6 Causes of hair loss you didn t know about and how you can combat this problem

In order to have healthy volume of hair on your head, the rate of hair loss and replacement should be in tandem. With age, your hair growth cycle shows signs of slowing down and factors like age, disease, and hormonal changes among others affect the pace at which an individual hair follicle moves through the 3 phases of the hair cycle. A disruption in your hair cycle can give rise to loss of hair that s rapid and unexpected. Hair loss or alopecia can affect both men and women. 
So what can cause your hair to fall at an alarming rate?

The reasons behind hair loss could be many, but here are 6 major ones: 
1. Lack of protein in your diet
When you exclude protein from your diet, your body starts to conserve the protein that it has by altering the growth cycle of your hair. In such cases, your hair enters into the resting stage, resulting in zero hair growth. 
In India, 9 out of 10 people are said to suffer from low amounts of protein in their diet, with 91% vegetarians reporting protein deficiency.

2. Iron deficiency 
Iron plays a very important role in the transportation of oxygen to the different organs of the body. Lack of iron in your diet (which is the principle reason behind anaemia) can give rise to several health problems including hair loss. Your body attempts to direct oxygen to important organs so as to support their functioning. As a result, your scalp witnesses a low supply of oxygen, which causes hair loss. 


3. Vitamin D-3 deficiency
Deficiency of vitamin D-3 gives rise to a type of hair loss called Telogen Effluvium (TE). This is a temporary hair thinning phenomenon that takes place when the all the hair on your scalp enter the resting phase at the same time, subsequently causing you to shed a large amount of hair later on. 

4. Smoking 
Smoking can also affect the health of your hair, especially the rate at which it falls and the number of strands lost in a day. A research carried out by the Harvard School of Public Health has revealed that smoking can cause a rise in a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
An increase in DHT level prevents new hair cells from growing and causes hair follicles to reduce in size with each hair cycle. As a result, the area on your scalp that gets affected by DHT experiences a lack of hair growth.  

5. Use of testosterone supplements in gym
Intake of testosterone in the form of supplements and injections to build muscle mass can trigger hair loss in men. This takes place when the testosterone in these supplements gets changed into DHT, thereby affecting your hair loss rate and amount. 

6. Past illnesses (dengue, TB and typhoid)
Falling of hair can also be brought on by illnesses such as typhoid, TB and dengue as the hair growth cycle comes to a stop. Hormonal or metabolic stress that is experienced during the course of such diseases may cause hairfall. 

What are the treatments available to cure hair loss?

1. Hair transplant
Hair transplant is a minimally invasive surgical technique that transfers hair follicles taken from other parts of your body to the balding area. Known by the name of Follicular Unit Transplantation, this hair loss treatment can help to bring back the natural appearance of a fuller head of hair. Hair follicles are harvested using two procedures- follicular unit extraction and strip harvesting. Procedure can vary from 4-8 hours or more depending on the case. 

2. Platelet- Rich Plasma (PRP)
Platelet- Rich Plasma (PRP) is another treatment alternative that can reverse hair loss. It s a simple non-surgical procedure that lasts about 60-90 minutes. In this form of hair treatment, the patient s own blood cells, more specifically blood platelets are injected into the scalp. Usually 8 sittings are required with each sitting being 2 weeks apart for better results.

3. Low Level Laser (Light) Therapy (LLLT)
This form of hair therapy utilises light energy of a specific wavelength and threshold to stimulate cellular activity, thereby promoting hair growth. Various controlled clinical tests have revealed its effectiveness in encouraging hair growth in both the genders.  




 6 Shocking Causes of Hair Loss + How To Combat this Problem

5 horrible things you do to your hair everyday

Hair today, gone tomorrow. That might be your condition if you are not taking care of your hair properly. There are a lot of things you do almost daily that are adversely impacting your hair health. You might not even be aware of the damage you are doing to your tresses by indulging these activities. Read on to find out about the 5 worst things you do to your hair on a daily basis.

