Hair Fall

hair fall
hair problems - lice
Head Lice

Scalp Psoriasis
Seborrheic Dermatitis

Androgenetic Alopecia
Tinea Capitis
Alopecia Areata
Folliculitis

Hair Fall Reasons

Because hairs continue to enter the resting phase and then fall out, we are constantly having hair fall. A healthy adult may lose about 70 to 100 hairs on their head per day. But because new hairs are always growing and replacing them, this natural hair fall isn’t noticeable.

The rate of hair fall may increase noticeably if the hair roots are damaged during the growth phase or if a lot of hairs go into the resting phase at the same time. If no new hair grows and replaces the hair, that part of the skin becomes bald. This type of hair fall is referred to as alopecia – regardless of how large the bald spot is or whether it affects the scalp or body hair. In some types of alopecia, the hair may grow back. But baldness can also be permanent – one typical example is gradual hair fall in men (male pattern hair fall).

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Let’s start with the basics

For many people, hair is a natural part of their look and an expression of their personality. Hair can also offer protection: For instance, it helps to keep the sun’s rays from reaching our scalp. Eyelashes and eyebrows keep dust, dirt and sweat out of our eyes. Even the hairs in our nose and ears help to keep out germs and other foreign objects. Body hair helps to regulate our body temperature: The hairs stand up when it’s cold, keeping the air that is warmed by the body close to the body – like a warming layer of air.

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Hair structure

Each hair has a hair shaft and a hair root. The shaft is the visible part of the hair that sticks out of the skin. The hair root is in the skin and extends down to the deeper layers of the skin. It is surrounded by the hair follicle (a sheath of skin and connective tissue), which is also connected to a sebaceous gland.

Each hair follicle is attached to a tiny muscle (arrector pili) that can make the hair stand up. Many nerves end at the hair follicle too. These nerves sense hair movement and are sensitive to even the slightest draft.

At the base of the hair, the hair root widens to a round hair bulb. The hair papilla, which supplies the hair root with blood, is found inside the bottom of the hair bulb. New hair cells are constantly being made in the hair bulb, close to the papilla.

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How does hair grow?

New cells are constantly forming in the hair bulb. These cells stick together and harden. The full strand of hair develops from this group of hardened hair cells. Because new hardened cells keep on attaching to the hair from below, it is gradually pushed up out of the skin. In this way, a single hair on your head grows at a rate of about 1 cm per month. Facial hair, and especially eyelashes, eyebrows and body hair grows at a slower pace.

Whether it is straight or curly will depend on the cross-sectional shape of hair. Round hair grows straight out of the skin. The more oval-shaped the cross-section is, the curlier the hair will be.

The color of the hair is determined by the amount of melanin in the hardened cells. This can vary a lot from person to person, and it changes over the course of a lifetime. The amount of melanin typically decreases as people get older, and more air gets trapped inside the hair – it then loses its color and turns white. Depending on someone’s original hair color and the number of white hairs that grow, the hair on their head then turns gray or white.

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Hair growth cycle

As long as new hair cells continue to grow in the hair bulb, the hair continues to grow longer. This growth phase is also called the anagen phase. At any point in time, about 90 percent of a person’s total amount of hair is in this growth phase.

Depending on where on the body a hair grows, the growth phase will last longer or shorter: For instance, the growth phase of hair on your head can last several years,, so it can grow to over a meter in length if you don’t have it cut. The growth phase is especially short for eyelashes, eyebrows, nasal hair and ear hair. Those hairs only grow for about 100 to 150 days, so they can’t get that long.

At the end of the growth phase, the hair root separates from the papilla. Then a transitional phase called the catagen phase starts, lasting about two to four weeks. When the hair has separated completely from the papilla, the supply of blood is cut off in the final resting phase, which is also called the telogen phase. The hair is gradually pushed out of the skin and eventually falls out. The resting phase can last several months.

New hair cells then start to multiply at the base of the “empty” hair follicle to form a new hair, and the growth phase of the hair growth cycle starts all over again.

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What causes hair fall?

