For millions of people world-wide, everyday is a “bad hair” day due to the problem of thinning hair or baldness. Discussing hair loss with a doctor is an important first step. There are a number of treatments available these days that make hair loss or thinning hair easier to live with. A concern not only experienced by men but by a growing number of women is Alopecia, or the excessive and abnormal loss of healthy hair. Traumatic situations and genetics can be the cause of hair thinning and loss and also by hormonal fluctuations, excessive physical force or poor nutrition. While these factors can affect both men and women, hair thinning and loss usually occurs for:

Men
The most well-known pattern of hair loss is a thinning crown or receding hair line. Due to the presence of a derivative or by-product of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) hair loss happens. This hormone can contract the hair follicles and has a larger effect in the mid-anterior scalp and temples. Some categories of male hair loss are:
Chronic Diffuse Alopecia – can happen because of nutritional, metabolic or endocrine matters.
Acute diffuse alopecia – occurs from physical or psychological reasons such as hormones, nutritional shortages or medications.
Androgenetic Alopecia – occurs because of genetic sensitivity to male hormones. This hardly ever affects women.

Women
Most cases of hair thinning and loss are as a result of hormonal fluctuations, ie during pregnancy, childbirth or use of some methods of birth control. Women can also experience:
Anagen effluvium – occurs due to chemotherapy. The matrix of the hair becomes damaged and, as a result, the hair shaft will narrow, eventually fracturing.
Traction alopecia – caused by severe hairstyles, such as ponytails that are too tight, braiding, cornrows or the frequent use of extensions. These procedures pull at hair over a period of time but loss can be prevented if recognized and treated early.

Males and females can reduce or even halt hair loss or thinning, if found early enough, by using various over-the-counter treatments like:
a). A shampoo that describes itself as “revitalizing/fortifying/energizing”. These will nurture and guard existing hair while removing oils that can obstruct the follicles and stop re-growth.
b). A daily vitamin supplement. Look for supplements labelled especially for hair and/or nails and are fortified with Vitamin B3 (niacin). These defend the hair shaft, and antioxidants, to ward off harm from free radicals.
c). Weekly use, leave-in scalp treatment prepared with essential oils – oils such as lavender and orange will relax and unblock hair follicles to encourage growth, regulate oil production and sustain cell repair.
Results will vary, as with any treatment, and may possibly need to be continued on a regular basis. Also, allow around 6-8 weeks before expecting to see results.

Techniques to hide hair loss:
Perhaps it is time to think of some techniques to hide your hair loss if you are unhappy with your thinning hair. Whether you are a man or a woman losing hair due to heredity, stress, medication or a medical condition you can use these tips to help you cope.

Use a Hair Thickening Shampoo or Conditioner
Use a hair thickening shampoo and/or conditioner meant to disguise loss by making the hair appear to be thicker. Brush your hair gently after shampooing and conditioning to stop losing more hair, and allow hair to dry completely before combing or brushing it.

Techniques for Styling
If your head of hair is not as thick as it used to be, there are some styling techniques and styling products that you can use to keep your head looking its best at any age. Avoid styling gels they will only matte your hair together and accentuate your baldness. Go for texturizing lotions and creams that will give you fullness and volume. Another great choice is to use a leave-in conditioner that can make your hair appear fuller and more textured. Blow dry thinning hair for a fuller look – For hair that is thinning on top, try blow drying after you wash and condition and comb the hair in front straight back. Use mousse or a light hairspray to keep the style in place. The blow dryer will keep hair from matting together and appearing thinner than it is.

Hair extensions are a quick and simple method
Use a professional hair salon to get natural human hair added to your hair. This may last you for several weeks or several months. Hair extensions are used for women and men, with thick long hair to camouflage the fact that they are losing hair, and are an easy way to change your look.

Blow-dry your Hair
Consider blow drying if your hair is thinning on top to give it added texture and body and to give your head more coverage. Brush it into a quiff on top of your head by brushing it from the forehead up. Maintain the style with a little hairspray. If your hair is thinning throughout, this is a good way to make your hair look fuller.

