All about hair,reasons for hair loss and how to Manage Hair fall!!!

Hi My Buddies
Sharing in the hope of,that this post of mine would provide some enlightening concepts about HAIR,the most defining characteristic of human personality.

Long or short,braided or pig-tailed
Cool Yourself ............. Beautify Yourself since its the Gift of Nature.

Yeah! Beware
Handle with care,
Here or there,everywhere
You will be given the CROWN to wear!!!!!!


Please check the Gallery of pictures
http://www.indusladies.com/forums/h...1-different-haircuts-layered-hair-styles.html

Hair Structure and Hair Life Cycle
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Hair Structure
Hair is composed of strong structural protein called Keratin, which is resistant to wear and tear.This is the same kind of protein that makes up the nails and the outer layer of skin.
The diameter of a single hair fiber varies from person to person; but it is usually around 0.05 to 0.09 millimeters

The epidermis is the outermost layer of the skin. Each hair arises from an indentation on the epidermis.

A single strand of hair is made up of several components three main regions: root, shaft, and tip

• Root: The part that was growing in the follicle. This is the widest part of the hair
  
• Shaft: The middle of the length of the hair (from the root to the tip). This is where the hair tapers..The visible part of the hair is dead. It grows from the narrow tube below the surface of the scalp which is called a follicle.
  
• Tip: The end of the hair farthest away from the root. The hair is narrowest at the tip

The hair extends through epidermis into the dermis, from where it receives its blood supply and sensitivity.






Hair shaft

The part of the hair seen above the skin is called the hair shaft. The hair shaft is made up of dead cells that have turned into keratin and binding material, together with small amounts of water. This structure explains why we do not feel any pain while our hair is being cut.

The hair shaft is formed by three layers.
The innermost layer of the hair shaft is named the Medulla. It is seen only in large and thick hairs. and really serves no purpose to the hair. Very fine hair sometimes does not have a medulla.

The middle layer of the hair shaft is called the Cortex, made of keratin fibers, and can be thought of where all the DNA of the hair is contained. The cortex encompasses the melanin, and various cells that determine the type of hair (curly, straight), the strength or elasticity of the hair.

The outermost layer of the hair shaft is the Cuticle. This thin and colorless layer made up of between six to ten overlapping layers of long cell remnants, serves as a protection to the cortex.




Structure of the hair root/Hair follicle

Below the surface of the skin,the follicle is a tube like pocket that encloses the hair root where each hair has its own follicle It is a tiny cup-shaped pit buried in the fat of the scalp,is a single structure which lives and grows at an average rate of 1-3 centimeters (1/2 to 1") per month.

The terminal part of the hair follicle seated within the skin is called a hair bulb. The hair bulb is the structure formed by actively growing cells. The cells in the bulb divide every 23-72 hours, faster than any other cells in the human body.
These cells produce the long, fine and cylindrically shaped hair fibers. Here in the hair bulb, there are some special cells, which produce the pigment "Melanin" and the cells producing it are known as melanocytes that gives the hair its color. .

At the base of each hair bulb is the projection called Dermal papilla containing a vessel tuft,feed by the bloodstream which carries nourishment to produce new hair. The dermal papilla is a structure very important to hairgrowth because it contains receptors for male hormones and androgens. Androgens regulate hairgrowth and in scalp hair Androgens may cause the hair follicle to get progressively smaller and the hairs to become finer in individuals who are genetically predisposed to this type of hair loss.

Within the skin, internal and external root sheaths cover the hair follicles.
The external root sheath of a hair follicle is continuous along with the epidermis.The inner sheath follows the hair shaft and ends below the opening of a Sebaceous gland (oil gland)
which produces and secretes the natural oils lubricating hairs, namely sebum.
A muscle called an arrector pili muscles attaches below the gland to a fibrous layer around the outer sheath.
The Arrector pili muscle when contracts,makes the hair to stand up when one is cold or nervous or fearful, so think goosebumps.





Content Courtesy:
How Hair Grows, Thinning Hair, Hair Loss Types and Causes

Hair Structure, Hair Follicle, Hair Shaft

Hair Structure and Hair Life Cycle

Fashion: What is Your Hair Structure Say About U..

 

Types of hair

Morphologically, there are 3 types of hair growing on the human body.
1. Vellus hairs
Short hairs of a centimeter or two long,contains little or no pigment, and thus, is colorless.Do not have adjacent sebaceous glands. At the same time, their shaft does not have a melanin layer. Vellus hairs are fine and soft, and are not cosmetically important.

2.Terminal Hairs
Long hairs that grow on the scalp and in many people on the body. They are produced by hair follicles with adjacent sebaceous glands. Terminal hairs have large, darkly pigmented hair fibers that have a medulla at the innermost part.

