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
