Navigation
Hair Loss News Archives
July 2010
Indians have worlds best hair: study
In terms of health, the Indian hair is the best, topping other ethnic groups on all four counts
July 2010
Getting down to the root of the issue, a
multi-ethnic study has demonstrated the “superiority” (of health) of
the Indian hair.
A team headed by Yashwanth Kamath, who used to head the Textile
Research Institute in Princeton, New Jersey, tested samples of hair
for four characteristics that determine healthy hair - thickness,
tensile strength, shine, and smoothness. Caucasian, Asian and Indian
hair samples were put to the test for the World's Best Hair study.
Their results put an end to any splitting of hairs over the issue:
in terms of health, the Indian hair is the best, topping other
ethnic groups on all four counts. So, are we only genetically
endowed, or do we even do a better job of grooming?
S. Sugandhan, consultant dermatologist and cosmetologist, MIOT
Hospitals, says other studies in the past have proved that Indian
hair is also the densest – in terms of number of hairs per follicle.
“Hair health depends both on several physiological, pathological
causes and grooming. The latter is more to do with preventing
breakages and split ends,” he says.
These are the facts: On an average, everyone with a head full of
hair has one lakh follicles.
Of this, it is estimated that about 85 – 90 per cent are in the
growth phase, about 15-10 per cent are resting and hair fall also
happens between these stages. Normally, hair grows in cycles of
growing, resting and shedding and each strand has a life of 4-6
years.
Everyday, the body normally sheds nearly 50 – 100
strands of hair.
Vegetables, milk help
Is that reassuring? G.R.Ratnavel, consultant dermatologist, Apollo
Hospitals, says 30-40 per cent of his patients come with hair
problems – dandruff and hair fall (nutritional, hormonal or because
of excessive use of cosmetics). Of this 10 per cent are
unnecessarily worried about hair fall, he says.
Even as you thank your parents and ethnic group for the hair you
have been endowed with, remember that nutrition is responsible for
good health. Eating dates, greens, milk, vegetables and using oil
(the anti-fungal gingelly oil is apparently best) help.
Among women, anaemia and thyroid problems are the major causes for
hair loss, Dr. Sugandan says.
High stress situations, such as examinations or pregnancy; chronic illness or acute illness resulting in hospitalisation can also cause hair fall. Dull, lifeless hair, split ends and hair breakage have external causes – frequent beauty parlour procedures - specially curling and straightening.
As for hair colouring, using a darker colour is okay, but not light colours, as for this, the hair will have to be bleached first, he adds.Pollution and using hard water also affect the strength of the hair, says Dr. Ratnavel.
Using shampoo (the right one for your hair and skin) regularly will, contrary to public opinion, prevent dandruff; and conditioners coat the hair and improve its strength texture.
Comparisons between Indian oiled and
unoiled samples in the World's Best Hair Study demonstrate that
oiling modifies certain physical characteristics like the diameter
of hair and also lowers loss of vital proteins.
Loss of hair density and greying are attendant with the ageing
process and are determined by what genes one has inherited.
But with premature greying and balding too, solutions are available,
dermatologists assure. And for those who cannot be helped that way,
there is always hair transplantation.