Dry hair, hair loss, gray hair? Listen to what the doctor says!

Since when, poor hair quality, premature graying, hair loss and other hair problems have become a problem for more and more people. "I have become stronger but also bald" has become a self-deprecating saying among young people. Hair care and hair transplantation have become a compulsory course for middle-aged people. Even wigs and hairpieces have become popular online shopping... Is your hair dry and split? Do you have gray hair? Are you troubled by hair loss? Don't worry, listen to the coping strategies of Dr. Duan Xiaohan, a dermatologist at Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Memorial Hospital affiliated to Tsinghua University, who specializes in hair diagnosis and treatment.

What should I do if my hair becomes dry and split due to frequent perming and dyeing?

During the dyeing and perming process, chemical or physical factors can damage the outermost hair cuticle of the hair shaft, causing the hair to look dry and split. Straightening the hair can also damage the elasticity of the hair, making it more prone to breakage. It is worth noting that there are many other reasons for dry and split hair, such as ultraviolet rays from the sun, excessive washing, using hard water containing more soluble calcium and magnesium compounds to wash hair, and physical damage such as using electric flats, hair extensions, braiding, etc.

Therefore, the focus of scientific hair care is mainly three aspects:

First, avoid long-term sun exposure to your hair. You can protect your hair from the sun by wearing a hat or holding an umbrella.

Second, wash your hair properly and choose appropriate toiletries. It is summer now, and in a humid environment, you should wash your hair once a day; when it is dry, you can reduce the frequency of shampooing, such as once every two to three days. It is generally recommended to blow dry your hair after washing, comb it normally, and do not let moisture remain in the hair, otherwise it will easily cause the hair shaft to swell and break. Shampoo products contain surfactants (cleaners), stabilizers and other elements. Just choose shampoo products with moderate cleansing power. Excessive cleaning can easily cause dry scalp and cause irritant dermatitis. Remember: If your hair follicles are healthy, you don’t need to deliberately choose shampoo products. It is simple and uncomplicated, and it can reduce the burden on your scalp. You can add conditioner after shampooing, and you can use vegetable oil, mineral oil, etc. to protect the hair cuticle after washing;

Third, avoid excessive hairdressing projects. Generally speaking, dyeing or perming hair will not cause hair loss, but in order to protect the hair quality, it is recommended to choose dyes and perms that will not cause scalp allergies. Dyeing and perming 1-2 times a year is relatively reasonable. If you need to dye your hair frequently, it is recommended to choose temporary hair dyes, because the particles of this type of hair dye are relatively large and it is not easy to penetrate the hair cuticle into the hair shaft. At the same time, it is recommended to dye the hair in its original color. Bleaching agents that do not contain hydrogen peroxide are less damaging to the hair.

What should I do if I have white hair at a young age?

The main reason for gray hair is aging. Studies show that Asians begin to develop gray hair when they are around 40 years old. By the age of 50, 50% of people will have half of their hair gray.

Gray hair that appears before the age of 25 is called "premature graying". Several large-scale studies have found that premature graying is most related to family genetic background, and the chance of premature graying in men or women is the same.

In addition to genetic background, multiple studies have pointed out that the following factors can also affect hair graying: abnormal thyroid function, pernicious anemia, impaired pituitary function, autoimmune diseases such as alopecia areata, vitiligo and progeria syndrome, low calcium, low iron, and reduced vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels are also related to the appearance of gray hair. In addition, studies have found that smokers have 2-4 times more premature gray hair than non-smokers; increased mental stress can not only cause or aggravate hair loss, but also cause hair graying; cardiovascular disease, alcoholism, and obesity are also related to gray hair.

Here I would like to explain in particular that acute diffuse alopecia areata, commonly known as "alopecia areata", is an autoimmune disease that causes acute hair loss and is a reversible hair loss disease.

Hair aging is inevitable. From a medical point of view, white hair can hardly turn black. Currently, choosing safe hair dyes to cover gray hair may be a better way. However, if a lot of gray hair appears in a short period of time, or if a lot of gray hair appears before the age of 25 without a family background of "premature graying", it is recommended to see a dermatologist to rule out other systemic diseases.

Remember! Do not trust the folk "miracle drugs" for treating gray hair. Instead, they may further damage the hair follicles or even more seriously directly damage the liver and kidney functions. It is also not recommended to forcibly pull out gray hair. The pulled out hair will still be white when it grows out. Although the phenomenon of "pulling one hair and three hairs growing" will not occur, long-term and repeated pulling out of hair will easily cause inflammation of the hair follicles, and even damage the hair follicles so that the hair cannot grow again.

What to do about hair loss?

According to the number of hair follicles and the hair growth cycle, it is normal to lose 50-100 hairs a day. If you lose more than 100 hairs a day, you are at high risk of hair loss. It is recommended that you spend a week observing the amount of hair loss every day. You can also do a simple "hair pulling test" before washing your hair, that is, use your hands to pull your hair from the root to the bottom. If more than 3-5 hairs fall out, it indicates a tendency to hair loss.

There are many types of hair loss diseases. The most common one is androgenic alopecia, which is more common in men. In my country, the incidence rate of men is about 20%, and that of women is about 6%. Androgenic alopecia is mainly related to androgens and genetic factors.

In addition, telogen effluvium is also common, with causes such as mental stress, drugs, endocrine system diseases, postpartum, etc., and is more common in women. Another type of alopecia areata related to autoimmunity is also common in clinical practice, with an incidence rate of about 2%. It can manifest as oval-shaped patches of hair loss, or complete loss of hair on the head (alopecia totalis), or total body hair loss (alopecia universalis).

There are many types of hair loss, and diagnosis and treatment are somewhat difficult, so early prevention, early diagnosis, and early intervention are the key points. Prevention: normal diet, regular work and rest, no partiality, and no drastic weight loss. There are many clinical treatment methods, such as traditional topical medications and oral medications. Common oral medications include finasteride, and topical medications include minoxidil. There are also methods such as platelet-rich plasma therapy, laser, low-energy light, and targeted therapy with biological agents. However, it is necessary to clarify the cause of hair loss, and a professional physician should choose a treatment plan suitable for the individual.

There are two main tendencies in folk treatment of hair loss: one is diet therapy. For patients with androgenic alopecia, there is medical evidence that ginseng, saw palmetto, rosemary, green tea, licorice, and pumpkin seeds can inhibit androgens from attacking hair follicles, but the effect is relatively weak. Further research is needed to confirm how much to be effective. The other is various anti-hair loss and hair growth products. There is now more medical evidence that adding ketoconazole to shampoo can inhibit hair loss in patients with androgenic alopecia, but the effect is weak and the absorption of external washing is limited. For patients with androgenic alopecia, it is important to cooperate with other treatments to effectively prevent hair loss.