Do you see a lot of hair falling out every time you shampoo? Do you have less hair compared to your friends of the same age? Do you have thinner hair that breaks easily? I’ve had these issues since I was a teenager and have tried many remedies over the years trying to reduce the amount of fallout and increase the strength and volume of my hair. My hair is finally in a state that I’m pretty happy with. I still don’t have loads of hair, but it’s losing less, much stronger and healthier. In this post, I summarised methods that worked to improve the condition and volume of my hair.

The health of your hair is a reflection of your inner health. Excessive hair loss could be caused by various reasons, such as your diet, your physical and mental health, your lifestyle, your washing habits and the hair products that you use. Often, it’s a combination of several of these reasons and it’s not easy to identify the root cause. However, if you tackle the problem from all directions, then there’s a higher chance of success.

What to eat to reduce hair loss and improve hair growth?

The typical answer is a balanced diet, because a balanced diet is always the beginning of a healthier body. But from my own experience, black bean is the super hair grower, especially when it’s eaten cooked with other black superfoods such as black rice, black glutinous rice, black sesame and dates. When I eat these for a couple of days in a row, I could see new hair growth along my hairline, I lose less hair in the shower and my hair feels thicker, stronger, and more volume. Black bean is well known in the Asian community as being effective for hair growth due to its high nutritional value and benefits to the kidney. In Chinese medicine, the health of your hair is related to the health of your kidney, so taking care of your kidney could be the key to reducing hair loss. Other diet habits that are good for your kidney include less salt and less grease. Having a healthier diet with less grease will help to reduce sebum production in the scalp and improve hair loss.

Stress less and have a good sleep

It is without a doubt that stress is going to make your hair loss problem worse. Try to release your stress with regular exercise, interacting with friends and family, enjoying small things in life, reading and meditation. I found when I immerse myself in nature like a park, beach, riverside or even a garden bed, I’m able to let go of the stressful feelings and thoughts that have built up in my mind. Having a healthy diet will also help with reducing stress levels and improving sleep.

Finding a personal interest that can keep you calm and concentrated will also help to release your stress and stabilise your emotions. Try to focus on matters that are present rather than over-thinking about the past or the future.

How to wash your hair to reduce hair fallout?

Top tips that have helped me in reducing the amount of hair fallout at each shower are:

Only wash when it’s necessary. I’ve now adapted to washing my hair every 2nd or 3rd day, when my hair feels the need for a wash. It’s important to not wash it too often, but also not to leave it until it’s too greasy. You’ll lose more hair when your scalp is greasy.
Do not use a conditioner. Conditioner is often filled with dimethicone and has made my hair smooth on the outside but very dry on the inside. My hair was also very brittle due to the lack of moisture and therefore broke easily. When I stopped using conditioner, my hair becomes less greasy and less dry, so I can withstand longer duration between washes. My hair also becomes healthier because it can withhold more moisture.
Use a good shampoo (SLS-free and low pH) that’s non-drying and non-stripping, so you don’t need the conditioner.
Wash thoroughly but do not over-wash. Make sure you give your scalp a good cleanse to keep it healthy, but do not scratch or scrape it. Massage your scalp gently with your fingertips, not your fingernails. When your scalp is quite greasy, wash it twice but quickly, rather than piling on loads of shampoo and washing it for a long duration.
Make sure the temperature of the water is not too hot.
Avoid hair products such as gels, wax, spray or dry shampoo.

Best shampoo for hair loss

Two of my favourites are Nature Republic Blackbean Anti Hair Loss Shampoo and Toun28 Shampoo Bar S19 Baobab Oil.

Toun28 Shampoo Bar S19 Baobab Oil (For long/damaged hair)

Nature Republic Blackbean Anti Hair Loss Shampoo is the shampoo that gives me the least hair fallout during a shower. I only lose a few strands compared to fifty or hundred strands from other shampoos. It’s a gel-type cleanser with low pH that’s easy to lather and doesn’t dry out the hair. It has mint and menthol in the ingredients, therefore feels nicely refreshing on the scalp. It leaves the hair moisturised, soft and light.

Nature Republic Blackbean Anti Hair Loss Shampoo works better for dry hair than oily hair. I sometimes find its cleansing power a bit weak and my hair is not fully clean after the wash. This is when I would switch to the Toun28 Shampoo Bar S19 Baobab Oil.

Toun28 shampoo bar is a product that has completely changed my hair. I never imagined my hair could be so smooth and light, like those they show in a shampoo ad, and from just one use of the shampoo bar. Baobab Oil is my favourite out of all the Toun28 shampoo bars, because it’s the most moisturising one. Kelp Extract is my second favourite but it’s slightly drying for my long hair. So I normally use the Baobab Oil Shampoo Bar or alternate between Nature Republic and the Kelp Extract Shampoo Bar.

Toun28 shampoo bar is far from your regular soap. It’s low pH, full of good natural oils, lathers quickly, cleanses really well and rinses off easily. It leaves the hair extremely light, smooth, hydrated, healthy and glowing. It also leaves my hair clean and crisp, making it appear voluminous and full.

The reason that I switch between Nature Republic and Toun28 is because Toun28 gives me slightly more hair fallout compared to Nature Republic (on the 10s) and when I feel my hair needs a bit more moisture from Nature Republic.