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The good news is that you can do some things to reduce hair loss. The bad news is that you may need to change some of your lifestyle choices. The scalp is very sensitive skin and must be treated with respect.

1. First of all, know what you are putting on your scalp. Examine the chemicals you are using or your hair stylist is using that may be damaging the follicles. Make certain permanent solutions are not left on too long. Take the time to investigate the chemicals being put on your hair and scalp to make sure that they are safe. Choose a hair stylist carefully, and ask questions about the chemicals he or she is using.

2. Hair straighteners and curling irons may cause heat damage that can result in hair loss. When you use tools that become very hot, limit how much time they are in contact with your hair and most particularly how hot your scalp becomes.

3. Your hair style may be damaging your hair. If you are pulling it back tightly for long periods of time such as with a pony tail, you may be damaging the hair follicles, particularly around your forehead. Hair additions are another threat to hair and scalp health. The attached hair piece, especially if worn for a long time, may be pulling on the scalp in such a way that causes damage. Hair follicles have actually been shown to die from hair pieces that have been worn too long.

4. Dandruff is often taken for granted. It's usually assumed to be the result of dryness, so moisturizing products are applied. However, these only make hair loss worse. No one has come up with a totally satisfactory explanation for dandruff, but many believe that it is a fungus which may require a trip to the dermatologist.

5. Washing your hair regularly is essential to healthy hair; however, how you wash your hair is also important. Remember that it is the scalp that needs to be clean and massaged, not just the hair. When showering, be sure to massage the shampoo all the way down to the scalp.

6. When should you seek medical care? If you are experiencing patches of baldness, you may be suffering from alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that requires treatment. Visit a dermatologist if your experience this symptom, as it may be a sign of a more serious underlying health problem. If you experience a lot of stress, you need to know that it may lead to hair loss. Finding ways to reduce the stress in your life may slow down your hair loss. Ringworm of the scalp is another disease that should be treated. Although it usually occurs in children and can be spread from child to child, it can also occur in adults. It is red and itchy and may be mistaken for dandruff. Untreated, it can cause permanent hair loss.

We all lose some of our hair as we grow older, but there are things that we can do to stave off the extent of the loss and how soon it will occur.