Losing hair over hair

Hair loss can hurt your ego and give you sleepless nights but with a little insight things can change

April 12, 2010 08:35 pm | Updated 08:37 pm IST

Hair care: Keep stress away for luscious hair. File Photo: Raju V.

Hair care: Keep stress away for luscious hair. File Photo: Raju V.

Loss of hair is a symptom which gives rise to a lot of stress and people try to find a cause and ways to prevent it.

The common name for this condition is called as alopecia and if the loss of hair happens to be in a few spots on the scalp it is called as alopecia areata.

Genetic factors

Every individual loses hair diffusely every day but if it happens to be more than hundred strands a day and consistently over a period of time it needs to be addressed. The life of each hair follicle is around four and half to years to five years and after the tenure is replaced by another follicle on the scalp. But in genetic type of baldness the new follicle which has to be replaced does not happen and that is the reason why even if it does not appear that hairfall is there baldness develops over a period of time.

In men, it has also been associated with male hormone i.e. testosterone and that is why individuals with deficiency of this hormone are free from hair loss. Women also develop hairfall because of genetic factors, age, swing in hormones, menopause etc.

Amongst the common causes of hairfall next to the hereditary nature is the fact of building stress. It could occur after an incident which occurs within a month of acute psychological trauma like robbery, combat, natural disasters etc. Of course it is associated with irritability, physical restlessness, sleep problems, inability to concentrate etc.

When there is a disturbance of thyroid function like hypothyroidism it disturbs the general metabolism and also the growth of the hair. Even when there is increased function of gland like hyperthyroidism the follicle is irritated and there is hairfall.

When body does not get enough nutrients there is every possibility of hairfall.It can also occur in malabsorption in diseases like Ulcerative colitis or Irritable bowel syndrome wherein the proper absorption of nutrients does not take place.

Disturbances of function of pituitary gland etc can also cause this problem.

Hairfall is also common after fever, ringworm infections of the scalp, infections, childbirth, major illnesses or surgeries, sudden blood loss and even side effects of certain medications, radiation therapy etc.

Homoeopathic medicine has remedies to treat certain causes so that hair growth can be established.

For example the acute stress which responds to Ignatia and Natrum mur and anxiety of going through a disease with remedies like Arg nit and Passiflora. Disturbances of thyroid function can be helped by Iodum, Natrum mur, Fucus ves, Thyroidin and Bromium. Malabsorption can be treated with medicines like Cal phos, Natrum phos, Merc sol, Sulphur etc so that it does not come in the way of normal absorption. Though there can be no remedy for male type of hereditary baldness there are remedies like Lycopodium, Phosphorus, Ac flour and Ac. Phos which will help in slowing down the loss of hair. Some remedies like Arnica, Jaborandi have been known to stimulate the telogenic or the activity of hair follicles too.

DR.VENUGOPAL GOURI.

92463 72625

drvenugopal@gmail.com

Icthyosis

My child is two year old now and has developed dryness, thickness and roughness of the skin with lot of scaling. It is there all over the body and even the scalp is not spared?

abc

Icthyosis is a genetic condition in which there is an exfoliation of the skin of the body as there is a fast formation of skin cells across the surface more than at the regular pace.

This appears as the dry, scaly and rough skin. The challenge is to correct the pace of growth of the skin cells and also try to see that the condition becomes inactive.

Homoeopathic medicine has remedies like Sarsaparilla, Alumina, Arsenic iod.

Vertigo

My wife suffers from vertigo and which is worse if she lies down on the left side. All investigations have been done which does not indicate any cause.

Nagendra Theerthulu

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is a condition in which there is giddiness or feeling as if everything around is going in circles and inability to maintain posture etc.

You can give her Phosphorus 30 twice a day for five days and report the progress to your homoeopath.

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