Chaps – Getting a Buzz from your Hair
The buzz cut is a way to disguise the fact that you are losing hair. Businessmen, sports stars and actors all use this as a classy, style that is easy to maintain. Groom your scalp daily and remove the hairs you have left for a clean, fresh look by using a wet-dry electric razor. If you’re disturbed about your hair loss or if your hair is starting to thin, make an appointment with your hairdresser or barber and request some advice on a fresh, new look. There are plenty of hair styles to choose from that have you looking great.

How to identify best hair loss products?

Our society is coming bald; you can find a bald person in every nook and corner of your locality. You don’t need to search, if you are the one. Hair loss is a deficiency that can make any person bald. Earlier, it was the men, now it is affecting the women also in equal proportion. Sometime children also suffer with hair loss. In fact, hair loss is a natural phenomenon and also happens as biological clock ticks but if this clock ticks frequently, then it is called a deficiency, the baldness. This might happen because of improper nutrition, low hygiene, various environmental circumstances etc.

One’s loss is others gain; the saying goes well in case of baldness too.

A number of products are available in the market to prevent hair loss and that too with 100% guarantee. But if that is the case, then today it would be difficult to find such a man / women in the area you live, because these hair loss products are existing in the market since decades and public is buying and trying the different products to stay much hairy. The person who has hair on head and makes their head shaved is another side of the story. The hair loss products claim them as medically proven and people are trying these products with no success at all. I’m sure if you are the one then you definitely have tried some of these products. Since you have tried the product, so do you have any idea about hair loss products? You will definitely say No. This is because one product, which may be good for one person, may be a dump for other and vice-versa.

In most of the hair loss cases it has been found that the hair loss products recommended by a physician gave better results. That’s why, hair loss today is not merely the baldness but a type of sickness which need to be checked, diagnosed and treated by an expert physician rather than going for trial and error method, using sometime one hair loss product, then next, and then so on, which may be of no result. So if you are suffering with hair problems, you need to identify your hair loss problems and see your physician, and get the problem solved.

Clinical diagnosis of hair loss patients suggests that in most of the cases, the reason of hair loss was improper diet, a deficiency of different vitamins and minerals in the body, stress, side effects of medications for any particular sickness, irregular sleep, etc. So, it is obvious that if you are suffering from hair loss or some one around you and you want to help the person, then try to identify the problem of hair loss and take good medical help of experts rather than trying products available in the store shelves.

Sometime a person suffering with hair loss may opt for herbal hair loss products, because it is believed that herbal remedies causes no or minimal side effects. If you are the one, and thinking to buy some herbal hair loss product then make sure that the product you are going to try will restore dead hair follicles and support hair growth. But at the same time remember that these herbal remedies may cause side effects, so it is best favorable to you to go for your doctors’ advice before trying any herbal hair loss product as well.

Women: Be cautious; if you are suffering with hair problems, then never use any hair loss product without getting an expert advice. Some of the hair loss products may cause growth of hair all over the body and definitely you don’t want hair on your upper lips.

 

There it is best advisable for both the sexes to take precaution, and try only products recommended by a qualified doctor. You also need to understand the causes of hair loss, so that you can help yourself and others to minimize the chances of hair loss / baldness or prevent it.

The following things, you need to understand to prevent your hair problems:

1.The ways to either prevent or stop hair loss and the knowledge of restoring hair growth.

2.The ways to achieve lifespan of hair cells and promoting follicles growth.

3.Several internal and external factors also affects your hair health and promote the things like thinning hairs etc, knowing these factors and also having the knowledge of hair and scalp rejuvenation.

4.Some cosmetic products also may harm your hair, so if you have opted for some new product and you are feeling some problems, switch it over, immediately. Go for your old brand. After all ‘old is gold’.

5.Know your diet and life style, which will suit your hair too.

6.Know the methods of improving hair longevity.

7.Hair loss in some cases is genetic, knowing the fact and knowledge of how to minimize it will help a lot.

8.Hair loss is equally common amongst women, so women should also know the causes and cure of it.

 

9.Stress, high blood pressure and heart disease also leads to hair loss, knowing the fact and trying to distress, etc. may be of  great help.

