A dermatologist breaks down the keys to long-term hair health.
The secret to good hair days? A proactive, future-minded approach. “The big thing that I tell patients is it's really important to think about not [just] your hair today or tomorrow, but months and years from now,” says Jacob I. Beer, M.D., F.A.A.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Beer Dermatology in West Palm Beach, Florida.
By age 65, approximately 53 percent of men and 37 percent of women will experience hair loss, according to the National Council on Aging. Once about half of your hair is lost, “you’re really fighting an uphill battle,” says Dr. Beer. Giving your mane the attention and care it needs, starting now, could help bolster its health in the long run.
Promoting hair longevity is two-fold; you need to support the strength and integrity of the hair shaft and create a scalp environment where healthy hair can continue to grow, says Dr. Beer. Still, most people tend to fixate on just one part of the equation. Dr. Beer says his patients will often either focus on the hair itself while neglecting the scalp, or they’ll care for the scalp while doing things that will actively harm their hair.
The first step to bolstering hair longevity: Nix harmful practices from your routine. Dr. Beer recommends avoiding the use of chemical relaxers and heating your strands regularly (more than just once a week), which can damage hair itself. Consider steering clear of certain keratin-based treatments (think: Brazilian blowouts), which may contain formaldehyde and could cause allergic contact dermatitis, and hairstyles that may cause traction alopecia, like extensions or tight braids, he suggests.
Then, bake in health-promoting practices. Treat your strands to low-level light therapy (like red light therapy) and maintain a well-balanced diet that contains adequate amounts of vitamin D, zinc, and protein — nutrients crucial to hair health, says Dr. Beer. Meet with a professional to get ahead of any scalp conditions that may affect hair longevity down the line; dandruff and allergic dermatitis, for example, can contribute to scalp discomfort and hair loss, he adds.
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If you start to notice hair loss, speak with your dermatologist to treat it as quickly as possible, then work with them to create an environment that allows your hair to thrive, says Dr. Beer. The good news? “We're seeing a real kind of renaissance in hair treatments,” he says.
In the nutraceutical space, there’s Nutrafol, but Dr. Beer is excited by lesser-known dietary supplements like Xtressé (a gummy containing NAD+, taurine, and other ingredients) and Viviscal (a capsule with a proprietary marine collagen complex) that have shown some efficacy in improving hair growth, he says. There are promising new medications, both topical and oral options, being studied, too, says Dr. Beer. Clinical trials are underway for a compound called PP405, which is thought to activate dormant hair follicle stem cells when topically applied, and VDPHL01, an extended-release version of oral minoxidil that may better support hair growth.
Hair-growth procedures are also becoming more advanced. Recently, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have gone micro; the big needles and “bolus injections” of days past have been replaced with microinjections scattered throughout the scalp, targeted at the hair follicle, which often makes for a more comfortable, effective experience, says Dr. Beer. Mesotherapy is similar; the provider injects small amounts of a hair growth medication like minoxidil, finasteride, or dutasteride into the scalp, says Dr. Beer. “The thought is that you'd have the demonstrated efficacy [of these medications] but without having a lot of the systemic side effects of taking a pill, and that's been shown to be very promising,” he explains.
All of the options can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Your dermatologist will work with you to determine your best path toward lush, healthy hair. “A lot of times, hair really just needs a lot of TLC…” says Dr. Beer. “[But] making sure that any underlying medical conditions are treated is also going to be very helpful.”
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