Hair loss: A medical condition every one of us invariably complains of hair loss. We try to resort to medicines or different kinds of oil or so to make it right. But then anything, when prevented, is, of course, easier to be handled than getting it cured once occurred. Let’s talk on it a bit and on ten major hair-fall causes spotted out.
Alopecia is the general medical term for hair loss. There are many types of hair fall with different symptoms and causes: Male- and female-pattern baldness which is the typical hair fall occurring with aging, Alopecia areata which causes coin-sized patches of baldness, Scarring alopecia where the hair follicle(the hole where your hair grows) completely gets destroyed so no hair re-growth, Anagen odor which is a widespread hair fall across head, face and body due to medical therapies mainly, Telogen effluvium which is widespread thinning of hair, more common in woman due to the stress level she takes and her physiological conditions. Now let’s walk through the top 10 causes behind hair loss,
1. Stress: This is the topmost reason behind this medical condition. Running routine, hectic lifestyle, harsh business environments, and chaotic public circumstances and related are very much the contributors to your losing hair. Stress works in the same way as the egg, or hot weather does. It increases the body heat, and naturally, the biggest physical damage is to the hair. Stress produces increased levels of testosterone, which converts to DHT and interrupts the hair growth cycle. Stress and trauma can also constrict the blood supply to the capillaries, causing a lack of oxygen and nutrient uptake, as well as poor vitamin and nutrient absorption of the hair follicles.
2. Genetics: Family history is something that is not in our control. If your health, diet, stress management, and hair care are all good enough and still you face the problem, then it could be genetic. One can reduce the loss by taking extra care on the already followed precautionary methods.
3. Artificial methods on hair: Trendy lifestyle of today pushes us to try hair extensions, hair coloring, and hair straightening, and so on. Most of these stand on the base rule of applying heat on the hair, which is harmful to the scalp. Even the natural egg yolk for smoothening makes the body heated and causes white hair so recommended in small amounts only.
4. Hormonal causes: Pregnancy can affect hair in many ways. Surprisingly this is often the case in both sexes due to increased stress, anticipation, and changes in lifestyle when expecting a baby. Some women report their hair looks better than ever during pregnancy. During a study, a third of the women questioned said they saw an improvement in their hair after 4-5 months. They noticed it looked and felt thicker and had more body and shine. Maybe this is connected to the stress levels kept in control as well.
5. Usage of chemicals regularly: Shampoos and conditioners, the usual ones which we use, do contain a lot of hair-degrading chemicals. Using them being inevitable, it is advised we take some care to find out the least artificial one and use it in smaller amounts while we can resort to natural methods like grounded moong dal as a shampoo replacement and fenugreek seeds grounded as a softener/conditioner replacement.
6. Junk Food: Food floating in oil, junk foods like chips, burgers, and so on are one of the biggest demons to the hair. It’s mostly because junk food hardly gives your body any nutrients. Totally living on junk food definitely leads to nutritional deficiencies, which may contribute to baldness. People having eating disorders are also more likely to suffer from extensive hair loss.
7. Weather conditions when in extremes: There are some aspects of cold weather which can negatively impact our hair, leading to thinning hair and patchy hair loss. Dry scalps caused by central heating and cold weather can lead to brittle, fragile hair, whilst friction from pulling on or off tight hats can also snap or break hair that is fragile or already damaged. Do the best care of your hair during the winter months by treating your scalp and hair with products designed to protect it from the cold and drying effects of central heating. Nourishing hair oils will strengthen hair, making it more resilient. We see people worry about shedding or thinning hair when there is a high temperature outside. It should be kept in mind that most people shed more hair naturally during warmer weather. This could again hark back to our evolutionary disposition to shed, creating a lighter covering of hair that keeps us cooler during the summer months.
8. Gender: Women are more susceptible to hair degeneration and tend to lose hair uniformly, all around the scalp, whereas men tend to lose hair in a distinctive pattern as in the receding hairline, Auto-immune conditions, and so on.
9. Reduced rest or sleep: Insomnia, narcolepsy, and other sleep disorders can influence the health of your hair, and over time, it may also cause baldness. Sleep plays an important role in allowing the body to repair and regenerate, and hair growth can be influenced by several factors. Alterations in sleeping patterns have been shown to affect the body’s immune function, hormone secretion, and physical and mental stamina. The hair is susceptible to changes within the body, and hair loss is nearly always the consequence of an internal disturbance.
10. Medications like chemotherapy: Medications can lead to two types of hair loss. Telogen effluvium is the most common form of medication-induced hair loss, appearing within two to four months of medication. This condition causes the hair follicles to go into their resting phase (telogen) and fall out too early. People with telogen effluvium usually shed between 100 and 150 hairs a day. Anagen effluvium is the most common in people who are taking chemotherapy medications and is often severe, causing people to lose most or all of the hair on their heads, as well as their eyebrows, eyelashes, and other body hairs. Antibiotics, oral contraceptives, epilepsy medicines, high BP medicines, anticoagulants, antidepressants are some major medical contributions to hair deterioration.
To conclude, I take care to let you know readers, please do have in mind of the unnatural causes of hair reduction and do take precautions to care your hair at your best.
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