Treatments of Hair Fall

The realm in the human body referred to as `hair` serves like a `tiara` or `coronet` for every person. Hair verily enhances and induces attractiveness within a person`s beauty and induces within him/her the tool of looking good and gorgeous. The sound and well maintenance of hair has always been looked at as a challenging and intelligent a task. A shining and lustrous mane has since prehistoric times been observed and reflected as a thing of both envy and pride. However, that thick sheeny black texture of hair is something that umpteen individuals covet for, being as they are suffering from terrible loss of the former. And the most unfortunate scenario is that, in present times, thousands of people experience the phenomenon called `hair fall`. Hair fall can be seen in a widespread manner in both female and male races, but is most usually found in men. Hair fall in men is generally termed as male pattern baldness. The normal cycle of hair growth lasts for approximately 2 to 6 years. Each hair grows to a length of approximately 1 centimetre (less than half an inch) each month during this phase. Nearly 90 percent of the hair on human scalp is always growing at any one given point of time. About 10 percent of the hair on the scalp, at any given moment, is again in a resting phase. After 2 to 3 months, this `resting` hair falls out and new hair starts to grow in its place.

In such a circumstance, it is normal to cast off some hair each day as part of this cycle. However, a few individuals might also experience too much of (more than normal) hair fall and loss. Hair fall of this type can affect men, women and also children. Within this ambit of hair fall, a person has nothing to worry and be concerned about. This is only the body`s natural and intrinsic way of rejuvenating itself, by shedding strands of old hair. However, if one suffers of shedding more than what is natural; this calls for enough reason to consult a trusted medical professional who can assist one in understanding and comprehending the root problem. There can exist numerous causes of hair fall in the similar manner that there also exist umpteen kinds of treatment available in the contemporary market of current India. However, prior to that, a few basic facts about hair will perhaps render one a detailed idea of the nature of human hair. Human hair grows and develops from follicles right at the skin of the scalp. In principle, it is the number of hair follicles and their characteristic health that affects and impresses upon the growth of hair. Essentially growing within cycles, each hair follicle generally grows a single strand of hair for approximately 3 to 4 years. The cycle comes to a close with the shedding of mature hair, so that new hair can grow up once again. After a few months of "resting", fresh hair starts to take the place of the old and grow up maturely, in the place where the shed hair once was.

There exists millions of hair follicles in the human scalp, which further varies from one person to another. It is when hair follicles are damaged, injured or spoiled that hair begins to loosen its grip on the scalp and gradually, without even knowing it, fall away. An ordinary individual also might not just be aware that the hard and rigid combing of the hair damages the follicles irreplaceably, causing no hair to grow from it in future times. Unfortunately, this very mechanism mentioned is irreversible by any kind of medical assistance from any brilliant professional. Once hair follicles have been scratched or ruined, there is no way of re-establishing its former health, shine, bounce and vigour. What medicines can only do is to reduce the hair fall and make undamaged hair follicles generate further hair.

Hair fall and its governing properties are most primarily based upon the structure of the quality of hair. Hair on the scalp can be divided into two parts - the root and shaft. The root part of hair is in the skin (epidermis) of scalp. The hair root is surrounded by a pocket like structure referred to as the follicle. The base of hair root is in the shape of a bulb. This bulb is further indentured by capillaries and nerve fibres. The cells in the centre of the bulb divide amongst themselves. The newly divided hair cells push the previous cells up. The cells which move upwards die slowly forming hard hair shaft.

The hair shaft has three layers, comprising the cuticle, medulla and cortex. Cuticle refers to the outer layers and very much safeguards the inner layers; it is transparent. Healthy cuticle lends a sheeny and glossy appearance to the hair and unhealthy cuticle lends a lifeless and dead appearance. Medulla comprises the innermost layer composed of enormous cells. Cortex is the layer lying within cuticle and medulla. This contains vital elements like pigment and keratin. The cortex ascertains the volume, size and strength of hair. The hair follicle includes oil secreting glands, in the process making the hair shimmering and lustrous. Horrible stress and illness weakens this secretion of oil and pigments, thus causing greying of hair and hair fall.

