Treatments of hair fall firstly comprise the proper and precise taking right personal care and maintaining a balanced lifestyle. If one desires to keep the hair healthy, it is best to start by `feeding` it from the inside out. An equilibrised diet for healthy hair implies a diet that possesses lots of vitamins, minerals and a perfectly reasonable one at that, under no circumstances of misconceptions, will make hair strong and shiny. Extra carefulness while combing the hair needs to be maintained, especially after washing it, as the hair in such a state is most delicate and mild when it is wet. Avoiding chemical damage and going easy on the styling products and straightners (which induces damage in hair and making it weak). When one is into the act of combing or brushing the hair, it is always advised to do it gently and keep the braids and ponytails loose, so they do not hurt the hair by pulling it too tautly. Treatments of hair fall always have been beginning in the elementary basics beginning at home, later moving up to the `damage control` by proper professional assistance and medical help.
Prior to delving into deeply into the various kinds of treatments of hair fall and loss, it is necessary to know that the most foremost conditions of damage to hair can come about by transitory situations, like administering of medicines, stresses or inadequate and unsatisfactory iron supplements. Hair fall due to infections just might require oral antibiotics or anti-fungal drugs and medications. Alopecia areata, considered one of the most lethal ailment of receding hair line, is treated with injections of some steroids like Triamcinolone, that is shot into affected areas. For all of these elementary to deadly reasons, early treatment of hair fall would always work at its best. For hair loss induced due to androgenic alopecia, there still however exists no known remedy, although there are numerous treatments available but none of them show signs of promise. Finasteride is a prescribed hair loss and fall programme that is advisable for men only. Minoxidil can also be dabbed straight onto the scalp and is beneficial for both men and women. The medicine normally works best for hair fall at the top and backside of the scalp, where there still exists some remaining hairs. Such treatments/therapies/drugs for hair fall and loss are termed as those OTCs, or `over the counter` drugs in practically all pharmacies and supermarkets.
Yet another grand process to treat hair fall and stop hair loss, is to choose an appropriate hairstyle, since they are frequently regarded as the most efficient concealer of hair fall. Partial hairpiece or wig is also recommended if hair loss is intense. In the deciding moment, if nothing works, hair transplantation is always considered to be a sure-shot for hair fall, since this state-of-the-art technique has improved spectacularly over the past decade. During hair transplantation, healthy hairs are gleaned from areas of the scalp with normal hair growth. Individual hairs are then fixed into sites of the scalp where sings of hair loss can be witnessed. If executed well, transplantation results in exceedingly natural appearance of hair.
Age-old traditional medicine, now blended with modern science and technology, do possess some effective long term and easy to use treatments of hair fall and breakage. The time-tested long-standing traditional or natural methods for arresting hair fall and dandruff are just considered the tip of the iceberg, when home remedies are concerned for excessive hair loss. Though some of the processes are cumbersome or the ingredients not readily available, this is the only and natural way for debarring as well as curing the irritating disorders. The ripened fruits of Soap-nut, botanically termed as Sapindus emarginatus, are doused in hot water for 10-15 minutes and then mashed with hand in the same water earn the final infusion. This infusion can be used beneficially on an everyday basis, with absolutely no side-effects as a shampoo. The concocted shampoo lends rich lather and can be likened in lathering property to synthetic lathering agents, mostly found in manufactured shampoos.
Another time-tested natural shampoo is the thoroughly ground powder of Black gram, which is concocted and prepared into a glutinous paste with which the hair is washed and the scalp thoroughly massaged. This serves as a first-rate and high-quality soap for the body also. Enriched with all the home remedial and natural goodness, both the above-mentioned - Soap-nut juice and Black Gram powder, are natural shampoos, with no loss of natural oil from the body and additionally are anti-dandruff. Prior to head-bath the some of the essential applications always have proved useful during treatments of hair fall. Prior to shampooing or head-bath, the scalp must be exhaustively massaged with an amalgamation made of mashed fenugreek seeds and sour curd. It is later advised to leave on for 15-20 minutes and wash with the shampoos suggested above.
People who do not prefer to administer oil during day times can apply oils like virginal coconut oil before going to sleep and then shampoo the ordinary way the next morning. This helps restoring the lost oil from the scalp. Another remedy extensively employed in India and known as a vitamin C-rich fruit all over the world, Powder of Indian Gooseberry, is an exceptional rejuvenator for the treatment of hair fall. The fruit brings more bounce to the shiny mane, prevents or checks dandruff and aids strengthening the roots. There exists several such remedies, but right of entry to the raw materials or authentic products is a major difficulty, in addition to the time-consuming readyings. In order to ensure a healthy home remedial measure for treating hair fall and loss, one is recommended to at least choose a product that has less of synthetic components and more of naturals. It is lastly counselled to never opt for a shampoo full of chemicals, just because it lends oodles of lather!
Home Remedies for Hair Fall
Besides the already mentioned remedies and solutions for hair care and protection, umpteen and assorted home remedies for treatment of hair fall have been found useful in the prevention and treatment of the loss of hair.
Some of them can be stated as under
One should vigorously rub the scalp with fingers after washing the hair with cold water, until the scalp starts to tingle with the heat. This process will activate the sebaceous glands and energise the circulation of blood in the affected area, making the hair grow healthy.
Amla oil is considered a valuable hair tonic for enriching hair growth. A mixture of equal quantity of fresh amla juice and limejuice used as a shampoo stimulates hair growth and prevents hair loss.
Oiling and massaging of scalp is extremely beneficial for arresting the hair loss. One should use coconut oil or mustard oil at least three times in a week. Specific medicated oils like Mahabhringraj oil, Amala oil, and Arnica oil are also of much use in treating hair fall and furthering hair growth.