Hair fall reasons are many. What’s causing your hair fall can determine whether your hair:

  • Falls out gradually or abruptly
  • Thins
  • Can regrow on its own
  • Requires treatment to regrow
  • Needs immediate care to prevent permanent hair fall
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Major hair fall reasons

Hair fall reasons due to Hereditary factors

Both men and women develop this type of hair fall, which is one of the most common hair fall reasons worldwide. In men, it’s called male pattern hair fall. Women get female pattern hair fall. Regardless of whether it develops in a man or women, the medical term is androgenic alopecia.

No matter which term you use, it means that you’ve inherited genes that cause your hair follicles (what each hair grows out of) to shrink and eventually stop growing hair. Shrinking can begin as early as your teens, but it usually starts later in life.

In women, the first noticeable sign of hereditary hair  fall is usually overall thinning or a widening part.

When a man has hereditary hair fall, the first sign is often a receding hairline or bald spot at the top of his head.

Is hair fall reversal possible?
Yes, treatment can help stop or slow hair fall. It may also help regrow hair. The earlier treatment is started, the better it works. Without treatment, you will continue to have hair fall

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Hair fall reasons due to Age

With age another hair fall reason, most people notice some hair fall because hair growth slows. At some point, hair follicles stop growing hair, which causes the hair on our scalp to thin. Hair also starts to lose its color. A woman’s hairline naturally starts to recede.

Is it possible to reverse this type of hair fall?
Caught early, treatment helps some people regrow their hair.

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Hair fall reasons due to Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is another hair fall reason. It is a disease that develops when the body’s immune system attacks hair follicles (what holds the hair in place), causing hair fall. You can lose hair anywhere on your body, including your scalp, inside your nose, and in your ears. Some people lose their eyelashes or eyebrows.

Is reversal of hair fall in this case possible?
Yes. If your hair fails to grow back on its own, treatment may help stimulate regrowth.

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Hair fall reasons because of Cancer treatment

Another major cause out of the hair fall reasons these days is the western system of cancer treatment. If you receive chemotherapy or have radiation treatment to your head or neck, you may lose all (or most of) your hair within a few weeks of starting treatment.

Is reversal of hair fall possible?
Hair usually starts to regrow within months of finishing chemotherapy or radiation treatments to the head or neck. Our doctors at Pratha Ayurveda can offer medication to help hair grow back more quickly.

Is this type of hair fall preventable?
Wearing a cooling cap before, during, and after each chemotherapy session may help prevent hair loss.

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Hair fall reasons because of childbirth, illness, or other stressors

A few months after giving birth, recovering from an illness, or having an operation, you may notice a lot more hairs in your brush or on your pillow. This can also happen after a stressful time in your life, such as a divorce or death of a loved one.

Is reversal of hair fall possible?
If the stress stops, your body will readjust and the excessive shedding will stop. When the shedding stops, most people see their hair regain its normal fullness within 6 to 9 months.

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Hair fall reasons because of Haircare

Coloring , perming, or relaxing your hair, could be damaging your hair and be one of the most common hair fall reasons subsequently. Over time, this damage can lead to hair fall.

Is a reversal of hair fall possible?
You can change how you care for your hair, which can prevent hair fall. Once you damage a hair follicle, hair cannot grow from that follicle. Having many damaged hair follicles creates permanent bald spots.

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Hair fall reasons due to hairstyle pulls on your scalp

If you often wear your hair tightly pulled back, the continual pulling can lead to permanent hair fall. The medical name for this condition is traction alopecia.

Is reversal of hair fall possible?
No. You can prevent hair loss by making some changes.

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Hair fall reasons due to hormonal imbalance

One of the most common hair fall reasons of this imbalance is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It leads to cysts on a woman’s ovaries, along with other signs and symptoms, which can include hair fall. Stopping some types of birth control pills can cause a temporary hormonal imbalance. Women who develop a hormonal imbalance can develop thinning hair (or hair fall) on their scalp.

Is reversal of hair fall possible?
Treatment may help.

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Hair fall reasons due to Scalp infection

A scalp infection can lead to scaly and sometimes inflamed areas on your scalp. You may see what look like small black dots on your scalp. These are actually stubs of hair. Some people develop a bald spot.

Is reversal of hair fall possible?
Yes, treatment can get rid of the infection. Once the infection clears, hair tends to grow.

