ROOT CAUSE

By TRISHA BULLER

It has been a busy time in the world of trichology, with some people experiencing an unusually excessive shedding of hair. Over the past few months we have experienced a season of cold weather, with an increase in colds, flu and other viruses. These can all have an impact on your hair growth cycle. Your hair bulbs rely on a constant supply of blood, which are attached to the hair follicles. They lay deep in the dermis and are connected to a network of tiny blood capillaries. These capillaries carry oxygen, minerals and vitamins to the hair and help with the removal of waste and toxins.

When the body's immune system is under attack from foreign bodies, in particular viruses, the blood will carry all the important minerals, vitamins and nutrition to the organs which keep us alive, fit and healthy, and help to aid recovery from the foreign antibodies that are attacking our immune system.

With this in mind you can understand that the hair follicle can be the last organ to receive nutrition from the blood during these times, and eventually as the hair cycle evolves, it can experience a premature resting phase, which involves the hair shedding before it was actually supposed to.

The signs you may notice are excess hair in the brush, plug, shower or bath, your pillow and even when running your fingers through your hair. This experience can be extremely alarming, causing anxiety and stress; however try to keep calm, speak to your hairdresser for support and visit your nearest trichologist.

Early diagnosis is important, as with any medical issues. Avoid wasting time and money on scalp and hair potions and lotions unless you have been prescribed medication from a professional practitioner. Remember we are what we eat, and our hair is a complex chain of amino acids, which are proteins. If you do not eat meat, ensure you are replacing your diet with other food groups high in B12, which is important for healthy hair growth.

Do shampoo your hair daily, using the correct hair cleanser for your scalp and hair type, and always apply a conditioner to the hair. Allow the hair to dry naturally, or put your head upside down and dry with a medium heat, this will create more root lift and volume. Also do continue with your professional hair colour as this will give body and volume to the hair and give you more confidence when looking at yourself in the mirror. Generally if you are shedding an excess amount of hair, the scalp can become greasy and the hair density decreases – by applying conditioner to the scalp you could exacerbate lank hair causing a lack in body and volume and an excess of oil on the scalp. Also do not brush wet hair, this can cause the hair to snap, and damage the hair structure.

For more hair and scalp health tips, contact Trisha Buller via trishabuller.com