Natural Home Remedies And Cures

What Is Hair?

Hair grows everywhere on the human body  except the eye lids, lips, palms, and the soles of your feet. Each hair grows from a tiny sack like hope in your skin called a hair follicle. The part of the hair which is below the surface of your skin is called the hair’s root, while the part you can see protruding from the hair follicle is called the hair shaft. At the base of the hair root within the follicle is called the hair bulb, and this is where new hair cells are formed.

Within the hair follicle is a cone shaped protrusion that feeds blood to the hair bulb and is called the Dermal Papilla, the Sebaceous Gland supplies oil or “sebum” to the hair which gives it that shiny healthy look. There is also a tiny muscle within the follicle called the Arrector Pili which makes your hair “stand on end” when you’re fearful or cold.

Taking nutrients from the Dermal Papilla the hair bulb produces new hair cells which push the hair out of the follicle. As these new hair cells move up and out of the hair follicle they mature and harden in a process known as keratinization. During the keratinization process the hair’s cells lose their nucleus and die, so as hair emerges from your skin it is merely keratinized fibrous protein.

Image Courtsey Berkley Electron Microscope Laboratory

A strand of hair is made up of three layers, the outer covering of overlapping scales called the cuticle (see image), the middle layer called the cortex, and in most hair a core layer called the medulla. The medulla layer while always found in coarse hair is sometimes absent from very fine hair.

Hair is made up of about 91% protein which make up long strands of amino acids located in the cortex of the hair shaft. This protein is nearly identical to the proteins that make up our skin and nails as well. These proteins are joined together by peptide bonds which in turn produce strands called polypeptide chains. These polypeptide chains are joined together as well with side bonds, which bond in three ways: salt bonds, hydrogen bonds, and disulphide bonds.

Your hair grows more quickly in the summer and more slowly at night, there are 100,000 hairs on the human head on average. Annual average hair growth is 12 cm, with a maximum length of 70-90 cm. Hair grows slower on female heads, and men’s hair tends to be courser and denser. Frequent washing does not increase hair loss, and cutting hair does not make it grow faster. Next to bone marrow, hair is the fastest growing tissue in the human body. You shed your hair daily with 75-150 strands ending up in your brush.

Causes Of Hair Loss

male pattern baldness

What causes hair loss? Your hair goes through a cycle of growth and then rest. These cycles can vary from one person to the next. Generally the growth cycle (called anagen) lasts about three years, and during this time your hair will grow about one centimeter a day. At the end of the growth cycle your hair will enter it’s resting cycle (called telogen) which typically lasts three or four months. At the end of this resting cycle the hair strand falls out and the growth cycle begins again. Most people, as stated above, lose about 75-150 strands every day, which is normal and shouldn’t cause any noticeable thinning of one’s hair. Most of us will notice our hair thinning as we age, and this is perfectly normal.  Some of us (myself included) lose our hair faster then our bodies regrow it, and this can lead to baldness. Abnormal hair loss can occur in men, women, and even children, and the causes are many. Lets take a look at some of the reasons people lose their hair.