3.Intermediate hairs
Shows the characteristics of both vellus hairs and terminal hairs. Intermediate hairs have a medulla and contain a moderate amount of pigment, less than that found in the terminal hair type. During the balding process terminal hair follicles and intermediate hair follicles change in such a way that they no longer produce terminal hairs. In these areas, hair follicles grow vellus hairs rather than terminal hairs.








Life Cycle of Hair

At any one time, about 90% of the hair on a person's scalp is growing. Each follicle has its own life cycle that can be influenced by age, disease, and a wide variety of other factors. This life cycle is divided into three phases:

Anagen -- Growth Phase-Approximately 85% of all hairs are in the growing phase at any one time. The Anagen phase or growth phase can vary from two to six years. Hair grows approximately 10cm per year and any individual hair is unlikely to grow more than one meter long.

Catagen -- Transitional/Intermediate Phase -At the end of the Anagen phase the hairs enters into a Catagen phase which lasts about one or two weeks, during the Catagen phase the hair follicle shrinks to about 1/6 of the normal length. The lower part is destroyed and the dermal papilla breaks away to rest below,n short the deeper portions of the hair follicles start to collapse.

Telogen -- Resting/Shedding Phase - The resting phase follows the catagen phase and normally lasts about 5-6 weeks. During this time the hair does not grow but stays attached to the follicle while the dermal papilla stays in a resting phase below. Approximately 10-15 percent of all hairs are in this phase at an one time.

At the end of the Telogen phase the hair follicle re-enters the Anagen phase. The dermal papilla and the base of the follicle join together again and a new hair begins to form. If the old hair has not already been shed the new hair pushes the old one out and the growth cycle starts all over again.




The growing (anagen) phase constitutes about 90% (1000 days or more) of the growth cycle of a hair follicle, while intermediate (catagen phase; 10 days) and shedding (telogen phase; 100 days) phases constitute only 10% of it. That is, at a given time, about 10% of hair follicles are in the intermediate and shedding phases; thus, not growing. These hair follicles, however, are randomly distributed over the scalp, so that no bald spots are seen.

As people age, their rate of hair growth slows.


There are many types of hair loss, also called Alopecia:

• Involutional alopecia is a natural condition in which the hair gradually thins with age. More hair follicles go into the resting phase, and the remaining hairs become shorter and fewer in number.
• Androgenic alopecia is a genetic condition that can affect both men and women. Men with this condition, called male pattern baldness, can begin suffering hair loss as early as their teens or early 20s. It's characterized by a receding hairline and gradual disappearance of hair from the crown and frontal scalp. Women with this condition, called female pattern baldness, don't experience noticeable thinning until their 40s or later. Women experience a general thinning over the entire scalp, with the most extensive hair loss at the crown.
• Alopecia areata often starts suddenly and causes patchy hair loss in children and young adults. This condition may result in complete baldness (alopecia totalis). But in about 90% of people with the condition, the hair returns within a few years.
• Alopecia universalis causes all body hair to fall out, including the eyebrows, eyelashes, and pubic hair.
• Trichotillomania, seen most frequently in children, is a psychological disorder in which a person pulls out one's own hair.
• Telogen effluvium is temporary hair thinning over the scalp that occurs because of changes in the growth cycle of hair. A large number of hairs enter the resting phase at the same time, causing hair shedding and subsequent thinning.

[h=1]What is normal hair loss and excessive hair loss
[/h]Source:
What is normal hair loss and excessive hair loss

It is normal to lose hair through our daily hair care, but what is "normal" varies from person to person, and therefore so does what is "excessive". The denser your hair, and the shorter your anagen cycle the more hair you will normally lose per day. For example, suppose that you hair is blond and your average anagen + catagen + telogen cycle lasts 3 years. That means every year about 47,000 hairs are replaced (140,000/3). That is equivalent to losing an average of 127 hairs per day normally . Or suppose you are a redhead, and your anagen+catagen+telogen cycle lasts 5 years, that would mean that on average you lose 90,000 or about 50 hairs per day.
Thus while losing 130 hairs a day regularly may be normal for one person, it could be excessive for another.

Obviously, there is no way to actually count how many strands of hair you lose everyday. Nevertheless, your daily hair care routine cannot be the cause of excessive hair loss and if you are experiencing excessive hair loss, it will be because of some other underlying causes such as genetics, medications, etc.

 

​

Causes for hair loss:

• Hormones, such as abnormal levels of androgens (male hormones normally produced by both men and women)
  
  
• Genes,from both male and female parents, may influence a person's predisposition to male or female pattern baldness.
  
