I decided to write this post on female hair loss because a) I get e-mails about this occasionally from vegan readers (and it’s important to point out that if you’re eating a well-balanced diet, veganism is not to blame) and b) I had a hair loss-y sitch a couple years ago (after having been vegan for 7 years) and was able to pull through after doing a bit of research.
First off, the cause of hair loss in ladies can be due to: genetics, stress, hormones, seasonal changes (we “shed” more hair in the spring and summer), or underlying medical conditions.
Secondly, most people lose anywhere from 50 to 100 strands of hair each day—totally normal (our hair grows in cycles, ya know).
Tips for keepin’ your hairsies lush and plentiful
- Take prenatal vitamins like the ones from Trader Joe’s (they’re vegan—YAY!) – You don’t need to be preggers to take these; they just have extra iron, folic acid, and B Vitamins which work wonders for your hair and nails.
- Wash your hair less frequently (every other day or a couple times a week is fine).
- Go easy on the styling and hair products (duh, right?)
- Make sure you’re getting your essential fatty acids (found in foods like walnuts, canola oil, flax seeds, soy, etc.)
- Chill out on your alcohol intake, de-stress, and try to avoid junk food (←I know, big womp). Also, up your water intake, fools!
- Opt for a wide toothed comb over a gnarly brush.
- Massage your scalp to increase blood flow to your hair follicles (this will also helps you de-stress and relax).
Do you have any other tips? If so, please share!
Longtime vegan, hardcore compassionate beauty junkie, serious cake aficionado, and lover of all things floofy and sparkly! If there’s something in particular you’d like me to review, drop me a line at Sunny@VeganBeautyReview.com
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RE: PCOS (Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) I was diagnosed with PCOS at 19 and told that I could only conceive with medical technologies. Fast-forward…I went vegetarian, then organic vegetarian, then organic vegan, and added yoga to my daily routine.
Within a few months of going vegan, I was menstruating (textbook perfect), within a year I was pregnant (a BIG surprise). I mention this because PCOS is not a side effect of a vegan diet. It’s usually more to do with insulin levels and hormone regulation – something that can occur on ANY diet. A great resource for the benefits of a vegan diet for diabetes (similar issues to PCOS) is the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
What in the world is PCOS?
I was going to agree with Tracey – PCOS can lead to massive hair loss, and I’m dealing with it right now. There’s really nothing you can do for hair loss except to treat the underlying condition, but with PCOS hair loss can be corrected. Since I am in treatment for my PCOS and hair regrowth is possible, I’ve been using some rosemary essential oil that is put in jojoba oil and I apply it over the areas where my hair has thinned.
And Christy – that’s not gross! Olive oil is a great scalp (and hair!) conditioner.
Sunny, are there certain prenatals that one should not take if NOT pregnant. Like, are you saying only the TJ’s ones are okay for non preggers? I don’t have a TJ near me but I do want to try some for healthier hair.
I just went through a super explosion of stress and ended up with eczema on my scalp and now I not only have red bumps on my scalp, but I’m shedding more than I ever have (and I shed A LOT, normally!), so I’m going to pick up some of those prenatal multi’s and see how they effect me. Might help with my normal shedding, so once this eczema has cleared up I’m better than normal =)
Also could be a sign of PCOS which seems to be common with my vegan friends and I have it, too. Comes with all sorts of other issues but this is a symptom and it can be helped by good care from a naturopathic doc.
If you have hair loss that is abnormal in volume, be sure to get your b12 checked, ESPECIALLY if you’re vegan. Fixing it is as simple as a daily b12 sublingual!
The prenatals from TJ’s have all the B vitamins, too.
Kinda gross, but I heard rubbing olive oil on scalp can help and it did when I was having trouble with hair loss.