YW_Issue_94_July-18_68 pages

15
Losing hair can be emotionally
traumatic and can lead to depression,
anxiety and loss of confidence. It can
change your appearance significantly,
making you look much older. Hair
loss sufferers are frustrated at the
time and trouble they need to take
to camouflage thinning hair and the
inability to style their hair as they
would like.
It has been scientifically proven
through studies that women tend
to suffer more emotionally and
psychologically than men on
losing hair. A 1992 study, in the
‘Journal of the American Academy
of Dermatology’, that compared the
psychological impact of hair loss on
men and women found that women had
a more negative body image and were
less able to adapt to the loss.
Why Are You Losing Hair?
We normally shed 50 to 100
hairs a day. This does not cause
thinning of hair because at the
same time new hair is growing
on the scalp. But sudden hair loss
is something to take seriously.
According to the Mayo Clinic, this
loss of hair occurs when the cycle
of hair growth and shedding is
disrupted or when the hair follicle
is destroyed and replaced with
scar tissue. Hair disorders like
alopecia (hereditary thinning or
baldness) are the most common
cause of hair loss, affecting
millions.
However, there are other
reasons that can result in hair loss,
including:
Family history:
According to a Harvard Medical
School report, hereditary-pattern
baldness is the most common
cause of hair loss. Hereditarypattern
baldness is not really a
disease, but a natural condition
caused by some combination of
genetics, hormone levels and the
ageing process.
Age: Hair thins as you age.
Although the amount of hair
loss due to ageing is largely
determined by genetics,
nearly all people experience
some hair loss due to ageing.
As you age, the hair begins to
fall out. Normally, hair falling
out would be replaced with
new hair growth; however,
as we age, this happens
less and less. As you
age, your hair also
loses some of its
elasticity causing
it to become brittle
and break easily.
It’s not uncommon for menopausal
women to experience hair thinning
and hair loss simultaneously. The
hair follicles also get smaller and
smaller so that they produce very
fine hair. This can happen in both
men and women.
Pregnancy: According to
americanpregnancy.org, “During
pregnancy, an increased number
of hairs go into the resting phase,
which is a part of the normal
hair loss cycle. This condition is
not serious enough to cause bald
spots or permanent hair loss, and
it should begin to diminish within
3-4 months after delivery.”
Certain medical
conditions: Diabetes,
thyroid disorders, and lupus are
known culprits. Alopecia areata
is an autoimmune disease that
attacks hair follicles. Certain scalp
infections too are responsible for
hair loss.
Medications or major
surgery: Certain medications,
especially those for acne, oral
contraceptives, antidepressants,
antibiotics and antifungal
medicines, blood thinners, some
cholesterol-lowering medicines
and immunosuppressants
are known to cause hair loss.
Chemotherapy, radiation therapy,
and major surgery can cause
temporary hair loss. This should
reverse when treatment is stopped.
Poor nutrition: If you do
not follow a healthy, well balanced
diet, there are going to be a
number of health consequences,
one of which could be hair loss.
Vitamin C helps hair remain
healthy because it helps produce
red blood cells that keep hair
follicles blood-enriched and vital.
A few symptoms of vitamin C
July 2018 • Issue II • Volume VII • yourwellness.com