In the previous article we looked at some of the most common myths associated with hair loss and those that had a base in medicine. As mentioned in the earlier article, hair loss can be caused due to several reasons and while some of them could be medically related, there could be those that are associated with lifestyle and even gender. It is interesting to note that even the myths attached to hair loss can be categorised in the same manner.
Let’s take a look at some more common myths and make an attempt of clarifying them:
1. Myth: If the pores on your head are clogged, they can lead to hair loss.
Fact: While many people might think that they are suffering from clogged pores due to not taking proper care of the scalp, this condition is actually caused due to acne. If it were clogged pores that led to balding, then proper and regular shampooing would have taken care of the same. However, even a full on hair spa would not take care of the same, debunking the myth that clogged pores lead to hair loss.
2. Myth: If you shampoo too much, you might lose your hair.
Fact: Hair breaking during a shampoo is normal – you are bound to lose a few hair in the process, but this is normal and natural. However, thinking that avoiding that shampoo bottle will reduce hair loss would be silly. As a matter of fact, when you do not shampoo at regular intervals, the hair that was supposed to fall off with accumulate. And when you do shampoo, it will all fall out in one go.
3. Myth: If you massage your scalp regularly and well, you can reduce or even stop hair loss.
Fact: While oil massages are good for your scalp and can improve blood circulation, it cannot do much to reduce or stop hair loss. The oil massage can ensure that your hair and scalp remain moisturised – nothing more, nothing less. However, brushing your hair too much could certainly lead to increased breakage of hair.
4. Myth: Excessive air conditioning can damage your hair.
Fact: While sitting for too long in an air conditioned room could certainly lead to drier hair, there is no real proof that it can also lead to hair loss. If you have a proper hair care regime, which includes oiling and conditioning, you can sit in the air-conditioned room, for as long as you want!
5. Myth: If you cut your hair regularly, you will get to enjoy thicker hair.
Fact: The structure of your hair will not change, it will not grow thicker, simply because you get a regular trim. The only reason why you might feel that your hair feels thicker after a trim is because the base of your hair is now thicker. Normally, when the hair grows, it starts to taper at the base, after a while or even develops split ends. After a haircut, the hair length and thickness evens out, giving the impression of being thicker. However, this said, it is a good idea to get a regular trim.
6. Myth: Smoothening and straightening can lead to hair loss, while blow drying will not.
Fact: Almost all chemical and heat related procedures will lead to hair loss, including smoothening, straightening and blow drying. Most hair products have chemicals in them and extended as well as elongated use of the same is bound to cause hair loss. Even with blow drying, you are using heat on your hair and that can certainly lead to hair loss.
7. Myth: Hats can make you go bald.
Fact: A hat might spoil your hair style and if your hat is a not a clean one, you can certainly develop scalp infection and that can lead to hair loss, but wearing a hat will certainly not lead to hair loss. There are many people who think that by wearing a hat, their hair and scalp is not getting sufficient oxygen. The truth could not be further from this and your hair as well as scalp gets all the oxygen it needs from the blood. So, as long as you clean and rotate your hats, you will be perfectly fine!
8. Myth: Too much carbohydrate in your diet could lead to hair loss.
Fact: Proper hair growth needs all the essential nutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins and iron. If you are noticing hair loss, it could possibly be because of reduced iron in your diet, but certainly not because of higher amount of carbs.
In this article and the previous one, the conscious effort has been to clarify all doubts related to hair loss.
Hair loss is a cause of concern for millions of people all over the world, however, what is more disturbing is the fact that there are so many myths associated with the hair loss. Understanding the facts is step one to a proper diagnosis and the eventual proper treatment.
Hair loss can be caused due to several reasons and they can actually be categorised into medical related, gender related and even lifestyle related. Similarly, even the myths associated with hair loss can be categorised in the same manner. In this article and the next one, we will take a look at the some of the common myths and debunk the same.
Here are some of the most common myths related to hair loss and the actual facts:
Medical Related Myths
1. Myth: The genetic reason for hair loss will come from your father’s side of the family.
Fact: You can inherit hair loss from your either side of the family. As a matter of fact, there have been studies that have shown that if your maternal uncles were bald, you too might become bald or have pattern baldness.
2. Myth: If you are losing large amounts of hair, you have what would be called genetic baldness.
Fact: If you are losing large amounts of hair, you need to see a doctor immediately, because there is something wrong with your body or scalp. Balding is actually a process, wherein the density of the hair is lost over a course of time. A process called miniaturization takes place, in which thick hair are replaced by thin or fine hair.
