Pollution and Hair Loss
Environmental factors like hot weather and pollution can cause hair loss. Pollutants do not merely imply the chemicals emitted from vehicles and industrial units; rather they could also include substances such as smoke from cigarettes or fire that we come across in our daily lives. For this reason, the risk of pollution-induced hair loss exists among people living in both rural and urban conditions.
Common Pollutants that Cause Hair Loss
If you are spending most of your time indoors, you might feel you are away from pollution, but you aren’t. Pollutants in your home can appear in the form of cigarette smokes (if any of your family members or guests happens to smoke at your home). Smoke from an open fire can risk your hair if it is not channeled out of the house properly.
Cigarettes contain carcinogens that can damage the existing hair while the carbon contained in the fire smoke damage the hair follicles.
The common dust in your home contains several micro-organisms that can cause itching and scaling on the scalp. These changes are minute and are often difficult to notice, but if left untreated, they can lead to different types of alopecia including alopecia areata.
A recent research published by the Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan, has confirmed that certain types of viral infections can trigger alopecia areata. While alopecia areata is generally considered as a hereditary problem, studies have confirmed that even those carrying the genetic component of the illness may require a trigger from the environment such as an infection.
Some people may develop hair loss due to allergies to certain food items or chemicals. If you are suffering from hair loss following the intake of a food or being in contact with any chemicals, you must consult a physician to identify the cause of the hair loss and seek remedies immediately.
Protecting Hair from Pollutants
While it is difficult to completely stay away from pollutants, you can still follow some healthy hair care practices to keep your hair in proper health. Listed below are a few precautions that help you prevent hair loss due to pollution.
* Wear a cap or scarf while going out in hot sun or traveling through a polluted area
* Shampoo your hair frequently even if you are staying indoors most of the time.
* Apply oil and massage your hair before you wash them.
* Use hair conditioner that is made of natural ingredients
* Avoid dyes that contain harsh chemicals.
Hair loss concerns are growing especially because of the adverse environmental conditions surrounding our lives. While we cannot avoid living without them, we can give maximum protection and nourishment to our hair and stay away from hair loss concerns caused due to these harmful pollutants.
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