Hair fall: Losing the Crowning Glory

Hair is one of the distinct features of the mammalian skin. Though originally serving as a protective coat, during the course of evolution, it has lost this function at least in human beings. Nevertheless, its cosmetic and aesthetic importance has increased exponentially. Thus, losing hair has become one of the top most worries in both genders.

COMPOSITION:
Hair are primarily made up of protein called keratin [the same that constitutes our nails]. Its high sulfur content [than nails] gives it an extraordinarily tensile strength.

HAIR CYCLE:
The normal cycle of hair growth lasts for 2-6 years. Each hair grows almost one centimeter per month. Normal human scalp has about 100000 hair, out of which 10% are in a resting phase, that get shed in couple of months time. Therefore, t is expected to lose about 100 hair per day.

OTHER HAIR LOSS CAUSES :
One can experience excessive hair loss about 3-4 months after any major illness or a major surgery. This is usually temporary.
Hormonal disturbances can lead to hair loss, especially in thyroid and ovarian diseases.
Women lose hair after delivering a baby.
Many women lose hair during menstrual cycle.
Some medicines like anticoagulants, chemotherapy, birth control pills and antidepressants are known to cause hair loss.
Fungal infections of the scalp lead to hair loss.
Excessive shampooing and blow-drying of hair.
Crash diets, especially those that do not contain enough proteins.
Last but not the least, severe emotional stress can lead to significant loss of hair. Thus stress can trigger a hair loss, which in turn can increase the anxiety level, making it a vicious cycle.

TREATMENT:
The initial step is to identify the exact cause(s) for the hair loss and to plan out the treatment strategy accordingly. It can be in form of dietary modifications to increase the protein content or treating the underlying diseases or relaxation techniques to calm the mind.

Constitutional homeopathic medicines selected as per one’s individual composition can reduce hair fall significantly. While Bach Flower Therapy can restore equilibrium at emotional plane.