Hair is a complex and
delicate part of your body. Keeping it healthy and beautiful is a challenge.
Here's a guide that will help you do just that .
Hair is cylinder of dead
tissue. Damaged hair can never be fully restored to its original condition.
The main factor in growth of the hair is the kind of cells that exit in the
hair follicles from which the hair grows in the individual person. Each
individual hair is also different in one individual .Hair- care products are
intended to promote certain favorable conditions of hair and to reduce of
eliminate properties of hair,
which are regarded as undesirable.
Causes and symptoms:
Reasons for Hair Loss
Both men and women lose hair for similar reasons. Hair loss in men is often
more dramatic, and follows a specific pattern of loss which has been termed
"Male Pattern Baldness". This loss is caused by
dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
Factors for male hair loss include: heredity, hormones, and aging. This may
also apply to women but to a lesser degree. Women may experience loss of
hair after menopause and 2-3 months after having a baby. Other contributing
factors include: poor diet, poor circulation, acute illness, radiation,
chemotherapy, high stress, thyroid imbalance, certain drugs, coming off the
contraceptive pill, diabetes, high doses of vitamin A (more than 100,000 IU),
sudden weight loss, high fever, iron deficiency, ringworm, some fungal
infections, chemicals and hair dyes, vitamin deficiencies, and lack of
proper nutrition
Drastic or premature hair loss may be caused by:
1. Stress and bodily weakness from overwork.
2. Dietary imbalances or nutritional deficiency.
3. Using abrasive shampoos, hair lacquers, dyes and bleaching, etc.
4. Endocrine disorder.
5. Genetic factors.
6. Infectious diseases.
7. Hormonal metabolic changes in lactating women.
8. Nutrient and protein deficiencies in the hair cells.
THE HAIR CYCLE
The normal life span for each hair is from three to six years. Each hair
grows in a hair cycle that can be divided into three stages: the growing
stage (Anacin) lasting from two to six years, the partial degeneration stage
(Catalan) lasting between 10 and 14 days, and finally the resting phase (Telogen)
during which time the hair is shed and there is an involution of the hair
follicles lasting about one hundred days.
Routine
care of scalp and Hair:
It is very important to have
day to day care given to hair and scalp to maintain its health and to
increase its beauty. This routine includes brushing, combing, cutting,
shampooing, massaging and application of hair dressing/lotion.
Brushing
& Combing:
Importance
of brushing and combing
Many sebaceous glands are
distributed over the scalp. When the hair is brushed, sedum secreted from
these glands spreads over the surface of the hair and makes it glossy and
supple.
Brushing and combing
temporarily affects the blood circulation of the scalp.
Care in selection and use of brush and comb
Well spaced bristles.
Easy Cleaning
Individual use to avoid
spread of disease.
For long hairs brushing
should begin at near the bottom of each strand and slowly reaching the top
and then beginning from scalp and sweep down the entire strand of hair
without encountering any tangle. Careful treatment of this nature excludes
the breaking and tearing of hair.
When the hair is weakened and
its attachment is less the normal, frequent and vigorous brushing may
increase hair fall resulting in further damage. Under such condition gentle
massage of the scalp could be done and daily vigorous brushing should be
avoided.
Massage
with Hair oil:
Hair oils especially those containing herbs
are one of very important in hair care. They should be used once every week
and left overnight.
Oils penetrate into the
surface of the scalp with nutrients. Any oil soluble active substances then
get dissolved in fatty covering on the scalp skin when gently massaged. This
also helps in increasing the blood circulation. These nutrients along with
various vitamins are then transported into the deeper layers. From the blood
capillaries are then transported into the deeper layers. From the blood
capillaries are then transported to the cells involved in the syntheses of
keratin (hair protein) and thus increasing the hair growth.
Shampooing:
Primary objective is to clean
hair and scalp of all foreign matters. The ideal shampoo should clean the
scalp without producing irritation or causing excessive reduction of the
natural oils, they should have pH less then 7(acidic)
Importance
of pH for hair shampoos:
Dry hair has no pH. Only when
the hairs are wet and in water they have acidic pH (between 4.5 to 5.5).
Acidic products give astringent effect on the hair outer layer-cuticle.
Decreasing the evaporation of
moisture and dissolution of proteins.
Imparts natural shine to the hair.
Increases elasticity.
Decreases tangling.
After shampooing proper
drying is necessary since the tensile strength of hair is at its lowest when
it is wet. Brisk rubbing should be avoided. Idealy hair should be exposed to
low heat such as sun or mild heat of drier.
After shampoo appropriate
hair dressing lotion should be used to put the hair bark into condition with
regards to manageability and luster.
After
shampoo hair preparations(Hair dressing / Hair lotion)
A good antiseptic,
conditioning and stimulating hair product is helpful in the maintenance of
healthy scalp. The use of such preparation with ordinary scalp hygiene may
help to clean the hair and scalp as bacteria free as possible and improves
the appearance of hair.
Modern
Day problems Associated with Hair and Scalp:
For most hair related
problems, internal medicine plays important role then external application.
In recent times hair & scalp have become target of many ailments. There
are many problems that can be associated with hair & scalp due to:
1.
Air
and water pollution.
2. Use
of shampoos and conditioners containing harsh chemical.
