Hair fall can be distressing, especially when you start noticing strands on your pillow or in the shower. While losing some hair daily is normal (usually around 50-100 strands), excessive hair loss can lead to thinning or even bald patches.
Hair fall is influenced by various factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and health conditions.
Hair fall can be very distressing as hair is often very deeply associated with one's sense of identity, self-esteem, and social confidence. Thus, losing hair feels a part of losing oneself and creates a great sense of vulnerability and inadequacy. Many face anxiety and even depression with such hair loss, which often occurs prematurely or unpredictably, making it difficult to accept their changed body image.
Social influences and beauty requirements may amplify the stress. The emotional effects of hair fall eventually influence mental conditions, impacting an individual's personal as well as professional life.
How to reduce hair fall with easy remedies
Coconut oil massageCoconut oil is a staple in Indian hair care due to its rich nourishing properties and ability to penetrate the hair shaft. Massaging the scalp with coconut oil promotes blood circulation, reduces dryness, and strengthens hair follicles.
Coconut oil contains lauric acid and essential fatty acids that moisturize the scalp and reduce protein loss, thus preventing hair breakage and fall.
Aloe vera gel Aloe vera is well-known for its soothing and nourishing properties. It has enzymes that can repair dead skin cells on the scalp, providing a healthy environment for hair growth and reducing dandruff. Aloe vera’s proteolytic enzymes repair scalp damage, reduce dandruff, and strengthen the hair, helping to prevent hair fall.
Onion juice Onion juice is an effective remedy for hair fall due to its high sulfur content, which boosts blood circulation to the hair follicles. Sulfur also helps in collagen production, which is essential for strong, healthy hair. Onion juice strengthens hair, prevents thinning, and has antibacterial properties that prevent scalp infections, which are often responsible for hair loss.
Amla juice Amla is rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids that nourish the scalp, strengthen roots, and help grow hair.
It reduces hair fall and inhibits premature graying while improving scalp health and enhancing hair volume and shine.
Methi seeds Fenugreek seeds are rich in protein and nicotinic acid, which strengthen hair follicles, reduce hair thinning, and promote hair growth. They also help to restore damaged hair. Fenugreek improves hair texture, reduces dandruff, and strengthens hair, making it an excellent remedy for hair fall.
Hibiscus flowers Hibiscus flowers and leaves have always been a part of Ayurvedic hair treatments. These are rich in nutrients, leading to the growth of your hair, prevention of split ends, and a nice shine on the hair. Hibiscus strengthens hair roots, controls hair fall, and rejuvenates the scalp, thus making the hair healthier and more resilient.
Neem leavesNeem leaves have antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.
These leaves control dandruff and scalp infections, common causes of hair fall. It purifies the scalp, reduces dandruff, and unclogs hair follicles to facilitate healthy growth of the hair and prevent hair fall.
What causes hair fall?
Iron and vitamins D and biotin along with proteins are quite essential for the hair. Without these, roots will get affected and cause hair fall. Many Indians, especially women, are deficient in vitamin D and iron and do not even know it.
Physical or emotional stress will cause hair loss. Hair growth is disturbed and pushes follicles to a resting stage. Unhealthy sleep and irregular dietary habits along with stressful work are added problems for this problem.
Hormonal imbalances are a significant factor in hair fall among women, particularly due to conditions like pregnancy, thyroid dysfunction, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). During pregnancy, estrogen levels rise, prolonging the hair’s growth phase, which often results in thicker hair.
However, after childbirth, estrogen levels drop, pushing many hairs into the shedding phase at once. This post-pregnancy hair fall, known as telogen effluvium, usually peaks around three to six months postpartum but typically resolves within a year.
Thyroid disorders, whether hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), can disrupt the hair growth cycle, leading to thinning.
PCOS, a condition marked by excess androgens (male hormones), can also cause hair follicles to shrink, resulting in thinning hair and even bald patches. Managing these hormonal issues with medical guidance can help minimize hair fall and promote healthier hair growth over time.
