5 Unusual Causes Of Hairfall

There are more than a hundred causes of hairfall. It can be a wide range of things like pollution, stress etc. If you want to stop your hair from thinning, then you have to know the cause of hairfall first. Some of the reasons for hair loss are very obvious and yet we miss them completely. These are some peculiar habits we have that are not hair healthy.

To have shinning brilliant hair, you must understand these reasons and try to correct them.

5 Unusual Reasons For Hairfall:

1. Hot Water Bath: Most scientists now feel, that a cold water bath is much more healthier than hot water baths. Some experts argue against this too. However, when it comes to your hair, hot water is very damaging. Steaming hot water opens up the pours of your hair follicles and leads to hairfall.

2. Helmets: Helmets are an essential safety gear while driving bikes but it is true that they do lead to hair loss. Wearing helmets for a long period of time makes sweat accumulate in your scalp and weakens the roots of your hair. That is why, hair loss happens among young men who drive long distances regularly.

3. Forceful Combing: The wrong methods of combing can cause a tremendous amount of hair fall. You need to apply pressure while combing hair but only after the entire length of your hair is free from knots. If you try to comb through tangles forcefully (which you do out of instinct), then you will only end up with a bunch of torn out hair.

4. Combing Wet Hair: When your hair is wet, it is weak. But, most of us comb our wet hair out of habit. Some people believe that it helps you set the hair. Well, this is a huge cause of hairfall among all age groups. It is an obvious reason why hair loss happens and yet we rarely notice it.

5. Tying Your Hair Tight: It might be a classic hairstyle to 'pull back' our hair into a tight bun. But, its one of the many unknown reasons of hairfall. Tying your hair protects it but tying it too tight can make the brittle hair break at the ends. Moreover, combing your hair back can lead to a receding hairline if you already have thin hair.

Untimely hair loss is a big problem for the youth today. If you want to prevent it, be wary of these unusual causes of hairfall.

Olive oil for manageable hair

There is no end to the goodness of olive oil.

Every beauty and health expert worth their salt will advise you to use olive oil for cooking as well as for beautifying oneself. Olive oil has been hailed as the ultimate when it comes to health. It is as beneficial and effective as a beauty aid as it is when consumed.

Here's how you can use olive oil to get silky shiny hair.

- Pour around half a cup of olive oil into a vessel and heat it. The oil shouldn't be too hot or you will end up with burnt fingers. Warm the oil only so much that you can comfortably touch the oil.

- Cover your shoulders with a towel to avoid staining your clothes.

- Take a little oil in your palms and massage it into your hair. Concentrate on massaging the scalp if you have a dry, itchy scalp. However, if you have an oily scalp then avoid applying oil your scalp. Oil only your hair and leave an inch and a half from the roots unoiled. Massage with your fingertips and not your nails. You might end up with a bruised scalp. Massaging with the fingertips also stimulates the hair follicles. This also propagates hair growth. Which is why you must massage your hair at least once a week.

- Pile your hair on the top and cover it completely with a shower cap or plastic wrap. Covering hair helps the oil to penetrate deeply. You can also wrap your hair with a warm towel.

- Keep the oil on your hair for at least half an hour and not more than one hour. Wash your hair with a mild shampoo.

Haircare tips for the monsoon

Slicked down wet hair may look sexy on a bikini-clad babe in a Bollywood flick, but the truth is that constant drenching in the monsoon and high levels of humidity spell bad news for your mane. We can fall prey to a number of scalp problems and bad hair days during the rainy season and diligent hair care is needed to maintain the heath and good looks of your locks.

Certain scalp diseases become more prevalent in the monsoon -- exposure to dirty rainwater and consequent warm, humid conditions encourage the growth of bacteria and fungi on the scalp. Painful pus-filled boils due to bacterial infections are fairly common in this season, not to mention severely itchy, flaking patches of fungal infection, which result in hair loss in the affected area (most often seen in children).

Much as we hate to admit it, lice infestations are also way too common in the rains; lice breed during this season. And what's more, such infestations are not just a poor man's problem -- well-to-do, hygiene-conscious people can also be easily infected. The person travelling next to you on the train or your domestic help can easily pass them on to you.

For some, dandruff worsens as the fungus responsible for causing it flourishes in humid weather. Non-specific itchiness of the scalp and irritation are also common.

To prevent these problems, frequent shampooing and keeping your hair dry as far as possible is a must in the monsoons. Contrary to popular belief, frequent washing does not lead to hair loss -- you can even wash your hair daily with a mild shampoo if your hair is exposed to rain every day.

For boils on the scalp try Betadine AD shampoo twice a week; for fungal infections and dandruff you can try ketoconazole-based shampoos like Nizral, KZ etc. For lice, apply Perlice, leave on for a couple of hours and wash off. If the problem is not resolved in a few days or become very severe, please do consult a dermatologist immediately.

You must also dry your hair after shampooing thoroughly. Use a hair dryer with a diffuser attached and keep it six to eight inches away from your hair to avoid singeing/ burning. If you're caught unawares in a rain shower and don't have a hair dryer (say at the office or a cinema hall) flip your hair under the hand dryer in the bathroom and run your fingers through it till dry.