• Pattern Baldness or Androgenetic Alopecia-This can occur in men and women and is what the majority of people suffering from hair loss have. With both male and female pattern baldness the hair’s growth cycle shortens and the new hair is thinner and weaker and tends to fall out much easier. Heredity likely plays an important role in pattern baldness. A history of androgenetic alopecia in either side of your family can increase you’re risk of balding.
• Cicatricial (scarring) alopecia-This is when inflammation causes scarring of the hair follicle, and prevents new hair from growing, leading to baldness. This condition can be caused by several skin conditions, including lupus erythematosus or lichen planus.
• Alopecia areata-This is considered an auto-immune disease, and the cause is unknown, although for some people a thyroid condition and/or genetics may be a  contributing factor. Some doctors believe that certain people are predisposed to develop alopecia areata and that something (virus, illness, etc.) can trigger it. The good news about hair loss resulting from this condition is your hair will likely grow back, as a matter of fact some people lose and then regrow their hair multiple times.
• Telogen effluvium-This type of hair loss is generally attributed to some kind of severe shock to your system, it can be emotional or physical. The death of a loved one, a divorce, etc. are possible emotional causes, while a high fever, sudden or excessive weight loss, severe illness, surgery, or nutritional deficiencies, are some of the physiological causes. Your hair will generally grow back after every thing gets back to normal, but it can take months.
• Traction alopecia-This is usually caused by excessive hairstyling or a hairstyle that pulls the hair too tightly. If no scarring of the scalp results your hair will generally grow back.
• Hormonal changes-Can cause hair loss and hormonal changes can result from pregnancy, having a baby, discontinuing the use of birth control pills, starting menopause, or an overactive or under-active thyroid gland. The hair loss generally occurs about three months after the hormonal imbalance, and then it can take another three months for your hair to grow back.
• Infections of  the scalp-Such as tinea capitis or ring worm can cause your hair to fall out. Usually after the infection is cleared up your hair will grow back.
• Hair treatments or overstyling-Excessive drying, tinting, styling, bleaching, straightening, or permanents can cause hair damage and if severe hair loss.
• Medical treatments-Such as chemotherapy or radiation treatments can cause your hair to fall out, when your through undergoing treatments your hair will usually grow back.
• Trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder)-Hair pulling disorder is a mental condition in which people compulsively pull out their hair. They may pull it from their heads or other places on their bodies. The hair will usually grow back once they stop pulling it out.
• Some medicines-Medicines used in the treatment of gout, cancer, depression, or birth control pills, and vitamin A (if too much is taken.) and immune suppression medications can cause hair loss.
• Age-By the age of 30 about 1 in 4 men are going bald, by the age of 60 about 2 in 3 men are balding or already bald.

typical pattern baldness

Hair Loss Treatments

American hair loss suffers spend more than of 3.5 billion (that’s with a B) a year in an attempt for regrow their hair! The fact of the matter is there is no real “cure” for hair loss. There are however things you can do that may help treat your hair loss, ie slow down the rate at which you’re losing your hair and/or perhaps help you to grow some hair back!

• One cup spinach and lettuce juice taken daily.
• Daily application of coconut oil mixed with lime juice applied to you scalp.
• Mustard oil boiled with Henna leaves and applied to the scalp.
• Apply coconut oil to the scalp daily.
• Mix ground lime seeds with an equal amount of black pepper mixed in a small amount of water applied on the head.
• Wash your hair with a paste of cooked black gram dal and fenugreek.
• Apply a paste of ground pigeon or red gram to your scalp.
• Apply castor oil daily to the scalp.
• Mix hot olive oil, honey, and a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and apply to scalp for fifteen minutes.
• Make a paste of ground up licorice mixed in milk with a pinch of ground saffron and apply to scalp.
• Mix the powder of shana seeds with a few drops of oil such as sesame oil or coconut oil and apply.
• Drink alfalfa juice and carrot juice to help stimulate hair regrowth.
• Mix Aloe Vera and powdered tripahala and apply to scalp.
• Make a shampoo by mixing equal amounts of amla (Indian Goose Berry), reetha, and shikakai in boiling water and use daily.
• Mash beetroot leaves and mix with henna paste and apply on head.
• Apply any of the essential oils and massage in well, then leave on overnight.

Hair Loss Prevention

Living a healthy lifestyle can go a long way in preventing premature baldness. Here are some more tips and tricks that can help you maintain hair growth and health.

• Massage your scalp daily to help maintain blood flow to the hair follicles.
• Cleanse and detoxify your body regularly as a way to boost all bodily functions including hair growth.
• Use hair styles that do no damage to your hair.
• Eat healthy foods, and take a good muti-vitamin daily.
• Drink plenty of fluids every day.
• Reduce stress in your life (beneficial in so many ways.)
• Exercise regularly, you might be surprised to know how many bodily functions a strong fit body can help.

Conclusion

While pattern baldness may be irreversible once it’s run it’s course leaving you partially or even completely bald. The best plan of attacking and overcoming hair loss is prevention. If you start addressing your hair loss in the beginning stages you have a much better chance of combating it, and keeping the hair you have! For more ideas visit Natural Hair Restoration.