3. Use
of common combs and brushes in establishment such as
barbershops and
beauty saloons. Problem associated with scalp arise
due to lowering of
the resistance may be because, frequent washing
with the strong soaps
and shampoos, excessive secretion of oil and
sweat glands, over exposure
to sunlight. There are three common
diseases associated with scalp.
4. Seborrhea
5. Dandruff
6. Hair loss
Seborrhea:
It is an excessive secretion of sebaceous
glands giving hair oily looks. This condition may also be related to the
hormonal secretion of an individual. It is excellent medium for bacteria to
grow the causing pathological conditions leading to dandruff and hair fall.
The most important treat is the removal of excess fat and maintenance of
clean scalp.
Dandruff:
Cause of dandruff is still debatable. It may be
due to :
Microorganisms.
Excessive sebum secretion (this leads to the growth of
micro-organism irritating the scalp causing itching)
Physiological error in the shedding of the dead cells,
which are then stick together and fall off in the form of flakes. Control of
dandruff equires unique combination of different mode of action such as:
Effective removal of existing dandruff from the hair by use
of good shampoo .
Inhibition of excessive production of new cells in the
uppermost layer of the scalp.
Control of excessive sedum production .
Use of hair products with microbial, anti- inflammatory and
soothing action.
Hair loss:
Hair loss can be repaid or gradual. With the healthy scalp
loss of 50-100 hairs is normal. It is concern when it exceeds more than 100
hairs per day or hair no longer grows back on any part of the scalp. Loss of
hair may be due to various causes.
Natural symptoms of aging.
1. Inherited baldness
2. Following infectious diseases.
3. Accompanying of following skin infections.
4. Following disturbance in the diet, digestion or metabolism.
5. As long as the roots of the hair remain healthy, there is
chance of
re-growth.
6. Taking constant care can control hair fall
7. Determining the actual cause of hair loss.
8. Regular massage of the scalp using herbal hair oil.
9. Use the mild shampoo without harmful chemicals
10. Use of astringent scalp conditioner.
11. Application of hair packs with herbs providing nutrition,
stimulation,
disinfecting etc.
When
people reach there thirties, regardless of their sex, signs of aging begin
to show on their scalp, with receding hairline, thinning hair, and
especially in the crawl area. From the first hint of hair loss to complete
baldness can take a long time, but it can also happen in just a few years.
How to
achieve and maintain a healthy head of beautiful hair.
Three
main things are needed for a good-looking head of hair -- good health, the
right attention to cleanliness, and caution when using cosmetic treatments.
1. Adequate Diet
Hair growth depends on an adequate
diet. A widespread diet problem, which causes loss of hair, is iron
deficiency Anemia. The cause is too little iron in blood, brought on by a
diet containing too little meat, eggs, cereals or peas and beans. Fresh
fruits and vegetables are also needed to provide vitamin C, which enables
the body to absorb iron.
2.
Cutting the hair
Although cutting the hair is not
essential to its well being, it is easier to keep the scalp clean if the
hair is kept reasonably short. Regular cutting does not make the hair grow
strong or faster.
3.
How hair can be damaged
Although scalp hair is hardy, and can
withstand a lot of abuse, it can be damaged by too much or inexpertly
applied perming, dyeing, bleaching and massage. The amount of beautying the
hair can take varies from person to person. Occasionally the scalp is
allergic to the dye and becomes inflamed and swollen. To prevent this
occurring, applying it to a small area on the arm should test the dye. If a
patch of inflammation has developed, the dye must not be used on the hair.
Most people who bleach their hair do so
with hydrogen peroxide. If the peroxide is repeatedly applied, it may make
the hair brittle. If this happens the hair may turn rough, develop split
ends, or become thinned or shortened.
How To Deal With Dandruff
Some are of the opinion that at the
early stages of hair loss, dandruff begins to increase. However, an increase
in the amount of dandruff does not necessarily mean that there is a
"cause-effect" relationship resulting in the thinning of hair.
You should think of excessive dandruff as a warning sign as far as the
health of the hair is concerned.
Dandruff is made up of bits of dead
skin that peel away from the scalp as a result of the effects of metabolism.
Normally, dandruff, in its early stages of growth, is not visible to the
naked eye. It becomes visible only after enlarging into pieces of dead skin
(what we normally call "dandruff") as a result of the propagation
of bacteria and/or problems with seborrhea scalp conditions.
Persons suffering from prolonged
dandruff are said to have a dandruff ailment. This type of ailment,
accompanied by itchiness, can lead to eczema if it worsens. Suppressing the
propagation of bacteria is one means of dealing with fatty dandruff. This is
because bacteria are one of the causes of this condition.
If possible, try to shampoo on a daily
basis to prevent bacterial propagation. One effective means of dealing with
dandruff is to disinfect the scalp area with commercially available
medicated shampoos specifically designed for dandruff removal. However,
daily shampooing can lead to eczema for persons who suffer from dry scalps.
Shampooing once every three days may be ideal for such persons.
Persons who suffer from persistent,
hard-to-cure dandruff are urged to consult a skin specialist.
Life
style:
-
The foremost consideration in the treatment of this disorder is to keep the
hair and scalp clean so as to minimise the accumulation of dead cells.
-
The
hair should be brushed daily to improve the circulation and remove any
flakiness.
-
The
most effective way to brush the hair is to bend forward from the waist
with the head down towards the ground and brush from the nape of the
neck towards the top of the head.
Ayurvedic supplements:
