Hair fall is one of the major problems faced by many people. Poor hair care or environmental pollutants can cause this issue in men and women. Sometimes, the cause could be an underlying medical condition. Each of your hair follicles goes through three stages or phases. The Anagen phase lasts for about two to six years. This stage is considered the most active stage of hair growth. 85-90% of the hair on the scalp at any given point in time is in this phase. The Catagen phase lasts a few weeks, about 2-3 weeks. This stage consists of only 1% of hair. The end phase, called the Telogen phase, is considered the resting phase. This stage contains about 13% of your hair. The telogen phase ends with hair follicles being shed. New hair is then added to continue the cycle. The hair growth cycle of each individual depends on the diet followed, the age of the person, hair care, and diseases, if any. Read on to know more about the causes of hair fall and what ingredients can help reduce it.
Causes of hair fall:
- Age: As we age, hair loss increases, and hair growth slows down. This could be caused by changes in hormones or a weaker immune system. Hair follicles begin to die as we age, leading to permanent hair loss.
- Genetic: Hair loss is also a result of genes. Female-pattern baldness and male-pattern baldness are hereditary hair fall that both men and women face. This condition is mainly seen in aged people, and the pattern of hair loss is predictable. Hereditary hair loss can cause bald spots and receding hairlines in men, while it can lead to hair thinning in women starting at the parting.
- Weight loss: Another cause of hair fall can be sudden weight loss. American Academy of Dermatology suggests that after approximately 3 to 4 months of losing around 7 kg or 15 pounds of weight, the person in question might face hair loss. Although the exact reason for this kind of hair fall is unknown, it can be because of the lack of essential nutrients in the body that are required for proper hair growth. Weight loss can result from various health issues, explaining why hair loss follows weight loss.
- Eating disorders: Although following crash diets and lacking nutrients are significant causes of hair fall, eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia can also cause this problem. Anorexia refers to an eating disorder where people are not eating sufficiently, and bulimia is where people vomit after eating. In these cases, hair fall is primarily due to improper intake of nutrients.
These are some of the common causes of hair fall faced by most people. There are various ways of treating hair fall. One of them is using the right anti-hair fall shampoo or medicated shampoo for hair fall. The market is flooded with different shampoos, anti-hair fall or anti-frizz. But if you are facing the issue of hair fall, then you will have to go for an anti-hair fall shampoo. Given the number of anti-hair fall shampoos available in the market, you can get confused about the right one for yourself. Most of these shampoos also make tall promises. Here you will learn the technique to choose the right shampoo for your hair.
How does shampoo help in controlling hair fall?
The majority of shampoos on the market have not gone through clinical trials. These shampoos cannot be considered the only defence against hair loss.
These shampoos, however, are capable of increasing blood flow to the scalp with the help of their ingredients. This helps to prevent hair fall. However, the ingredients are not in sufficient concentration and are often diluted. These shampoos’ effectiveness will depend on how often and when they are applied.
How to choose the right shampoo for your hair? The considerations to keep in mind
While buying a shampoo, look beyond the product’s labelling. Though most of these shampoos claim to be anti-hair fall, only some of them will serve you right. Therefore, make sure to research any product before buying it. You need to consider the hair type, ingredients, pH level, and many other aspects before choosing the perfect shampoo for your hair.
- Hair type: The essential point to consider while choosing a shampoo is your hair type. For that, you have to know what type of hair you have. On top of that, you must know about your scalp. If you have an oily scalp and use a shampoo made for dry scalp, it will not be helpful to you. There are different hair types based on the following—
Hair density is divided into three types: thick hair, medium hair, and thin hair.
—Based on the amount of sebum, there are four types, i.e., normal hair, oily hair, dry hair, and combination hair.
—Based on porosity, the hair types are low, medium, and high porosity.
—Based on elasticity, hair is classified into low, medium, and high elasticity.
Hair is classified into curly, wavy, and straight based on the pattern.
Before you visit the shop to buy a product, it is essential to know the reason behind your hair loss. · Figure out your concern: Hair fall could be caused by dandruff, hair colouring, weak roots, or other scalp issues because a problem or issue cannot be solved without addressing its root cause. Average hair loss is around 100 strands a day. Anything beyond this level is concerning, and you should seek treatment. Some ingredients to help hair fall include pumpkin seed oil, green tea extract, and rosemary oil. Also, wintergreen-derived salicylic acid and activated charcoal encourage healthy hair growth.
- pH level: The sweat from your scalp mixes with the oil to form an acid mantle. This mantle has a pH range of 4.5 to 5.5. Hair’s acidic nature prevents bacteria and fungi from growing on it. This pH helps to keep the hair’s cuticle healthy and intact. It is good to look for shampoos with a pH close to your scalp to prevent scalp damage.
Tips to keep in mind—
- Try to use sulphate-free shampoos; these shampoos are safe for your scalp. However, sulphate-free shampoos do not lather much.
- Try to buy shampoos that have natural ingredients.
- Look for anti-hair fall shampoos that can also tame your curly or frizzy hair.
- If your hair is skinny, use clear shampoos as they are mild.
- If you have dry hair, use shampoos that contain moisturizing ingredients and anti-hair fall properties.
Try to keep the points mentioned above in mind before buying shampoo. They will help you choose the right product to solve hair fall as early as possible. While shampooing, it is natural to lose a few hair strands, which are the strands in the resting or telogen phase. But then, if you find clumps of fallen hair while showering, it’s best to consult a doctor— you could have a medical condition. You can also use medicated shampoo for hair loss by Ketomac as it contains effective ingredients which efficiently check hair fall.