Chemical-laden shampoos and harsh styling products are used so frequently that the hair loses its natural oils and becomes dry, brittle, and more prone to breakage.
Many commercial shampoos contain sulfates, parabens, and alcohols, which, when used repeatedly, cause irritation to the scalp and weaken the hair strands. Similarly, the hair cuticle gets damaged due to frequent use of heat styling tools like flat irons, curling wands, and blow dryers, causing split ends and hair fall. Overheating rips all the moisture from the hair, and it becomes frizzy and breaks easily.
Environmental factors also contribute to hair health.
Pollution exposes hair to harmful particles and toxins that accumulate on the scalp, clogging hair follicles and weakening hair roots. Water quality, particularly hard water with high mineral content, can also negatively affect hair. Minerals like calcium and magnesium can build up on hair, making it dry, difficult to manage, and more likely to break.
Hair loss can be hereditary. Androgenic alopecia (male or female pattern baldness) is common in both men and women, though it usually starts later in life.
Who is at more risk of hair fall?
One of the major risks for hair fall is genetics. Androgenetic alopecia is an inherited condition often known as male or female pattern baldness. Individuals who have a family history of baldness are more prone to hair loss at an early age and to a much more significant extent. This condition is usually progressive, beginning with the thinning of hair on the crown or receding hairlines.
Hair grows at a slow rate, and the follicles become smaller, giving out thinner and finer hair, when a person ages.
Hair loss is a common feature in aging, with a huge risk factor over the age of 50. In men and women, some level of hair thinning occurs with age.
Hormones play a crucial role in hair growth and shedding cycles, making individuals experiencing hormonal shifts more vulnerable to hair loss:
Women during pregnancy or menopause: Changes in estrogen levels can disrupt the hair cycle, leading to temporary hair shedding.
Thyroid imbalances: An underactive or overactive thyroid can disturb hormone levels, leading to thinning hair.
High levels of androgens (male hormones): Androgens can cause hair follicles to shrink, contributing to hair loss, especially in those genetically predisposed to androgenetic alopecia.
Psychological and physical stress can have a significant impact on hair health, often leading to a condition called telogen effluvium. This condition occurs when hair follicles prematurely enter the resting phase (telogen) of the hair growth cycle, causing increased shedding and noticeable thinning of hair.
Stress-induced telogen effluvium typically develops several months after the stressor, which can be a major life event such as trauma, surgery, or prolonged illness. These significant physical stressors trigger a biological response in the body that disrupts the normal hair growth cycle.
In addition to major life events, everyday lifestyle stressors like job-related pressure, relationship problems, and financial difficulties can also contribute to this condition.
The body’s response to chronic stress often results in elevated levels of cortisol, the hormone associated with stress, which can disrupt various bodily functions, including hair growth. This disruption causes a larger-than-usual number of hair follicles to enter the telogen phase, leading to noticeable hair loss. Although telogen effluvium is usually temporary and hair often regrows once the stress is managed, it can be distressing for individuals experiencing it.
Managing stress through relaxation techniques, a healthy diet, and proper self-care can help mitigate the effects and promote hair regrowth.
Certain health conditions can lead to hair loss, including:
Autoimmune diseases like alopecia areata, where the immune system attacks hair follicles. Scalp infections, such as ringworm, can also damage hair roots.
Chronic illnesses like diabetes and lupus often cause hair thinning as a side effect of disease and treatment.
Smoking can restrict blood flow to the scalp, depriving hair follicles of necessary nutrients, while excessive alcohol intake can dehydrate and weaken hair.
Frequent use of harsh chemicals, heat treatments, and tight hairstyles can damage hair, leading to breakage and fall over time. Exposure to pollutants can weaken the hair shaft, causing it to break more easily. Individuals living in high-pollution areas are at a higher risk.
Some medications, including chemotherapy drugs, blood thinners, antidepressants, and medications for high blood pressure, have side effects that can lead to hair loss.
Chemotherapy, in particular, can cause complete hair loss due to its effect on rapidly dividing cells.