Isn’t it paradoxical that inspite of the fact that most of us enter the world as bald as a coot, and sometimes even exit that way, we spend our lifetime trying to maintain our hair through thick and thin. All of us lose between 40 and 120 strands of hair a day, depending on the amount of hair one has and its growth cycle.

Hair growth is not a continuous process. Hair follicles have a growth phase (anagen) and a resting, non-growth phase (telogen). Depending on how we treat our hair there will invariably be a variation in the amount of hair loss too. The lost hair is often so quickly replaced that we almost never notice its departure. But If you start to notice an alarming amount of hair on the bathroom sink or on your brush, if your pillow is covered with scads of loose hair, if your part seems to be getting wider or you’re seeing more scalp, you’ve probably got a problem and its time to take some action before you are fated to join the million men and women suffering from hair thinning or pattern hair loss. Hair loss and thinning can lead to anxiety, depression, and lack of confidence and fear too.

Why on earth did it happen to me?

Hair loss begins when a certain enzyme converts the hormone testosterone into another hormone called DiHydrotestosterone (DHT). Androgenetic Alopecia, or hereditary hair loss is the most common cause of hair loss. Roughly put, the more Androgens or the hormones that affect hair loss you have the faster you will lose hair. Men generally lose their hair in a horse-shoe shaped pattern; i.e. they lose hair at the top of their head. Women on the other hand very rarely ‘go bald’. Here hair thinning takes place with the part getting wider and the hair receding from the frontal area behind the frontal hairline. Telogen effluvium or hair loss due to emotional stress is another major cause for hair loss. What happens here is that hair goes through a synchronized shift from the anagen phase to telogen, the resting phase? This occurs after severe physiologic stress, such as any major surgery, pregnancy, death, divorce, loss of job etc. Usually once the period of stress is over hair growth slowly returns to normal.

Other factors for hair loss include use of birth control pills (relating to the amount of the progestin hormone in the pill), or a reaction to certain medications or even some supplements. Hair loss is also a known reaction to chemotherapy drugs. Thyroid, syphilis and other illnesses will also lead your hair to fall out. Improper care too plays a role in hair loss. Pulling the hair by wearing a very tight pony tail, cosmetic changes like colouring the hair, rebonding too much blow drying , over zealously brushing your hair , can all cause hair to be pulled out prematurely.

Another important factor is diet. Improper diet, iron deficiency, dyes used incorrectly, losing too much weight too soon and menopause can also cause your hair to thin out.

So what can one do to slow down or reverse hair loss?

History tells us of how the Greek physician Hippocrates tried to alleviate his patients’ baldness with pigeon droppings. Aristotle tried goat’s urine to remedy his own baldness. Cleopatra prepared pastes for Julius Caesar made of ground horse teeth, deer marrow and charred mice mixed with bear grease. Its unlikely that any of these remedies bore fruit but the effort in that direction continues. One should however not lose hope as today, more than ever, there are many ways to slow down and even treat hair loss to a large degree.

First check if you are missing out on any of the following:

· Adequate intake of vitamins.

· Balanced diet rich in iron and protein.

· Intake of raw vegetables, fresh fruits, salads, green leafy vegetables regularly.

· Washing hair twice weekly with a light shampoo.

· Reduce anxiety, stress and sleeplessness.

· Check for infections of scalp.

If hair fall persists meet a dermatologist or a physician who deals with hair loss and ascertain the reason for the hair fall. No absolute cure for hair loss has been found so far, yet not all varieties of hair loss are untreatable. Drugs known to slow the onset of common baldness, minoxidil (Rogaine) and finasteride (Propecia) are available with prescription. These have gained wide popularity but few of its side effects are still coming to light.

Other Options

Surgical treatments are becoming quite popular as they give a very ‘natural’ look. Hair is transplanted from the back of the scalp from where it grows. This is a very expensive treatment and the can be quite invasive. Experts agree that a diet rich in whole foods and irons help promote hair growth. The food we eat shows in the quality of blood, and, therefore, the hair. For men, it has been suggested that a low fat diet may help decelerate the balding process. For women, hair loss could be a sign of a gastrointestinal problem, which needs to be checked. Lack of protein, or an excess or Vitamin A are a often stated cause of hair loss.

