Causes of Hair Loss

• Identifying the cause of a hair loss condition is useful for keeping the hair that you already have as well as promoting the growth of new hair. Uncontrollable factors that contribute to hair loss include heredity, hormones and aging. Other factors that may cause hair loss include poor circulation, iron deficiency, chemotherapy drugs, high fever, stress and a poor diet.
  
  

Diet

• Eating plenty of foods that are high in biotin is recommended for promoting hair growth by Phyllis Balch in the book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing." These nutritional sources of biotin include brown rice, green peas, lentils, oats, soybeans, sunflower seeds, walnuts and brewer's yeast.
  
  

Herbs

• Taking ginkgo biloba may improve circulation to the scalp, thus promoting hair growth. Horsetail is an herb that contains silica, a component that is necessary in getting a strong and shiny head of hair. Hair loss may be reduced by taking green tea, pygeum and saw palmetto herbs, according to Balch.
  
  

Hair Products

• Before shampooing, Balch recommends massaging about 10 drops of tea tree oil into the scalp. Tea tree oil helps destroy any bacteria that may be the cause of the hair loss. Using shampoos and conditioners that contain biotin and silica may be useful, as well as using hair products that contain aloe vera, jojoba, chamomile, marigold, ginseng and passionflower.
  
  

Additional Recommendations

• Do not eat foods that are prepared with raw eggs as they are high in a chemical called avidin. This blocks the effectiveness of biotin on hair, according to Phyllis Balch. Women who want to grow long, healthy hair should avoid wearing their hair in a tight ponytail, as this often causes breakage. Gently pat hair with a towel to dry it and avoid using a fine-toothed comb or a blow-dryer.