Why is my hair thinning?

For many women, it seems a frustrating inevitability of time. As surely as hair gets greyer with age, it also gets thinner and more difficult to maintain.

But thinning hair is widely misunderstood by many. And it’s far from inevitable.

In fact, by understanding how your hair is changing and why, you may even be able to prevent or reverse it.

Thinning hair: the biggest myths

There is common misconception among many that “thinning hair” is only the physical changing or thinning of individual strands and that hair loss is uncommon in women.

In reality, thinning hair is hair loss. It is, for all intents and purposes, our equivalent of a receding male hairline, and needs to be accepted and treated as such.

Even the term “hair loss” can be a misleading. We all lose our hair regularly; it’s completely natural in both women and men of all ages. Most of us lose around 100 strands a day, usually while brushing or showering.

It’s not the loss of the hair, but the body’s failure – for one reason or another – to grow it back.

What’s really causing thinning hair?

We depend on the body’s natural cycle of regrowth to keep a full head of hair. Thinning takes place when something – internal or external – interrupts this important cycle.

One common cause comes from something known as “FGF5”. This natural protein exists solely to regulate the hair cycle, encouraging the loss of hair so it can begin anew.

When too much FGF5 accumulates in the scalp, however, it can speed up the rate at which hair falls out and can prevent the regrowth stage of the cycle, leading to hair loss. FGF5 can accumulate for any number of reasons, many age-related.

According to Mayo Clinic, contributing factors to hair loss can include:

• hereditary conditions (i.e. male- and female-pattern baldness)
• hormonal changes such as menopause
• fluctuating weight
• side effects of medications
• excess Vitamin A
• specific illnesses or treatments
• stress or emotional shock

Thankfully, our knowledge of the FGF5 protein can also be used to our advantage.

Can it be prevented? Can it grow back?

While everybody’s situation is unique, there are effective, scientifically-verified ways many of us may be able to turn things around.

Multiple studies have shown that inhibiting the action of the FGF5 protein can lead to a reduction in hair loss, and ultimately a fuller head of hair.

A special offer for Starts at 60 readers

To encourage readers to be proactive in fighting hair loss, Starts at 60 has partnered with évolis^®, a safe, ethical hair treatment that uses natural botanical extracts shown to inhibit FGF5.

evolis®, available to both women and men, is supported by thorough clinical studies and strong first-hand testimonials. And it’s a timely reminder to us all: thinning hair is not a losing battle.

évolis® is offering 10% off its range of hair growth products to get readers started on a journey to better hair. Simply visit the évolis® online store, select your products and enter the discount code “STARTS60” at checkout and to receive your discount.

Click here to learn more about évolis^®, and tell us below: have you had trouble with thinning hair? How have you worked around it? And have you attempted to fight it?

This article is sponsored by évolis^®. It was written as we feel it delivers valuable insights into a subject important to the Starts at 60 community. For more information, please visit the évolis® website.