According to Chinese Medicine, hair loss is related to a kidney deficiency. The ancient texts caution that too much sweet or salt could cause hair to fall out. Natural remedies such as Aromatherapy, and natural supplements and herbs such as Saw palmetto oil, Folic acid,Silica biotin, and vitamin B5 are also said to help rejuvenate and maintain thickness of the hair. Ayurveda believes in a holistic approach to alleviate hair loss issues. It is based on the use of plant oils, herbs, as well as meditation, diet, exercise and massage to balance a person’s three doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) that make up one’s “Prakruti” (mind-body type). According to this ancient science, oils such as brahmi and Bhrigaraj oil reduce Pitta dosha in the hair follicles thereby stimulating hair growth. Mixing either of these oils with some coconut oil and leaving it overnight is a popular solution.

Everyone’s hair loss is different, and with constant care and attention one can reduce hair loss and have a head full of beautiful tresses.

What is hair loss?

Most men and women experience some amount of normal hail loss everyday. This happens because after the end of every growth cycle, the hair naturally falls off, resulting in hair loss. But, one needs to start worrying only when the hair loss is excessive.

Different patterns of hair loss

Men and women have different patterns of hair loss. For men it is called the Male pattern baldness and for women it is called the Female pattern baldness.

Though, in some very rare viral infections, men and women may experience extreme hair loss conditions like alopecia universalis, where the whole body is completely devoid of any hair.

Characteristics of hair loss in men

In men, most of the hair loss follows the male pattern of baldness. In this type of baldness, a man finally ends up having hair left in the back and on the sides of the head, which from afar looks like the horse shoe. Typically there is no hair on top of the head.

For some men, the hair loss starts with a withdrawing hairline, while for some the hair loss happens from the top of the head. It is very common for men experience hair loss from the crown as well as have a receding hairline at the same time. Generally the hair at the back of the head falls at the very end.

Characteristics of hair loss in women

In women hair loss happens through the general thinning of the hair from the entire scalp. In most women the entire head is never completely bare of all the hair, but it may be so sparse that the scalp may be clearly visible. But for both men and women the hormone related hair loss is mostly not reversible.

Why does hair loss happen?

There are numerous reasons for hair loss.

1. The most common cause of hair loss is the presence of high quantities of the hormone Dihydrotestrostone in the scalp. DHT i.e. Dihydrotestrostone is a byproduct of the male hormone testosterone. In men and women, hair growth happens during the cycle of growth-dormant-re-growth. When the levels of the hormone DHT is there in high levels in the scalp then the period of rest or dormancy is longer for the hair. Thus each hair follicle produces hair for a limited period and then it finally goes into a period of complete rest and then eventually stops producing any more new hair. It has been observed that in men even though the hormone DHT is present in the whole scalp, the hair loss is most prominent on top of the head. Compared to the crown, the hair follicles in the side and in the back of the head do not experience the harmful effects of DHT.

2. Even high levels of sebum present in the hair are responsible for hair loss. Sebum is responsible for blocking the pores of the hair follicles, and this subsequently leads to undernourishment of the hair and results in hair loss. That is why it is imperative to keep the hair clean by washing the hair so that the blocked pores open up and the hair is nourished all the time.

3. Crash diets, lack of healthy nourishing also cause hair loss. But in such cases, if food intake is improved then the hair loss can be reversed to a large extent. A diet rich in protein and iron helps to arrest hair loss.

4. Lifestyle changes and nervous tension is also responsible for hair loss. Thus it is imperative that men and women try and de-stress their lives as much as possible.

Can hair loss be treated?

Yes, to some extent hair loss can be treated. One of the first steps to treat hair loss is to partake of nourishing, healthy food. Since hair is made up of the protein keratin, men and women require different quantities of protein to keep their hair healthy. While women require about 60 grams of protein daily to keep their hair healthy, men need about 90grams of protein. Many a times even after improving the diet of person hair loss cannot be prevented. In such cases hair loss can be treated through laser, surgical and non-surgical restoration.