  
• Stress, illness, and childbirth can cause temporary hair loss.
  
  
• Scalp skin conditions:inflammation due to unhealthy condition of the scalp results in hair loss. Skin conditions that lead to hair loss include seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff), psoriasis, and fungal infections such as ringworm.
  
  
  
• Drugs, including chemotherapy drugs used in cancer treatment, blood thinners, beta-adrenergic blockers used to control blood pressure, and birth control pills, can cause temporary hair loss.
  
  
  
• Burns, injuries, and X-rays can cause temporary hair loss. In such cases, normal hair growth usually returns once the injury heals.
  
  
• Autoimmune diseasein which the body’s own immune system attacks healthy tissues may cause alopecia areata. In alopecia areata, the immune system revs up for unknown reasons and affects the hair follicles. In most people with alopecia areata, the hair grows back, although it may temporarily be very fine and possibly a lighter color before normal coloration and thickness return.
  
  
• Cosmetic procedures, such as shampooing too often, perms, bleaching, and dyeing hair can contribute to overall hair thinning by making hair weak and brittle. Tight braiding, using rollers or hot curlers, and running hair picks through tight curls can also damage and break hair. However, these procedures don't cause baldness. In most instances hair grows back normally if the source of the problem is removed. Still, severe damage to the hair or scalp sometimes causes permanent bald patches.
  
  
• Medical conditions: Thyroid disease, lupus, diabetes, iron deficiency, and anemia can cause hair loss, but when the underlying condition is treated the hair will return.
  
  
• Diet: A low-protein diet or severely calorie-restricted diet can also cause temporary hair loss.

 

Long, healthy hair is a sign of beauty, vitality, and youth. Whether you’re anxious to get movie-star-caliber locks, combating problems with hair growth, or simply trying to put a catastrophic haircut behind you, there are a variety of natural and medicinal strategies you should know about. The following tips help your to cast away the hair fall problem at bay precociously.

Follow these simple rules
and
your hair will love you for finally paying attention to it.



How to Prevent hair loss????

1. Understand why hair loss happens.
   It is not always easy to identify the reason behind hair loss in an individual case but the generally known reasons behind hair loss can range from genetics and aging to diseases and stress and poor diet.
   Try to identify when the hair loss started and if you changed anything with your hair.
   
   
2. Remember after severe hair loss hair growth needs some growth phase time.
   Once the cycle is complete, it restarts and a new strand of hair begins to form. The rate or speed of hair growth is about 1.25 centimetres or 0.5 inches per month,So be patient to get the fruitful results.
   
   
3. Do daily scalp massages as it will increase blood flow in the scalp, sending it to the hair follicles to help stimulate growth.
   
   
4. Try to use more herbal products, avoid using chemical products. They can damage hair.
   
   
5. Take care of your hair
   1.Don't subject your hair to frequent, constant heating and drying procedures. Heat weakens hair proteins, burned scalps can permanently damage hair follicles no matter the gimmicks promising of softness and shine. natural drying is best for you hair, so aim to dry it naturally more often than drying it with heat.
   2.Slow down on the dyeing more often than 6 to 8 weeks and try for semi-coverage/touch up rather than full dyeing.
   3.Be careful how you style your hair. Some styles that require tight pulling and elastics, clips, etc. can be a cause of hair loss if done on a daily basis. For example, tight ponytails, braiding tightly, corn-rows, and plaits, can lead to significant hair loss when done daily. The medical name for loss of hair due to hairstyles that are too tight is known as "traction alopecia" and it is completely preventable as a cause in and of itself.
   4.Trim your hair. Regularly trimming hair to remove split ends (at most every 10 to 12 weeks) can help prevent split hairs from traveling further up the strand, weakening the hair and making it prone to breakage. Trimming hair does not promote faster growth, but may help prevent hair damage that can lead to the appearance of slower or less healthy hair growth.
   
   
6. Wash hair regularly with mild shampoo and be gentle with your hair.
   Choose hair products carefully and follow proper hair hygiene.
   Hair washing can form a part of preventing hair loss as it can keep your hair and scalp clean (preventing the chances of infections, etc. that might cause hair loss), and provided you use a mild shampoo, clean hair will give the impression of more volume than dirty hair, which tends to sit flatter and more parted than clean hair.
   1.Use wide toothed comb
   2.Avoid brushing wet hair
   3.Avoid rubbing hair vigorously with a towel after washing it. This can also lead to hair breakage. Pat it dry gently instead.
   4.Be cautious and be wise while using Protein-enhanced shampoos and conditioners.They make hair smoother and thicker temporarily because they fill in gaps on the hair shaft.However, they do not repair damaged hair, so hair that is going to fall out from poor care or other reasons, will still fall out. Shampoo does not increase hair amount either.
   5.When your hair is dried, use a soft-bristled brush to brush it.
   
