Hair's the Scoop

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Q: What can you recommend for thinning hair, and losing it too? I'm 84 yrs of age and so embarrassed. I don't want to wear a wig. Please help!
— P. Falsone.

A: Thank you for writing in! I've enlisted the help of Philip Kingsley, renowned trichologist, to best answer your query:

There are numerous causes of thinning hair. For example: low iron levels, thyroid anomalies, low vitamin B12 or zinc, poor eating habits, lack of protein intake (hair is protein) and— of course— as with everything else in the body, age becomes a factor. Aging hair is finer hair whereby the diameter of each hair becomes smaller giving less volume, but not necessarily less numbers.

Apart from having blood tests to help to determine the above possible causes, using a Scalp Mask, like Philip Kingsley Scalp Mask, once a week (massaging it into the scalp for at least 5 minutes) would help, as well as frequent shampooing. Also, the most important meal for hair protein is breakfast, and the second most important is lunch.

Have a hair care question you've always wanted to ask? Drop us a line at hair@lifetimetv.com.