WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON REASON FOR HAIR LOSS?

 More often than not hair loss is nothing but a signal of internal imbalance. It can arise out of poor health, lack of proteins and zinc in our diet and stressful lifestyles. However, once the reason for the signal is determined and treated, our hair goes back to its normal pattern of shedding and growing. Hair is nourished by the blood stream and any changes in blood content- be it medication, hormones or lack of nutrients can result in hair loss. The first sign of hair loss leads to panic.

WHAT ARE THE VARIOUS TYPES OF HAIR LOSS?

 1. Hair loss that happens all over the scalp is called Diffuse Hair loss.

 Common causes of this Diffuse Temporary Hair Loss are

 a. Poor scalp condition.

 b. Dandruff.

 c. Mineral deficiency.

 d. Keratin deficiency.

 e. Hormonal imbalances, most commonly seen after pregnancy, during menopause.

 f. Thyroid disorders.

 g. Stress.

 h.  Acute illness

 i. Medication, which includes hair loss due to chemotherapy.

 j. Birth control pills.

 k. Anaemia

WHEN SHOULD ONE CONSULT A TRICHOLOGIST?

Hair loss is a delayed reaction because the cause of loss generally occurs three months before the actual hair loss. Some internal imbalance pushes the growing hair, which is in the anagen phase prematurely into the catogen and telogen phase. The hair thus enters the telogen phase before their time. They rest in the telogen phase for about three months and then fall out. We then start to worry three months after the actual cause has occurred. So, when you are losing hair you need to look back by three months to determine the cause of loss. More often than not, once the imbalance in the body is rectified, the hair loss will automatically stop. However, if your hair loss persists beyond three to four months, you have a serious problem on your hands and it is time to see a Trichologist as soon as possible.

HOW DOES ONE DETERMINE EXCESSIVE HAIR LOSS?

Trichologists are often asked what exactly constitutes excessive hair loss- whether it is normal to lose 50 or 100 hair a day. The fact is that there is no standard except the individual one. What is normal for you may not be normal for someone else. The correct method of diagnosing whether hair loss is excessive or not, is by checking one's Anagen/Telogen ratio or the ratio of growth to the ratio of fall. The percentage of hair in the falling stage is generally 20 per cent and anything above this world indicated excessive hair loss.

WHAT DOES ONE NEED TO INCLUDE IN DIET TO GET GOOD HAIR?

Calcium rich foods like dairy products, yeast, nuts, tofu, beans and green vegetables. Include items like grains and beans as they have copper.