Micro-Managing Hair

Ask the hair expert, Dr Shahid Shamsher……

I once knew of a patient who would prepare the following concoction – Henna leaves mixed together with Tea leaves, Curd, Whole Egg, Beet root, Coconut oil and Nilgiris oil and then apply it to his scalp every week. He came to me with the complaint of hair loss, wondering why he was losing hair in spite of doing so much for it. It took me quite a while to explain to him that he was overdoing the whole thing and in fact causing more hair loss in the process. Many-a-times hair is probably the most abused part of the body, and this results from most people having 2 very strongly held myths regarding hair. These are-

Myth no 1. Hair needs nourishment.

Of course yes, it does. But just like every other part of your body, it obtains nourishment through the food you eat and not through the food you apply. Have you ever heard anyone becoming fat because they apply food to their body? And what about the hair in the rest of your body? If the body hair can obtain its nourishment through the food you eat, so can the hair on the head. Why single it out for your so-called “special” treatment?

Myth no 2. Hair is dry.

Hair is supposed to be dry. That’s how it should be. On the other the scalp has enough oil secretion of its own. In fact along with the armpits, scalp is another area of the body which has a lot of oil glands, making it pretty self-sufficient. Now imagine applying oil in your armpits and leaving it overnight. How comfortable would you feel then? That’s how your scalp feels when you oil it in spite of it being oily enough on its own.

In most cases if you focus on the keeping the scalp clean, cutting hair regularly and ensuring body is well nourished, you will able to control hair loss. The mantra is very simple – Keep it simple.