There is no miraculous cure to hair loss. No matter which treatment an individual opts for one has to be patient to see the changes. Because, between the growth cycles hair follicles have long periods of inactivity, which could last up to 3 months. It takes several months for any individual to notice any significant changes in hair loss.

In today’s increasingly stressful world, the number of women suffering from hair loss is increasing.We all want to look our best and damage to a woman’s ‘crowning glory’ can be a uniquely upsetting affliction. Hair loss in woman can generally be seen evenly across the scalp, without definite bald patches. If this is happening to you, the following conditions may be affecting you: Diffuse hair loss is a gradual thinning of the hair as opposed to a straightforward bald patch and is the most common type of hair loss in women. The replacement of old hairs by new hairs is slowed down so that the hair becomes sparse and the scalp can be seen clearly through the hair. The causes can be numerous and include stress, restriction of the blood supply, a poor nervous system and hormonal influences. Androgenetic alopecia (female pattern baldness) in women is often linked to hormonal changes with the hair loss following events such as the menopause, childbirth or as a result of stopping or starting oral contraceptive pills. The hair loss is generally more uniform over the scalp than in the male counterpart, but also results from a complex chemical reaction when the

enzyme 5-alpha-reductase converts the testosterone in the system into DHT or dihydro-testosterone. The hair follicles are genetically predisposed to be over sensitive to the DHT and become smaller and smaller with time, leading to the eventual hair loss.Telogen effluvium occurs when the growing phase of the hair is interrupted prematurely causing the hair follicles to enter the telogen (resting) phase of the hair cycle earlier than normal. Two to four months later,

following the normal cyclic pattern, diffuse shedding of the hair begins. When this happens there are not enough hairs left in the anagen phase, or growing phase, and the result is diffuse thinning of the hair. Pregnancy will also affect hair production. Hormone levels increase as the pregnancy begins and slow down the hair growth cycle. Hairs that should stop growing continue to grow beyond their usual life cycle. Often this means that the hair appears to grow thicker as more hairs are present than normal. Following the birth, hormone levels change very quickly and hairs that were growing beyond their normal lifespan enter the telogen phase at this time and begin to fall out. This can sometimes appear to happen all at once and can be very worrying to the new mother. Late onset thinning can be seen in diffuse hair loss across the scalp as density is reduced gradually. This is due to age-related hormonal changes as the natural reduction of oestrogen/progesterone production results in the hair follicles becoming smaller and smaller. These produce finer and finer hair until there is a general reduction in overall density. If your hair loss is patchy you may be suffering from a form of alopecia: alopecia areata is an extremely common condition and will affect 1% to 2% of the population at some point in their lives. Most sufferers are children and young adults (below 40 years old), though it can affect people of all ages. The hair loss is sudden and manifests itself in small, smooth-skinned patches that are likely to gradually widen with time. It can also affect the sufferer’s nails, giving them a pitted, ridged or brittle appearance. The exact cause is still unknown, although current theories include an A relatively minor auto-immune disease, stress or suggest a genetic basis. If the hair loss injury can result in progresses until all the scalp hair is lost disproportionably this is known as alopecia totalis or as alopecia universalis if all the body severe hair loss. Hair is lost as well. Pseudopelade is characterised by the development of small, smooth patches without any clinical changes other than transient erythema (redness). The initial patch is usually on the crown of the head, but can occur anywhere on the scalp. It is generally regarded as a clinical syndrome, which may be the end result of any one of a number of different pathological processes due to a weakened immune system. Hair loss can also have traumatic origins: Chemical trauma can be caused to the hair by bleaching, relaxing, perming or even dying the hair. The chemicals involved in these processes can damage the hair’s protein structure, making the hair dehydrated and brittle and often causing hair loss. As well as damaging the hair’s protein structure, these chemicals are also not good for the scalp and can irritate it. Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by constant tension on the hair, such as that created by an over-tight ponytail, plaiting or through using too tight rollers to style the hair. The action of pulling on the hair over a long period of time results in the gradual shrinking of the hair follicle and so the hairs produced become finer and finer. Injury to the body or surgery and its associated anaesthetics and medications can also cause an interruption of the normal growth cycle. A relatively minor injury can result in disproportionably severe hair loss. These are just a few of the reasons for hair loss. It order to treat hair loss effectively we would recommend that you have a diagnosis made as soon as possible by one of our experienced trichologists. Stress can be an aggravator in almost all cases of hair loss and an accurate diagnosis will always, at the very least, take some of the stress away from you.

