Hair to Stay: Dos and Don't for healthy hair

Hair is the most beautiful accessory bestowed by nature. Every morning , the very first thing that we notice is our hair. A good hair day certainly brings freshness not only to our face but mood as well

Read latest column by Dr Divya Sharma in completewellbeing magazine, October edition.

Hair loss treatment not working? Losing hair or losing peace of mind

I see a lot of patients with an agonizing query- I am losing a lot of hair these days, what is wrong with me? I have tried so many things but no hair loss prevention treatment is working? I am losing my peace of mind.

What needs to be understood is that the hair is a mirror of the inner ecosystem of our body.

Q- I am losing lot of hair these days? What is wrong with me? Is it the borewell water?

Ans – Losing hair in bunches does not happen because of the wrong shampoo or using borewell water. In such cases a comprehensive blood profile and thorough physical examination to rule out deficiencies or disturbances in metabolism should be done. Hair loss of this kind is generally referred as ‘Telogen Effluvium’ and is reversible and seldom leads to baldness.

Q- Why I am getting bald at such an early age? My father started balding in late 40’s?

Ans- A rise in sedentary lifestyle and growing obesity especially around the abdomen is becoming increasingly common in the younger population. Male – pattern baldness is seen in younger age groups now. It is also seen as a risk factor for heart problems and Diabetes. Doctors sometimes do not emphasise this important fact. Simple changes in lifestyle like exercise and following with other hair a regimented diet (preferably recommended by a qualified dietician) is mandatory with other mandatory treatment for hair fall. This surely can ARREST the balding process.

Q- Which Diet would you recommend for Hair loss?

Ans- I generally recommend a qualified dietician/nutritionist but in general a diet:

• High in protein and
• High in essential fatty acids is very helpful.

Tuna , Sardines , olives and avocadoes are a rich source of the latter, oats, lettuce, parsnips, asparagus,  strawberry, cabbage, cucumber, celery, cauliflower and green leafy vegetables also prevent hair breakage. A nutritionist should plan these food items depending on your lifestyle ( whether sedentary or active) and metabolic status( diabetic / non diabetic) in conjunction with the Dermatologist.

Q – Are herbal or professional shampoos (the  salon ones) better than the regular shampoos to arrest hair loss?

Ans- Natural surfactants ( as claimed by herbal or organic shampoos)  come from plants such as sarsaparilla, soapwort, soap bark, and ivy agave. They have excellent lathering capabilities, but are poor cleansers thus must be present at high concentration. Usually, they are combined with other synthetic detergents. The so called ‘organic product’ hence remains as a marketing gimmick.

Then we have these special shampoos designed for use with hair coloring procedures are generally only available to licensed cosmetologists, as they are not appropriate for daily cleansing. Other than for colored hair , I do not recommend professional salon shampoos as they have  high concentration of surfactants and hence colored hair specific shampoos are inappropriate for daily use.

Your dermatologist is best placed to help you choose the best shampoo after carefully understanding what works best for you and your hair

Q- Any dos and don’ts to prevent hair loss?

Ans- Like everything else in life- prevention is better than cure.

Dos:

• ·         Start hair fall arrest early, it works best- physically (looks), emotionally and financially. See a qualified dermatologist.
• ·         Maintain good hair hygiene
• ·         Assess your dietary and other habits and make healthy changes.

Don’ts:

• ·         In general you must avoid chemical treatments to hair including the herbal ones which are designed to change the way your hair looks.
• ·         Avoid salon treatments or alternate therapies which have no proven scientific evidence

For hairloss key is to act early and prevention. In the end remember hair is a reflection of inner ecosystem and in most cases hair loss can be arrested. 

Angeline Jolie, Vin Diesel look extremely attractive without hair

However, your physical attribute should never be a cause of stress. There are many renowned personalities including in showbiz who have excelled and look extremely handsome/beautiful without hair. Talk to your dermatologist if hairloss is bothering you.

Stay skin healthy and skin wise!!

Dr Divya Sharma is a practicing dermatologist at Bangalore. The data shared in this blog is her personal opinion based on her knowledge and experience. The author is not responsible for any adverse event that arises out of following blog opinion

Hair conditioners explained: Which conditioner is best for my hair?

Now that you are aware regarding the shampoos and their components. I will give an overview of the components of a Hair conditioners. This would help you pick the best conditioners suited for your hair. 

Let us first understand, how Hair conditioners work? 

Our Hair is composed of Keratin which is made up of negatively charged amino acids. Hair conditioners have this positively charged molecules which don't get rinsed completely with the hair wash. On drying the hair are left with a very thin coating which prevents frizzing of the hair and also makes it easier to comb.

