National Hair Loss Awareness Month falls in August and is meant to bring awareness to a common issue older men and women face. Approximately 40% of women aged 50 or older are losing their hair. Your mom isn’t alone if she is experiencing hair loss, but it can affect her self-confidence. Your mom experiences hair loss, and it bothers her a lot. She’s been losing hair since menopause, and she’s talked to her doctor to get tips on how to prevent it. What does she need to do? How can in-home care help?
Choose Gentle Hair Products
Your mom should choose hair products that don’t strip her hair of natural oils. Washing hair every other day is ideal, but she needs to also look for gentle products that are free of harsh chemicals, parabens, and sulfates.
Use a Daily Conditioner
When she washes her hair, make sure she follows with a conditioning product that helps protect her hair strands. If she doesn’t want to use shampoo each day, a co-wash product is a great way to remove any dirt and pollen while also applying a conditioner to help protect her strands. Leave-in conditioners also help.
Let the Hair Air Dry
Your mom should skip using a hair dryer as much as possible. It’s better to let her hair air dry. She should ask her hairstylist about hairstyles and haircuts that don’t require a lot of maintenance. If she can wash it, apply a leave-in conditioner, and walk away, it’s ideal.
Avoid Excessive Combing or Brushing
If your mom has to brush or comb her hair, she should do it after conditioning and while her hair is still wet. That should be it for the day. Over-brushing or combing can damage the already fragile hair strands she has.
Do Not Wear Tight Ponytails or Buns
If your mom likes to put her hair up in a tight ponytail or bun to get her hair out of her face, it’s likely damaging her hair. Loose styles are best. If her hair bothers her by being in her face, bangs or short hairstyles may be better for her. If she does need to get her hair out of her face, a headband isn’t as likely to pull at the scalp.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Your mom needs to eat enough protein to help with hair and skin health. Antioxidants are also important. She should focus on meals that contain protein, dairy, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables.
Schedule an Appointment With a Dermatologist
Has she seen a dermatologist? They can help pinpoint what is triggering her hair loss. If medications could help, your mom might want to take them to keep any additional loss to a minimum. It’s also important that she sees her dermatologist to rule out excessive intake of selenium and vitamin E as a cause of her hair loss.
In-home care aides can help your mom with hair care routines that follow her doctor’s recommendations. This is important if your mom is supposed to carefully read labels on hair products. Talk to an in-home care specialist about having caregivers to help with hygiene and grooming.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4573453/
If you or an aging loved one is considering in-home care in Celina, TX, please contact the caring staff at Clear Path Home Care today. Call 817-928-5788.
Clear Path Home Care provides compassionate, high quality home care in Denton County, Montague County, Cooke County, Grayson County, Fannin County, Lamar County, Wise County, Collin County, Hunt County, Delta County, and Hopkins County in Texas.
- Hair Care Tips When Hair Loss Is Happening - August 18, 2023