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One of the biggest problems that the world is facing nowadays is the baldness. No doubt people are saying the baldness is in trends but every body knows the inner travesty. Hairs are the feature of mammals. Every mammal including humans bears hairs on their body. These hairs serve various essential purposes in the body.

Though hairs are not that essential to humans as for other animals but these are very much essential for cosmetic purposes. But due to hair fall people suffer from conditions like depression as these some way or the other causes mental disturbance.

What to do to prevent hair fall?

One of the best methods to prevent hair fall and to promote hair growth is massage. Massage your scalp regularly. This is the most important activity that should be done on the regular basis. Do massage your scalp essentially for 5 to 10 minutes. Massage gently with the help of your finger tips. One thing should always be kept in mind that never massages your wet hairs. Allow it to dry by itself or blow it dry.

How does massage help?

This massage helps in two ways. Firstly it improves the blood circulation of the scalp thereby supporting the proper nutrition to the scalp. Secondly it helps in getting rid of dead cells and improves the hygiene of scalp and hairs. These methods in turn help in supplying nutrition to the hair follicles. Our hair arises from the hair follicles that are present in our scalp. When these scalp pores (hair follicles) gets blocked some how, it leads to hair fall or growth bad textured hairs. Through massage these pores gets opened then thus promoting hair growth. Secondly as the nutrition is supplied to the hair roots that are situated in the hair follicle then it gets nourished and again leads to hair grown and its promotion.

Is massaging the scalp is sufficient for preventing hair loss and to promotes hair growth?

The answer here will surely be no. Thought massage is very essential to achieve hair growth but the massage should be done with the help of some nutrient and supplement that are essential for hair growth. These can be hair oils, hair creams and hair packs etc. These work as the food for hairs, providing nourishment to them.

What are these hair foods?

This is the term used for the nutrients that are required by hair follicles to satisfy there requirements. This helps in strengthening the root of hairs and also provides growth of healthy hairs.

Ayurveda, the herbal heath science has mentioned many of these hair foods. Some of them are listed below.

· Coconut oil – coconut oil is one of the best hair food. It helps in revitalizing hairs and makes them look lively. It has certain properties that are helpful in supplementing the deficiency of the hairs is responsible for hair fall. Gentle massage with coconut oil twice a week followed by streaming will give you excellent long and silky hairs. It is also effective in treating dandruff and premature graying of hairs.

· Til or sesame oil – another wonderful hair supplement that not only promotes hair growth but also makes your hair look black and shiny. It nourishes the hair roots that intern leads to the beautiful hair growth. It not only nurtures the hair follicle but also improves blood circulation to the scalp. It helps in curbing dandruff and makes hairs naturally black. Apply til taila (oil) once a week on the scalp and massage gently followed by streaming after one hour.

· Almond oil – massage with almond oil is a great assert to our body. No doubt it helps in good hair growth but it is also very beneficial for our brain, it helps in improving memory and mental concentration. Commonly known as badaam in Indian subcontinent. It is also a dry fruit and is very often consumed in India to enhance the memory skills. It is also helpful in improving the skin texture and makes skin complexion fairer. Almond oil should be applied once a week on the scalp followed by steaming after 1 hour.

· Amalaki powder – Amalaki or commonly known as amla. It is a wonder herb. The powder of its dried fruit is extremely helpful in reducing the hair fall and also stimulates hair follicles to promote growth of new hairs. It can be used in both ways i.e. for local application and for oral use. Its powder is mixed with water to attain a texture of a paste. This paste is applied on the scalp and left undisturbed for an hour. After that it is washed off. For oral consumption 3 to 5 grams of amla powder is consumed with water twice daily.

· Aloe-vera gel – aloe vera is a multipurpose plant that is very helpful in preventing hair loss and skin related problems. The gel or the pulp from the leaves is very helpful in promoting hair growth. It also provides coolness to the head and helps in preventing any infection on the scalp. Aloe vera gel can be applied on the scalp twice or thrice a week.