   
7. Get your stress under control
   1.Be sure to get adequate sleep, the restorer of good health.
   2.Exercise regularly. Good as a stress reduction strategy, physical activity also encourages better circulation, including for your scalp.
   3.Practice meditation: Believe it or not, most of the times, the root cause for hair loss is stress and tension. Meditation can help in reducing that and restore hormonal balance.
   
   
8. Eat Healthy to Minimize and Prevent Hair Fall
   1.Give importance to a balanced diet to counter hair loss.Nutritional responses to preventing hair loss are simple common sense approaches to keeping you your hair, and your scalp healthy and are beneficial for your health all round – a healthy body is more likely to have healthy hair than an unhealthy one. It is possible that hair loss can be slowed by a healthy diet filled with plenty of vegetables and fruits.The following nutritional requirements that can be sourced adequately from a healthy diet in most cases can be of help with preventing or minimizing hair loss,includes
   1.Iron-
   known as heme iron in animal food sources and non-heme iron in plant sources, helps red blood cells to carry oxygen to cells.Deficiency in iron causes anemia, brittle hair and hair loss.
   
   2.Protein and amino acids
   Essential for strong hair.Hair is made of protein which originates inside the hair follicle. As cells mature, they fill up with a protein called keratin in the form of fibers. This protein formation process - HAIR GROWTH requires 8 essential amino acids to be present at the same time.
   
   3.Omega-3 Fatty acids
   keep hair healthy and have a role in preventing hair from becoming dry and brittle.
   
   4.Zinc
   required in DNA replication and RNA production necessary to maintain normal hair follicle cell division,often needed by hair follicles where the hair starts the phase of its growth.
   
   5.Magnesium and iodine
   According to HCHS, both calcium and magnesium are used together by the body to reduce the chance of excessive hair loss as well as muscle spasm.
   
   6.Selenium
   It may be needed by the body in smaller quantities if compared with other minerals. But it is also important to reduce the risk of having abnormal hair loss.
   
   
   7.Vitamins
   Vitamin A -Vitamin A protects your hair from free radicals, which are atoms with an impired electron. Deficiency in vitamin A can cause hair dryness.
   
   Vitamin C - help in the good absorption of iron,necessary for maintaining healthy collagen in the connective tissue in the body and around the hair follicles. As an antioxidant (a substance that slows aging), it protects the cells.
   
   B-Complex Vitamins -B vitamins are believed to help nourish hair follicles. They include thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, cobalmin, and pantothemic acid.
   
   Biotin: This is a B vitamin of importance for healthy hair.
   
   
   
9. Avoid food or eating habits that can inhibit hair growth or encourage hair loss.
   1.Avoid very low-calorie liquid diets. As well as depleting your energy in a major way, such diets can cause hair loss.
   2.Avoid eating raw egg whites. Not only can these harbor bacteria that can harm you, raw egg whites contain a substance that binds biotin. This prevents its absorption.
   
   
10. Consider supplements. Talk with your medical practitioner first but you might like to consider using supplements to prevent hair loss.
    
    
11. Test your hair for thinning if you're concerned. Testing whether or not you're suffering from hair loss can be done using what is known as the "tug test". Take a small bunch of hair, about 20-30 hairs, and hold it between your thumb and index finger. Pull slowly but firmly; if more than six hairs come out at the same time, you may have a hair loss problem.However, this is not the last word and you shouldn't panic; instead, you should see a doctor or a trichologist immediately if you think you're losing more hair than normal, remembering that we lose a lot of hairs each day naturally.
    
12. Your doctor has the ability to take relevant hair tests, such as to test thyroid or iron deficiencies, and to take skin biopsies where relevant.
    
    Check for scalp infections
    
    Check for hormonal imbalances
    
    
13. Consider treatments if you have hair loss confirmed
    Your first line of defense is accurate diagnosis, because temporary hair loss usually remedies itself, or can be helped with specific therapy or treatments. For ongoing hair loss, treatments might be prescribed for a longer period.
    

 

Viji ma
So many viewers.The purpose of sharing solved.Got few thanking through PM.I'm happy.
Glad to link you & your bhabis to long hair community..
THANKS for kick starting.Bow.

 

Maddy
Bunch of thanks for your valuable halting.
Thank You!!!!!

 

Thebeliever
Hope I'm in right time to give you some utile service.
Thanks for your grateful entry.Bow