Lustrous mane

Dr Apoorva Shah | 01-June-2014

The healthy, shining and lustrous hair enhances personality of an individual hence it requires proper care and regular maintaince

By Dr Apoorva Shah

Despite the wonders of science and technology, most of us still continue to look to the age old wisdom for help to maintain a healthy mane. These home truths need to be nurtured to suit modern lifestyle. It is a fact that women generally learn about their hair from their mothers and grandmothers. Since hair is an important part of our personality, it is necessary to adopt the right approach to maintain healthy and lustrous tresses. Here are some myths and facts about hair

Myth: A woman should brush her hair one hundred strokes everyday to keep it healthy and shiny.

Fact: This was true at the time when conditioners weren’t invented. Brushing does help distribute the natural hair oils but more than 8 to 9 strokes of the hairbrush a day, can damage your hair. Excessive brushing can tear the hair, pull it out and damage the cuticle layer causing split ends, especially in people with dry and colour-treated hair. Over-brushing does no good for oily hair either – it merely stimulates the sebaceous glands and thus, increases the level of sebum in the hair.

Myth: Shampoo is harmful to the hair and causes hair loss.

Fact: Women in India seem to have an unfounded fear of shampoo. It is indeed harmful to the hair to have a continuous supply of moisture to it, but shampooing is not the culprit. Rather it is advisable not to wash your hair more than thrice a week (with or without shampoo), unless you find it distinctly greasy or dirty. If you are a sports person or travel a lot and thus your hair gets dirty, don’t hesitate to use a shampoo while washing your hair – only make sure it is formulated for daily use. Shampoo is merely a cleansing agent and whether you use it in the form of soap or a liquid makes no difference, as long it is suited to your hair type.

Moreover, shampoo has no effect on hair loss; neither does it cause an increase in the production of sebum (oil). The hair that falls out during shampooing is already in the Telogen phase. We notice the hair fall more during shampooing because the hair in the Telogen phase becomes agitated. People with oily hair should, in fact, shampoo their hair more frequently. But excessive hair fall is a cause for worry and should not be ignored. Consult your trichologist if you notice excessive hair fall.

Myth: Shaving hair will make it grow thicker.

Fact: Despite the fact that it has become almost mandatory to shave a baby’s head at least twice in the hope of promoting good hair growth, there is no evidence to suggest that shaving helps. The quality of our hair is determined by a number of factors such as our diet, lifestyle, state of our health and hereditary factors. It is very important to have a balanced diet, rich in proteins. Our hair also requires minerals like iron, copper and zinc in the right proportions and deficiency of these will affect the condition of our hair.

This holds good even for body hair, where many women shy away from using the razor although it is one of the most convenient and safe modes of hair removal.

Myth: Cutting hair frequently will cause it to grow long faster.

Fact: Many girls have cut their hair in the hope of making it grow long, only to discover that the hair is taking a long time to grow. The fact is that we cannot really hurry our hair in its growth process but we can keep it healthy by eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and washing and brushing it correctly. Trimming the ends of the hair will help, only for getting rid of split ends. If split ends are allowed to remain, they will continue to split higher, causing hair to break off and thus shortening the hair.

Myth: Oiling hair will rejuvenate hair re-growth.

Fact: Despite the fact that oiling performs the essential function of conditioning of the scalp, it will not stop hair from falling if you are suffering from hair loss, nor will it accelerate the rate of hair re-growth. Oiling acts as a scalp conditioner. Make sure that when you oil your scalp, it should remain in the scalp for a minimum of four hours and maximum eight hours. 

Myth: It is normal to lose 50-100 hair a day

Fact: Our hair does go through a natural cycle of growth and fall and as part of this process we lose a certain amount of hair after our hair has completed its period of growth. The fact is that there is no fixed numbers of hair lost that can be considered abnormal. Excessive hair loss simply means losing more hair than you naturally lose. A Trichologist can best check this, by calculating your A/T ratio (i.e. ratio of growth to ratio of fall). The A/T ratio, in normal hair is 80:20; any deviation in this will lead to hair loss or excessive hair growth.

Myth: Baldness is inherited from the father’s side of the family.

Fact: Male and female hair loss patterns can be inherited from either the father’s side or the mother’s side. This inheritance may even skip generations.

Myth: Standing on the head leads to hair growth.

Fact: It is often misunderstood that poor blood circulation is a major cause for retarded hair growth, hence the myth that standing on one’s head encourages hair growth.

Myth: Switching shampoos can make hair look healthier.

Fact: It may seem so, but ideally hair can’t tell the difference between brands or build up tolerance to any product. Your shampoo will work the same every time you lather up, week after week, month after month. If you have very oily hair or favour a particularly sticky styling product that contains wax, it does pay to use a cleansing shampoo every day to wash away residue.

Dr Apoorva Shah, a pioneer of Trichology in India, through the Meenaxiben and Rekhaben Shah Memorial Trust, strives to bring in a positive outlook in the lives of cancer patients. This Trust not only provides free treatment to the cancer patients but also helps restore their self image, prestige and confidence. 

Share this Post: