hair fall might point to a deeper problem. Faye Remedios helps you get to the bottom of it. Dr Kiran Lohia, medical director, Lumiere Dermatology, Delhi says, “The condition of your hair and health are hugely intertwined. This is because your hair’s microcirculation is highly dependent on your hormones being stable, and also on your body being nutritionally sound.” In small but significant ways, your hair is telling you what to pay attention to. Here’s how to listen with care. If you have any of these hair woes, it is time to figure out the real reason for it and find a suitable remedy that works on the root cause.
Hair fall can be due to iron deficiency
Hair fall is perhaps one of the main worries when it comes to hair problems. Nothing upsets a woman more than seeing lumps of hair on the floor or on a hairbrush. But finding out the real cause is important to treat it right.
It’s normal for dead hair to fall and be replaced. So, a loss of 50-100 strands daily is normal. But when hair loss exceeds this number, it’s referred to as pathological hair loss and is a cause for concern. “There can be several factors such as heredity, disease, iron deficiency, fatigue or classic seasonal hair loss,” says Michel Baltazar, technical director, Jean-Claude Biguine. It can also point to a thyroid problem or stress. “After childbirth, nearly all women suffer from hair fall. When it comes to nutrition, iron stores are hugely important for hair strength. If your iron stores are low, even if your hemoglobin is normal, you can suffer from hair fall. Protein deficiency is also a known cause of hair thinning and breakage,” says Dr Lohia.
Michel suggests consulting a professional hairdresser who will need to examine your hair, density and the appearance of the scalp, and will recommend the right products to stimulate growth. They might advise you to go to the doctor as a blood test could establish the reason for your hair loss, or even a nutritionist to get your diet sorted. Irrespective of the reason, a hairstylist or a doctor will definitely advise making your lifestyle a bit saner as stress certainly does not help the problem.
Thinning coverage could be due to lifestyle disorders
Hair thinning is the beginning of hair fall problems and shows that your mane is not very healthy. Before it gets worse, take the necessary action.
“Hair thinning can be caused by a multitude of problems, including too many hair treatments, damaging hair habits, nutritional deficiencies and hormonal problems like PCOS. It could also be a genetic issue or caused by ageing,” says Dr Lohia. She advises checking with your doctor to determine the cause. “Post this diagnosis, a variety of methods are available to treat the issue, including PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy to balance the system. It can also be caused by a condition called chronic telogen effluvium, which is a type of excess hair shedding in women lasting longer than six months, and needs to be treated appropriately,” she warns.
Itchy, scaly scalp can be a result of fatigue
Not only itching your scalp too much embarrassing, it can also be an underlying cause for something more serious.
An itchy scalp can point to low sebum levels. Michel says it may indicate a skin disease such as eczema or psoriasis. “The cause may be stress, fatigue or an allergy to certain substances in haircare products,” he adds. Kiran says that it can even be iron deficiency, and suggests identifying the cause, then getting it treated. “Only a dermatologist can diagnose the issue and prescribe the right medication. There are hundreds of diseases that present themselves as scaly patches—so visiting a doctor is vital.”
Split ends can be due to stress on your tresses
When your hair starts to split into two, it is time to take notice and fix it. Lack of keratin causes split ends and there are several reasons for this.
“It can happen if the hair is worked too hard while heat styling without any application of a heat protectant product or if your dryer is too strong or too close to the hair strands during a blow-dry. Other causes are rubbing of the hair on the pillow when you sleep or for long hair, rubbing against clothing,” says Michel. Cut down on extensive hair treatments like colouring and blow-drying. Too much hair trauma causes split ends and breakage. Heal your locks with regular oiling or treatments like Olaplex, which reconnects broken disulfide sulfur bonds in the hair. “These bonds are broken during thermal, mechanical and chemical services, and the Bond Multiplying System works as a reset button for hair, rebuilding the strength, structure and integrity of your strands,” explains Ankit Arora, CEO, Streamline Services India, which has introduced the brand in India.
Rough texture can be due to hormonal imbalance
While some of us have a dry and rough texture of hair, others find that over time, your silky mane has become rough. We do not have the same hair we are born with, and often, the texture changes every 10 to 15 years on account of fluctuations in hormone levels, medical conditions and food intake. To remedy this, Dr Lohia advises checking your hormone levels and rectifying any issues with the help of experts. Wrong products can also cause rough hair and the water you use for washing your mane also plays a part in it. So make sure that the water you get at home is not hard and if it is, use ways to make it soft before you wash your hair with it.
Premature greying can be due to vitamin B deficiency
Have hair that has turned grey very early? Grey hair is the result of a drop in melanin levels. This is the pigment that gives colour to the hair, and everyone loses it at a different rate, which is why you’ll see some 25-year-olds with salt and pepper hair while some 50-year-olds are still all pepper.