According to ayurveda and ayurvedic practices, the hair is looked at as a tissue which utilises the same nutrients of bone and deemed as a tissue which is formed as a bi-product of bone tissue. Few strands of hair can always fall as the part of normal hair growth cycle, but some people can experience excessive hair fall which is more than normal cycle. There further exist additional non-medical and medical reasons for hair fall. Topping this list of non-medical reasons is a stern maintenance of diet. Rigorous and painstaking dieting can stimulate hair fall. Just because the hair is on the topmost part of the human body, does not imply that it could not be affected by the body`s internal functioning and fundamental processes. When one leads an unhealthy life, the hair is definitely one of the most significant victims. Nutrition is also a very key component to healthy hair, including consuming loads and loads of hygienic, drinking water. Not only will appropriate eating promote and boost the growth of hair, it will also very much retain the moisture and health of young and growing hair. It should also be remembered that one should never comb the hair the way one just might skim dead and dry leaves; it induces incurable damage to hair follicles.

Other causes of hair fall and loss comprises the everyday unnoticed, yet much too crucial cause pf pollution, blow drying of hair, making use of hair-unfriendly shampoos, the overindulgence or lack in washing hair and the use of harmful chemicals in hair colouring. It thus becomes quite apparent and obvious that the absolute lack of scalp hygiene causing scalp infections, eventually leads to unhealthy hair follicles and consequent hair fall. In this regard, it should also be noted that the scalp is where the follicles are and the follicle is where hair grows. Scalp infections are the sole cause of negligent and reckless care for the hair. Besides mentioning any further causes of hair fall and damage, it should be noticed that a complete or partial lack of sleep can cause hair ruination and damage. Running parallel to sleep disorders is complete physical stress and exertion, which too can clandestinely turn into a major cause of hair loss. Too much travail of bodily energy leads to physical exhaustion. Doctoral researches and findings have also established that an individual`s emotional well-being, safety or happiness tremendously affects the health of one`s hair. Emotional stress is as crushing and ravaging to one`s hair, as it is to very much to the heart. It is always advised by professionals to keep one`s mind and emotions verily in check. For even further assistance concerned with hair fall, it is always wise to talk to a doctoral physician who can help one comprehend and grasp the menacing problem.

A number of governing factors and elements can cause too much of hair fall and loss. For example, approximately 3 or 4 months after an illness or a crucial surgery, one poses the chance to suddenly lose a massive amount of hair. This hair loss and fall is absolutely related to the stress of the illness and is merely temporary.

Regarded within the normal ambit of hair fall, hormonal problems can bring in the primary cause of hair loss. If one`s thyroid gland acts to be hyperactive or under active, one`s hair might fall off. This hair fall and loss normally can be helped by effectively treating thyroid disease. Hair fall can occur if male or female hormones, acknowledged as androgens and estrogens, are out of balance and equilibrium. Correcting the hormonal imbalance may bring one`s hair fall to a close. Numerous women notice hair loss around 3 months after they have had been through the phase of childbirth. This loss is also very much linked with hormones. During an ongoing pregnancy, high levels of specific hormones cause the body to retain hair that would normally fall out. When the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels, that hair falls off and the normal cycle of growth and loss begins once again. Hair fall and shedding can also be brought about by particular medicines available in the markets, which mostly happen due to negligence and lack of knowledge of appropriate medication. This type of hair loss gets better when ones ceases to take the medicine. Medicines that can cause hair fall comprise: blood thinners (also referred to as anticoagulants), medicines utilised and employed for gout, medicines made use in chemotherapy to treat cancer, vitamin A (if taken in too many doses), oral contraceptive pills and antidepressants. Specific infections bring in the irritating problem of hair loss. Fungal infections of the scalp can cause hair fall in children. This infection can further be effortlessly treated with the assistance of anti-fungal medicines. Finally, hair loss can occur as part of an inherent long undetected disease, such as lupus or diabetes. Since hair fall and loss is also looked at as an early sign of a disease, it is important to determine the root cause, so that it can be treated.

