Tim Lim

Archive for the ‘Hair Loss’ Category

Hair braiding is an old method of maintaining hair used by women. There are many hair braiding styles used in various countries. English braid, French braid, Dutch braid and fishtail styles are some of the hair braiding styles. These styles can be used on formal occasions like wedding or on casual occasions. With little practice one can become quite good at braiding hair.

You need some necessary things before going for braiding hair. The things needed include a wide-tooth comb and a rubber band or ponytail holder. If you feel that braiding should be done on damp hair then you should have a bottle spray of water.
In the case of dry or fine hair it is better to use some kind of gel or spray on hair before braiding hair as it would be convenient then. The following are the steps to braid hair of a person:

? Braiding hair should start with the use of hair gel or spray on the hair to help it become smooth. The hair should be dried then.

? In the beginning of braiding, hair should be divided among three sections. You should place the the left section between the left index finger and the thumb. The middle finger should be let free and the right section of hair should be placed between the right index finger and the thumb. This will create a braiding pattern.

? The middle section of the right middle finger should be grabbed. The right thumb and the index fingers should be extended so that that portion of hair becomes the middle section.

? You should use the left finger to pull the middle section of hair behind the left section.

? You should extend the left index finger and the thumb to make the left section of hair become the middle section.

? You should shift the portion of hair hooked in the right middle finger so that it sits between the right index finger and the thumb. This process should be repeated and then you should shift the portion of the hair hooked in the left middle finger so it sits between the left index finger and the thumb.

? The process should be continued untill you get the hair braiding of your desire.

To get a tight braiding the middle section of the braid should be pulled along the horizontal lines. The tip of the hair should be tied using a ruber band.
Braiding hair needs patience and practice to learn. It takes some time to become good at it. Pulling of hair too harsh should be avoided during braiding as it can result in hair fallout.

When you talk about genetic hair loss most people think about the most common form of hair loss: male-pattern baldness. This is the type of hair loss that is passed on genetically to offspring from their mothers. Most often the recipients of this type of hair loss are men, but sometimes the gene can result in female hair loss.

While genetic baldness in men is identified by a receding hairline or balding crown, genetic hair loss in women is a bit different. In most cases, a woman will not lose her hair in spots only but will thin out evenly throughout the head. Sometimes, this thinning can be quite severe and result in the woman having to wear a wig to cover up her thinning tresses. While female hair loss almost never results in a completely bald head, it can be extreme enough to expose the scalp quite plainly.

For the woman facing this type of hair loss, there are a few hair loss treatment options that can be explored. They include shampoos, conditioners and topical treatments, such as Rogaine for women, which stimulate hair growth and prevent further hair loss; vitamin supplements; and stimulatory treatments such as massage and infra-red therapy. The most successful of these hair loss treatments are the topical treatments. While they are quite expensive, they produce the best results.

Hair loss due to chemical processes

No matter how healthy and strong your hair is today, you could experience severe hair loss after undergoing a harsh chemical process such as a perm or color. While almost all chemical hair fallout is due to operator error, the chance of it occurring is multiplied by chemical services that you perform on your hair at home. I’ve seen more than one case of female hair loss in clients who have bleached their hair at home, colored it over and then came to the salon for yet another bleaching. Not knowing this past history, the stylist used too strong a chemical, and the process resulted in hair loss.

Since most of these cases do not result in complete hair loss, the hair loss treatment options include protein treatments and other conditioning treatments to strengthen the remaining hair; a good hair cut that will remove most of the damage; and a gentle hair-care routine that will minimize further hair loss due to breakage. You should also refrain from using thermal styling tools and undergoing any further chemical procedures until the hair is completely grown out.

Hair loss due to stress

Cases of severe stress can literally cause handfuls of hair loss at a time. Women experiencing stressful conditions can experience female hair loss represented by thinning all over the head or in spots called alopecia areata. Alopecia areata means “Hair loss in spots or areas,” and can result in bald circular patches on one or more spots of the scalp. While this type of hair loss is alarming, it is not permanent. After the stress is removed, most sufferers of this type of hair loss regrow all of the hair that they lost.

In most cases, the hair loss treatment for stress-related hair loss is minimal. After ruling out other causes of hair loss, your doctor will likely recommend changes in your diet or ideas to help alleviate your stress. Keep in mind that it can take months for your hair to grow back even after the stressors have been eliminated.

Hair loss due to illness

Any type of extended illness or surgery can result in hair loss. Medications taken to combat certain types of illnesses can also cause your hair to become brittle and break or fall out altogether. The most identifiable type of hair loss is the loss associated with chemotherapy treatments. In most cases, this hair loss is complete and affects all areas of the body.

While there is little that can be done to prevent this type of hair loss or promote growth during illness, surgery or chemotherapy treatments, this type of female hair loss is also temporary. In most cases, full recovery of hair is made after the illness is over.

You can promote hair growth after the illness by getting regular trims and using growth enhancing shampoos and conditioners. Vitamin supplements may also be beneficial.

As you may have already guessed, hair loss in women is more common than we might think. And many may be experiencing hair loss and dismiss it as a natural occurrence that comes along with age. A lot of these women fail to seek the necessary hair loss treatment that can help them keep their remaining hair and regrow new hair. So, if you are experiencing hair loss, do not think that it is just because you are getting older. There may be something that you can do to keep the hair on your head from clogging your drain.