“But if you suddenly find your hair greying and you are under 35, this could also be due to a lack of vitamin B,” says Michel. “Also, check your thyroid. Low thyroid can cause hair whitening,” says Dr Lohia. Making your hair turn black again isn’t very likely, but you can try to control the premature greying with the right steps so don’t give up.
Dull hair can be a result of bad diet
Does your hair look lifeless and limp? If it has lost its sheen, it is because you probably are not eating right. You’re either eating too much junk food or are dehydrated. These foods do not have any nutrition but are just loaded with calories and that affects your hair too.“Include lots of vegetables, fruits and proteins in your diet, and stay away from foods that increase cortisol levels in the system, such as refined sugars or maida,” advises Dr Lohia. Michel says it could also be on account of UV rays from the sun, using the wrong shampoo or a loss of keratin. “Avoid all products, shampoos or conditioners containing silicone or parafin. These substances might make your hair shine but eventually, they will tarnish it more. Do not abuse either anti-dandruff or volumising shampoos, they all contain ingredients that will in time deplete the keratin in your hair,” cautions Michel.
Dos and don’ts for beautiful, healthy hair
Want hair that is glossy, silky and healthy? You can get it by following a few simple rules that will keep your mane long and strong. Michel Baltazar, creative technical director, Jean-Claude Biguine, lists the rules to follow for healthy tresses.
Dos
1. Choose a shampoo or conditioner meant for your hair with the help of a professional hairdresser.2. Use a thermal protector before drying or straightening your hair.
3. Follow a healthy, balanced diet.
4. Avoid super-tight hairstyles that promote breakage or hair loss, or alternate with more relaxed hairstyles.
5. If you notice sudden hair fall that doesn’t stop, consult a hair specialist who can guide you.
Don’ts
1. Do not wash hair too often as this dries out the hair causing it to re-grease faster.2. Avoid shampoos that contain too much sodium sulfate as it damages the hair.
3. Do not untangle hair with a brush, especially wet hair, which is more elastic and prone to breakage. Also, do not brush too often. Once in the morning and once at night is more than enough. Avoid vigorously rubbing hair as this weakens the strands. Towel dry hair delicately.
4. Do not wash hair with water that’s too hot or too cold. This can burn or activate overproduction of sebum on the scalp.
5. Avoid applying hair oil before exposure to heat such as the sun or a hair iron as this can damage the hair. There are special heat-resistant oils for this purpose.
Keep your hair on with yoga
Tackle bald spots and other issues head-on with these simple yoga poses. You can tell we all have crazy schedules by the state of our hair, or lack of it. Add stress, poor lifestyle choices, genetics, medication, hormonal imbalance and the excessive use of chemicals in hair treatments, and it’s a wonder we have any hair left at all. Before you reach for a product to fix the problem, try yoga. Besides giving us glowing skin and improving our overall well-being, it turns out yoga can do wonders for our locks too.“Certain yoga poses can facilitate blood circulation to the follicles and scalp, relieve anxiety and stress, and help to improve hair growth,” explains holistic health expert Mickey Mehta. He introduces us to three simple postures that, if done daily, can improve hair health.
Ustrasana or Camel Pose
2 Now, bend backward and hold your heels while looking at the ceiling.
3 Hold this pose for a few seconds while breathing normally.
4 Exhale and come back to the starting position.
5 Repeat four to five times and relax.
Uttanasana or Forward Bending Pose
1 Stand erect keeping your legs close to each other with the knees, heels, feet, including the big toes, touching.
2 Inhale, and while exhaling, lift your hands and bend forward allowing your fingers and palms to touch the floor. Breathe normally and hold this pose for a few seconds. Inhale and come back to starting position.
3 Repeat five times.
Adhomukhaswanasana or Downward Facing Dog Pose
1 Get on your knees and palms, keeping your hands straight and directly in-line with your shoulder joints.
2 Now push your hips up and straighten your legs while keeping your heels on the floor.
3 Pressing your palms to the ground, straighten your spine further. Hold this pose for five seconds.
4 Return to the starting position by pulling down your hips gently, and repeat.
“The Rubbing Nails exercise that was made popular by Baba Ramdev has been found to be effective in hair growth. This also improves blood circulation and is recommended for premature greying of hair,” says Mickey. To do this: Sit comfortably and bring your fingers inwards towards your palm. Excluding the thumbs, rub the nails of both hands together vigorously for three to four minutes continuously. Take a break and repeat for another two to three minutes.
According to Najeeb Ur Rehman, head of Professional Partnership Services at Schwarzkopf Professional, India, “Yoga is very calming and great for reducing stress levels. While exercising, it is important to keep your hair tied in a bun or high ponytail or covered appropriately to keep it protected and cause minimal contact with sweat.”
With inputs from Kriti Saraswat Satpathy
Source: Femina
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