| Isn't it paradoxical that inspite of the fact | | | | Julius Caesar made of ground horse teeth, |
| that most of us enter the world as bald as a | | | | deer marrow and charred mice mixed with bear |
| coot, and sometimes even exit that way, we | | | | grease. Its unlikely that any of these |
| spend our lifetime trying to maintain our | | | | remedies bore fruit but the effort in that |
| hair through thick and thin. All of us lose | | | | direction continues. One should however not |
| between 40 and 120 strands of hair a day, | | | | lose hope as today, more than ever, there are |
| depending on the amount of hair one has and | | | | many ways to slow down and even treat hair |
| its growth cycle. | | | | loss to a large degree. |
| | | | |
| Hair growth is not a continuous process. Hair | | | | First check if you are missing out on any of |
| follicles have a growth phase (anagen) and a | | | | the following: |
| resting, non-growth phase (telogen). | | | | |
| Depending on how we treat our hair there will | | | | · Adequate intake of vitamins. |
| invariably be a variation in the amount of | | | | |
| hair loss too. The lost hair is often so | | | | · Balanced diet rich in iron and protein. |
| quickly replaced that we almost never notice | | | | |
| its departure. But If you start to notice an | | | | · Intake of raw vegetables, fresh fruits, |
| alarming amount of hair on the bathroom sink | | | | salads, green leafy vegetables regularly. |
| or on your brush, if your pillow is covered | | | | |
| with scads of loose hair, if your part seems | | | | · Washing hair twice weekly with a light |
| to be getting wider or you're seeing more | | | | shampoo. |
| scalp, you've probably got a problem and its | | | | |
| time to take some action before you are fated | | | | · Reduce anxiety, stress and |
| to join the million men and women suffering | | | | sleeplessness. |
| from hair thinning or pattern hair loss. Hair | | | | |
| loss and thinning can lead to anxiety, | | | | · Check for infections of scalp. |
| depression, and lack of confidence and fear | | | | |
| too. | | | | If hair fall persists meet a dermatologist or |
| | | | a physician who deals with hair loss and |
| Why on earth did it happen to me? | | | | ascertain the reason for the hair fall. No |
| | | | absolute cure for hair loss has been found so |
| Hair loss begins when a certain enzyme | | | | far, yet not all varieties of hair loss are |
| converts the hormone testosterone into | | | | untreatable. Drugs known to slow the onset of |
| another hormone called DiHydrotestosterone | | | | common baldness, minoxidil (Rogaine) and |
| (DHT). Androgenetic Alopecia, or hereditary | | | | finasteride (Propecia) are available with |
| hair loss is the most common cause of hair | | | | prescription. These have gained wide |
| loss. Roughly put, the more Androgens or the | | | | popularity but few of its side effects are |
| hormones that affect hair loss you have the | | | | still coming to light. |
| faster you will lose hair. Men generally lose | | | | |
| their hair in a horse-shoe shaped pattern; | | | | Other Options |
| i.e. they lose hair at the top of their head. | | | | |
| Women on the other hand very rarely 'go | | | | Surgical treatments are becoming quite |
| bald'. Here hair thinning takes place with | | | | popular as they give a very 'natural' look. |
| the part getting wider and the hair receding | | | | Hair is transplanted from the back of the |
| from the frontal area behind the frontal | | | | scalp from where it grows. This is a very |
| hairline. Telogen effluvium or hair loss due | | | | expensive treatment and the can be quite |
| to emotional stress is another major cause | | | | invasive. Experts agree that a diet rich in |
| for hair loss. What happens here is that hair | | | | whole foods and irons help promote hair |
| goes through a synchronized shift from the | | | | growth. The food we eat shows in the quality |
| anagen phase to telogen, the resting phase? | | | | of blood, and, therefore, the hair. For men, |
| This occurs after severe physiologic stress, | | | | it has been suggested that a low fat diet may |
| such as any major surgery, pregnancy, death, | | | | help decelerate the balding process. For |
| divorce, loss of job etc. Usually once the | | | | women, hair loss could be a sign of a |
| period of stress is over hair growth slowly | | | | gastrointestinal problem, which needs to be |
| returns to normal. | | | | checked. Lack of protein, or an excess or |
| | | | Vitamin A are a often stated cause of hair |
| Other factors for hair loss include use of | | | | loss. |
| birth control pills (relating to the amount | | | | |
| of the progestin hormone in the pill), or a | | | | According to Chinese Medicine, hair loss is |
| reaction to certain medications or even some | | | | related to a kidney deficiency. The ancient |
| supplements. Hair loss is also a known | | | | texts caution that too much sweet or salt |
| reaction to chemotherapy drugs. Thyroid, | | | | could cause hair to fall out. Natural |
| syphilis and other illnesses will also lead | | | | remedies such as Aromatherapy, and natural |
| your hair to fall out. Improper care too | | | | supplements and herbs such as Saw palmetto |
| plays a role in hair loss. Pulling the hair | | | | oil, Folic acid,Silica biotin, and vitamin B5 |
| by wearing a very tight pony tail, cosmetic | | | | are also said to help rejuvenate and maintain |
| changes like colouring the hair, rebonding | | | | thickness of the hair. Ayurveda believes in a |
| too much blow drying , over zealously | | | | holistic approach to alleviate hair loss |
| brushing your hair , can all cause hair to be | | | | issues. It is based on the use of plant oils, |
| pulled out prematurely. | | | | herbs, as well as meditation, diet, exercise |
| | | | and massage to balance a person's three |
| Another important factor is diet. Improper | | | | doshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) that make up |
| diet, iron deficiency, dyes used incorrectly, | | | | one's "Prakruti" (mind-body type). According |
| losing too much weight too soon and menopause | | | | to this ancient science, oils such as brahmi |
| can also cause your hair to thin out. | | | | and Bhrigaraj oil reduce Pitta dosha in the |
| | | | hair follicles thereby stimulating hair |
| So what can one do to slow down or reverse | | | | growth. Mixing either of these oils with some |
| hair loss? | | | | coconut oil and leaving it overnight is a |
| | | | popular solution. |
| History tells us of how the Greek physician | | | | |
| Hippocrates tried to alleviate his patients' | | | | Everyone's hair loss is different, and with |
| baldness with pigeon droppings. Aristotle | | | | constant care and attention one can reduce |
| tried goat's urine to remedy his own | | | | hair loss and have a head full of beautiful |
| baldness. Cleopatra prepared pastes for | | | | tresses. |