Conditioning is very important in the monsoon as excess humidity in the environment tends to frizz your hair. A good conditioner neutralises this frizzing and smoothens out the hair, making it manageable. Severe frizziness in curled or permed hair can be tackled with anti-frizz serums available in the market (TIGI, Schwarzkopf etc). If you're planning to colour your hair or perm it, it's advisable to wait till the rains are over as such treatments don't always give their best results in highly humid conditions.

Keep your nourishment levels up with a high protein diet and plenty of whole grains and nuts, which are rich in biotin (the vitamin that helps hair growth). You can also try protein-rich hair packs. Blend an egg white, olive oil, soaked and crushed fenugreek (methi) seeds and yoghurt and coat sections of your hair with it using a pack brush. Leave on for half an hour and shampoo out thoroughly with lukewarm water. Severe hair loss or breakage should be tackled by a dermatologist to determine the exact cause and to institute effective treatment for the same.

And here's the golden rule for healthy hair in the monsoons -- keep hairstyles short and simple and your scalp clean and dry.

Hair Care this Monsoon!

You have had your fill of the sun and can’t wait for the fat droplets of rain to fall over your head and help you cool down. With the appearance of every dark cloud, you find your hopes rising… finally it rains!

After having thoroughly enjoyed the first rain, you suddenly realize that you forgot to cover your hair! And while you panic, we would just like to remind you that, these being the monsoons your hair will regularly get drenched whether you like it or not.

But all’s not lost yet as here are answers to some of the most common questions regarding hair care in the monsoons.

Should I regularly wash my hair during monsoons?
We Say: Yes! You should because …

Monsoons in India though consistent in their timing in the year are also very erratic with light drizzles usually turning into heavy downpour, within the blink of an eye. With no guarantee of a dry hair, you must make it a point to wash your hair every 2-3 days to keep it clean, plus this will also help in preventing the buildup of dust and grime in the hair.
It is also advisable to use a mild shampoo and conditioner to wash your hair in the monsoon. During rainy season, tap water contains more chlorine and hence one must make use of mild shampoos and conditioners to maintain the texture of their hair. 


Remember to wash your hair gently as hair drenched in rain often ends up in a tangled mess. After washing do not towel your hair vigorously as this will weaken your hair roots and cause split ends, instead opt for the gentle pat and dry routine whenever you have to dry your hair.


Should I oil my hair during monsoons?
We Say: Yes, only if …
Oiling your hair in the monsoons is a topic that is always up for debate! With oil enthusiasts vouching for the liquid’s ‘hair conditioning’ ability while skeptics shouting themselves hoarse about the liquids’ properties of attracting dust and grime  that lead to dandruff; the answer lies in moderation.
Oiling your hair during monsoons requires moderation in terms of time, which in simple lay man’s terms means - do not leave oil on your hair for too long in rainy season! Oiling your hair an hour or two before you wash your hair is greatly beneficial, as it helps in conditioning your hair and prevents them from becoming frizzy and dry after a wash.




Can I use Chemical products to keep my hair looking great in monsoons?
We Say: No, because …

The rainy season brings a humid atmosphere along with it. This in itself spells disaster for those with chemically treated hair, as hair being hydroscopic – absorbs the moisture from the atmosphere and this nullifies the effect of any chemical treatment or product used on the hair.
Moreover dust, grime and other pollutants stick to these chemicals, which again contribute to the tangling and knotting of your hair during monsoons.




Should I tie my hair during monsoons?
We Say: No, because …

Hair tends to get wet during monsoons and tying up the hair will only lead to the rain water being trapped in your hair. With a humid atmosphere, drying of the hair becomes a problem and a damp skin of the head is breeding ground for fungal infections,dandruff and lice on the scalp. While tying up your hair is not advised during monsoon, nor is leaving it open advisable. Leaving the hair open will expose it to the humidity making the hair either frizzy in case of curly or wavy hair, or limp in case of straight and silky hair. The best solution would be a loose bun or a loose ponytail as these do not trap much water and also protect your hair from direct exposure to the humidity.






How should I comb my hair during monsoons?
We Say: Use wide toothed combs instead of brushes because …

Combing your hair during monsoons is a bit tricky, as wet hair when combed with a brush can result in split ends and breakage, especially curly and wavy hair.
Combing hair when its wet is not a good idea”. Hair should only be combed when it is dried or semi dry, because wet hair being combed gets stretched and reaches its breaking point quite easily”. It’s best to use the gentle pat and dry routine with a towel to dry hair before finger combing it to get rid of the tangles during the monsoons.
Also remember to use a wide toothed comb for combing your hair during monsoons, as it will not pull on hair ends like a brush, thus preventing breakage and will also help get rid of the tangles and knots easily.




While these are just answers to some common queries regarding monsoons and hair care in India, we decided to go ahead and simplify things a bit more with the help of some good old Do’s and Don’ts for hair care during monsoons.


Some Do’s and Don’ts for the Monsoons:


Do’s:

• Wash your hair with a mild shampoo every time it gets wet
• Oil your hair an hour or two prior to a wash
• Have a diet rich in Vitamin E for strong and healthy hair 

Don’ts:

• Don't tie your hair when it’s wet
• Don't use a brush to comb your wet hair
• Don't use a blow-dryer to dry your hair

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead, get wet and enjoy the rains, just don’t forget to wash your hair afterwards!