. Let me explain.
Hormonal hair loss can be thought of as an imbalance of hormones, same goes for the thyroid, stress, or postpartum. Genetics can be thought of as an imbalance of hair growth phases. Autoimmune or allergies can be thought of as an imbalance of the immune system. Infection hair loss, which is known as telogen effluvium, can be thought of as a stress response AKA an imbalance of what the body needs to support high levels of stress in the body. Our bodies are self-regulating machines, always reaching for balance. All of these scenarios cause physical stress on the body, which increases the need for minerals as the body burns through its stores rapidly while trying to self-regulate.
The body uses minerals for thousands of functions, anywhere from energy production to helping to produce essential enzymes, and oxygen transport. The stem cells in hair follicles are activated during the hair growth cycle. Minerals are what help the different stem cells in the body know what their job is.
The main cause of hair loss is …
Deficiency. The body is telling you that it doesn’t have enough of something that it needs to be able to regulate itself. This would include any raw materials, nutrients, or cofactors to help in body processes that help produce, convert, metabolize, utilize, absorb, or synthesize things like sex hormones, stress hormones, Circadian hormones, neurotransmitters, gene expressions, amino acids, free electrons, ATP, methylation, or immune expressions.
While there are many factors that play a role in whether or not the body has a disturbance with one of these functionalities in the body, they all require minerals to work. If we were to break down the root cause or the main cause of hair loss, it could easily be called and most likely is a mineral deficiency in some capacity.
This also includes if your particular form of hair loss is due to toxins, which always create deficiencies in the body. Minerals should not just be measured by a scale of optimal levels (like a level in a blood test), they also need to be measured by certain ratios between certain pairs that work together to accomplish their work in the body. Minerals are some of the most important and yet some of the most overlooked essential compounds that the body needs in order to function at its best.
What you can do about it – a holistic view
One of the best ways to see what is going on with the mineral balance in your body is an HTMA test, or a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis test. Blood tests only show a snapshot in time and the blood changes in every moment. Hair Tissue tests, however, will show a 3-month average of what is really going on. They will also show if certain minerals are getting into the tissues versus just in the blood.
For example, you could have really high levels of calcium in your blood, but very low levels in your tissues, which can tell an HTMA practitioner what your body is saying that it needs to regulate itself. These tests are very helpful in pinpointing where you might have a deficiency, or even if you have any heavy metals that are blocking the function of your minerals.
(You can get an HTMA test and consultation HERE and use our pro code “CLEANHAIRGURU” to save, I recommend getting a lab and consultation.)
Protocols to help stop hair loss –
When treating the main cause of hair loss, it is important to hit it from every angle possible. Find out information with what is going on within your body, and then implement any protocols that your health care practitioner gives you, as well as optimize your diet and lifestyle to be a hair growth supporting one.
Basic intake of necessary nutrients is foundational in any hair journey, but keep in mind that the absorption and utilization of those nutrients is of the utmost importance. You can find out if your body is using the fuel that you are giving it, and if there is anything inhibiting that utilization. More and more people are turning to a holistic view on health because they are realizing the value of seeing the body as a whole, and that it works in synergy. When the body is given the best circumstances, it allows space for its innate healing mechanisms to take place.
Then there is the exogenous factor, of what you can do on the outside to support the inside. This is where certain protocols with hair care can come into play. Here are my top three best protocols for hair loss of any type to support hair growth:
Pre-Protocols: Scalp Circulation
Healthy hair starts at the root. The root, or the follicles within the scalp, are nourished with the nutrients that we eat via the blood as a delivery system. Stimulating blood flow, also helps to move any stagnant lymph in the scalp that could be harboring unwanted pathogens or toxins that may also be contributing to your hair loss. Use a scalp brushing method to promote circulation.
On days that you are going to wash, you can also stimulate your follicles with a scalp massage and a targeted essential oil blend that helps bring blood flow to the follicles. To do these methods:
Scalp Brushing Protocol:
Take a scalp brush and gently (do not press hard, you don’t want to damage the follicles), use it in soft circular motions to stimulate the scalp. You will know you are accomplishing this if the nerves in your scalp give you a euphoric feeling.
-Stimulate the entire scalp 3 full rotations, 1-2 times per day.
Scalp Massage Protocol:
Using the pads of your fingers (do not use your nails so that you don’t damage any follicles), gently but firmly massage a few drops of an essential oil blend that uses both rosemary and thyme, mixed into your favorite carrier oil (you can use olive oil, sesame oil, or jojoba oil to dilute this blend). Let it sit on the scalp for 15 minutes before washing.
-Massage with targeted essential oil blend 15 minutes before washing.
*If you don’t have a carrier oil, you can add a few drops of this blend directly to the portion of shampoo you use to wash your hair, and massage while washing.
