Understanding Hair Loss in Females and Males

More hair in the brush than usual? A widening part you keep checking in the mirror? A hairline that's quietly renegotiating its position? Hair loss is upsetting in a way that's hard to explain to people who haven't had it — and the internet's answer is usually to sell you something before telling you why it's happening.

So let's do it properly: the real causes in men and women, what actually works naturally, and when the answer is a blood test rather than a supplement.

What we'd suggest

• First, figure out the cause. Sudden shedding after stress or illness usually recovers on its own; gradual pattern thinning is hormonal (DHT) and needs a DHT-focused approach.
• For pattern hair loss (the most common kind in both sexes): a DHT-focused program like HAIRGENX, inside and out — and commit to at least 3 months, because hair works in cycles.
• For thinning with fatigue, brittle nails or heavy periods: get iron, vitamin D, B12 and thyroid checked before buying anything. Deficiency-driven loss reverses when you fix the deficiency.
• Cheap daily wins: diluted rosemary oil massaged into the scalp, collagen and biotin for strength, and easing off the heat styling.

Why hair falls out

• Genetics (androgenetic alopecia): the big one — male and female pattern loss. A testosterone by-product called DHT gradually shrinks hair follicles: receding temples and crown in men, overall thinning across the scalp in women. Around 90% of hair loss traces back to DHT.
• Hormonal shifts: pregnancy, menopause and PCOS in women; rising DHT sensitivity in men.
• Nutritional gaps: low iron, vitamin D, zinc or B-vitamins (especially biotin) all show up in your hair before almost anywhere else.
• Stress (telogen effluvium): a big shock — illness, retrenchment, loss — can push follicles into a resting phase, with heavy shedding 2–3 months later. The good news: once the stress passes, it almost always grows back.
• Environment and habits: harsh chemical products, pollution, and daily heat styling that snaps hair faster than it can grow.
• Medical conditions: thyroid disorders (both over- and underactive) and autoimmune conditions like alopecia areata — these need a doctor, not a shampoo.

The natural toolkit (what each thing actually does)

• Collagen: supplies the amino acids your body uses to build keratin — the protein hair is made of — and supports the scalp layer that houses your follicles. Production drops as we age, which is part of why hair thins over time.
• Biotin (B7): drives keratin production. If you're deficient, supplementing makes a visible difference; if you're not, it still supports strength and resilience.
• Rosemary oil: the budget hero — improves scalp circulation so follicles aren't starved of blood supply. Dilute a few drops in coconut or jojoba oil and massage in a few times a week.
• Saw palmetto: naturally inhibits 5-alpha-reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into follicle-shrinking DHT — useful for both men and women with pattern loss.
• Diet: hair is protein, so eat protein — eggs, legumes, lean meat — plus iron (spinach, red meat), zinc (nuts, seeds) and omega-3s (fish, flaxseed).
• Scalp massage: five minutes daily boosts blood flow to follicles, helps oils absorb, and costs nothing.
• Aloe vera and green tea: aloe calms scalp inflammation and dandruff; green tea's EGCG may reduce DHT production — drink it or look for it in hair products.

Our recommended products

HAIRGENX — the DHT-fighting program

This is our first recommendation for pattern hair loss because it's formulated to work with DHT, the androgen linked to most pattern hair loss in both men and women. The Him and Her formulations share the same action but are tuned separately for optimal results in each.

• Inside and out: herbal supplements work internally while the HAIRGENX COCO GEL follicle activator delivers nutrients (and DHT inhibition) directly to struggling follicles.
• Extends the growth phase: it lengthens the natural anagen (growth) cycle, so hair grows stronger for longer — and women using it purely for thicker hair report excellent results after three months.
• Gentle for daily use: formulated to be used consistently as part of an ongoing hair-support routine.
• All hair types: DHT doesn't discriminate, and neither does the range — it works across all hair types and ethnicities, including black and African hair.
• The honest part: results take a minimum of three months (hair cycles are slow), and for lasting results you keep using it. Shop the HAIRGENX range here.

NOW Biotin 5,000 mcg

A high-potency, well-priced biotin that supports keratin synthesis, energy metabolism and skin health alongside hair. One capsule daily — simple. Get NOW Biotin 5,000 mcg here, or browse our full hair care collection.

When it's not a supplement problem

Patchy circular bald spots, sudden dramatic shedding, hair loss with exhaustion, weight changes or heavy periods — those point to thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions or significant deficiencies. Get bloods done first; treating the wrong cause wastes months and money. We'll tell you the same thing in store.

Not sure if your hair loss is the DHT kind, the stress kind or the deficiency kind? WhatsApp us — describe what you're seeing and we'll point you honestly at the right next step, even if that's your GP.

By Precious, One Life Health Consultant

From the apothecary shelf

A few products we'd hand a customer asking for a starting point. Not a paid placement — these are what we actually take, recommend, or keep at the front of the shelf.