How Do You Use Birch Water To Treat Hair Loss? How Do You Use Birch Water To Treat Hair Loss?

Name: Marta

Question: Over the last year or so I have lost so much hair and keep losing them still. Could you please advise how often I should use the birch water and how? can I apply on hair or is it drinkable? I was reading online and there are different opinions. Thanks

Answer: Hi, Marta. The first thing you need to do is establish the cause of your hair loss. Once you have a diagnosis of your condition, then you can start to look into appropriate treatments. However, one thing we can tell you is that birch water - whether used topically or taken orally - is not an effective hair loss solution.

There are a number of beneficial nutrients contained within birch sap but there is no proof that they can treat hair loss, especially in cases of androgenic alopecia (female pattern baldness). If you wish to try it, we would say drinking it is probably more useful, but don't get your hopes up for it being any kind of natural hair loss remedy. Whilst the nutrients may help to improve the look of your hair, they cannot treat a hair loss condition.

As you mention you have been losing your hair for a year or more, there are two specific issues that are most likely to be behind this shedding. We would recommend a consultation in order to receive a professional diagnosis as we would need more information, and ideally to examine your scalp, in order to provide a definitive answer.



The first issue that may lead to long-term hair fall is female pattern baldness, which is extremely common. This is a permanent genetic condition whereby those affected inherit a sensitivity to the hormone DHT. This binds to hair follicles at the top of the scalp, from hairline to crown, causing gradual weakening, thinning hair and shedding. We usually refer to this as 'female pattern hair loss' as, unlike in male cases, it rarely results in actual baldness.

Secondly, the temporary condition chronic telogen effluvium, also known as 'diffuse thinning', may be at play. This lasts for a minimum of six months and causes shedding from all over the scalp - not just the top part affected in cases of female pattern hair loss. This is triggered when the body is placed under unusual strain, such as where there is an underlying illness - whether or not it has been diagnosed, a significant level of on-going physical or emotional stress, or where there is a nutritional imbalance.

If you tend to frequently wear your hair in tight hairstyles, or if you have hair extensions, there is also a chance your shedding may be attributable to traction alopecia, however this would only really affect your hairline and the site(s) where the style was fixed to the scalp.

All of the conditions listed above are treatable, though once the cause has been dealt with in cases of diffuse thinning, the hair should start to regrow naturally again within a few months.

As before, you need to know what you're dealing with before you can find out how to treat it effectively. This is why we would encourage you to have a consultation with a specialist - either in person or online - in order to obtain an expert diagnosis and recommendations for a personalised hair loss treatment course.