The dynamics of hair loss & homeopathic treatment

Hair is one of everyone’s elementary dynamics — it mirrors and also affects how people think, or feel, about themselves.

Hair loss on the scalp can affect people at any age — from babies to old people. It can also activate emotional and psychosocial distress. In some cases, it can affect the eyebrows, eyelashes, facial hair, such as the beard and moustache, and ‘set off’ bald spots anywhere. It can sometimes progress quickly, leading to a total loss of scalp hair in quick time, or limit itself to one small, permanent patch.

Men are at an inherited disadvantage, or genetic inconvenience — their hair loss blueprint is four times greater than women.

The most common type of hair loss is male and female pattern baldness; it worsens with age. It’s marked by a receding hairline, with bald spots over the crown. The cause may be genetic, smoking, alcohol, depression, body-building, or anabolic steroids, including creatine supplements. 

Alopecia areata is another — of loss of hair in patches. Although it can affect any hair-bearing area of the body, the term connotes patchy hair loss on the scalp. The condition, though benign in most cases, can cause extreme emotional and psychosocial stress in affected individuals.

Among all hair disorders, none, of course, arouses as much interest as alopecia areata. The reason for it is the uniqueness with which the disorder presents itself

• It can affect people of any age — from infancy right up to one’s 80s
• It can affect any part of the body — in certain cases, it can extend to the eyebrows, eyelashes, facial hair [beard; moustache] and can give rise to bald spots anywhere
• It can progress rapidly leading to complete loss of scalp hair in a span as short as 15 days, or can limit itself to one small persistent patch throughout a person's life
• It has phases of remission and relapse even when the individual is on medication. In rare instances, it can relapse 20 years after the first hair loss episode

• In certain cases, hair loss is more extensive
• It may sometimes progress to total loss of hair on the head [alopecia areata totalis] or complete loss of hair all over the body [alopecia areata universalis].

Hair loss is often triggered by dandruff, dermatitis [eczema] and other skin problems, as already cited. Cosmetic procedures like prolonged traction, permanent weaving, colouring, certain shampoos, soaps, including incorrect scalp massage, iron-deficiency anaemia and pituitary gland problems, may be additional causes for hair loss. In addition, scalp hair can also be damaged by certain conventional medications [e.g., steroids; anti-cancer drugs] and also safety helmets, while riding the bike. Short-term hair loss can occur in women taking oral contraceptive pills.

There are other triggers for hair loss — parasitic infections.  Fungal infection may be a possible accompanying factor too. In addition, hair loss may also be diagnosed by a history of a preceding illness [e.g., lupus, a damaging immune disorder]. Other notable offenders may be the daily application of treated, or chlorinated, water to the scalp, lack of exercise, mental and emotional stress.  In some instances, hair loss may be the result of slow, or tardy, blood supply to the scalp.

Homeopathy: The safe, effective treatment for hair loss

Homeopathy treats not just hair problems, hair loss, scalp disorders, or infections, but the individual with the problem — safely, and effectively. In simple terms, it treats the person as a whole. Every individual who has a hair loss problem ought to have certain physical and emotional symptoms. They also have a certain type of personality, feelings, likes and dislikes.

The right homeopathic remedy for hair loss is chosen, based on such findings, because for homeopathic medicines for hair loss, to work, they have to suitably match the individual’s symptom-picture, in its totality.