What Is Hair?

Hair is a filamentous biomaterial that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals.

The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and fine hair. Most common interest in hair is focused on hair growth, hair types and hair care, but hair is also an important biomaterial primarily composed of protein, notably keratin. In many human societies, women predominantly grow the hair on their head long while men cut theirs short.

HAIR

1. It slows the exchange of heat with the environment (insulation).

2. It creates a sun-shield that prevents sunburn and overexposure to the sun.

3. Specialized hairs have a sensory function, letting the owner know when it is in contact with an object in its external environment.

4. Through their color and pattern, hairs affect the appearance of a mammal.

Purpose Of Hair

Four phase of hair grouth:

Anagen : Hair grows. This is called the anagen phase. This lasts from 4-6 years.

Catagen : Hair then rests. This is called the catagen phase. The hair follicle (the pocket in the scalp that holds the hair) actually regresses during this time.

Telogen :Then , hair sheds. This is called the telogen phase.

Exogen : At the end of the resting phase, the hair falls out (exogen) and a new hair starts growing in the follicle beginning the cycle again.

Normally, about 90% of hairs are in the anagen phase at any point in time. The average person sheds about 50-60 hairs per day (the last phase of the hair cycle).

Hair Life Cycle

Hair Fall

Everyone loses some hair every day. Losing up to 100 hairs a day is normal.

On an average, an adult usually has 100,000 hair strands. Daily hair fall rate varies by person.

Most people lose between 20 to 50 hair strands in a day (not 100! as some people say) during washing, combing, running hands and sleep time. This is normal and you should not worry about it.

How Much Is Normal Hair Fall?

  Alopecia means loss of hair from the head or body.

 

Baldness is the partial or complete lack of hair, and part of the wider topic of "hair thinning".

Alopecia areata is generally considered an autoimmune condition, in which the body attacks itself (in this case its own hair follicles)

Some Defination

1) Check pillow: Abnormal number of hair on a white pillow when you wake up in the morning.

2) After combing/brushing: See chunks or more than normal hair left in your brush/comb.

3) Visible scalp: Noticeable visible scalp due to hair thinning.

4) Most men have their hair receding from the two sides of the forehead or top/turning part of the head. In most women, hair loss is gradual and occurs all over the head.

5) Graying of hair: Graying of hair occurs due to reduction in pigmentation, junk food, stressful lifestyles. Graying of hair is not only a result of aging but may occur in adolescents also.

Symptoms Of Hair Fall

1) Inheritance : Majority of people loose hair due to genetic reason- inheriting from either father or mother side.

2) Repeated pulling of hair : Damages hair follicle and contributes to hair loss. Cut your hair rather than pulling it.

3) Chemical Interference: Ammonia hair dyes, some medicines and dandruff may cause hair fall.

4) Physical/emotional stress: Extreme stress related to job, personal problems/health conditions.

5) Improper diet: Poor diet- especially protein deficiency.

6) Serious ailments: Like cancer, thyroid are known to cause tremendous hair loss.

7) Temporary Loss: May occur due to pregnancy, illness or any medication. Usually gets restored to normal hair growth but full hair recovery takes time of about 6 to 9 months.

Causes Of Hair Fall

CAFFEINE AND HAIR LOSS Excessive coffee or tea may raise stress levels, which can promote hair loss. However, some hair experts use procedures that involve applying coffee or tea directly on the scalp to stimulate hair growth.

SUGAR AND HAIR LOSS Too much sugar or foods that turn to sugar once ingested causes glycation, which is the breaking down of proteins. This causes the cellular aging process to speed up, and that often means developing a dry scalp and losing hair.

ALCOHOL AND HAIR LOSS The proper amount of zinc in the body is essential to hair growth. Too much alcohol may deplete the body's reserves of zinc, which in turn may cause hair loss.

Foods That Cause Hair Loss

Fatty Foods and Hair Loss Although a certain amount of fat is essential to give hair a healthy sheen, too much fatty food may replace the protein that is essential to hair growth.

HIGH-PROTEIN DIET AND HAIR LOSS The typical high-protein diet includes a vast amount of animal protein, which when eaten in large amounts may leach the body of other essential nutrients, such as calcium and fluids. It may also cause the arteries to become filled with plaque, and this prevents the cells in the scalp from receiving the proper nutrients needed for healthy hair growth.

SALT AND HAIR LOSS Too much salt may damage the blood and may create hypertension or high blood pressure. This in turn could cause a problem since healthy blood flow to the scalp is essential for a healthy head of hair

Foods That Cause Hair Loss

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

Blood thinners such as Plavix, warfarin and heparin; seizure medications like Dilantin; blood pressure medications, including beta-blockers and diuretics; cholesterol medications, including statins Lipitor, Crestor and Zocor; antidepressants such as Lithium, Prozac, Paxil and amphetamines; birth control pills.

VITAMIN A

An excess of vitamin A can cause hair loss. Taking supplements of vitamin A or drugs that are derived from vitamin A like acne treatments such as Retin-A can cause a toxic reaction which can result in hair loss. It is recommended that adults not consume more than 25,000 I.U. daily.

OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUGS

Famotidine , ranitidine and cimetidine. Cancer chemotherapy

Drugs That Cause Hair Loss

1. Hot oil treatments: Take any natural oil - olive, coconut, canola - and heat it up so that it is warm, but not too hot. Massage it gently into your scalp. Put on a shower cap and leave it on for an hour, then shampoo your hair.

2. Natural juices: You can rub your scalp with either garlic juice, onion juice or ginger juice. Leave it on overnight and wash it thoroughly in the morning.

3. Get a head massage: Massaging your scalp for a few minutes daily will help stimulate circulation. Good circulation in the scalp keeps hair follicles active. Circulation may be improved through massage by using a few drops of lavender or bay essential oil in an almond or sesame oil base.

4. Antioxidants: Apply warm green tea on your scalp and leave this mixture on for an hour and then rinse. Green tea contains antioxidants which prevent hair loss and boost hair growth.

5. Practice meditation: Believe it or not, most of the times, the root cause for hair loss is stress and tension. Meditation can help in reducing that and restore hormonal balance.

 

Prevention Of Hair Loss

Remedy Of Hair Fall

Remedy 1 to slow/stop hairfall: Scalp Oil Massage.

Frequency: At least once or twice a week.

1) At bedtime, massage your scalp with olive, almond, coconut & wash it next morning.

2) Once a month, use Vitamin E oil to massage your hair/scalp as it is known to slow/ stop hair loss.

3) Ideally massage with a lukewarm oil as that also improves blood circulation at the root of the hair. This will also greatly help reduce/eliminate dandruff.

4) Cover the pillow with a towel to avoid any damage to the pillow.

Remedy 2 to slow/stop hairfall: Aloe Vera.

Frequency: At least once or ideally twice a day for 3 to 6 months.

1) Drink 1/3rd cup of Aloe Vera juice or 1 tablespoon of Aloe Vera gel.

2) You may add some triphla powder to aloe vera and consume this mixture. 

Remedy Of Hair Fall

Remedy 3 to slow/stop hairfall: Keep hair 'natural'. If need to dye, use proper dyes.

Frequency: Try to come as close to 'always'.

1) If you need to dye hair, make sure to use only 'ammonia free' dyes which don't have ammonia.

2) Avoid cosmetic hair styling therapies, excessive blow drying or hair ironing, rough toweling of wet hair. Keep your hair clean and healthy.

Remedy 4 to slow/stop hairfall: Neem oil/paste.

Frequency: 3 to 4 times in a month.

1) Half an hour before taking bath, apply Neem paste (made from grinding neem leaves) or neem oil on the scalp.

2) Wash during bath with a gentle herbal shampoo. Neem smells bad but has awesome positive impact on hair.

Remedy Of Hair Fall

Remedy 5 to slow/stop hairfall: Apply Henna (Mehndi).

Frequency: Once a month.

1) Apply henna paste to your scalp. Wash your hair after approx an hour. It acts as a cooling conditioner for hair.

2) Use fresh henna leaves as most henna powders available in the market have artificial colours that may damage your hair. You may also add beet root leaves grinded with henna leaves as part of making henna paste.

Remedy 6 to slow/stop hairfall: Gooseberry (Amla).

Frequency: At least 3 days a week for 6 months.

1) Eat gooseberry (Amla) juice or pieces or apply it's paste on the scalp.

Remedy Of Hair Fall

Remedy 7 to slow/stop hairfall: Balanced Diet.

Frequency: At least 25 days in a month.

1) Have good, regular intake of

 a) Protein rich food (not protein powders!)

b) Iron rich food like apricots, raisins, green leafy vegetables,

salads

 c) Fruits

 d) Dairy products like milk

2) Adults may take a daily multivitamin supplement

Remedy Of Hair Fall

Medication

Minoxidil is an over-the-counter liquid or foam that you rub into your scalp twice daily to grow hair and to prevent further loss.

Some people experience some hair regrowth or a slower rate of hair loss or both.

It may take 12 weeks for new hair to start growing.

Minoxidil is available in a 2 percent solution and in a 5 percent solution.

Side effects can include scalp irritation and occasionally unwanted hair growth on the adjacent skin of the forehead or face.

Minoxidil

This prescription medication to treat male-pattern baldness is taken daily in pill form.

Many men taking finasteride experience a slowing of hair loss, and some may show some new hair growth.

Rare side effects of finasteride include diminished sex drive and sexual function.

Finasteride should be avoided by women of childbearing age.

Finasteride

If your hair loss is caused by inflammation in your body, a dermatologist may inject a medicine called a corticosteroid into your scalp. This can help stop the inflammation that happens when a person has alopecia areata. A corticosteroid is different from an anabolic steroid.

They are usually prescribed for a three month period. Possible corticosteroids include:

Betamethasone  Hydrocortisone

Side effects : Corticosteroids tablets are not recommended due to the risk of serious side effects, such as diabetes and stomach ulcers

Corticosteroid

Immunotherapy may be an effective form of treatment for extensive or total hair loss.

