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oss is such an uncommon side effect of metoprolol, your doctor may not mention it. Some doctors may outright tell you that the medication is not to blame for your thinning hair.

However,  The Mayo Clinic lists hair thinning as a rare side effect of metoprolol (2). The American Hair Loss Association also mentions metoprolol as a drug that may cause hair loss (3).

According to eHealthMe – a website that presents a statistical analysis of drug information that is reported to the FDA – less than 1% of people with side effects from metoprolol experience hair loss.

Though this information is not a concrete fact, it does suggest a connection (though small) between hair loss and metoprolol.

According to their data, thinning and alopecia from metoprolol seem to be most common among women ages 60+ (4).

How Does Metoprolol Cause Hair Loss?

Metoprolol is thought to cause hair loss by inducing hypothyroidism, namely the adequate production of certain crucial hormones.  The main thyroid hormone is T4, but in order for our body to use it, it must be converted to T3.

Metoprolol inhibits the conversion of T4 to T3. It is this inhibition that may induce alopecia.

This is not a unique characteristic of metoprolol and is common with beta-blockers.

There are two types of hair loss caused by medications: anagen effluvium and telogen effluvium.

Anagen effluvium is commonly associated with chemotherapy or other such drugs (5). Telogen effluvium is the most common type of non-chemotherapy drug-induced alopecia, as is the case with metoprolol (6).

Drug-induced telogen effluvium causes a premature interruption of hair growth, causing the hair follicles to go into their resting phase (telogen) and fall out too early (7).

Noticeable shedding usually occurs two to four months after starting the medication. People experiencing telogen effluvium typically lose hair up to 30% to 70%

be reversed. The reason? They are unnatural. Your hair really wants to grow and be beautiful.

After reading every one of these causes you’ll have a much better idea about exactly how to stop your hair loss, so let’s begin!

1. Unstable Blood Sugar Levels

Blood sugar level spikes and Insulin Resistance (IR) are linked to hair loss in men and women, though the exact cause isn’t known (4). The most likely cause is that high blood sugar increases hair follicle sensitivity to DHT, making the hairs more liable to fall out.

One of the first things you should do when trying to stop or reverse hair loss is keep your blood sugar under control. Blood sugar spikes come from eating foods that have a high glycemic index. This means that they are rapidly digested by the body, causing glucose to increase in the blood.

This almost always happens from unnatural, processed foods. There are basically no natural, plant-based foods that causes excessive blood sugar spikes. This is because the plants, in their natural form, contain plenty of fiber which slows down digestion and releases the sugars slowly into the bloodstream.

Even if you get everything else right (what you’re learning here) but you still spike your blood sugar with processed foods, hair loss will be hard to stop – this really is that important.

Conversely, if you aim to maintain a stable blood sugar level for a month and wait to see the effect, you’ll probably be convinced enough to continue on with it.

There is a spectrum as well. Some foods dump huge amounts of sugar unforgivingly into the blood. These are typically white carbohydrates that are highly refined and lack any fiber. These simple carbs will wreak havoc with your blood sugar and consequently your hair.

You should aim to lower the glycemic load of your foods in every meal you eat (5). If you do feel the need to eat something with a high glycemic ind

hair follicle is an independent micro-organ, it exists alongside other scalp structures. These include the sebaceous glands, the vasculature that supplies the follicle with blood, and the pore, namely the opening through which the hair and sebum pass.

The hair follicle itself is composed of multiple parts. At the bottom sits the hair bulb, which includes the dermal papilla and hair matrix. These structures are critical to the hair growth cycle. The ultimate size of the hair shaft is directly dependent on the size of the bulb.

As we move up the follicle, we find the hair shaft enclosed within two layers of cells: the outer root sheath and the inner root sheath.



The sebaceous gland is directly connected to the hair follicle. It empties its contents (sebum) into the follicular canal, via a short duct.

As the follicle shrinks (miniaturizes), the sebaceous gland enlarges and takes up much of the now empty space. Predictably, the enlarged sebaceous gland will produce more sebum. This can harden and result in blocked pores and hair follicles.

Consumers often make things worse by using excess hair care products. These can build up on the scalp, and in combination with the sebum exacerbate clogged follicles.