Suggested Scalp Brush – Circolo Scalp Brush
Suggested Essential Oil Blend – Strengthening Essential Oil Blend
(To save $5 on these suggestions, you can use our PRO Code HHT1034)
Protocol: Scalp Microbiome
Science is only beginning to realize the importance of the body’s different microbiomes. We now know that so much of our health is tied to our gut health and the microorganism balance within. Science is beginning to see the correlation between the skin microbiome and eczema with the differences from when they are having a flare and in remission. We are now seeing that there are certain microorganisms on the scalp that can contribute to things like dandruff if they are out of balance.
But what about hair? The body is connected, and everything works together. If your scalp has a healthy ecosystem, it allows the space for your follicles to thrive, for oxygen to bring life, and for the nutrients being carried by your stimulated blood flow, to nourish your follicles. So how do you support a healthy scalp ecosystem? You lower your shampoo usage.
Why?
One of the main things that is being found to help skin conditions to get better, is to stop the use of detergents and opt for cleansers that are microbiome friendly, meaning they don’t wash away the good bacteria. Think of the friend that washes their hands all of the time. Then think of the friend that hardly ever washes their hands. Which one gets sick more often?
When humans use too many detergents, their body also loses the good bacteria that it needs to create that healthy ecosystem.
So, do you want me to stop using shampoo?
Hold on for a moment. In many cases, I do recommend that people stop using shampoo and switch to other means to wash their hair. However, in the case of hair loss, it is important to have a balance of both a scalp that has the extra help it needs and allowing the microbiome to flourish. So, in this case, I recommend that you stop washing every day. There is only one exception to this rule. To do:
The exception:
If you use products like scalp color sprays, root volume sprays, or any products applied directly to the scalp, this is the only case where I recommend that you shampoo before bedtime every day. Whether it is to camouflage a thinning scalp, or to create more volume, it is easy to forget that it stays on for hours a day. Think of sweating, going to the gym, working, and then going home to sleep with it still on. This can clog follicles and inhibit optimal oxygenation of the scalp.
For those who wear these root sprays, even if you are already washing every day but only right before you get ready, it leaves just a few minutes for your hair follicles to breathe before applying products again for the next almost 24 hours. This also applies to those who wear wigs or toppers the majority of their waking time. In this case, it is better to wash with the Microstimulating Hair Bath every night so that your scalp can breathe for at least 8 hours at a time. To do:
Cleansing Protocol:
Use the Micro-stimulating Hair Bath (formulated to support hair growth) on the days that you wash. Try to go as many days as you can without washing. When washing, focus on washing the scalp and not so much the rest of your hair. It will be cleaned by default from the shampoo and doesn’t need to be scrubbed.
–Wash 2-3x per week.
Cleansing Exception Protocol:
Use the Micro-stimulating Hair Bath before bedtime. Focus using it mostly on the scalp and less through the hair so as not to dry the ends out with excess washing. This goes for any shampoo of choice.
–Wash 1x daily before bed.
Suggested shampoo – Micro-stimulating Hair Bath
(To save $5 on this suggestion, you can use our PRO Code HHT1034)
Post-Protocol: Stem Cell Activation
Hair grows in phases, but what is responsible for the actual growth, are stem cells.
According to the Mayo Clinic, stem cells are the body’s raw materials that produce other specialized cells. They are a regeneration cell. One of the ways to stimulate the dermal stem cells that are at the base of your hair follicle, is again blood flow.
Use either the Densifying Remedy, the Vivifying Remedy, or the Nocturnal Remedy daily. This can be used even on days that you do not shampoo. Spray directly onto your scalp. Then use the pads of your fingers, to gently rub it in, giving yourself a light scalp massage. If you need to blow dry your hair again at the scalp, that is ok. It is important to use this daily to help encourage more blood flow to the stem cells. To do:
Stem Cell and Scalp Microcirculation Protocol:
On Towel dried hair, spray your remedy directly on the scalp. Gently rub in with the pads of your fingertips (no nails). This only needs to be sprayed on the scalp and not on throughout the hair.
–Spray remedy on scalp 1x per day.
Suggested microcirculation remedy for regular scalps – Densifying Remedy
Suggested microcirculation remedy for sensitive scalps – Vivifying Remedy
Suggested microcirculation remedy for men – Nocturnal Remedy
(To save $5 on these suggestions, you can use our PRO Code HHT1034)
Optional Stem Cell Protocol:
Use a phototherapy patch called X-39, applied to specific acupuncture points, to help the body make more of it’s own stem cells through the phenomenon of photobiomodulation, or the use of light to stimulate the mitochondria.
-Use phototherapy device daily for 12 hours, then 12 hours off, according to the instructions.
Here is a downloadable protocol that you can print out to follow along with at home. Click on the photo to save, print, or download:
Enjoy and happy hair growth to you as you discover the main cause of hair loss for you,
-Clean Hair Guru
p.s. Copy the code HHT1034 to save $5 on all Hair Loss Products here.