Permanent or temporary hair loss can occur for many different reasons, and sometimes hair loss can be reversed, depending on the cause. Hair loss and baldness have been problems for both men and women for centuries, and there is still no sure-fire cure for hair loss. However, there are treatments for hair loss and baldness that a trained hair stylist at a luxury salon can discuss with you.

The normal cycle for hair growth lasts from 2-6 years, and each hair on your head grows approximately one half inch per month during this phase. About 90% of the hair on your scalp is growing at any one time, and about 10% is in a resting phase. After 2-3 months, the resting hair falls out, and new hair starts to grow in its place. It is perfectly normal to shed some hair each day as part of this cycle. However, some people may experience excessive hair loss, and hair loss affects men, women and children.

Causes of Hair Loss

A number of factors can cause excessive hair loss including:

· Hormonal problems: If your thyroid gland is over or under-active, you may lose your hair. This type of hair loss can actually be helped by treating your thyroid disease. Hair loss can occur if the male and/or female hormones are out of balance, and correcting the hormone imbalance may help stop hair loss.

· Illness or major surgery: About 3-4 months after an illness or surgery, you may suddenly lose a large amount of hair. This hair loss is related to the stress of the surgery or illness and is temporary.

· After pregnancy: Many women notice hair loss about 3 months after having a baby, and this loss is also related to hormones. During pregnancy, high levels of certain hormones cause the body to keep hair that would normally fall out. When the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels, the hair falls, out and the normal cycle and loss of hair starts again.

· Medications: Some drugs can cause hair loss, but the hair loss typically stops as soon as the medications are stopped. Some of the medications that can cause hair loss are blood thinners (also known as anti-coagulants); meds for gout; meds for chemotherapy; birth control pills; anti-depressants; and vitamin A.

· Infections: Fungal infections of the scalp can cause hair loss, but this is easily treated with anti-fungal medications.

· Underlying disease: Hair loss may also occur as part of an underlying disease such as diabetes or lupus. Because some of the reasons for hair loss can be serious such as having an underlying disease, it is very important to find out the cause of your hair loss as soon as possible.

· Cornrows/pigtails: The pull on your hair with these styles can cause a type of hair loss called traction alopecia. If the pulling is stopped before scarring of the scalp develops, your hair will grow back normally. However, scarring can cause permanent hair loss.

· Chemicals/hot oil treatments: Chemicals used in permanents (perms) may cause inflammation of the hair follicle, which can result in scarring and hair loss.

Treatment

Depending on the cause of your hair loss, treatments are available. If medicine is causing your hair loss, your doctor may be able to prescribe a different medicine for your ailment. Recognizing and treating an infection properly may stop your hair loss; hormone imbalances can also be corrected to stop hair loss.

There are also medications that are designed to slow or stop hair loss altogether. Rogaine is one medication that is available without a prescription and is applied directly to the scalp. Another drug, Propecia, is available with a prescription but is only available to men. It comes in pill form and may take up to six months before you can even tell if is working.

If your hair loss cannot be treated, you may have to consider wigs, hairpieces, hair weaves or artificial hair replacement.

Beautiful shining hair is akin to beauty & health. However, many people experience unjustified loss of hair loss, which negatively affects their social life and self perception. Hair loss can be attributed to several reasons including hormone changes, dandruff, exposure to chemicals, side effects of strong medications, side effects of radiation, etc. Sometimes hair loss can be the most visible aspect of some serious diseases, inadequate nutrition, or serious physical conditions.

Causes of Hair Loss

Stress & associated hormone changes

Side effects of some medicines

Ill health of liver, kidney and other internal organs

Radiation

Dandruff & other skin diseases

Incomplete nutrition – lack of proteins, minerals (like zinc) & vitamins

Exposure to chemicals

Excess use of shampoo, soap

Application of too much or too little oil

Kinds of Hair Loss

Hair loss can be classified into different kinds according to the nature of hair loss.

