Bald filterHair care: keep your hair healthy

Hair care: how to keep your hair healthy and slow down hair loss

Good habits will not change your genes, but they keep your hair strong, avoid the damage that makes it look thinner, and help you spot real hair loss early, when it is easiest to treat. Here is what actually matters, and what is a myth.

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Washing and drying

  • Wash as often as you need

    Washing every day does not make hair fall out: the hairs you see in the shower were already loose. Oily hair can be washed daily, dry or curly hair every 2 to 4 days.

  • Pick a gentle shampoo

    A mild shampoo suited to your scalp is enough. Apply it to the scalp rather than the lengths, and put conditioner on the lengths.

  • Dry gently

    Wet hair breaks easily. Pat it dry with a towel instead of rubbing, and detangle from the ends up with a wide-tooth comb.

  • Turn down the heat

    Use the hair dryer on medium heat, a few centimeters away, and a heat protectant before a flat iron or a curling iron.

Habits that damage your hair

  • Tight hairstyles

    Tight ponytails, braids, buns or extensions pull on the roots. Over time, this traction can cause permanent hair loss at the temples and along the hairline.

  • Bleach and chemical treatments

    Bleach, perms and relaxers weaken the hair shaft. Space them out and leave them to a professional.

  • Smoking

    Several studies link smoking to earlier and more severe balding, on top of aging the skin.

  • Crash diets

    Losing a lot of weight very fast can trigger a wave of shedding two to three months later.

Diet, stress and sudden shedding

Hair is made of protein (keratin) and needs iron, zinc and vitamins to grow. A varied diet with enough protein covers it. Supplements only help if you are deficient: a blood test will tell you, and too much of some nutrients, like vitamin A or selenium, can actually make hair fall out.

A major stress, an illness, a high fever, surgery or childbirth can trigger sudden shedding two to three months later: this is called telogen effluvium. It looks alarming, but the hair usually grows back on its own within a few months.

Hair loss myths

  • Wearing a cap makes you bald

    False. A cap does not suffocate the roots. Only a very tight hat worn all day long could pull on the hair.

  • Cutting hair makes it grow back thicker

    False. Hair grows from the root: cutting the ends changes neither its thickness nor its speed. It only looks fuller because the ends are neat.

  • Baldness comes from your mother's side

    Only partly. The main gene sits on the X chromosome, which comes from your mother, but genes from both parents play a role.

  • Losing hair every day means going bald

    False. Losing 50 to 100 hairs a day is normal. What matters is a hairline that recedes or a crown that thins over the months.

Early signs of balding

Androgenetic alopecia, the most common type of hair loss, is genetic and gets worse over time. Hair care cannot stop it, but catching it early makes all the difference. Watch for these signs:

  • Your temples are receding into an M shape
  • Your scalp shows through on the crown under bright light
  • Your hair is finer and shorter than it used to be
  • Your hairline no longer matches photos from a few years ago
  • You have found more hair on your pillow or in the drain for several weeks
If you tick several boxes, see a dermatologist. The earlier hair loss is treated, the more hair you keep.

Treatments that actually work

Two treatments have solid evidence: minoxidil, a lotion or foam applied to the scalp (also prescribed as tablets), and finasteride, a prescription tablet for men that blocks the hormone behind male pattern baldness. They slow down or stop hair loss in many people, but only as long as you keep taking them.

Shampoos, serums and supplements sold against hair loss rarely do more than good basic care. Ask a doctor before starting anything, especially a prescription treatment.

And if you lose it anyway

Losing your hair is not a failure. Many men look better with a shaved head than with thinning hair. bald-filter.com shows you bald live on your camera, for free: you can see right now what the other option looks like.

Frequently asked questions

How many hairs a day is it normal to lose?

About 50 to 100 a day, more on the days you wash your hair. It becomes a concern when the loss lasts or the hair visibly thins on the hairline or the crown.

Does washing your hair every day make it fall out?

No. The hairs that fall in the shower were already at the end of their cycle. Wash as often as your scalp needs, with a gentle shampoo.

Can good hair care prevent baldness?

No. Male and female pattern hair loss are genetic. Good care avoids extra damage and breakage; minoxidil and finasteride are what slow down the loss itself.

Which vitamins help hair grow?

Iron, zinc, vitamin D and protein matter, but supplements only help if you lack them. Get a blood test before taking any: too much vitamin A or selenium can make hair fall out.

Can stress make your hair fall out?

A major stress can trigger sudden shedding two to three months later. It is usually temporary and the hair grows back within a few months. Ongoing loss on the hairline or the crown is more often genetic.

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