Your hair needs a little more than just styling

Your hair needs a little more than just styling

ISHITA KHANNA, hair & make-up stylist

Hair loss is a scalp condition which results in the thinning of the hair, hair detritus, partial or full baldness and alopecia. Besides being genetic, our lifestyle, food habits and medical reasons could also cause hair loss. Genetic cause for hair loss: Medically, there is no substantial evidence to link hairfall to hereditary. But if your family members or close relatives suffer from baldness or thinning of hair, you can be assured of the genetic cause of your hairfall. Malnutrition: Hair is also an integral part of our organic system and like any other cell of the body, hair cells on our scalp also needs proper nourishment and nutrition. A diet that lacks vitamins, minerals and other nutrients can be the cause of hair loss and baldness along with other causes. Fever and viral diseases: High fever for a long period and viral infections are said to be some of the contributing factors for hair loss among many patients. Typhoid is a disease that causes hair loss. Certain drugs and treatment: Certain drugs and treatments can be harmful for your scalp and hair. Many crucial or life-saving drugs in the allopathic medicine have tremendous side-effects that leads to hair loss. Stress: Stress is one of the major causes. Our hair cells like other organic cells needs rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. With stress, your scalp condition deteriorates. Chemicals: Hair gels and other hairstyling products harm the hair. Most shampoo and bathing products have strong chemicals that affect hair and skin. Water: The water you get in your house is treated with chemicals. So if you are suffering from receding hairline, taking a bath with this water can prove dangerous. Pregnancy: Pregnancy and child-birth causes hair loss. questions of the week Q: I am 30 and have a hairfall problem. I straightened my hair eight months ago. For the past few days I am experiencing a lot of hairfall whenever I wash my hair and comb it. Also, I have oily skin and open pores. How can I deal with them? — Shruthi A: Your hair needs to be fortified with vitamin E. Regular head massages and hair spa will also do. Make sure that you are using suitable shampoos and conditioners for straightened hair. Q: I am 19 and suffering from acne. I have an oily skin too. Please suggest a solution that I can try at home. — Vikas A: Here are a few home remedies: Fenugreek: Make a paste of fenugreek leaves and apply it every night before going to bed. In the morning, wash the pack with warm water. Orange Peel: Pound orange peels and water. Apply on affected areas. Lemon: Apply lemon juice to pimples to reduce their size and lighten it. Garlic: If you rub raw garlic on problem areas several times a day, the skin clears up. You can also eat three garlic cloves once daily. Garlic seeds purify the blood and keeps pimples at bay. Coriander and mint juice: Mix 1 tsp coriander juice with a pinch of turmeric powder. Apply it on the face every night. Instead of coriander, you can also use mint juice. Q: Hey Ishita, I read your last week’s column. Are those tips are for any hair type? Can I apply the hair mask on oiled hair? — Bhavya Moolya A: Bhavya, those tips were for any hair type. The masks cannot be applied on oiled hair. In fact, anything applied on oiled hair won’t help. You can wash your hair, wash out the oil properly and then apply the mask.