Is the pollution playing havoc with your hair? Here's what you can do

By Rashmi Ramesh
Piyali Sharma was excited when she landed a coveted job in Bengaluru. The Kolkata girl moved into a paying guest accommodation in the IT hub and settled into work. Like most youngsters, she worked till late in the night on many days. While she caught up on her sleep on weekends, and thought that was fine, what became a cause for concern were the strands of hair on her pillow and the comb.

When changing the shampoo brand did not help, Sharma visited a doctor. She was told that her problem was a result of change in lifestyle and shifting cities.

Dr Vijayalakshmi Sujay, a cosmetologist and dermatologist in Bengaluru, said, “A lot of people who move to different cities, away from their homes, complain of hair issues. This is because of a drastic change in their lifestyle – unhealthy eating, imbalanced diet and nutritional deficiency. And if you look at Bengaluru specifically, the city’s dry climate and the increasingly bad water quality do not help.”

Both men and women suffer from a range of hair problems including, but not limited to, hair fall, premature balding and dandruff.

While it can be a heredity issue, how we take care of our body, mind and hair too plays a pivotal role. Dr Divya Sharma, a Bengaluru-based trichologist, said there has been a tremendous increase in cases of itchy and flaky scalp conditions. Additionally, there has been an increase in male pattern baldness, as well as female pattern hair loss among young, white-collar professionals, she said.

“The reason for the increase is imbalanced diet. Several young people have nutritional deficiencies, bad metabolism, sedentary lifestyles and high stress levels,” she said. Sujay said the most common cause for hair fall is stress. It is followed by hormonal imbalance, which is mostly prevalent among women.



Unhealthy lifestyle is also a major contributor. “Hormonal imbalance and stress are interrelated – stress can lead to hormonal imbalance, resulting in hair issues,” she said. “I have seen hormonal issues such as thyroid disorders and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) increase alarmingly over the past few years among young women. People with these problems must modify their lifestyles to become more active with the help of nutritional supplements, and maintain a healthy diet.”

Air conditioners wreak havoc on the moisture content of the hair, leaving them dry and frizzy, while pollution can cause hair loss. “There are even papers written about the adverse effects of pollution on hair, which say that the soot in polluted air can increase production of oil on the face and scalp. There are hydrocarbons released in the air that I think even impair the absorption of nutrients by hair follicles,” said Sujay.

PROPER DIAGNOSIS IS IMPORTANT

It is important to visit a doctor when you realise your have a problem. Only with proper diagnosis is a solution possible. “Usually, people misdiagnose their problems. For example, if someone has dandruff, they don’t know whether it is the dry scalp dandruff or the oily scalp dandruff.

They just know they have dandruff, and they go to a hair salon or a spa and get an oil massage. That could lead to them getting skin infections like scalp folliculitis. Or it may not be dandruff at all, but a condition called scalp psoriasis, which requires a completely different course of action. Hence, it is imperative to consult a doctor and not self-medicate,” according to Sujay.

Dr Deepak K Tibrewal, a homeopath in Bengaluru, said a hair issue is, more often than not, symptom of a disorder and not the problem itself. “Dandruff, which is a fungal infection, can be caused by unhealthy lifestyles, pollution, nutritional deficiencies and lack of hygiene. And while there are medications to combat hair fall, unfortunately, most products that are sold as hair-fall treatment are not very effective. There is no one single thing that can resolve all these issues. One must understand that a healthy and active lifestyle is a much better cure than any medicine,” he said.

CARE MATTERS

Paying attention to your hair and scalp is imperative, Sharma said. “I’ve noticed that people are so busy with work that they don’t even have the time to wash their hair. That will, of course, cause damage. It is very basic, but you must give some attention to your hair and scalp for it to be healthy. Once you consult a doctor and your hair health starts to improve, it is important to maintain the treatment for continued progress,” she said. “It takes quite a bit of effort to treat the problem. Hence, it is vital for everyone to lead a healthy lifestyle,” she said.

Nutrition is something that is compromised nowadays. Sharma recommended avoiding junk food and replacing them with healthy snacks. If you are outdoors, “cover your hair to protect it from the sun and pollution – don’t let it fly high,” Sujay said. “People working in airconditioned offices think that since they don’t sweat much, they don’t need to wash their hair often. That’s not true. You have to keep your scalp clean to avoid buildup. A good hair mask or a doctor-recommended conditioner can help tame frizzy hair that can be a result of the moisture loss due to air conditioners.” She recommended drinking more water to replace the lost hair moisture. "Tying the hair while travelling protects it from getting entangled due to blowing winds and prevents damage," Sujay said. Carrying a small bottle of your usual hair products (keeping with the guidelines of flights if you're travelling by air) in leak-proof bottles, covering the head with a hat or a bandana in the sun, oiling or moisturising hair before going to a beach (or any place where you'll be around water), eating local fresh fruits and vegetables, staying hydrated as well as staying away from heat-styling can be beneficial, she said.

DESTRESS FOR YOUR TRESSES

The first thing one should do to improve hair health is reduce stress levels and eat a balanced diet.

“Meditation or even spending half an hour a day doing something you enjoy can help. Then comes healthy eating – you must eat nutritious food at regular intervals. You’ll be surprised to know that more than 60% of women in India have iron deficiency.

Breakfast is a must, lunch must include a healthy portion of vegetables and dinner must be eaten before 8:30 pm. I generally give my patients multivitamin tablets to kick things off, but ask them to follow a healthy lifestyle to maintain their health,” Sujay said. “While shampoos, conditioners and hair masks do help to a certain extent, we must understand that they are just superficial products. To treat the problem completely, or regulate it in the long run, the change must be from within.