Beauty is in your hands

Youth is a blessed period in anybody’s life, be it a woman or man. Many men lose hair at an early age itself. They become depressed over their baldness, their chances of marriage becoming bleak due to it etc. Dr. Govindarajan, consultant, Fair & Hair comes out with solutions that promise that we no longer need to worry over loss of hair. He answers our queries on problems concerning hair:

Q: How men can maintain their hair and prevent baldness?

A: Many men become bald at an early age itself and look much older. Baldness may be due to genetic factor or fungal infection. Using inferior quality shampoos, pollution, and deficient diet will result in the weakening of hair roots leading to hair fall. If the baldness is due to genetic factor, there’s no cure. This baldness is called M type. The front hair starts receding and the head becomes bald in course of time. Fungal infection causes spot baldness, that is, baldness appears in patches. This is called alopecia areata. A dermatologist will be able to treat this kind of baldness. To prevent baldness due to pollution, you can tie a cotton cloth covering your head or wear a hat. Always, good quality shampoo should be used. If oil is used for combing, the oil that stays on the hair will attract dust when you go out. This will increase hair fall. So, instead of oil, non-sticky materials like gels can be used. Also, wearing a helmet prevents the hair from gathering dust.

Q: Some women are bald like men …!

A: As I had said earlier, genetic factor, insomnia, tension, worry etc. will increase hair fall, leading to baldness. Eating food that strengthens hair roots will control hair fall to some extent. Women’s baldness is called traction alopecia. Genetic factor cannot be quoted as the main reason for women’s baldness.

Q: Which type of hair requires maximum care?

A:Curly hair doesn’t fall that easily. Thin and soft hair will have the maximum problem in hair fall. The brand of shampoo should not be changed frequently. Also, rough combing and rough handling should be avoided. Combs that are round edged should be used. The hair should not be combed immediately after head bath. The hair should be dried softly with a towel.

Q: You say that while treating baldness using the new technique of hair addition, either surgical or non-surgical methods are adopted. Please explain them in detail …

A:There are two ways – hair weaving and hair bonding in non-surgical method. In hair weaving, we first cut some hair from the person receiving the treatment. We’ll identify the texture of the same – whether it is curly, straight, thick or thin etc. Then we prepare an artificial set up of hair of the same quality. Then we attach this onto the bald spots. This hair will last for long and will look very real. In the bonding method, instead of weaving, the hair is clipped together. This will also look real. These two methods are non-surgical. Also, there is no need for medication. And, there won’t be any pain. The cost is also reasonable. In the surgical method, some hair is cut from the spot where the growth is comparatively thicker and the hair is implanted on the scalp using special needles. Local anesthesia is given prior to this so that the patient doesn’t feel the pain. Medicines are to be taken internally in this treatment.

Baldness is no longer an untreatable problem, it is no longer a curse, says Dr. Govindarajan!