Alopecia areata is characterized by loss of hair in circles. This is mainly induced by stress and mental trauma. Certain physical conditions like Systematic Lupas Erythematosus (SLE) can also be a cause of this condition.

Alopecia totalis is characterized by total loss of hair from the head, leaving behind a bald head and even barren eyebrows. The skin of head turns smooth.

Diffuse alopecia condition has unhealthy, thin and short hair.

Trichotillomania is another condition, prevalent among children, characterized by the children pulling their hair and eating it. Children do this without their conscious knowledge and the hair they eat can remain in the stomach as a ball of hair, leading to pain.

Androgenetic alopecia is the most common type of hair loss found among men. This is caused by excess activity of androgen, a hormone. Women too can suffer from this problem.

Holistic Food to Prevent Hair Loss

Every nutrient that helps in normal body functioning is also required for proper hair growth. Proteins, carbohydrates, lipids (fat), minerals and vitamins play important roles in body functioning and hair growth as well. Inadequate nutrition also first reflects on the hair.

The Essential Food Items to Take to Prevent Hair Loss

Include in your diet a good mixture of everything listed below. Take a mix of everything in moderation. Curcuma longa, cumin seed, etc are good spices to prepare food. Similarly, gooseberry (Embellica officinale), dried grapes, pea (small green pea), etc also promote good physical health and hair growth.

Green and colored vegetables

Wholegrain rice and wheat

Carbohydrate rich root items – tapioca, sweet potato, etc

Egg

Milk and dairy products

Fruits – especially orange, grapes, and other slightly sour fruits

However, the quality of the atmosphere, ground, etc under which the plants grow also affect the quality of the food you take. Food crops grown with excess use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, etc have very limited quality.

Food Items to Avoid

If you care about your hair and physical health, avoid the following items.

Soft drinks

Fast food

Overly cooked food

Processed food (canned, packaged)

Agreed, these items are good for your tongue. However, what is good for your tongue may not be good for your body, blood and hair.

Hair Care Precautions

Note the following points to take good care of your hair.

Gently dry your hair with a clean towel after bathing

Always use a clean comb

Don’t comb wet hair

Don’t comb your hair too often

Comb your hair in the direction of its growth and not against it

Don’t use shampoos that contain chemicals – better option is natural shampoos prepared from hibiscus leaves, henna, grounded small green pea, etc

Apply enough oil on hair 30 minutes before bathing – coconut oil, sesame oil, etc are enough

Be gentle on your hair. Don’t rub your hair violently and use hair dryer sparingly. Shampoos that contain chemicals actively destabilize your hair. You can prepare natural herbal shampoo from materials available from your backyard itself and it is better than any shampoo that you pay big prices for.

Ayurvedic Means of Hair Care and Hair Growth Measures

Ayurveda suggests different hair oils for healthy hair growth. Amalaki (Emblica officinale) is a major component of Ayurvedic hair oils. Massage your scalp with these oils and you can see healthier hair growth.

Treatments for Hair Loss

Allopathy medicine has quite a few treatments for hair loss, which are listed below.

1. Minoxidil – this medicine prescribed for blood pressure is prescribed for hair loss too. Apply the medicine on your scalp. Effectiveness is 10-20%. Hair loss will come back once you stop using the medicine.

2. Finasteride – this medicine usually prescribed for prostrate enlargement is handy treatment against hair loss. Temporary loss of libido and lowered quality of semen are the usual side effects of using this medicine. Women shall not use this, as it can cause the women to give birth to handicapped child.

3. Hair transplantation – hair from one part of the head is transplanted to other parts of scanty hair growth. Strip incision, laser grafting, punch grafts, etc are the main types of hair transplantation treatments. The possibility of hair fall in two-three years and the scars at the areas where hair is taken are to be taken care of.

4. Scalp Reduction – a kind of plastic surgery, where skin of hairless area is removed and the skin from hairy area is stretched. The success depends on hairless area of head and the elasticity of skin.

5. Hairpiece or toupee – wigs are attached to the skin, without being noticed. Can wear and tear in the long run.

In case of hair loss, cure is almost impossible and even prevention is difficult. Put your focus on better physical and mental health than worrying about lost hair. Follow

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