A flowing mane, thick curls, strong strands - no one wants to do without beautiful thick hair. But anyone who thinks that hair loss is a problem that only affects others is unfortunately often wrong.
On average, we lose about 80 to 100 hairs a day. What sounds a lot is quite normal and is part of the natural growth cycle. However, if you find significantly more hair in the brush over a longer period of time or if bald patches even form, we speak of alopecia, i.e. hair loss.
"Hair loss affects women just as much as men," knows Stefanie Seyda, developer of Natucain, contrary to the widespread assumption that women are completely spared.
But what types of hair loss are there, why does it happen and what can be done about it?
Hereditary hair loss
At around 60 percent, it is the most common type of alopecia. In male androgenetic alopecia, the hair follicles are hypersensitive to the male sex hormone dihydrosterone (DHT). In affected men, the growth phase of the hair - the so-called anagen phase - becomes shorter and shorter and the follicles gradually shrink. In women, on the other hand, hereditary hair loss occurs much less frequently and its cause is still unclear. It is suspected that increased testosterone production results from reduced activity of the enzyme aromatase. This enzyme converts male hormones into estrogens - if it is not active enough, the same hypersensitivity to DHT occurs as in men.
Circular hair loss
Alopecia areata is a form of inflammatory hair loss. However, its causes have not been clarified to date and remain largely unexplored - despite the fact that around 1.5 million people in Germany are affected. Typical are, as the name suggests, hairs that fall out in a circular pattern, leaving individual but completely bald patches. It is suspected that an autoimmune reaction may be responsible for the hair loss. Due to a disorder, the immune system attacks the hair roots, causing them to fall out. In addition, a genetic predisposition or psychological factors can also promote the development of alopecia areata.
Diffuse hair loss
Hair loss that occurs more or less evenly all over the head can have many different causes. Here, the hair falls out because its roots are damaged. This can be the case, for example, when taking certain medications, such as chemotherapy or treatment for hyperthyroidism. But diffuse alopecia can also occur with infectious diseases such as a severe flu, metabolic diseases or a hormonal change. "Often hair loss is also situation-dependent," explains Stefanie Seyda. "The body - and therefore the hair - can be sensitive to stress, changes, hormone fluctuations or drastic situations."
- Hormone imbalance
Women go through several hormonal changes and fluctuations in their lives: During puberty, during and after pregnancies, during menopause, and through birth control pills. During pregnancy, for example, the body produces an above-average amount of estrogen - if the hormone level drops back to normal after birth, this is often noticeable by thinning hair.
- Stress
Everyone knows stressful phases in life. Whether it's a busy job, trouble with your partner, lack of sleep, or whatever... No matter what stresses us, it can cause us to let our hair down. On the one hand, psychological stress can upset the hormones, on the other hand, stress can also affect the digestion, which can lead to a lack of nutrients and thus to hair loss, or even promote dandruff. If these lie on the scalp, their pores become clogged and the hair root can be damaged.
- Crash diets
It is not only a sensitive digestion that can cause nutrient deficiencies. Diets can also have a negative effect on the hair. Especially in crash diets with a one-sided diet, a lack of protein and vitamin B is common, which can also manifest itself in the form of hair loss a few weeks after the diet. The insufficient supply of vitamins and trace elements additionally impairs hair growth. The activity of the hair roots is particularly affected in the case of a deficiency of iron, zinc, vitamin-B and C or biotin, which is why a balanced diet is essential for beautiful, full hair.
- The wrong hairstyle
Those who are prone to hair loss anyway should think carefully about how they wear their hair. A strict and tightly tied braid, for example, inevitably pulls on the hair and thus exerts pressure on the follicles. This further irritates the scalp and hair roots.
After all the no-go's: What can you do to keep your hair in shape?
"Considering all these different causes, it was important for me to find a formula that is effective for both men and women - regardless of age or life situation," says Natucain's developer. "The most important thing is to prevent. We need to protect hair from the first day it grows!"
Natucain rebalances the hair growth cycle. Hair growth consists of three phases: In the first, the anagen phase, hair develops in the hair root and grows for about five years. In the second phase, the catagen phase, the hair follicle shrinks, detaches from the blood supply and enters a kind of dormant state. This phase lasts no more than a few weeks. At the end, the telogen phase follows. During this, the hair detaches and falls out.
"This is exactly where Natucaine picks up. Due to its active ingredient MKMS24, the anagen phase is prolonged, and the catagen phase in turn is shortened. Thus, hair grows faster and hair loss decreases."
MKMS24 is a molecule that, thanks to the latest technologies in the field of medical engineering and biochemistry, has been extracted from lentils, thyme and bamboo, making it truly purely plant-based.
So one thing is clear: if we pay attention to all these factors and take care of ourselves, value ourselves and take care of our body and our health, we have great chances to wear a beautiful, magnificent mane until old age.