Improper and careless treatment of hair, like putting on and donning pigtails or cornrows or use of tight hair rollers, the pull and tension of the hair can cause a type of hair fall and loss termed medically as traction alopecia. If this rigorous pulling is stopped before scarring of the scalp develops, one`s hair is sure to grow back normally. However, scarring can cause a fearsome condition of permanent hair damage and loss. Hot oil hair treatments or chemicals made use in permanents (popularly referred to as "perms") may induce inflammation or swelling of the hair follicle, which can result in scarring and hair fall.

The phraseology "common baldness" usually refers to the male-pattern baldness, or permanent-pattern baldness. Male-pattern baldness is the most widespread and witnessed cause of hair loss in men. Men who suffer from this type of hair fall usually have inherited the characteristic. Men who start losing their hair at an early age tend to develop more extensive baldness. In male-pattern baldness, hair loss typically results in a receding hair line and baldness on the top of the head, more precisely, the crown.

Women also stand the chance to develop female-pattern baldness. In this form of hair fall, the hair can become suddenly thin over the whole scalp.

Consulting a doctor will probably be helpful at times to reduce the ailment of the malady of hair fall and loss. Common medical and professional questions like checking on the essential daily diet, an everyday intake of medicine for any particular ailment, whether one has had been through any recent illnesses and how does one generally look after one`s mane, generally decided upon the limit and extent of hair fall. If the patient for hair loss concerns a girl or woman, doctoral questions about one`s menstrual cycle, pregnancies and menopause are the most common determiners of hair fall and further treatment. Finally, blood tests or a biopsy (taking a small sample of cells to examine under a microscope) of one`s scalp may be needed.

Depending upon one`s type of hair fall and loss, long lasting and serious treatments are available. If a particular medicine is causing one`s hair to fall of, the doctor generally prescribes a recognised medicine. Distinguishing and dealing with an infection may help stop the hair fall. Medicines may also help slow down or prevent the development of common baldness. A medicine, minoxidil (brand name: Rogaine), is available without a prescription (i.e. acting as an `over the counter drug`). It is applied directly to the scalp. Both men and women can make use of minoxidil. One more medicine, finasteride (brand name: Propecia), comes in a pills format and is suitable only for men. It may take up to 6 months, before one can determine if one of these medicines is working at all or the contrary.

Some medications that intrinsically possess hair fall as a side effect are very often prescribed for teens. These include acne medicines like isotretinoin and lithium, which is used to treat bipolar disorder. Diet pills that hold within amphetamines also can cause hair loss and fall. Chemotherapy drugs for cancer are probably the well-acknowledged medications that cause hair loss. The Alopecia areata skin disease causes unwarranted hair loss on the scalp and sometimes elsewhere on the body. Alopecia areata, looked at as a deadly disease by the commoner, is thought to be an auto-immune disease, in which the hair follicles are damaged by a person`s own immune system. (In auto-immune diseases, the immune system misguidedly snipes on healthy cells, tissues, and organs in a person`s body). Alopecia areata usually begins as one or more small, round bald patches on the scalp. These can grow bigger and in a small number of cases, can progress to total hair loss. Both boys and girls can be suffering from it and the disease often begins in childhood. The hair usually grows back within a year, but not always. Sometimes people with alopecia areata lose their hair again.

Trichotillomania, another psychological disorder in which people repeatedly and repetitively pull their hair out, often leave bald patches. It results in particular areas of baldness and damaged hairs of different lengths. People suffering from trichotillomania usually need professional help from a therapist or other mental health professional before they are able to stop pulling their hair out.

Abrupt and sharp alterations in climatic conditions owing to relocation and rearrangement can result in unlimited skin and hair fall and damage. If one is moving to an entirely new place and environment, it is first better to scout out researches in terms of climate and water quality, so that one can equip oneself with oil and shampoos that is able to defend and guard hair. A change of temporary location like holidaying may expose one to hard water or bore well water, which is again not easy on hair.

Getting over-conscious and too fussy about assaying to shed weight to attain a perfect figure and in attempt to lose weight faster, many try to adopt a diet plan. Steep diet changes affect differently upon each body type. The amount of calories required, depends upon the type of activity one does and also upon gender. There are phases like breast feeding, when one would require high calorie food and depriving the body of the same will not do any good in the long run. Protein content is also dependent on each body type. A specialist will always suggest a balanced nutrition plan which comprehends particular minerals, vitamins, iron and calcium that is important for sound hair health.

Staying away from calcium rich food is not good for bones, teeth and hair. Though there exists corrective techniques for increasing calcium content, the most easygoing way is to concentrate on the intake of dairy products. Bananas also are rich in calcium. `Calcium absorption` is a long-term process and to aid calcium absorption one has to also stimulate vitamin D or good exposure to sunlight. Hair fall and loss can be also caused by making use of `vanity` products in excess like rebonding, perming, colouring or ironing the hair.

There can thus be seen a superfluity of choices in hair products and cosmetic applications. Most allergies of skin are induced due to low quality shampoo, imbalance in Ph content or allergic scalp. Dandruff if not arrested on time can cause tremendous hair fall. Split ends tend to go upward and consequent hair breakage comes about, which causes hair thinning. Specific products which are purchased `off the shelf` owing to the influence of ads, is never considered apt for the hair my medical professionals. Each hair cycle varies exceedingly and the quality of hair can be improved only with equilibrised diet and nutrition. Hair fall and loss due to advancing age, is more common in men where balding occurs or again alopecia is another common concern. Forcible and spontaneous pulling of hair is a psychological disorder that harms the shaft and root and is difficult to cure. Chemotherapy which is done for the treatment of cancer also causes hair fall.

A liberal intake of vitamins can be considered as one of most foremost treatments of hair fall and loss, which is subsequently succeeded by healthy options like - intake of high protein and iron rich diet; consumption of raw vegetables, fresh fruits, salads, green leafy vegetables daily; washing hair in a routine manner (twice weekly) with suitable shampoos; using relaxing techniques to conquer stress, anxiety and sleeplessness; preventing fungal infections of scalp; preventing hairstyles which pull hair. Due to these causes, the tridoshas get vitiated and causes in hair fall. The vitiated doshas affect the scalp skin, which can be treated with medicated oil containing herbs Bhringaraja (Eclipta Alba), Amalaki (Embelica officinalis), Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) and Vibhitaki (Terminalia bellirica). This very blended rich oil is looked at as a best remedy for hair fall.

Consuming a balanced, healthy diet is important for a lot of reasons and it really benefits the human hair. If one is losing hair, doctors generally recommend employing baby shampoo, shampooing no more than once a day and lathering gently. It is always advised to not rub hair too vigorously with a towel. Several hair experts suggest one to consider putting away the blow dryer and `air drying` the hair instead. One needs always to style the hair when it is dry or damp. Styling the hair while it is wet can cause it to stretch and break further. It is best to avoid irritating and pestering with the hair, which can cause damage. Finally, a fashion-conscious must need to be careful while using chemicals - such as Straightener or colour, on the hair and also is suggested to avoid frequent use of chemical treatments.

Following some simple caring and treating tips can always stimulate and boost the growth of healthy hair. Long hair is more prone to fall off. So, if one sir gifted with long hair and are experiencing excessive hair fall, then one could consider keeping it short. One can of course select and choose a hair cut which suits the face perfectly. Shampooing of the hair as often as required to clear the dirt and grime is counselled too. The filth and grease always poses a chance to clog the pores, stimulating hair fall. In this context, one should always keep in mind to select a shampoo that suits the hair type; massaging the scalp while in the process of shampooing and using a conditioner after a shampoo, mostly brings back the lost lustre. To treat and pamper the scalp to an oil massage at least once a week is also very much recommended. This will only nourish the hair roots and also improve and excite blood circulation. Hair loss and fall mostly is known to occur due to lack of vitamins or hormonal imbalance. Therefore, it is advised to consult a dermatologist immediately, if one experiences excessive hair fall.

Particular medicines (over the counter drugs) available in the market, which helps prevent hair fall and damage, just might pose the chance to lead to premature baldness in beings. These medicines act by slowing down the process of hair fall.