A chemical solution called diphencyprone (DPCP) is applied to a small area of bald skin. This is repeated every week, using a stronger dose of DPCP each time.

The solution eventually causes an allergic reaction and the skin develops mild eczema (dermatitis). In some cases, this results in hair regrowth after about 12 weeks.

A possible side effect of immunotherapy is a severe skin reaction. But this can be avoided by increasing the DPCP concentration gradually.

Less common side effects include a rash and patchy-coloured skin . In many cases, the hair falls out again when treatment is stopped, therefore treatment needs to be maintained.

Immunotherapy

Hair transplantation is a surgical technique that moves individual hair follicles from a part of the body called the 'donor site' to bald or balding part of the body known as the 'recipient site'. It is primarily used to treat male pattern baldness. In this condition, grafts containing hair follicles that are genetically resistant to balding are transplanted to bald scalp. It is also used to restore eyelashes, eyebrows, beard hair, chest hair, and pubic hair and to fill in scars caused by accidents or surgery such as face-lifts and previous hair transplants.

Hair transplantation

The main difference between a hair implant and a transplant is the method in which the hair is replaced. In  hair implant procedure new hair is added and a transplant is when new hair follicles are placed into the patient's scalp. These follicles are taken from healthy donor cells and are meant to replace the patient's lost hair follicles. But the process used is somewhat similar in both the cases.

difference between hair transplant and hair implant

nutrition And hair care

Dark green vegetables contain high amounts of vitamins A and C, which help

with production of sebum and provide a natural hair conditioner.

Legumes provide protein to promote hair growth and also contain iron,

zinc, and biotin.

Biotin functions to activate certain enzymes that aid in metabolism of

carbon dioxide as well as protein, fats, and carbohydrates. A deficiency in

biotin intake can cause brittle hair and can lead to hair loss. In

order to avoid a deficiency, individuals can find sources of biotin

in cereal-grain products, liver, egg yolk, yeast, bulgur wheat, sunflower seeds, soybeans.

Nutrition And Hair Care

Nuts contain high sources of selenium and therefore are important for a healthy scalp. Alpha-linolenic acid and zinc are also found in some nuts and help condition the hair and prevent hair shedding that can be caused by a lack of zinc.

Protein deficiencies or low-quality protein can produce weak and brittle hair, and can eventually result in loss of hair color.

Zinc is important for hair nourishment too. Good sources include: lean beef, butter, turkey, and pumpkin seeds.

Iron is an essential mineral, known as heme iron in animal food sources and non-heme iron in plant sources. Good sources of iron in your diet include: liver, beef, pork, fish, leafy greens, fortified cereal, beans, and pumpkin seeds. Vegetarian women may experience a lack of enough iron more than other people.

nutrition And hair care

B5 (pantothenic acid) gives hair flexibility, strength and shine and helps prevent hair loss and graying.

B6 helps prevent dandruff and can be found in cereals, egg yolk and liver.

Vitamin B12 helps prevent the loss of hair and can be found in eggs, chicken and milk. fish,

Vitamin C foods help in the good absorption of iron. Try to combine the iron source with a vitamin C source at the same time. Good sources of vitamin C include: Citrus fruit, green leafy vegetables, salad, baked potatoes, tomatoes, etc

Omega-3 fatty acids: These fats keep hair healthy and have a role in preventing hair from becoming dry and brittle .

nutrition And hair care

Testing whether or not you're suffering from hair loss can be done using what is known as the "tug test". Take a small bunch of hair, about 20-30 hairs, and hold it between your thumb and index finger. Pull slowly but firmly; if more than six hairs come out at the same time, you may have a hair loss problem. However, this is not the last word and you shouldn't panic; instead, you should see a doctor or a trichologist immediately if you think you're losing more hair than normal, remembering that we lose a lot of hairs each day naturally

Test your hair for thinning

Hair Caring

Stick to one shampoo or shower gel. If it is repeatedly changed it

could cause damage to your hair as shampoos aren't natural, you would

be adding more and more chemical products in your hair which could damage

them and cause them to fall out.

Oiling the hair also helps with coconut oil for example. By doing

this, when you go out the pollution in the environment won't stick

straight onto your hair and damage it. It will stick to the oil

instead which can be washed off when you get home.

Wash your hair regularly, unclean hair could contain lots of damaging

things. Frequent washing can help keep hair clean and healthy.

Hair Caring

Wash your hair with warm to normal temperature water but too much hot water can

also damage the hair.

  Try and reduce stress or anxiety that is getting to you. Tension and anxiety do not

help as you will be so worried your body won't be mentally healthy so this

will lead to physical deterioration too which includes hair loss.

Do daily scalp massages as it will increase blood flow in the scalp, sending it

to the hair follicles to help stimulate growth.

Try to use more herbal products, avoid using chemical products. They can damage

hair.

Hair Caring