The consequences of blocked follicles are unpleasant and include stunted hair growth. The blockage may also lead to folliculitis. This is a painful condition characterized by inflammation and infection. In extreme cases, folliculitis can manifest as visible bumps or puss-filled blisters.

How to Get Rid of Clogged and Blocked Hair Follicles

Step One: Choose the Right Cleansing Shampoo

An alternative to store-bought shampoos is to make your own shampoo. This will not contain harsh chemicals that could end up irritating your skin and possibly clogging your follicles.

Here are the basics of how to make your own hair loss shampoo:


Take 2 tablespoons of organic a

nge from simple plastic aids to complex electrical devices.

Scalp massage is used for various purposes. These include headache relief and stress reduction.



Another application is for the growth of denser, thicker hair. For this reason, scalp massage is popular among the hair loss community.

It is also used by people with healthy hair. Research has found that it can give stronger hair even when there is no pathological hair loss.

To understand how scalp massages can grow hair, we must first take a look at a key problem in hair loss. This is poor blood flow.

Hair Loss Is Linked to Poor Blood Flow

There are various types of hair loss. Some are more common than others. By far the most common type is Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA) (1). It accounts for over 95% of hair loss in men.

Hair Follicle Miniaturization

The hallmark of AGA is a process known as hair follicle miniaturization. The follicles in balding areas of the scalp progressively shrink in size and diminish in vigor. They literally become a miniature version of a healthy follicle (2).

Eventually, the follicles become so small that the hair can no longer push through the scalp. If not treated in time, the hair loss can be permanent.



(Learn the early signs of balding so you can battle the issue NOW!)

AGA is a multifactorial problem. In other words, different causes combine to cause the problem (3, 4). A key problem, however, is poor blood flow to the scalp.

Normal blood flow is essential to all human tissue, including the scalp. Blood carries the oxygen and nutrients the hair follicles need. It also removes cellular waste like CO2. Without sufficient blood, the follicles cannot carry out their activities. As a result, they cannot sustain their healthy (non-miniaturized) growth cycle.

AGA and Blood Flow

Scientists have known for a long time that men with AGA have poor blood flow in their balding area

ividual cycles between periods of fasting and periods of eating. It is an eating pattern as opposed to a diet because it does not dictate what you eat, but instead when you eat.

While intermittent fasting has gained popularity in recent years, it is actually an ancient practice. It is most commonly associated with various religious practices and holidays (Ramadan, Good Friday, etc). Our earliest ancestors likely also practiced intermittent fasting during the hunting/gathering days.

There are two common schedules for intermittent fasting: 1) time-restricted feeding, and 2) alternate day fasting.

The first involves abstaining from food for a set number of hours in one 24-hour period.

Example implementations of this schedule include 18/6 (18-hour fasting window followed by a 6-hour eating window), 16/8 (16-hour fasting window followed by a 8-hour eating window), and 14/10 (14-hour fasting window followed by a 10-hour eating window).

The second schedule involves a limited caloric intake on day 1, followed by a day of regular caloric intake. There are some models that take this even further and recommend you consume no calories on day 1, and consume “regular” calories on day 2. You then repeat the cycle on an ongoing basis.

The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

You may be wondering why people would deprive themselves of food on a regular basis. Well, research has found that intermittent fasting can provide many health benefits. Here is a look at some of the basics.

Autophagy

The human body is a marvelous system of complicated structures and complex processes. This includes its very own cleaning and regulation mechanism known as autophagy.

Cells do not live forever, and there are many components within the cell that can break down over time. This is where autophagy comes in.

Autophagy is the mechanism by which cells remove unnecessary or dysfunctional components from the cel

evidence related to cayenne pepper for hair loss. This will include how you can add cayenne pepper to your diet in a way that can possibly stimulate hair growth.


What is Cayenne Pepper?



Cayenne pepper is a member of a group of sweet and chili peppers. Its scientific name is Capiscum annuum Cayenne. It is a good source of Vitamin A and also contains potassium and fiber.

Cayenne pepper is mainly considered to be a spice. People around the world use it in dried form, either as a powder or as flakes. It is famous for its uniquely spicy taste and is a common ingredient in many hot sauces. The compound in cayenne pepper responsibly for making it so hot is capsaicin.

