Every time I run my fingers through my tresses, strands of hair fall out. At first, it looked like usual shedding, but it gradually went on to become a more prominent trouble.
Hair fall has become a bugging problem along with degrading hair quality for everyone. No matter what, we never seem to find a permanent solution to get rid of the hair fall issue.
Before we jump into the tips of how to prevent hair fall, we need to have a broad understanding as to what the causes of hair fall are. Hair fall is caused not just by one factor, but an amalgamation of several aspects. There are numerous elements that cause hair fall.
1. Nutritional Deficiencies:
If you lack certain vitamins and minerals, the problem of hair fall arises. Vitamin D is one such nutrient essential for gorgeous hair, and sunlight is the best source of vitamin D. Iron and zinc are critical minerals for good hair.
2. Hormonal Imbalance:
When hormones are not regulated properly, it leads to several problems. In women, estrogen plays a major role and affects hair quality.
3. Stress:
With hectic schedules and the sword of our professions hanging over our heads, peace has become a distant dream. There is a perpetual cloud of stress hovering around us and hair fall is one such side effect of this stress.
4. Medical Conditions:
There are a lot of medical ailments that cause hair fall and these include telogen effluvium, androgenetic alopecia, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid issues, and so on.
5. Hair Styling Products:
When your hair is exposed to certain toxic chemicals present in hair dyes, gels, wax and other styling products, it retards the growth and makes the roots weak and develops mineral deposits on your scalp.
6. Pollution and Quality of Water:
With exponential growth in pollution and considerable downfall in the quality of water, long locks have become a victim. Skyrocketing levels of water hardness, presence of harmful chemicals, acidity in rain water, air pollution- all these factors cause hair fall.
It is crucial to first root out the cause of hair fall so that a targeted remedy can be applied in order to curb it and adopt the right solution.
Hair care tips:
1. Hair Products- Shampoo and Conditioner:
Right choices need to be made when it comes to selecting your shampoo and conditioner after assessing what your scalp and hair require. The products must be organic and devoid of chemicals like paraben and silicone as they make the roots weak, hair brittle and ultimately cause breakage.
2. Oiling:
If your hair lacks shine and moisture, then oiling is the key to long and healthy tresses. Oiling improves blood circulation in the scalp and helps in the growth of hair.
Coconut, olive, almond oil are some of the commonly used ones.
3. Chemical Treatments:
Persistent hair treatments like straightening, colouring and frequent usage of blow dryers especially when the hair is wet make the hair brittle and prone to breakage. Avoid heat treatments on a regular basis.
4. Natural Remedies:
You can use a range of natural substances to enhance the quality of your hair and prevent hair fall. These include coconut milk, aloe vera, neem (Indian lilac), amla (Indian gooseberry), Greek yogurt, methi (fenugreek), licorice root, beetroot, onion juice, Chinese hibiscus, green tea, coconut oil, egg white mask, potatoes, lemon juice, etc.
· Egg mask- Eggs are a provider of substantial nutrients like sulphur, phosphorous, selenium, iodine, zinc and protein and they promote hair growth.
Beat egg white with a teaspoon of olive oil and honey to form a paste. Apply it on your scalp. Rinse your hair after twenty minutes using a mild shampoo.
· Licorice root- It has the added advantage of getting rid of dandruff apart from dealing with hair fall. A paste is made by mixing ground licorice root with saffron and it is applied to the scalp and left overnight. Rinse your hair next morning for best results.
· Green tea- Soak 3–4 tea bags in hot water. Use the cooled water to gently massage your scalp. Then, rinse your hair with cold water.
· Beetroot leaves- Vitamins C and B6, folate, manganese, betaine and potassium, are present in abundance in beetroot. Beetroot leaves are boiled and ground with henna leaves following which the paste is applied on the scalp before rinsing with warm water.
· Yoghurt, honey and lime- A paste is prepared by mixing the three ingredients with 1 and 2 tablespoons of yoghurt and honey respectively and a tad bit of lime juice. It is then applied on to the scalp and roots and rinsed after 30 minutes.
· Aloe Vera- It’s an extremely effective solution which addresses the problem of itching and flaking along with hair fall. Extract the pulp from the Aloe Vera stalk and apply it to your hair. Rinse after 45 minutes.
· Fenugreek/Methi seeds- They repair the hair follicles and ensure the hair is soft. These seeds are soaked overnight and ground into a fine paste. This is applied to the scalp and left on the head for about 30 minutes. Then, rinse it thoroughly with normal water.
· Onion juice- Onion juice is well-known for controlling hair fall as it boosts blood circulation to the hair follicles and fights against scalp infections. Onion juice is extracted and spread over the scalp. It is then rinsed using normal water and a mild shampoo.
5. Balanced diet:
To flaunt shiny, strong and beautiful hair, it is of paramount importance that you maintain a proper and balanced diet. Drinking loads of water and taking the right food at the right time is the mantra to amazing locks. Spinach, yoghurt, eggs, chicken, guavas, oats, garlic, pineapples, tomatoes, walnuts, lentils, sweet potatoes and an endless list of vegetables and fruits are extremely vital for stunning hair.
6. Keep it clean:
When you don’t shampoo at least thrice in a week, dust and dirt buildup becomes very dense, and blocks the opening of hair follicles, reducing the number of strands that can come out. This means a follicle that was once growing three or four strands may now allow only one or two. So washing hair in regular intervals is the most important and basic step to a healthy hair.
7. Shed all that is dead on your head:
Shedding dead skin cells from the scalp helps in the health of the epidermis, helps in stimulating hair follicles, and also promotes good amount of hair growth. Simple methods include massaging the scalp with the bristles to loosen dead skin and dirt, and rinsing it in the shower after applying shampoo.
8. Shield for the scalp:
It is advised to always cover your head with a scarf to protect scalp from excessive exposure to UV rays. Treating parts of the scalp with oil is quite helpful.
9. Trimming:
Regular trimming can keep split ends at bay!
It should also be noted, that supply of hard water in households is common. Hard water can prevent sulfates present in the shampoo to not come out of the hair and clean the hair properly. This might lead to unwanted deposits and thus- hairfall, breakage and dandruff. Thus, the usage of a shampoo which can be used with hard water is the need of the hour!
To prevent hair fall and to safeguard it from the ill-effects of hardwater, you can try the iluvia hard water shampoo, available now on Amazon.com & select salon partners.