Short hair is old-fashioned. Thick and long hair is now in vogue. In the prevailing scenario, everyone has one question on their mind i.e. How to make hair grow faster? Healthy hair requires an optimal delivery of oxygen to breathe and penetrate. Adequate supply of nutrients from the circulatory system to the hair follicle is required for hair to grow faster. Hair if deprived of natural vitamins, proteins, amino acids and other nutrients may lack fullness, strength and luster thus hurdling the route to hair growth.

Studies conducted earlier have stated that majority of the people are deficient in nutritional balance because of their busy lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits. In order to keep pace with faster hair growth, a nutritional diet is mandatory. Increase the intake of green leafy vegetables in your diet. Drink plenty of water. This improves blood circulation to the scalp and hence helps hair grow faster.

Hormonal imbalances also hinder the way of hair growth. A hormonal byproduct known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT) gradually shrinks the hair follicles making them become dormant. Use natural hair care products to fight DHT and improvise hair growth.

Gentle scalp massage twice or thrice a week promotes faster hair growth. Massaging scalp with almond or olive oil can supplement hair follicles with nutrients.

In case you are experiencing a sudden hair loss, keep in mind that it may be due to acute stress or intoxication of the body due to the intake of some toxic metals. Therefore, get awareness on the pros and cons of a medicine before consuming it. Try to live a stress free life by doing yoga or meditation. Rely on the natural method of eliminating stress from your life. Do no be dependant on stress relieving medicines for this purpose.

Vitamins are essential for hair to grow faster. So, pamper your hair with vitamin enrich shampoo. Limit the use of hair creams and gels on your hair. Deciding the right hair care product is important. With the increasing concern for hair growth a number of hair care products are available in the market. It is advisable to authenticate the product before buying it. You can consult your dermatologist in this effort.

The occurrence of split ends is another stumbling stone in obstructing hair growth. Damaging of the protective part of hair called cuticle, results in the splitting of hair ends. As they cannot be repaired, get them removed.

Trim your hair at regular intervals to promote faster hair growth.

Mayonnaise and beer can effectively serve the purpose of a conditioner. Using them once or twice a week on you hair can help replenish adequate moisture in hair.

A little care can help you get healthy and lustrous. Coddle your hair to help them grow faster.

The ordinary kind of hair loss, called hereditary hair loss, can affect both men and women, but women are usually affected less than men. The condition is so common that it nearly can be regarded as a part of the normal aging process.

SYMPTOMS OF HAIR LOSS

The pattern of hair loss and baldness are different for men and women. On men special areas on the head begin get totally bald. These areas are usually at both sides of the front, and the top back side of the head. The hair loss then progresses with these areas extending, and at last most of the head can be totally without hair. However, a great area in the neck uses to remain unaffected and keeps a thick hair cover. The same is usually true about the area in front of each ear.

On women all the hair on the head begins thinning, and then gradually progress over the whole head for many years. Women seldom get totally bald areas on their head, but the hair often gets so thin that the scalp is clearly visible through the hair.

THE CAUSES OF HAIR LOSS

The skin has there layers: The outer layer, called epidermis, consists of epithelial cells. Under this lies the dermis consisting of connective tissue. At the bottom there is a layer called the hypodermis consisting mostly of fat cells.

The skin has narrow pores, hair follicles, extending from the surface down to the top of the sub-dermis, called hair follicles. A hair extend from a growth zone in the bottom of each hair follicle and out at the skin surface

By the common form of hair loss, a substance in the body, dihydroxy-testosterone (DHT), gives a signal to the cells in the hair follicles that make these cells divide less so that the production of hair slows or stops.

DHT is a metabolic product from testosterone, the male sex hormone. Also women have some amount of testosterone and DHT in their body, and therefore hair loss also affects women.

Only cells that are susceptible to the influence from DHT will slow the growth process. This susceptibility is inherited from the parents by some individuals, and not by other. Follicle cells in the lower parts of the head are usually also resistant against the influence from DHT, and therefore these areas seldom get bald.

The effectiveness of hair growth will not only be affected by DHT. Other substances found in the tissue may give the cells signals to divide more, and nutrients like vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids may make the growth process more effective. Some substances in the tissue may also block the DHT or ease the removal of this substance. Therefore all individuals susceptible to the influence of DHT will not lose hair in the same extent.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

Having a good diet giving the body vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants in the right amount may slow down the speed of hair loss.

There exist pharmacological products on the market that can help against hair loss, but usually not 100% effectively. Medicines used to treat prostate hypertrophy also have been proven to stop hair loss and to get hair to regain, because these drugs block the substance DHT. Propecia is a prescription bound drug to take by mouth based on an original prostate medicine.

Rogain is a topical drug to apply 2-3 times each day that does not block the DHT, but stimulates the hair follicles cells to proliferate better.

There are many natural products on the market to help against hair loss. These products often contain several substances working together by different principles.

They may contain vitamins or minerals that are necessary for hair growth. Other substances give signals to the hair follicles to increase hair growth, for example procyanidin B2. Some ingredients work as anti-oxidants that inhibit oxidative attack on the follicle cells, like L-arginine.

Some natural products also contain substances to block DHT. Saw palmetto extract contains substances acting as DHT blockers by much of the same mechanism as prostate medicines.
Still other ingredients can reduce the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Grean tea extract have shown itself to contain substances with this effect.

Surgery is an effective treatment against baldness in limited areas. By surgery hair follicles from parts of the scull immune to DHT are moved to bold areas. The hair in the treated areas will however not get as tight as naturally growing hair.

It is also possible to implant artificial hair into the scalp. By this method, large bald areas can be covered, but the treatment implies a certain danger for infection, requires good hair hygiene afterwards and requires a regular refill to replace lost hairs.