The hair is an important aspect of appearance and is also indicative of disease states like brittle hair as a symptom of Cushing’s syndrome, a condition caused by the increase of stress hormone levels. Hair health is thus a concern of many, especially those who experience hair thinning like those who have androgenetic hair loss.
So is hair loss reversible through diet, growth factors, and protein powder? A well-balanced diet and the use of protein powder are good ways to help provide a healthy scalp environment to improve hair quality, but they’re not hair loss treatments. Better ways to reverse forms of hair loss such as androgenetic alopecia and to promote the hair growth process include treatments that can increase growth factors such as platelet-rich plasma injections, PEP Factor, and microneedling.
The Hair Growth Cycle
The hair cycle is necessary to keep the hair healthy by allowing new hair to grow. Hair follicle cycling exists in 4 phases, namely anagen, catagen, telogen, and exogen, which may be disrupted due to different conditions such as a stressful event and nutritional deficiencies, forming a link to hair loss.
- Anagen – The anagen phase or the “growth phase” or “active phase” of the hair cycle lasts 3 to 5 years. It is the stage where the highest rate of hair growth occurs due to active proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes (hair cells).
- Catagen – The catagen phase lasts for 10 days. It’s a period that signals the end of active hair growth. Cessation of cell division and production of pigments by melanocytes may also be observed in this phase.
- Telogen – The telogen phase lasts approximately 100 days. It’s a period of rest where the strands remain in the scalp but stop growing.
- Exogen – The exogen phase is a short phase that marks the transition between telogen and anagen. In this phase, hair is shed, re-enters the anagen phase, and restarts the hair cycle.
How Diet Can Affect Hair Loss
The human body requires essential components that act as building blocks for proper functioning, and hair growth is no exception. Patients that are deficient (or excessive) in essential vitamins and minerals brought by crash and fad diets may experience sudden hair loss. As such, it’s important to observe a proper diet and get to know the nutrients needed for the good conditioning of hair building, such as the following:
- Iron – Levels of iron are an important aspect of hair growth because genes found at the human hair follicle uses iron as a regulator. This is further evidenced by the fact that reversal of iron deficiency anemia was observed to reverse hair loss. Moreover, vegans have fewer iron stores since plant-based non-heme iron isn’t enough to supply the iron needs of humans, making them vulnerable to iron deficiency anemia and, possibly, hair loss.
- Zinc – Zinc is an important mineral that plays a role in many biological processes because it’s needed for the proper functioning of enzymes and transcription factors. Oral zinc therapy is demonstrated by a study to help reverse hair loss, providing evidence that zinc is an essential mineral for hair growth.
- Fatty Acids – Deficiency in essential fatty acids such as omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids can result in hair loss in the scalp and eyebrows and loss of hair pigmentation. Unsaturated fatty acids may also help against hair loss through actions that are similar to the mechanism of action of finasteride, specifically, the inhibition of 5α-reductase. These are further evidenced by the fact that the topical application of safflower oil which is high in omega-6 fatty acid can help against hair loss.
- Selenium – Selenium plays an important role in shielding the hair from oxidative damage. It’s also involved in hair follicle morphogenesis. However, caution must be exercised in selenium supplementation in hair loss, because selenium toxicity due to excessive selenium may also cause hair loss.
- Vitamin D – Vitamin D deficiency from poor sun exposure and having dark skin can lead to the development of rickets, which in turn has hair loss as a symptom. Effects of vitamin D in hair loss are further evidenced by the fact that decreased serum vitamin D2 levels are observed with increasing severity of telogen effluvium, as demonstrated by a study.
- Vitamin A – While vitamin A is observed to be a factor leading to the activation of hair follicle stem cells, it’s also documented to cause hair loss in high levels. In fact, a reduction in vitamin A is shown to slow down the progression of hair loss.
- Vitamin E – Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that can help in hair growth by eliminating the deleterious effects of cytotoxic agents. Vitamin E supplementation is shown to be beneficial against hair loss, with an increase in hair number observed in those who took vitamin E supplements over those who took the placebo.
How Protein Powder Can Help Mitigate Hair Loss
Protein-rich foods are usually from animal sources so a vegan diet often lacks the form of protein present in these sources. As such, for vegans and even non-vegans, protein supplementation in hair loss is an important aspect to be maintained to avoid severe hair loss.
A good way to incorporate animal sources into the diet is through the use of protein powder. Protein powder can help in hair growth by providing the nutrients needed for optimal hair growth. Specifically, protein helps in the repair and production of new cells in many body parts including the hair, helping them grow stronger and longer.
Concerns regarding animal sources may be eliminated through reading the label and making sure that they’re made from vegan ingredients.
How Growth Factors Promote Hair Growth
Growth factors are endogenous mediators that play physiological roles in many cell types. They’re responsible for the growth and proliferation of cells, leading to diverse biological activities such as embryogenesis, angiogenesis, and even hair growth. These growth factors work by being a precursor to keratin hair or regulating the hair growth cycle. Examples of growth factors that promote hair growth include:
- Epidermal Growth Factor Family
- Fibroblast Growth Factor Family
- Transforming Growth Factor-Beta Family
- Insulin-Like Growth Factor Family
PEP Factor: The Best Hair Restoration Formulation
Patients with hair loss find themselves looking for ways to combat any form of hair loss they’re experiencing. They may resort to a diet rich in nutrients that are essential to maintain the strength of the hair root or supplement their diet with protein for hair growth.
While these can help slow down progressive hair loss, these lifestyle modifications aren’t enough to completely combat the sparse hair growth.
Different effective treatment modalities such as hair transplant (although this has many risks associated with it), platelet-rich plasma injections, and application of PEP Factor are better for an overall improvement in the hair structure and prevention of the loss of hair.
FACE Med Store’s PEP Factor contains a variety of nutrients and natural ingredients that can help promote hair shaft elongation and other mechanisms for hair growth. It exerts its effect on the hair cycle from its active ingredients namely the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) which is responsible for cell growth and proliferation and copper peptide which has known antioxidant properties.
Due to its natural ingredients and topical application, the PEP Factor has minimal side effects and can be safely incorporated with other hair loss treatments. These treatments where the PEP Factor may be added include platelet-rich plasma injections and microneedling.
Microneedling works through the stimulation of the release of growth factors by the micro-injuries incurred by the skin through rolling of the derma roller, a handheld device with small needles on it. FACE Med Store also offers quality derma rollers, ensuring the effectiveness of the microneedling procedure.
Get The Best Hair Restoration Formulation And More At FACE Med Store
Correcting your diet to combat vitamin deficiencies and using dietary supplements such as protein powder to further get the essential nutrients for hair growth are good ways to improve hair health. However, they aren’t enough to help treat generalized hair loss. Other procedures that are effective against hair loss are those that affect hair follicle morphogenesis such as growth factor-inducing procedures.
At FACE Med Store, we offer products that are proven to be a safe and effective treatment for hair loss. From PEP Factor to derma rollers, we offer only the best products that can improve the appearance of scalp hair. While you learn more about your medical condition from your health provider, your health provider can contact us at (800) 770-9083 or info@facemedstore.com to help you achieve healthy hair.
Learn More: Who Are the Best Candidates for PRP Injections for Hair Loss?
