Ode to lost hairs!

 

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I am blessed with frizzy wavy hair. After shampoos, conditioner, and serum, my hair still looks like a beautiful dry coconut(in Tamil we call it naaru).  I THINK...I think I have naturally curly/wavy hair. I came to this amazing conclusion after watching repeated curly hair transformation videos on Reels. I blame Instagram. But have I done anything to make my hair look good? No. I don't care at this point that it kinda has become my thing. But I do sometimes dream of having a good hair day.

Fun fact: All hair in our body has a genetic growth rate and length. That's why eyelashes never grow beyond a certain length. 

There are many reasons why hair loss occurs:
1. Physical stress: surgery, illness, anemia, lack of sleep
2. Emotional stress: job loss, marital difficulties
3. Diet considerations: rapid weight loss or gain, unusual dieting habits
4. Hormonal causes: postpartum, oral contraceptives, menopause
These are all internal factors that cause hair fall.
What about external factors?
We use shampoo to clean hair. To repair the damage done by shampoo, we use a conditioner, and for that damage, we use a serum. But where did this conditioner craze come from?
The need for a hair conditioner came because we used bar soaps to clean both the hair and the body before. These bar soaps possess an alkaline pH, which leaves the hair unattractive and unmanageable. And most homes used Well water for cleansing, which had a high mineral content. The combination of the bar soap and hard water leaves the hair harsh and dull.
 Now the shampoos leave the hair soft and manageable. This led to the current practice of shampooing daily or every other day, which efficiently removes natural oil produced by hair. Thus, hair conditioners were developed to artificially provide oil and also avoid a greasy appearance.
How hair styling affects hair? 
 Hair comb:
Hair should only be combed when dry, if possible. Wet hair is more elastic than dry hair, meaning that vigorous combing of the moist fibers can stretch the hair to the point of fracture. The ideal comb is a wide neem wooden comb because it causes less friction and massages the scalp, thus more blood circulation.
 Hairpins and clasps:
 The fact is that all hairpins or clasps break some hair since they must hold the hair tightly to stay in place. This problem is particularly apparent in women who wear a ponytail. 
Hair shampoo:
Choose a shampoo based on the type of hair(oil, dry). Don't buy a shampoo that has:
SLS(sodium laurly sulfate)
TEA -Laurel sulfate
TEA-dodecynenzene
Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulphonate
Alkyl Sodium sulfate
Check out the ingredients in your shampoo. Go! I will wait till then.GO!
Hair drying :
It is best if the hair is allowed to air dry(DUH! it's cheap). However, many wish to speed up the drying process. But it removes water particles that are internal in your hair and leaves hair dry and brittle.
Hair appliances:
Burning off the hair and subsequent breakage can also be caused by heated hair appliances: curling irons, straightening irons, and heated curlers. People prefer to use these appliances at their hottest setting to have a tight, long-lasting curl, but it also induces the most hair damage. This burning is minimized if a lower heat setting is chosen. It is also advisable to unplug the heated curlers for about 2–3 minutes before placing them in the hair to allow slight cooling. 

Damage to the hair can also occur through environmental factors such as exposure to sunlight, air pollution, wind, seawater, and chlorinated swimming pool water. 

Tips to maintain a healthy hair 

Is it possible to increase the longevity of hair? Of course not. Hair is a nonliving tissue that cannot be altered once produced by the follicle. But we can follow a few tips to avoid damaging the hair.
Tip 1: Avoid over-doing:  
There is a belief that the more you do to the hair, the healthier it becomes. This is not true. The more you comb, brush, curl, twist, flip, tease, braid the hair, the more damage it incurs. This damage is permanent since the hair is nonliving.
Tip 2: Select a wide-toothed comb to remove tangles:
I guess that's self-explanatory.
Tip 3: Do not comb wet hair:
Hair is much more likely to fracture when wet than when dry.  If you still want to de-tangle your hair, it is best to use fingers but I would advise rather not.
Tip 4: Avoid scratching the hair and scalp:
It can be due to lice or dandruff. Both ways get it checked up because it's GROSS! But, I have it too.😝
Tip 5: Cut the damaged hair:
Hair that is damaged damages other parts of hair too. To stop damaging the entire hair it is advisable to cut the damaged parts.

These are not medically proven tips but a great scientist knows that true discovery is the one yet to be proven

What are some of the tips that you follow for your hair?