Many people have previously discussed cayenne pepper’s many benefits for your overall health as well. Doctors and natural health experts often recommend it for a variety of health issues, including:


digestive problems
cold and flu
joint pains
heart problems.

Because it can stimulate so many of the body’s healing functions, people have used it for thousands of years to treat things like open wounds and sores.

This interest in cayenne pepper among the health community led to curiosity about its use as a possible hair loss treatment.

How Cayenne Pepper Can Combat Hair Loss

While many people have been recommending cayenne pepper for a host of other health problems for years, it is only recently that people have been testing it out as a hair growth method. Recent studies indicate that cayenne pepper does, in fact, stimulate the hair follicles to help with hair growth.

Stimulating Hair Growth by Inducing Inflammation

For many hair loss conditions, inflammation and hair follicle miniaturization is at the root of the problem.

Interestingly, a 2019 report suggests a link between capsaicin and the induction of inflammation as a possible treatment for many inflammatory conditions (1).

When capsaicin

that losing hair caused concern about “losing an important part of personal attractiveness (2).”

In women, hair loss can be even more devastating. Especially in a culture like ours that is not as accepting of baldness in women as it is in men.

Dr. Shani Francis, a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and director of the Hair Disorders Center of Excellence at Northshore University Health System in Illinois, told Medical News Today that hair loss in women can lead to lower self-esteem and an altered self-image.

It can even lead to depression and less enjoyable socializing. All this means that, depending on how your baldness is affecting you, it may be imperative to cover up bald spots.

5 Best Makeup Solutions for Bald Spots

Inventive ways to cover bald spots abound; from concealers to sprays, there are solutions that help with every level of thinning hair.

Whether you are looking to cover some slight thinning or more extensive bald spots, below are some of the top cosmetic options to make your hair appear thicker.

1. Hair Loss Concealers

One of the most popular types of makeup for covering bald spots is hair loss concealers. These include popular brands like Toppik, Bosley, and CUVVA.

Mainly, these products are colored keratin proteins that are statically charged.

In most cases, you spray the product on and it intertwines with existing hair before you then pat it down. That makes the hair appear thicker.

Many of these products are also resistant to wind, sweat, and rain.

Because the product intertwines with hair, it is the best option for hair that is mild to moderately thinning.

2. Mineral Makeup

If you have a specific bald patch on your hair that is more on the mild side, this popular trick might be an easy option. It is an especially neat option for thinning hair where the hair part is getting wide and you can prominently see the scalp.

For this, you

and is considered one of the more nutrient-dense oils on the market (1).



Aside from its delicious taste and nutritious contents, the flax plant is also useful for its fibrous stem. Flax fiber can be commonly found in linens, twine, tea bags, and even banknotes.

It is largely produced in the Americas (with Canada being the leading country of production), but can also be found in Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania (2).

Flax has been widely used throughout the world and throughout history. It is highly esteemed for its many medicinal and industrial uses (3).

Flaxseed Oil and Wellbeing

It is no wonder that flaxseeds are the natural supplement of choice for health enthusiasts. Take a look at some of the more common benefits associated with flaxseed oil below.

Anti-Inflammatory

Flaxseed oil is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and, more specifically, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).

This particular type of omega-3 fatty acid has been shown to reduce inflammation. This makes it a helpful supplement for those with chronic, inflammatory conditions (4).

Antioxidant Properties

If you want to prevent cell damage and aging, then antioxidants should form a regular part of your diet.

Flaxseed oil is a particularly powerful source of antioxidants. It is rich in phenols, flavonoids, and lignans, all of which are powerful antioxidants.

Alpha-linolenic acid, as discussed above, is also a powerful antioxidant.

Cardiovascular Disease

There is at this point a substantial body of research on the cardioprotective effects of flaxseed oil’s components, and particularly ALA (5).

A number of major studies have found that ALA levels inversely correlate with adverse cardiac events, like heart attacks. Inverse correlation means that the lower the levels of ALA, the higher the risk of adverse cardiac events and vice versa.

Regular supplementation with ALA can also decrease the risk of