Okay, so which conditioning agents  are best suited for my hair?

Conditioners are recommended for dry , damaged or treated hair.

The various components that you must watch out while buying a conditioner are:

1.   Moisturizers for hair like – Glycerine , Dimethicone , Simethicone, Polyvinylpyrrolidone , Propylene glycol
2.   Stearalkonim chloride and benzalkonium chloride – Both are antimicrobial, prevent frizzing of the hair too!
3.   Hydrolyzed animal protein- penetrates the hair and strengthen its structure through polymer cross linking. It is the most effective agent for treating split ends.
4.   Essential fatty acids – are also natural moisturizing elements.
5.   Sequestrants – EDTA help in rinsing off with hard water

Hope you choose your shampoo and conditioner wisely from now on...take good care of your skin and hair...stay skin healthy and skin wiser!!

Dr Divya Sharma is a practicing dermatologist at Bangalore. The data shared in this blog is her personal opinion based on her knowledge and experience. The author is not responsible for any adverse event that arises out of following blog opinion

Choose your Shampoo as per your hair type

In the previous post I explained the key components of a shampoo. Now that you know what are the different components of shampoo label, you should try to figure out a shampoo which is most suited for your hair type. In this post I explained the different components you should watch out for depending on your hair type when you purchase shampoo. 

Normal Hair – Chose any shampoo with Lauryl Sulfate derivatives as they require good cleansing  and minimal conditioning.

Oily-Hair  – Excellent cleansing and minimal conditioning properties. Lauryl sulfate or sulfosuccinate surfactants work best . Ph of the shampoo should be between ph 5-6 and should not be too acidic or alkaline. These shampoos should be avoided by people with dry hair.

Dry Hair – mild cleansing and good conditioning  is required. This type of hair should not be washed daily . Try to rinse it little more to prevent a build up of conditioning agents.

Damaged Hair Cuticle magnified image

Damaged – Hair shampoos – Avoid excessive washing , hot combs and styling methods. Hydrolyzed animal or soy protein works best for hair repair.

In my next post I will how to choose your hair conditioners. Till then take good care of your hair and skin..stay skin healthy and skin wiser!!

Dr Divya Sharma is a practicing dermatologist at Bangalore. The data shared in this blog is her personal opinion based on her knowledge and experience. The author is not responsible for any adverse event that arises out of following blog opinion

Shampoo label explained: What in a shampoo bottle is good and what is bad for your hair

Shampoo is a gift of the Indian civilization to the world. The British used this term in lieu of Hindi word  ‘ Champo’. We have a variety of shampoos available with each one claiming to be the best suited to different types of hair. What exactly they contain, have you ever wondered what do the ingredients in a shampoo mean- what is good what is bad for your hair?

In the series on shampoos, I will write three posts: First one to explain the components of the shampoo, second to help choose the shampoo for your hair and last post to help you choose the best conditioner for your hair.

Let us see what do those fancy ingredients  on the label actually consist of. The chief constituent of all is detergent ( surfactant)for sebum and dirt removal . Ironically the cleansing ability of a soap is equated with the foaming ability which may not be the case as they also sometimes overdo the job making our hair look dull and listless.  Some of them are_

1. Sodium lauryl (dodecyl) sulfate – Derived from palm and coconut oils , it works with both hard and soft water , is foamy and is easy to remove. This component is very hard on your hair.
2. Sodium laureth sulfate- Good cleansing effect and foamy too.
3. Sarcosines –  Very mild cleansers but excellent conditioners.
4.  Sulfosuccinates- very strong in  de-greasing action , used  for oily hair.
5. Cocamidopropylbetaine –  wonderful  for fine and chemically treated hair , used in mild shampoos also.
6.  Polysorbate 20 (PEG20) and Polysorbate 80(PEG80) – help penetration of various agents into the hair and helps in removal of oil from hair.
7.  Citric acid – helps in making hair smooth and shiny ; also prevent hair infections 
8.   Quaternium 15 – prevents fungal/bacterial infections.
9. Methylisothiazolinone – prevents infection
10.  Benzophenone-4 and Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate are the two sunscreens most commonly used in hair products.
11. Midazolidinyl urea, iodopropynyl, isothiazolinone, and sodium benzoate.  Preservatives to prevent any moulds etc to grow in your shampoo bottle.

In my next post I will talk about the best shampoos suited for your hair type. Till then take good care of your hair and skin..stay skin healthy and skin wiser!!

Dr Divya Sharma is a practicing dermatologist at Bangalore. The data shared in this blog is her personal opinion based on her knowledge and experience. The author is not responsible for any adverse event that arises out of following blog opinion