3. Myth: Only men suffer from hair loss due to genetic reasons.
Fact: Although it is considered that balding is a problem that is associated with men, there is no saying that women cannot be affected by the same. Studies have shown that 40% of the total woman population in the world suffers from female pattern hair loss.
4. Myth: If you are using a hair loss medication, it will work only on the crown area.
Fact: The idea behind hair loss medications is that it helps slow down or even stop the loss of hair. Minoxidil and Propecia will not help regrow new hair, but it can certainly help you in maintaining the hair that you already have. This means, that wherever you still have hair on your scalp, these medicines will help retain them, whether they are on the crown or back of the head. These medicines will work, wherever there is thinning, but certainly not on completely bald patches.
5. Myth: Medications like Minoxidil, Propecia can prevent hair loss.
Fact: Medications such as Minoxidil, Propecia can certainly help reduce or even stop hair loss altogether, but it can definitely not assist regrowth of hair. Ideally, such medicines will work better with younger people, because in them, hair loss would have just started. However, these medicines are also often prescribed to people who have recently undergone hair restoration procedures.
6. Myth: Hair loss will stop with age.
Fact: If you are suffering from hair loss, you should be prepared to live with it for the rest of your life. Hair loss progresses slowly and grade of baldness increases over a period of time. There is no method by which hair loss can be charted out, but yes, if your hair loss has started at a young age, chances are that you will eventually go completely bald.
7. Myth: If you are going bald, that means you are old!
Fact: Hair loss or going bald has nothing to do with age. The fact is that hair loss can start in the early twenties and as age progresses, it will become more profound. Then there are also cases, such as alopecia totalis or alopecia universalis, wherein complete hair loss can happen even in children. And in some cases, the hair loss starts quite late in life.
8. Myth: Hair loss due to chemotherapy is always permanent.
Fact: Well, people think that anyone undergoing chemotherapy for cancer treatment will remain bald forever. In most cases, even sessions of chemotherapy or radiation, hair does grows back over a period of time.
9. Myth: Men with high levels of testosterone will go bald.
Fact: Hair loss is not directly connected with testosterone – the most latent cause of hair loss is the enhanced sensitivity of the hair follicles. This sensitivity is directed towards dihydrotestosterone or DHT and not testosterone. It is the sensitivity to DHT that lead to the hair follicles shrinkage and the gradual disappearance of hair. There is an even simpler method of debunking this myth – if high levels of testosterone were to be blamed, men would lose hair from all over the body, not just their head.
10. Myth: Women can never go bald.
Fact: Although the cases of women going completely bald are lesser as compared to men, there is no truth to the fact that they are immune to balding. Women suffer from what is known as female pattern hair loss and if the condition is not diagnosed in time, it could lead to near or even complete baldness.
In this article, we have looked at the most commonly talked about hair loss myths, related to medical causes. In the next article we will be looking at the gender and lifestyle related myths that are often associated with hair loss.
Hair Loss is an intriguing problem not only for the ones suffering but also for doctors treating the same. It is very pertinent to understand hair loss before someone actually presses the panic button. We’ve created this infographic on Hair Loss Myths & Facts to enlighten the patients about some myths that are highly prevalent among patients.
1st – Mentality:
Hair Shedding and Hair Loss are same.
1st – Reality:
The hairs follow a cycle of regrowth that is Anagen, Catagen & Telogen. Wherein the hair follicles fall down & regrow. So losing as many 50-100 hair is normal. Hair loss starts when the number of hair falling is more than the number of hair growing back
2nd – Mentality:
Frequent shampooing causes hair to fall out
2nd – Reality:
There is common perception that shampooing makes hair go thin. When people notice few hair in tub it increases the suspicion further and they even shampoo less often. Contrary the solution is shampoo every day and excess hair in tub will disappear
3rd – Mentality:
Oil Massage is always good done regularly
3rd – Reality:
A lot of hair massage causes trauma for the roots and they may become weak over a period of time. So you can oil your hair with soft hands but also avoid using excess of oil.
4th – Mentality:
Cutting/shaving your hair will make it grow back thicker
4th – Reality:
This is myth as hair are normally thicker near the roots and it feels that hair have got thicker. But they will come to same level when they grow.
5th – Mentality:
Hair loss is always genetic
5th – Reality:
There are other factors also such as hormonal,nutritional deficiency, skin infection etc. So it is very pertinent that a medical examination be conducted to investigate the cause.
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