Losing your hair can feel traumatic. And when faced with overwhelming feelings of powerlessness, it’s easy to become desperate and try anything and everything to fix the concern at hand. But when your problem is hair shedding and thinning, the solution isn’t always do-this-one-thing-and-you’re-done. Instead, it often involves figuring out the root cause of your shedding (genetics? a hormonal imbalance or maybe stress?) and then working with a professional like a dermatologist or trichologist to find the best personalized plan for you.
But companies that create hair growth products are a savvy bunch — and they know that desperate times call for expensive purchases. Before you throw away money on products and even procedures that not only won’t work, but can also be harmful, take advice from experts who are in the know. These are the hair loss remedies that are actually dangerous and ineffective.
Supplements Containing Selenium
Before you say: but it’s just a supplement — isn’t it good to get an abundance of vitamins and minerals — remember: there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.
"One that I definitely don't recommend to clients is supplements containing selenium,” says Michael Mouzakis, a plastic surgeon and hair restoration expert at Harley Street’s The Private Clinic. “It has been claimed that selenium can help keep your hair follicles healthy. However, there has not been enough research and too much selenium can actually cause hair loss as well as memory problems. A study at the University of Surrey showed that consuming too much selenium creates too many antioxidant enzymes, causing the body to attack its own cells, which includes hair follicles.”
"Instead, Mouzakis says he would recommend hair restoration surgery, which has come on dramatically in recent years and has become more popular and successful as a result. “It is an extremely effective option for people experiencing hair thinning and hair loss,” he says. “It involves minimal discomfort and once the local anesthetic has been administered it is generally pain-free. The procedure I perform at The Private Clinic is usually carried out in one day and you are able to go home straight after.”
A common rule is nothing can grow hair out of the blue, Mouzakis notes. “Vitamins can prolong the resting phase of hair follicles or boost the telogen face, but when it comes to baldness, the only option is surgery."
Applying Too Much Oil
An invigorating scalp massage with rosemary oil is always a good thing for hair and scalp health, but When people are experiencing hair loss, they often make the mistake of applying too much oil to their scalps, says Dr. Nina Ross, who has been helping people suffering from hair loss for over 16 years. “We've been taught that applying oil offers many benefits to our scalp and hair, and no doubt it's true,” Dr. Ross says. “But often, we tend to oil our scalp and hair more than required and this can disrupt the hair growth cycle, thus leading to hair loss.”
Once again, too much of a good thing has its bad effects. “Excess oil production will clog your pores and stop your follicles from producing hair,” Dr. Ross says. “It becomes the best thriving ground for scalp inflammation and hair loss.”
Instead, Dr. Ross recommends focusing on picking the right shampoo to wash your hair that does not have so many chemicals:
“Embrace natural remedies like washing your hair with black tea which will help you get rid of the excess oil on your scalp, tea tree oil to keep infections and viruses at bay, and peppermint oil for an itchy scalp.”
If you are noticing more hair on your brush or in your shower, try not to panic — and don’t open your wallet just yet. Visit a board-certified dermatologist or trichologist to get more information about the cause of your hair loss. From there, the solutions will become more evident — and you will save a ton of money in the process.
