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Hair Loss News Archives
October 2005
Hair today, gone tomorrow
Male baldness is a problem that affects a major section of the population. Quite
a set-back for male ego, the affected are willing to go to great lengths to
correct it, finds Ritusmita Biswas
Mihir Bhatia had tried everything. From Hibiscus juice to Chinese concoction,
Hair Lossopathy, allopathy and naturopathy; he had done it all. Nothing, however,
proved to be useful. As the few hair on Mihir’s head grew scarcer by the day, he
plunged into the deep delves of depression.
Mihir Bhatia is a typical example of thousands of young men across the globe who
go bald every year. In fact, according to recent statistics, a major section of
the adult male population globally suffers from the typical male pattern
baldness. This form of baldness usually begins in the teenage years and becomes
more common as men age.
The latest scientific research reveals that the male
hormone, testosterone, is converted to another male hormone, 5-DHT, in the hair
follicles. In genetically susceptible men, the hair follicles on the front and
top of their scalps will become more fine over the years under the influence of
5-DHT. Eventually, the hair completely disappears.
Over the years, physicians have tried to find a cure for this problem. In fact,
men have been attempting to treat their hair loss for over 5000 years, beginning
perhaps with a compendium of medical knowledge dating back to approximately 3500
BC that included prescriptions for hair loss treatment.
This list of treatments
was passed on from generation to generation.
“In ancient India, kabirajes or traditional doctors always had cures for hair
loss if diagonised at a proper stage,” says Kabiraj Nityanad Ghorai of Kolkata.
In Ayurveda, hair is considered to be a byproduct of bone formation.
The tissues responsible for building bones are also responsible for the growth of hair. Ayurvedic doctors believe that early hair loss is related to body type and the balance of the mind-body constitution or doshas. “Individuals who have excess pitta in the sebaceous gland, at the root of the hair, or folliculitis can start losing hair,” he says.
Hair loss is treated in Ayurveda with a combination of
diet, herbs, oil massage, meditation, aromatherapy, breathing and yoga.
Hair Lossopathy too has a number of cures that claim to arrest male pattern of
baldness. “We specialise in hair treatments. Around 30-50 per cent of males in
the age group of 30-50 years are affected by male pattern of baldness that is
mostly caused due to factors like heredity, skin disorder of scalp, stress and
illness,” says the spokesperson for Batra clinic.
The latest buzzword in this hair care scenario is Trichoanalysis, which helps to
determine three important technical fundamental parameters of the hair and the
condition of the scalp. This check reveals the exact cause of one’s hair
problems resulting in tailor-made treatments carried out using trichological
medicines and Tricho-active products.
However, in extreme case of baldness, where the roots of the hair are dead,
camouflage or hair transplantation is done. During hair transplantation, a strip
of hair filled with follicular units is removed from the back of the scalp and
then placed where it is balding.
The follicular unit of hair is removed during
transplantation in a narrow strip and then that area is sutured.
After healing, this leaves a thin white line scar that is not visible unless you
shave your scalp. The follicular units of hair from this strip will grow
wherever it is planted just as it did in the back of the scalp.
This is known as
donor dominance. The replacement hair from transplantation will last a lifetime.
It is not susceptible to male pattern baldness.
The procedure, however, is quite expensive. Cosmetic surgeon Sawant Sawhney
points out that obsession with hair is so great among the males that most of
them are willing to shell out exorbitant sums to find a cure. “Getting your hair
back seems to work wonders for the male ego and any sum seems less enough to pay
for that renewed zest for life and complete confidence in oneself,” he says.