What Your Hair Wants You To Know

Whenever I wash my hair a lot of hair falls. My friends tell me that it is because I use shampoo and suggested I switch to soap. What is normal hair loss per day?
Jatin Patel
College student, 21

I have recently noticed very worrying changes in my hair. I have developed
excessive facial hair, oily skin and balding in front. Please help.
Fardeen Merchant
Marketing executive, 35

I am a forty-five-year-old man and am facing rapid balding. I don’t see a cure as my brother, and her father has the same problem, so it seems to be genetic. Can anything be done to help?
Dominic Fernandez
Medical representative, 32

Hair loss always provokes panicked responses. In the past, the first signs of hair falling would trigger off frantic oiling of the scalp, counting of the number of strands of hair falling per day and the application of random home remedies.

Today, Trichology, the science of hair and scalp, has systematised the body of knowledge relating to hair and has made the diagnosis and treatment of hair disorders scientific. Questions about hair loss, however, remain the number one concern of the average man or woman and trichologists are accustomed to being asked when one should start to worry.

So, how much hair loss is normal?

There is no exact number by which you can determine if your hair loss is excessive. Excessive hair loss means more hair than you have normally been losing. The normal percentage of hair in the falling stage is 20% and anything over this is abnormal and requires treatment.

The only person qualified to tell you if you are losing too much hair is a trichologist. While most people tend to run to their hairdresser or barber with their hair problems, despite experience, a stylist is not medically qualified to get to the root of the problem. Trichology, with the benefit of research and technology, can pinpoint the cause of hair loss, and prescribe solutions.

So, If your hair loss persists, you should contact a trichologist and check your A/T ratio.

What is the A/T ratio?

A certain amount of hair loss is inevitable. Our hair goes through a natural cycle of growth and fall which can be broken down into three phases.

• 1) Anagen Phase – Growth Phase
• 2) Catagen Phase – Transitional Phase
• 3) Telogen Phase – Resting Phase

To know more about these phases, click here.
Thus, it is perfectly reasonable to lose hair. However, the rate of growth compared to the rate of fall or one’s anagen/telogen ratio determines if your hair loss is healthy or not.

What next?

A specific test known as tricho-analysis of the hair and scalp has been defined to check the A/T ratio and determine the state of the hair follicles. Once this is done, and if your hair loss is found to be abnormal; a trichologist would classify the hair loss into –

• 1) Diffuse Temporary hair loss – temporary hair loss all over the scalp due to factors like viral fever, medication, hormonal changes etc which may need simple corrections and it will show improvement
• 2) Diffuse Permanent hair loss – permanent cause found can be reason for hairfall e.g Thyroid disorders, anemia or any scalp dermatitis which needs a correction to control hair fall.
• 3) Loose Anagen Syndrome – In this category hair is unable to complete its life cycle and attain optimum length & thickness and falls of prematurely, most often expressed as “I touch my hair and it comes out”
• 4) Telogen effluvium – Hair is lost in bunches as seen after Chemotherapy or food poisoning etc.

This study is made along with a thorough look at the patient’s medical case history, lifestyle, diet etc. Treatment and the best course of action are then accordingly prescribed by the doctors.

Whenever a patient visits RichFeel, this detailed diagnosis process is conducted. The Trichoanalysis – Trichogram, is performed for absolute quantification of abnormal or normal hair fall. Advanced technologies and treatments are then suitably prescribed to solve the concern once for all. At RichFeel, it is acknowledged that each patient is unique and their experience unique to them. Hence solutions are completely personalised.

Trichology & RichFeel exist so that you don’t have to endure hair loss. Visit your nearest RichFeel Clinic, consult richly experienced Hair Doctors & leave behind your Hair worries.