|
|
SLP Hair Loss Links |
Hair Loss - True Or False?There are lots of myths around hair loss and hair growth. Here are some answers: 1. If the males in your family have full heads of hair, then you probably won't go bald. FalseA tendency to baldness is inherited and probably involves a combination of genes. So you are not automatically in the clear even if your father has a full head of hair. It is not true, as sometimes claimed, that only genes from the mother's side are involved. 2. Brushing the hair 100 times a day will stimulate the circulation and prevent hair loss. FalseVigorous brushing is more likely to injure the hairs and make the problem worse. 3. Some hairstyles, like braiding can also cause hair loss. TrueStyles that pull or put tension on the hairs - such as tight ponytails or corn-rows - can cause hair loss. 4. Hats encourage hair loss because the hair can't breathe. FalseHair does not need to breathe. Only the root of the hair is alive, and this gets its oxygen from the blood in the scalp. 5. Frequent shampooing makes your hair fall out. FalseThe 50-100 hairs we lose each day often become tangled with the rest of the hair, but are washed out when we shampoo. So we see what seems like a lot of hair in the shower after shampooing, but in reality these hairs have been shed earlier. 6. Blow-drying can worsen hair loss. TrueThe reason is that extreme heat damages the proteins in the hairs, making them fragile and liable to break off. Brushing the hair during blow-drying causes more damage. If you use a hair dryer it should be set on the coolest setting. 7. Hair coloring, perm solutions and hairsprays worsen hair loss. FalseHair dyes, perms and hairsprays do not affect thinning hair. Perms and hairsprays can help to disguise the problem. Remember, it is the follicle, which is located beneath the skin, that produces the hair. Chemical treatments can damage the hair strands but can't affect the follicle. 8. Baldness can be linked to heart attacks. InconclusiveIn 1999, doctors at Harvard Medical School found that men who had lost hair at the crown of the head had a 32% increased chance of coronary heart disease. Hair loss at the front of the head hardly increased the risk at all. Regardless of how accurate this study could be, if you have baldness at the top of your head, you should stop smoking, eat healthy, have your blood pressure checked and do some exercise. |
|