1. Excessive hair brushing: Here’s why brushing your hair excessively is bad for your hair: it causes breakage and strips your hair of its natural nourishing oils. To avoid this, try limiting the use of your hair brush to about just two times in a day. Brushing right after you wake up is a good idea, as it helps in distributing the oils produced by your scalp down your hair shaft, which act as a natural conditioner for your hair.

2. Tying your hair in a ponytail everyday: If you tie your hair in a ponytail everyday then chances are you are applying consistent pressure to on the same hair shafts, resulting in brittle and weaker hair. In fact, doing so continuously can even retard hair growth. Try to leave it open as much as you can, but if you absolutely must tie a pony tail, then tie a loose one. Maybe even use booby pins to keep your hair in place instead of scrunchies. Alternating between high and low ponytails helps too.

3. Using a pre-used hairbrush: Your hairbrush contains a lot of germs, which can severely damage your hair. Using an unclean brush is one of the main reasons of damage hair, as these brushes contain dirt gathered from your hair which you’re giving back to your hair by using. It’s best to clean it once in a while to maintain proper hair health. The same holds true for other styling agents such as combs, curlers, rollers, straighteners etc.

4. Delaying a hair cut: Most of us are guilty of this crime. What with your jam-packed schedule and work overload, you often ignore that much needed trip to the salon. Prolonging a haircut is never a good idea as it can lead to a bad case of split ends, which can result in hair that tangles a lot and causes hair fall. Regular trimming sessions, once every 6 weeks, are a must.

5. Shampooing in excess: Some of you prefer your scalp to be squeaky clean every single day, believing that daily dust and pollution require you to indulge in this unhealthy habit. Well, it’s best to stop right now as you’re harming your hair by shampooing daily. Daily shampoos can completely strip your hair of its natural oils, causing your scalp to become dry, leaving your hair with a dry, messy and rough feel. However. Delaying hair wash is not good either. It is best to shampoo whenever your hair feels greasy and dirty.

Avoid doing these to your hair, and let your tresses breathe so that they look healthy and shine with a natural glow.



5 Worst Things You Should Stop Doing to Your Hair!

Causes of Hairfall and Solutions to Treat Them

In general, you lose about 50-100 strands of hair each day, but the loss is not visible as new hair grow in their place. However, if you lose more than a 100 strands in a day and more than 200 strands on the day you shampoo, you may be suffering from what is known as excessive hair fall. 

Certain factors or reasons may cause you to lose hair at an alarming rate, which are,

1. Thyroid problems
Your thyroid is responsible for your body?s overall functioning. The hormones (primarily T4 and T3), which it produces help in regulating metabolic activities. Problems with your thyroid gland can cause your hormone levels to rise or fall to unhealthy levels, which can result in hair fall. You can improve the functioning of your thyroid gland through a diet rich in calcium, iodine, magnesium, protein and Vitamins A, B and C.

2. Scalp infections
Infections of the scalp can also be one of the factors that may cause your hair to fall at an alarming rate. Of the different scalp infections, the ringworm scalp infection is the most common. Although this fungal infection can occur in any part of your body, when it develops on your scalp, you end up losing clumps of hair. Alongside the use of anti-fungal medications, even anti-fungal shampoos and creams can provide you with respite from the problem.

3. Poor diet
Gorging on unhealthy foods or going on a crash diet can result in the lack of essential nutrients in your body, which are required to maintain healthy hair. Furthermore, since hair is made of protein, having a balanced diet consisting of proteins and vitamin- rich foods is a must.

4. Stress
Stress gives rise to certain conditions such as alopecia areata, telogen effluvium (hair loss caused post-pregnancy or surgery) and trichotillomania (an impulsive need to pull your hair out), which can cause you to lose significant amount of hair. To avert a hair loss crisis caused by stress, make it a point to do some simple stress-reducing exercises, such as meditation or breathing exercises.