An individual should maintain a regular bowel movement on a routine basis. In case of constipation troubles, a mild natural laxative can be taken. Triphala, an ayurvedic herbal powder, is also useful for such instances.
A daily application of refined coconut oil mixed with limewater and limejuice on the hair prevents loss of hair and additionally lengthens them to a fine appearance.
Application of the juice of green coriander leaves on the head is also considered beneficial for home remedial treatments in hair fall.
Another effective home remedy for loss of hair is the application of coconut milk all through the scalp and massaging it into the hair roots. It will nutrify the hair and boost hair growth. Grating the coconut shavings and squeezing it well will make a nutritious coconut milk.
Washing the hair with a paste of cooked black gram dal, urad dal and fenugreek also lengthens the hair.
A fine paste prepared from pigeon pea or red gram can also be administered regularly with beneficial results on bald patches.
Regular usage of castor oil as hair oil helps in luxuriant growth of the hair.
Particular home remedies have also been found useful in instances of patchy loss of hair. The seeds of lime and black pepper seeds, ground to earn a fine paste, can also be applied on the patches. This augments blood circulation in the affected areas and stimulates hair growth. The paste should however be utilised with discretion, as because it induces a mild irritation on the scalp; for better results, this paste required for treatment of hair fall, needs to be applied twice a day for a few weeks.
Another useful remedy for patchy loss of hair is the paste of liquorice formed 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.
Yoga for Hair Fall
Hair fall and loss due to damage and breakage can come about due to different reasons like heredity, stress, genetic problems, hormonal imbalances, pollution, excessive use of chemicals and styling products and an unruly and imbalanced diet. In such a context, hair fall treatments can of course resort to measures in yogic practice, a domain which practically perhaps holds in remedy for every humanly-acknowledged ailment since historic times. Yoga, pranayama and meditation are exceedingly beneficial to lessen the daily stress and thus helps in reducing hair loss and fall in a directly proportionate manner. Yogasanas like vajrasana and pawanmuktasana are especially declared to be beneficial to control hair fall.
Besides these, one can also try out the following tips and remedies for treating hair loss
A person must keep the scalp clean as far as possible, wash the hair every alternate day and apply conditioner at least once in a week. Brushing the hair daily for better circulation of blood under the scalp will further aid in hair maturation; however, it is also recommended to avoid back combing, as this can break hair from the shaft itself. Also, one should not apply conditioner on the scalp as this can encourage in hair loss.
It is counselled to avoid using any harsh chemicals and the numerous ready-to-use styling products to prevent hair loss.
An individual can also massage the hair with lavender oil; lavender oil has been proven to promote hair growth significantly and considerably.
As a terrific antidote to arrest hair fall, it is advised to boil neem leaves in water, cool and strain the residual water. Later, this concoction when used to wash hair serves as a brilliant remedial measure for treating hair. Neem oil can also be blended with coconut oil in equal proportions and be utilised to massage the scalp.
Lastly, it has been forever recommended to eat a balanced and healthy diet comprising fresh fruits, vegetables, pulses, sprouts, eggs, fish, cereals and dairy products.
Stress management and eating a healthy, balanced diet rich in proteins, vitamins (especially biotin) and minerals (particularly zinc) are, thus, extremely necessary to arrest hair loss. One is advised to always consume plenty of dal, soya bean, paneer, channa, egg whites, white meat like chicken or fish, nuts and leafy vegetables. Too much of work schedule stress and exhaustion can make one to at times turn irritable and all dejected, so much so that he/she forgets to have the meal for next day. Under such circumstances, the sufferer is best advised to ask the doctor to prescribe protein and multivitamin supplements.
Treatment of Hair Fall by Nature Cure
The healthy condition of the hair depends, to a very large extent on the intake of sufficient amounts of essential nutrients in the daily diet; since hair is made up of protein, hence, the same is necessary for the body to give it back to get luxuriant and bouncy hair. As a consequent, when it is said that whatever a man does to save his hair fall, nothing can be done from outside application; the real element must be given into the inside of the body, i.e. by eating healthy food. Therefore, the diet of milk, buttermilk, yogurt, soya bean, eggs, cheese, meat and fish provides essential calcium nutrients to the hair. A mixture of lettuce and spinach juice is also good to drink to induce hair growth, if it is drunk approximately half a litre everyday. The juice of alfalfa mixed with that of carrot, and lettuce juice is also good to take in a systematic basis. But, while preparing alfalfa juice, only the fresh leaves of the plant must be used. People with a tendency to frequently lose hair should thus take a well-balanced and correct diet, made up of foods, which in combination should furnish all the indispensable nutrients. Thus, liberal quantities of (i) seeds, nuts and grains, (ii) vegetables and, (iii) fruits provide adequate amounts of all the essential nutrients. Each food group should roughly form the bulk of one of the three principal meals. These foods should, however, be supplemented with certain special foods such as milk, vegetable oils, honey, wheat germ, yeast and liver.
Treatment of hair fall has been one such domain of medicinal wonder which was very much present in India since the historical and even unrecorded times. For instance, treatment of hair fall by aromatherapy is one such remedial measure, involving the massaging of aromatic essential oils, which was the first to have perhaps been utilised in the royal harem of the ancient Indian majesties. Then again, treatment of hair fall in ayurveda is also the most sought after arena for both men and women, craving and yearning for a sheeny, thick, lustrous mane, bouncy in appearance. Equipped with such wellness treatments available in present day Indian market, one is literally spoilt for choice, not once worrying which way to proceed in case of troubles and ailments of a receding hairline.
(Last Updated on : 26/03/2009)