Did you know that normally a person's hair falls out on average about 60-100 strands a day? It may sound like a lot, but this number is very small compared to all the hair on our head, and in each shedding only 3-5 strands fall at a time. But what if you suddenly find your hair falling abnormally much? If we find a clump of fallen hair stuck while combing, anyone would feel a pang of dread, right? Some people may even worry whether their hair will all fall out until they go bald. But for anyone facing this problem, don't panic just yet. Let's try to understand the causes of hair-fall problems from Dr. Julian Mackay-Wiggan, assistant professor of dermatology and director of the clinical research unit in the dermatology department, Columbia University, who has explained that the abnormal hair fall people face overall has 6 main causes, as follows.
1. Overuse of hair-styling products
The various hairstyling products we see in daily life contain many chemicals as ingredients, such as sulfates and surfactants, found in many shampoo brands, as well as harsh chemicals in other styling products like conditioner, hair dye, perm and straightening solutions, etc. With frequent use, these chemicals accumulate and act to harm hair health, making hair dry, brittle and easily falling out. So you should avoid using styling products frequently. In addition, for those who like to use a blow-dryer, be careful not to dry with high heat aimed at the hair for a long time.
2. Stress
Those who are very stressed may also have abnormally heavy hair fall. Medically there's a term, telogen effluvium, used for hair fall that occurs after the mind has been severely shaken, such as undergoing major surgery, sudden weight loss, pregnancy, as well as the mind facing heavy stress. Telogen effluvium disrupts the hair cycle, causing the body to shed hair faster than the roots can produce new strands. But having read this far, don't get stressed yet, because this condition is only temporary. Once the stress is gone and the body recovers, hair stops falling and grows back to normal on its own.
3. Eating habits
Hair is like the body in that it needs beneficial nutrients to feed and nourish it. If lacking nutrients like protein, iron and magnesium, hair may lose its softness and smoothness, tangle into clumps, and fall out easily — especially if lacking protein, because the main component of hair is protein. So eating high-protein foods, such as meat, eggs, milk and grains, can help suppress hair fall.
4. Washing hair with hard water
Hard water means water containing a high amount of minerals, often found in old, long-used plumbing systems. The various minerals contaminating hard water can clog and build up in the pores and hair roots, causing dermatitis and hair fall. If you want to know whether the tap water at your home is hard, observe the pipes, faucets, or sink to see whether there's limescale buildup.
5. Thyroid disease
Thyroid-gland diseases, whether hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) or hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), besides having many effects on the body such as easy fatigue, muscle weakness, sudden weight loss, etc., also cause abnormally heavy hair fall. Anyone who suspects their hair fall is due to an abnormal thyroid, we recommend consulting a doctor, because modern medical treatment can rebalance the body's hormones so the thyroid returns to normal function, which will make hair stop falling and gradually grow back to normal.
6. PCOS syndrome
Some women who face polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) lose their hormonal balance, causing the body to secrete large amounts of male hormones. One of those hormones is dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is a main cause of hair fall, as this hormone inhibits the function of the hair roots and causes them to shrink until they can no longer produce hair cells. Other characteristics of PCOS include weight gain, acne, or irregular periods. If any woman suspects her hair fall is due to this syndrome, we recommend consulting a doctor.
Any reader who is experiencing abnormally heavy hair fall, try to observe and reconsider whether it might be caused by one of the 6 causes above. Once you know, you can find a way to stop and treat it properly. In addition, nourishing and caring for hair with products that don't harm hair indirectly, such as AloEx shampoo and serum — whose main components are extracts of over 30 kinds of herbs and which are free of harsh chemicals toxic to hair — can also help reduce hair-fall problems and restore the health of the hair and scalp to be strong again.