5. Hair styling products
Using hair styling products like hair colours and straighteners can cause you to experience hair fall problems. Your hair not only becomes dull and dry due to their use, but also becomes weak and brittle, leading to a gradual loss of hair. Regular oiling and use of homemade hair masks are some of the ways you can try to counter the negative effects of these hair styling products.

6. Cancer treatment
The drugs that are used in the treatment of cancer not only destroy the fast-growing cancer cells, but also the healthy blood cells in your body. For this reason, consuming foods that possess cancer-fighting properties (like oatmeal, tomato, almonds, garlic etc) is a sure-shot way of fighting the disease as well as averting any side-effects that may arise because of the treatment.

7. Alopecia areata
Lastly, hair fall can also be caused by alopecia areata, which is a kind of hair loss that takes place when your body?s immune system erroneously attacks your hair follicles, and prevents growth of new hair.

8. Genetics
The origin of your severe hair fall or baldness can be traced back to your ancestors. So, your genes can be a factor behind your hair fall problem. If this is the cause, your body then becomes unable to produce new hair.

Apart from the changes that you can make in your lifestyle to address the causes of your hair fall, there are also techniques out there that you can employ to permanently treat your problem, such as platelet rich plasma, mesotherapy, stem cell therapy, ozone activated platelet rich plasma & hair transplant.



8 Common Causes of Hairfall + How To Overcome Them

All ayurvedic treatments have their roots in hundreds of years of research and thus are extensive. The philosophy followed by these treatments is that every human being in governed by three doshas of forces - vata (air), pitta (fire) and kapha (earth). Depending on the force that is in highest proportion in an individual, all his psychological and physical attributes are determined. Hair loss is attributed to the pitta dosha which is concentrates on metabolism and digestion. The various methods to treat premature loss of hair, according to ayurvedic principles are:


	Balancing the pitta dosha:&nbsp;pitta dosha can be managed by eating less salty, fried and spicy food, consuming limited amount of alcohol, coffee and meat and reducing smoking habits. Certain herbs can curb excess pitta like shatavari or asparagus and bitter vegetables.
	Ayurvedic oil and shampoo: an effective remedy is oil made by boiling a cup of neem (margosa) leaves in 4 cups of water. The mixture is then strained and stored. If applied at night and rinsed off in the morning, hair loss can be prevented and your hair gets healthier. An ayurvedic shampoo can be made at home by preparing a mixture of methi (fenugreek), green bean (mung dal), soapberries, lemon juice and curry leaves which need to grinded well together before applying on the scalp.
	Ayurvedic diet plan:&nbsp;ayurveda believes that a well-balanced diet is the preventive measure to most ailments, including hair loss. Consuming vegetables with high protein and iron content like cauliflower, kale, pumpkin leaves, spinach, salsify, lentils, beet greens, string beans, dandelion greens, raisins, soybeans etc. Proves to be helpful in this regard. This diet can also help to combat systemic diseases like alopecia which may causes loss of hair and sizeable bald spots.
	Ayurvedic medicines:&nbsp;four ayurvedic medicines are used extensively for the purpose of combatting hair loss. These are thikthakam kashayam, thikthakam grisham (regulates metabolism), chyavana prasam and narasimha rasayanam, which improves the strength and quality of hair).
	Combating other problems that cause hair loss:&nbsp;using herbs like brahmi (to manage stress), shilajita and jatamansi (for thyroid imbalance), cardamom (for chronic problems) and ashwagandha (for immune system disorders) can indirectly help when hair loss is a symptom or side effect of another disease.



