HERBS AND CURES

[Guest guest]

FALLING OF HAIR

MEANING:

Falling of hair is the biggest problem for people. Hair is formed in minute pockets in the skin, called follicles. An up growth at the base of the folic, called the papilla, actually produces hair. Loss of hair at a very tender age has become a common disorder these days. It causes a great deal of concern to persons affected by loss of hair. The most important cause of loss of hair is inadequate nutrition. Even a partial lack of almost any nutrient may cause hair to fall. Another important cause of falling of hair is stress such as worry, anxiety and sudden shock. Stress leads to a severe tension in the skin of the scalp. A healthy head of hair can lose about 100 to 150 hairs a day.

REASONS FOR HAIR LOSS:

The general reasons for hair loss given by the medical profession, is as follows:

* Heredity factors

* Ageing

* Hormonal Imbalance

* Illness and infectious diseases

* Nervous disorders

* Toxic substances

* Injury and impairment

* Severe radiation

* The following is a list of drug knows to cause hair loss in certain cases:

* Cholesterol-lowering drug

* Clofibrate (Atromis-S) and gemfibrozil (Lopid)

* Parkinson Medications

* Levodopa (Dopar, Larodopa)

* Ulcer drugs

* Cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac) and famotidine (Pepcid)

* Anticoagulents

* Coumarin and Heparin

* Agents for gout:

* Allopurinol (Loporin, Zyloprim)

* Antiarthritics

* Penicillamine, auranofin (Ridaura), indomethacin (i\Indocin), naproxen (Naprosyn), sulindac (Clinoril), and methotrexate (Folex)

*Drugs derived from vitamin-A:

*Isotretinoin (Accutane) and etretinate (Tegison)

*Anticonvulsants for epilepsy:

*Trimethadione (Tridione)

*Antidepressants:

*Tricyclics, amphetamines

*Beta blocker drugs for high blood pressure:

*Atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal) and timolol (Blocadren)

*Antithyroid agents:

*Carbimazole, Iodine, thiocyanate, thiouracil.

PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR LOSS OF HAIR:

We can protect our hair by following the steps. These include:

*By using very mild shampoos and good quality conditioners.

*By having them trimmed regularly.

*By going in for once-weekly hot oil treatment. Use warm olive or almond oil and massage it carefully into the scalp and hair.

*Leave the oil on overnight, if possible, by covering the hair with a plastic bath cap and a toweling turban. Wash the oil off the next day by applying diluted shampoo directly to the scalp before applying water.

*Mayonnaise ConditionerTo recondition the hair, shampoo hair with homemade shampoo or a shampoo from the natural foods store. Rinse and towel dry. Apply regular mayonnaise (not salad dressing) to the hair. Massage in. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, shampoo again lightly and rinse with an apple cider vinegar and water solution.

HOME REMEDIES FOR FALLING OF HAIR:

Several home remedies have been found useful in the prevention and treatment of the loss of the hair. These are as follows:

Amla oil:

It is prepared by boiling dry pieces of amla in coconut oil.It is considered a valuable hair tonic for enriching hair growth. A mixture of equal quantity of fresh amla juice and lime juice used as a shampoo stimulates hair growth and prevents hair loss.

Lettuce (salad-ka-patta):

It is useful in preventing hair loss through deficiencies. A mixture of lettuce and spinach juice is said to help the growth of hair if it is drunk to the extent of half a litre a day.

Green coriander leaves:

Application of the juice of green coriander leaves on the head is also considered as beneficial remedy for falling of hair.

Mustard oil:

It is useful in healthy growth of hair. About 250 grams of mustard oil should be boiled in tinned basin. A little quantity of henna leaves should be gradually put in this oil till about 60 grams of these leaves are thus burnt in the oil. The oil should then be filtered through a cloth and stored well in a bottle. A regular massage of the head with this oil will produce abundant hair.

Coconut milk:

The coconut milk is prepared by grinding the coconut shavings and squeezing it well. It will nourish the hair and promote hair growth.

Castor oil:

Regular use of castor oil as hair oil helps the luxuriant growth of the hair.

Lime and black pepper seeds paste:

It is one of the valuable remedies; this increases blood circulation in the affected area and stimulates hair growth. The paste should be applied twice a day for a few weeks.

Liquorice (mulethi) paste:

It is made by grinding the pieces in milk with a pinch of saffron. This paste should be applied over the bald patches in the night before going to bed.

