A widening parting; a thinning fringe; a worrying amount of hair in the shower after washing; your scalp becoming more visible… just four of the miseries of suffering from thinning hair. Sadly for all of us battling hair loss, shedding can get temporarily worse in summer due to seasonal shifts in daylight, UV exposure and the physical stress of heat and dehydration. But there are steps you can take to combat this – and health and beauty guru Liz Earle has shared her personal hacks on Instagram.

'Hair can become thinner and more fragile as we age – but the good news is that there is plenty we can do to counteract these changes,' the 62-year-old posted on Instagram, before outlining her top four steps to take.

Pay attention to your diet. ‘If we’re lacking in nutrients, one of the first places it will show up is in our hair,’ says Liz. ‘Protein is key, as it supports strength and elasticity and shine. Aim for 25-30g at every meal for locks, as well as your skin, your muscles and your bones.'

Consider your hormones. ‘Oestrogen is a hair-friendly hormone that promotes hair growth and blood flow to the scalp while protecting our follicles from thinning and shrinking,’ she says. ‘That’s why so many women notice increased shedding, or maybe a more visible parting, or an itchy or flaky scalp, during perimenopause, when oestrogen starts to take a nosedive.’

Show your scalp some love. ‘There’s loads of great serums and foams with ingredients that nourish the scalp and soothe inflammation these days,’ says Liz, who recommends massaging the products in for 2-3 minutes. ‘This helps to bring fresh blood supplies to the follicles. It’s a winner.’

Finally – style hair carefully. ‘When it’s possible, just allow your hair to air dry. Maybe use a heat protectant and, of course, turn down the temperature on any styling tools.’

Good Housekeeping’s Dr Sarah Jarvis recommends other changes you can make to address hair loss, too.

‘Hair shedding can be a sign of iron deficiency, even if it’s not severe enough to cause anaemia – a full blood count and ferritin test will check your iron stores,’ says Dr Sarah. ‘Likewise, an underactive thyroid gland can lead to thinning hair. Vitamin D deficiency could also be a culprit. And the hormonal condition polycystic ovary syndrome can also leave your hair thinner.'

Currently, the only drug treatment recommended for hair thinning in women in the UK is minoxidil, which you can find online or in high street chemists – though be warned, it can take up to a year to work and needs daily application.

But supplements can help. ‘There’s a clear link between female pattern hair loss and low vitamin D. Up to 20 micrograms a day is safe and could help,’ says Dr Sarah. ‘Levels of zinc, which supports hair follicles and hair growth, aren’t often tested in the NHS – and there’s no evidence that supplements will help your hair if you’re not deficient. Keep your intake topped up with meat, nuts, wholegrains and legumes.’ The GHI has tested menopause supplements: see the results here.

Can rosemary oil help? Possibly… one small study showed hair regrowth when rosemary oil was used consistently over a six month period, while others suggested rosemary oil could be as effective as minoxidil solution. Combine this with massage, as Liz Earle suggests, as two studies found that six months of daily scalp massage boosted hair growth.