Combating Hair Loss And Ayurveda

When it comes to hair problems, nothing can treat your hair better than Amla or the Indian Gooseberry. Amla can be used in a number of ways to treat hair fall


Having an amla a day can do your hair a world of good. Amla juice is equally effective. Daily consumption of amla juice (one glass) on empty stomach is highly recommended for people with severe hair fall problems.
If you wish to make your hair grow stronger and thicker, the simple yet effective amla tonic is just for you. Apply and gently massage your scalp with freshly extracted amla juice. Thoroughly rinse your hair with a mild herbal shampoo after 50 minutes to 1 Hour. 
Amla and lemon are known to nourish the hair from within. A mixture containing freshly extracted lemon and amla juice acts as a great tonic. Massage your scalp with this tonic. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Rinse your hair with lukewarm water.
In a bowl of water, add few pieces of freshly cut amla. Bring the water to boil. Filter the water once it cools down (at least 30-40 minutes). In case of dried pieces of amla, you can soak it in water overnight. For better results, wash your hair with this water daily.
Amla and shikakai are synonymous to healthy hair. Make a hair pack using amla and shikakai powder. Mix it thoroughly with water. Apply and keep this pack onto your hair (full length) for 30 minutes. Rinse your hair properly with cold water. Application of this pack is helpful to check hair fall problems.
When it comes to hair fall, nothing works better than Amla and Coconut oil.  Add few dried piece of amla to a bowl containing coconut oil. Heat the ingredients until the mixture becomes thick and dark. Regular use of this excellent liquid can control your hair problems to a great extent.
Henna is a natural hair conditioner. It acts as a catalyst, accelerating the process of hair growth. Prepare a smooth paste of henna powder by mixing it thoroughly with amla juice (freshly extracted). Apply this paste throughout your hair. Let it stay onto your hair for 1-2 hours. Wash it off with plain water. You can also use a mild shampoo. 
You can also use a mixture of Almond oil and amla juice to reduce hair fall problems. Warm the mixture gently (do not boil or overheat). Massage your scalp with the amazing mixture for few minutes. Wash your hair with a mild shampoo.


With the goodness of amla around, hair problems will no longer give you sleepless nights.


8 Benefits Of Amla (Indian Gooseberry) For Hair 

A head full of shiny and healthy hair remains a dream for most of us. Hair loss is one of the problems caused not only by cosmetic impact but also by major psychological effects like low self-esteem, reduced confidence, and other personality issues. Ways to restore hair are always in demand; however, what is more important is to reduce hair fall. Read on to know some of the common ways of preventing hair fall.

Environmental factors
Emotional stress
Ageing
Genetics
Nutritional deficiency
Excessive smoking
Hormonal imbalances like thyroid
Anemia
Unhealthy hair products
Infections of the scalp
Chronic medical conditions like diabetes
Chemotherapy
This list can go on and on, however, when seeking treatment for hair loss, the doctor will be able to identify the underlying cause and suggest an appropriate treatment.

Hair oil massage: Coconut oil, almond oil, castor oil, gooseberry oil, and olive oil can all be used to provide nourishment to the hair. These restore moisture and nourish the scalp and help in restoring hair growth. For best results, use warm oil and apply slight pressure on the scalp. Repeating this process weekly will ensure best results.
Gooseberry: Vitamin C deficiency is one of the main causes of hair fall, and gooseberry is rich in vitamin C. Not just that, it also has high anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial and exfoliating properties, which promotes hair growth and a healthy scalp. Amla powder or paste is available easily and can be mixed with water or lemon juice and left on the scalp for about an hour before washing it off.
Fenugreek: This is rich in ingredients and is highly useful in preventing hair loss. Fenugreek seeds contain hormone antecedents that enhance hair growth and help in rebuilding hair follicles. The seeds can be soaked in water overnight and ground to a smooth paste which can be applied for about an hour and then washed off.
Aloe vera: The alkaline property of aloe vera reduces the scalp pH, which promotes hair growth. It also has enzymes essential for promoting hair growth, reducing scalp inflammation, improving luster, and relieving scalp itching. A spoonful of aloe vera juice in the morning has multiple benefits on the body.
Eggs: Eggs are rich in proteins and minerals and are one of the best conditioners for hair. They also help in hair growth. It can be mixed with olive oil and applied on the hair and washed off after an hour.
Losing hair can lead to bald spots and eventual baldness, which can be easily controlled in a timely manner using the above measures.

Hair Fall - 12 Things Behind It!

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