CAUSES OF HAIR LOSS:

A number of things can cause excessive hair loss. For example, about 3 or 4 months after an illness or a major surgery, you may suddenly lose a large amount of hair. This hair loss is related to the stress of the illness and is temporary. Hormonal problems may cause hair loss. Hair loss may occur if male or female hormones, known as androgens and estrogens, are out of balance. Correcting the hormone imbalance may stop your hair loss.

ANDROGENETIC ALOPECIA:

The most common cause of hair loss is known as androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness (in men), and female pattern baldness (in woman). Male pattern baldness is something that 7 - 15% of American males experience by age 25, and almost 40% by age 35. It is a natural, age-related change in the body, and represents over 95% of all hair loss in men. For woman, female pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss (also called androgenetic alopecia). It affects about 20 million women in the US alone, and is highly correlated to GENETICS. It can begin at puberty, but is most often seen after menopause.

TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM (STRESS TRIGGER):

Whether it's a death in the family, pregnancy, illness, crash weight loss program, or worrying about a huge asteroid hitting the earth, body stressors can affect the hair follicle. Although hair loss can occur with the stress of any illness, it is also a particular symptom of many different diseases.

TRACTION ALOPECIA:

Traction alopecia is hair loss due to excessive and chronic pulling, or traction, on hair. It commonly occurs in people who braid or knot their hair.

TRICHOTILLOMANIA:

Trichotillomania is the intentional pulling out of otherwise healthy hair. Most commonly, it is a temporary habit of no consequence. Sometimes, however, it is a symptom of a psychiatric or serious emotional problem. Most often seen in children and young adults, the pulling out of individual strands of hair has been associated with thumb-sucking and other habitual rituals.

ALOPECIA AREATA:

Alopecia areata is the development of patches of baldness, usually in small circular areas of the scalp. A severe form of alopecia areata is the total loss of scalp hair (alopecia totalis) and even sometimes the complete loss of all body hair (alopecia universalis).

ANAGEN EFFLUVIUM (CHEMICAL DAMAGE):

This form of hair loss initially causes patchy loss of hair (which often then advances to total hair loss). In this form of hair loss, rather than just shutting down the hair follicle, a chemical actually kills the hair follicle and anagen hair.

TREATMENT FOR LOSS OF HAIR:

Depending on the type of hair loss, treatments are available. Medicines may also help to slow or prevent the loss of hair. These Medications include:

Minoxidil:

Minoxidil (Rogaine) is available without a prescription and is sprayed on and/or rubbed into the scalp twice a day

Finasteride:

Finasteride (Propecia) is available by prescription and is taken once daily in pill form. Finasteride has not been proven effective in women and is not approved for women by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

3 Women who are or may become pregnant should not take or handle crushed or broken tablets because finasteride can cause birth defects.

Surgery treatment:

This treatment may also help to prevent the loss of hair. Surgery includes:

Hair transplantation surgery:

During this surgery, our health professional will move small grafts (pieces of skin with hair follicles) from areas of our scalp with full hair to areas of our scalp that are bald or thinning. The grafts may include single hairs or up to 30 hairs in one graft. This is the most common type of surgery used to treat hair loss.

Scalp reduction:

Scalp reduction involves removing large areas of bald scalp from the head. Sections of the scalp with growing hair are then stretched and sewn together to fill in the bald areas.

Scalp flaps:

Scalp flaps involve moving a large section of scalp containing hair from the side and back of the scalp to a bald area. One side of the flap remains attached to the scalp as the section of scalp with hair is moved to cover a bald area. The complication rate of this procedure is higher than other procedures because of bleeding, scarring, and infection after surgery.

COSMETIC APPROACHES TO HAIR LOSS:

Cosmetic approaches to hair loss include:

*Wearing hairpieces or having weaves:

*Hairpieces are made from human or synthetic hair that is implanted into nylon netting.

*Hairpieces may be attached to the scalp with glue, metal clips, or tape. Hair weaving involves sewing or braiding pieces of long hair into existing hair.

*Using certain hair care products and styling techniques:

*Hair care products or perms may make hair appear thicker. Dyes may be used to color the scalp. However, continual use of perms or dyes may result in more hair loss.

FOOD HABITS FOR LOSS OF HAIR:

The following foods can be consumed by the sufferers of loss of hair. These include:

1. Eat fewer " bad carbs " like sugar and white flour. They are low in fiber, so they are a double punch if you are trying to create healthy eating habits : a lot of calories that don't fill you up, 2.Eat more " good carbs " like fruits, vegetables, legumes and unrefined grains (such as whole-wheat flour and brown rice). They are rich in fiber, which slows absorption and fills you up before you take in too many calories.

Plz visit:http://www.herbsandcures.com