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Hair fall reasons due to Medication

A possible side effect of some medications is hair fall. If you think a medication is causing your hair fall, ask the doctor who prescribed it if hair fall is a possible side effect. It’s essential that you do not stop taking the medication before talking with one of our qualified doctors at Pratha Ayurveda. Abruptly stopping some medications can cause serious health problems.

Is reversal of hair fall possible?
Yes.

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Hair fall reasons due to Scalp psoriasis

Many people who have plaque psoriasis develop psoriasis on their scalp at some point. This can lead to hair fall.

Is reversal of hair fall possible?
Hair tends to regrow once the scalp psoriasis clears, but this takes time. By following these dermatologists’ tips, you may be able to prevent hair loss.

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Hair fall reasons due to pulling your hair

Some people pull on their hair, often to relieve stress. They may be unaware that they’re pulling their hair. The medical term for this is trichotillomania.

Is reversal of hair fall possible?
If you haven’t destroyed the hair follicles, yes. For your hair to regrow, you have to stop pulling it.

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Hair fall reasons due to Scarring alopecia

This condition develops when inflammation destroys hair follicles. Once destroyed, a hair follicle cannot grow hair. Diverse conditions can cause this. The medical name for this group of conditions is cicatricial alopecia.

Is reversal of hair fall possible?
Once a hair follicle is destroyed, it cannot regrow a hair. Catching this condition early can prevent further hair loss.

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Hair fall reasons due to Friction

People can develop hair fall where boots, socks, or tight clothing frequently rubs against their skin. The medical term for this is frictional alopecia.

Is reversal of hair fall possible?
Hair tends to regrow on its own when the rubbing stops.

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Hair fall reasons due to Poison

Being slowly poisoned can lead to hair fall. Poisons that can cause hair fall include arsenic, thallium, mercury, and lithium. If you ingest a large amount of warfarin, which is found in rat poisons, it can also cause hair fall. Taking large amounts of vitamin A or selenium is also toxic and can be another hair fall reason.

Is reversal of hair fall possible?
Yes, hair tends to regrow when you are no longer exposed to the poison.

While many hair fall reasons can be treated successfully, the key to effective treatment is to find out what’s causing the hair fall. Without an accurate diagnosis, treatment is often ineffective.

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Graying Hair

Some people consider graying as something that makes them look distinguished; for others, it’s a reminder that they’re getting older. How ever you feel about it, gray or white is pretty much inevitable with age (if you’re fortunate enough to still have it in your later years).

Scientists have put a lot of effort into investigating the hair fall reasons alongwith graying, and they believe they’ve gotten to the root of the hair fall reasons and problems. It gets its color from a pigment called melanin, which is produced by melanocyte cells in the follicles. Researchers have discovered that melanocytes endure cumulative damage over the years, which eventually leaves them unable to produce melanin. Studies have cited DNA damage and a buildup of hydrogen peroxide in the follicles as possible causes of this disruption in melanin production. Without melanin, the new hair that grows in has no pigment, which makes it appear gray, white, or silver.

Some people start to go gray young — as early as their teens. When graying begins usually is determined by genes, so if your mother or father became gray early, you may, too. If you are one of those people who don’t find gray hair distinguished, you can easily cover your gray with one of the many different dyes available.

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What are our doctors at Pratha Ayurveda’s approach towards patients coming to us with various hair fall reasons?

Advantages of going in for a consultation with one of our doctors

  • The complete consultation is done on a telephone call or a video call as per the requirement.
  • You get to select your doctor, the time preferable to you and the date you are comfortable with.
  • One of the biggest advantage is you need not go places to get to the doctor of your choice. Stay put at your location and reap the benefits of digital health.
  • Its just you and the doctor. Not only this ensures complete privacy but the doctor can focus on what you have to share with complete attention and without any kind of outside disturbance.
  • Because of absence of any kind of formalities followed in physical consultations, an online telephonic consultation means the doctor effectively spends more time with you on the consultation.
  • You make the payment online in the most preferred mode to you.
  • The prescription reaching you is not just written post consultation after a well thought options but is cross checked by senior doctors at Pratha Ayurveda. So technically you have more than 1 doctor looking into your case.
  • If getting the medicines is an issue for you locally, Pratha Ayurveda ensures the medicines are shipped as quickly as possible.