Hair-raising tale

The other day as I sat researching this article, a bald friend came to me enquiring what I was up to. Learning the premise of my article, he said: “You know what stops hair from falling?” I looked at him eagerly for a fascinating breakthrough on the subject and he said: “The floor.”

Having known this person for years, I knew the mirth in his eyes was genuine. Yet, as we had never touched upon this topic earlier, I laughed a little cautiously.
“We have another advantage over you. We never have a bad hair day!”

It was heartening to see how he took the situation in stride, since hairfall can be a sensitive and disturbing topic, especially for women.

Diminishing tresses

According to Taysir Rashid, a dermatologist at the Kaya Clinic in Dubai, “Hair loss is a natural physiological process, which occurs as a part of the hair growth cycle. There are three stages of hair growth — anagen (growth phase), catagen (transitional phase) and telogen (resting phase). On average, people lose approximately 50-75 hairs a day. If it exceeds this number, it is important to find out why.” In other words, as Vinita Bhatia, partner at Neeta’s Herbal, a hair-treatment centre in Dubai, said: “Hair loss is a result of the hair follicle losing its capacity to initiate growth.”

Since ancient times, one’s crowning glory has been a symbol of youth and virility. Its loss is perceived as a loss of both. It can also lead to a loss of confidence and a sense of insecurity and depression in the individual. However, help is not far away. Though there are various over-the-counter tablets and lotions, which may work for some, the most economical treatment would be to invest in a wig or a toupee. You can also get a pate of natural hair.
“Only minoxidil (Rogaine) and finestride (oral medicine) are proven products for hair regrowth,” Rashid said. “Other solutions include surgical hair transplant, laser treatment and meso therapy. We use a combination of meso micro injections, a pain-free, non-chemical mixture of herbal ingredients that heal the skin, Dextpanthenol to promote hair growth and vitamin B7, topical application medicines and supplements.”

Hair transplants are quite common, too. These offer an easy and permanent solution to restore hair.
Shawky Hineidi, patient coordinator at Alva Armani in Dubai Healthcare City, said: “The results are permanent as the units of hair we implant are taken from the back of the head and studies show this type of hair is genetically programmed not to fall. We use follicular unit extraction, which is the least-invasive technology. There is another method called follicular unit strip surgery.”

Tried and tested remedies

According to Bhatia, Neeta’s Herbal follows “a set process of treating, healing, rejuvenating and reconditioning through herbal and Ayurvedic remedies, guidelines on dietary habits, lifestyle, protection from environmental pollution and exercise” for lasting results.
“Herbal treatments have a universal appeal because they are mild on the scalp,” Bhatia said. “They don’t cause side-effects and can be used often. They help maintain healthy hair, especially in environmental conditions such as those in the UAE.”

Hair transplant and meso micro treatments, too, have minimal side-effects.
According to Rashid, “Hair transplant is like any other surgery, where a person can experience bleeding, swelling, infection, scarring and an unnatural look (doll hair). This can be corrected by the surgeon and by oral medication in the case of infection. Laser is, however, becoming more popular since it has lesser side-effects. Laser works on increasing blood circulation in the scalp.”

What one should remember is not to neglect the problem and consult the right person at the earliest. Though there isn’t a 100 per cent guarantee that your hair will be the same as when you were young, results have shown a remarkable regrowth and reduction in hair loss. So there’s no reason why you too should not “suffer” a bad hair day.

Yoga for hair

Yoga is an inexpensive way to reduce hairfall and to accelerate hair growth. Hair loss can be due to different reasons like heredity, stress, anxiety, genetic problems, hormonal imbalances, pollution, excessive use of chemicals and styling products and imbalanced diet. Yoga takes care of almost all these factors through the various techniques: kriyas, asanas and pranayama.

How it helps

• Kapalbhati Kriya: It regulates the supply of oxygen in your body and detoxifies your system by expelling the residual air from your lungs.
• Shirshasana (head stand) and Adhomukha Vrikshasana (hand stand): These asanas increase blood circulation. These postures have a calming effect on the brain, hence restricting hair loss and increasing the possibility of hair growth.
• Bhujangasana (cobra pose): This position helps in creating the necessary pressure to the adrenal glands. This provides a rich supply of blood to the body, hence promoting hair growth.
• Adhomukha Svanasana (the downward-facing dog): It triggers the nervous system and enhances circulation, thereby preventing hair loss.

Adding volume to thinning hair

• Don’t use combs. Use soft brushes and avoid hairspray.
• Blow-dry in the opposite direction of that to how you part your hair.
• Dry your hair after washing. Turn your head upside down and shake your head vigorously. Set the hair with your fingers instead of using a brush or comb.
• Avoid using combs and anything that tugs at your hair.
• For thinning temples, avoid pulled-back hairstyles.
• Don’t use feathering technique to cut hair. It makes hair look thinner. Opt for a short but layered look for visible fullness.

Myths and facts

Myths

• Hair loss is inherited from your father
• Female-pattern balding causes abnormal bleeding
• Teasing, using hair colour or frequently washing hair increases hair loss

Facts
Men are more likely to have hair loss and baldness as they age. It is genetic. Hair loss in women occurs in a different pattern. Most women first experience hair thinning and hair loss where they part their hair and on the top of the head. They do not have a receding hairline. About 50 per cent of women who experience hair loss have female-pattern baldness. Though it is mostly permanent, there have been cases where perimenopausal women had thinning hair and hair loss but once their hormone levels were balanced, their hair was restored to its previous thickness.

Different types of treatments

• Follicular unit extraction: It is a minimally invasive procedure for performing follicular unit hair transplantation. Unlike the predominant procedure, in which a strip of donor tissue is removed and dissected under magnification, this procedure uses a small punch to extract follicular units, one by one.
• Follicular unit strip surgery: A strip of hair from the donor region is implanted on the thinning or balding area. The procedure is best for average to extreme cases of balding.
• Scalp reduction: It is a rarely performed transplant. The bald area is surgically removed and the hair-bearing area of the scalp is stretched to replace it. This method is costly and it could also increase the possibility of the tightening of the scalp, which would only lead to its thinning.
• Laser hair restoration: Laser beams stimulate the cells within the scalp and follicles to induce growth. .

Two common types of hair loss

• Alopecia areata is an immune disease that appears in various degrees of severity — from small, round, bald patches that re-grow without medical treatment, to chronic, extensive hair loss that can involve the loss of all hair on the scalp or body. This type of hair loss affects both sexes equally and can occur at any age, although it occurs most often in children and young adults.
• Androgenetic alopecia in men is what is known as male-pattern baldness — hair loss that starts at the front of the scalp and recedes over time, and hair in the centre of the scalp thins and falls out. In women, this instead results in uniform hair thinning. Women who develop androgenetic alopecia may be suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Causes for hair loss

• Age and hormones: As you grow older, the skin loses the strength to hold hair.
• Hereditary: It’s in your genes.
• Medication: Prolonged illnesses, such as typhoid or cancer treatments can leave you hairless.
• Diet: Too little protein and iron in your diet causes hair loss. If you want to lose weight, do it the sensible way.
• Stress: Keep calm and learn to enjoy life.
• Childbirth: Hormonal imbalance and postnatal depression can lead to hair loss.
• Thyroid: An overactive or under-active thyroid can cause hair loss.
• Fungal infection: Ringworm on your scalp can cause small patches of scaling skin and some hair loss.