Listen to your hair - it talks

A high chemical percentage in shampoos, conditioners, artificial foods, toxic lifestyle, stress and mental conditions are some of the most common causes related to thinning hair. Hair fall is a persistent problem for almost everyone today. Although it does not seem to be considered as a serious health issue, it is undoubtedly a problem most people seem to be grappling with. However if hair continues to fall in unusual volumes, it is certainly a red light demanding your attention. Abnormalities in hair growth as well as hair fall has also been linked with inner imbalances and some diseases.  

Do you know that hair has a life cycle? 
Yes, our hair has a life cycle! It passes three stages. Men and women both have this cycle with differences according to their gender, genetics and some other reasons. 

• Growing pace - Hair grows
• Resting pace - Hair stays on scalp  
• Falling pace - Hair starts to fall out

Margin for normal and abnormal hair fall

Dr. Indira Kahawita, Consultant Dermatologist at the Base Hospital of Homagama believes that people easily misunderstand the hair fall levels. Their misunderstandings often cause them to demand for medications to treat their imagined hair loss. She emphasizes it is normal to lose some strands every day. “Losing 20 or 50 hair strands a day is absolutely normal and if someone loses more than 100 strands within a day, that is considered as an abnormal hair loss,” she said. She further noted that advertising concepts introduced by various hair care products have been successful in presenting this illusion. These advertisements often create the impression that hair fall is a serious issue and their products can help stop such hair fall. The Dermatologist also mentioned that no shampoo is able to stop hair fall as it is a natural biological cycle that the human body follows. 

We also asked Dr. Kahawita on the most common reasons associated with hair fall. 

Dandruff
Dandruff is such a common condition that almost everyone has faced at least once in their lifetime. Anti dandruff shampoos, over the counter aids are helpful for a casual condition. However if the dandruff is becoming an issue, interrupting your day to day activities such as a development of serious itching, followed by pimple like blisters on the forehead, shoulders or behind ears, it is essential to seek medical assistance. Medicinal shampoos to ease this struggle will be prescribed by a dermatologist. 

Fever 
Dengue is considered a severe illness spreading all over the country at present. Dengue and other life threatening fevers too are responsible for hair loss. When the body is struggling a serious ailment such as dengue fever, all the energy in the body are purposely directed to saving the person’s life. This means that energy requirement for hair growth will take a back seat. Therefore, the blood supply to hair follicles is reduced and more hairs will start to rest (resting pace in hair life cycle). Losing 200 to 300 hair strands a day is normal during and after recovering from life threatening fevers. However after a duration of at least three months the resting phase of hair will conclude. 

Severe mental stress
Death of a loved one, failing an exam or causes affect your mental peace can trigger severe stress, paving way for you to lose hair. Yet any of these abnormalities will be fixed naturally within 2 -3 months and hair will grow again following its natural paces. 

Patchy hair/ Alopecia areata
Circular patches with less hair compared to other parts are called Alopacia areata and this can appear in the beard, eye brows or any area of the human body where hair grows. This disease is connected with autoimmunity. Most of the people try home remedies for this disease. It is important to note that home remedies can worsen the condition beyond help.  Dr. Kahawita notes that those who suffer from this disease should never resort to home remedies. 

Hair styling
Relaxing, perming and re – bonding, are only a few of the hair trends that are usually followed by males and females alike. It is not a secret that continous styling of hair would eventually weaken your hair making it brittle and dull. If anyone wants to style their hair, they have to follow hair treatments before and after styling or otherwise face the burden of damaged hair.   

Malnutrition
Nutrition plays a strong role in one’s hair growth. Therefore it’s necessary to have a balanced diet including vegetables, green leaves and fruits. Excess consumption of carbohydrates won’t give you the necessary nutrition. 

• Some other causes for hair loss are: 
• Low hemoglobin levels in hair
• Heavy menstrual bleeding
• Thyroid (Over active or under active thyroid gland)
• Anemia  
• Certain drugs used in treatments (Cancer etc.) 
• Thinning hair 

Both sexes face this problem, but in different ways. As men fear a bald head, women  losing hair on the top of their head. Such hair thinning is often the result of imbalances of male and female hormones. Women find these common, in reaching their menopause in their 40’s. 

Hormone related treatments are quite expensive and difficult to afford. Hair transplant is the most expensive treatment and injecting hormones called HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) will lead to undesired side effects. We discovered that the medical brands available in Sri Lanka for such treatments are of exorbitant amounts.

Dr. Kahawita observed that many children nowadays have thin hair in their frontal hairline. Keeping hair tight as buns, ponytails or other tight forms for too long can push their frontal hairline back. 

Adore your hair
Applying an oil is essential to keep dry hair moist and healthy. Coconut oil is an excellent oil which is easily available. Any oil used for hair treatment can be used based on individual preferences. Keep your hair relaxed for a certain period every-day, it needs the rest. Keep your hair protected from sunshine when outside.