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If your standards of hair washing and hygiene are poor, any existing
hair loss problem you have can be made worse.
And Personal Hygiene Cause Hair Loss? |
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At some point in their lives, hair loss will affect nearly all
men and most women on the planet!
Most experts agree that your genes, DHT (that's dihydrotestosterone) and 5 alpha reductase (an enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT) are the underlying cause of androgenetic alopecia (male and female pattern baldness). |
However, there is still much debate about the actual mechanism that will cause hair loss of this type. And as a result, a number of different theories exist.
The "hair washing" theory involves a lack of hygiene, as opposed to over washing hair:
| Some people believe that hair washing too
frequently will cause hair loss. This idea probably stems from the fact that hair loss is often most noticeabke during the hair wash process. And, because you notice this, you assume that it's the hair wash process itself that is somehow to blame. However, only weak hair (i.e., that's ready to fall anyway) will do so. When hair is wet and given a thorough massage, there is bound to be more hair shedding than during the rest of the day. (The same can also be said of combing hair - and some people believe over brushing will cause their hair loss too!) Finally, many people with a full head of hair will wash it everyday - and they don't suffer any hair loss at all. In fact, hair washing frequently is actually more likely to help your hair grow. That's because hair washing properly will involve massaging the scalp - an action which, along with warm water can only help encourage scalp circulation and hair growth. |
So, can poor hair washing cause hair loss?
This theory focuses on the overproduction of sebum.
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Sebum is an oily substance produced and secreted by sebaceous glands in
the follicles that grow hair. Its job is to condition the hair,
allowing it smooth passage as it grows along the follicle. It also
provides a degree of waterproofing. The amount of sebum produced is related to the quantity of DHT present in the scalp (more sebum is formed if more DHT is present). That's why, during puberty, many men get very greasy skin: |
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| A lack of hygiene at puberty can lead to bacterial infection and extensive development of acne. A poor level of hygiene or infrequent hair washing will also lead to a very thick layer of sebum quickly forming on your scalp and in your hair. (Obviously by washing your face and hair frequently, perhaps even every day, these problems can be overcome). |
But sebum overproduction is not restricted to puberty. This theory states that ill health, stress, and a poor diet can also have the same effect in anyone.
So, can all this excess sebum cause hair loss?
If sebum is produced much more quickly than the rate at which the hair grows, it will do far more than simply lubricate the hair as it moves along its follicle. Any excess can easily ooze back down the hair shaft and fill the follicle with oil. This hardens to form a waxy plug, which then obstructs the passage of the hair shaft as it tries to grow along.
And, if the hair roots become clogged, hair production begins to choke. It can slow down or even stop completely if the follicle becomes totally blocked.
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This theory claims that, for both
men and women, hair loss can be permanent if the rate of sebum
production is not reduced, or sebum is not removed (i.e., by hair
washing frequently in order to maintain an extremely high level of
hygiene). Note: Given that sebum has waterproofing properties, simply hair washing with water is inadequate. Some people believe that living a more "natural" life is preferable. |
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Most hair loss experts agree that far fewer women than men suffer pattern baldness simply because they produce far less DHT.
However, this theory offers an alternative reason - hair follicles in women lie at an angle within the scalp, which means their hair will grow at an angle to the skin. This could allow sebum to slide along the hair shaft away from the follicle. But, in men, hair grows out from the scalp at a more perpendicular angle, and so sebum could more easily slide back down to the hair roots.
This idea can be extended to explain why male pattern baldness only seems to affect the top of the head.
Hair on the crown of the scalp grows upwards as it emerges from the skin. And so, as before, sebum can easily sink back down into the follicle. But, hair at the back and sides of the head grows in a more downward direction, and so the sebum produced there is much more likely to slide along the hair shaft away from the root and out from the surface of the skin.
At first glance, this idea seems quite convincing, doesn't it?
But, can a lack of hair washing actually trigger male pattern baldness?
No, and these are the reasons why:
First of all, there are many people who lack proper hair washing and hygiene levels but still retain a full head of hair.
Also, this theory fail to answer these questions:
Q1. Why does remnant hair sometimes last long after baldness has developed? (Remnant hair is thick, strong, healthy hair that grows within the MPB region despite extensive hair loss all around it).
Q2. Why do 20% of men start losing hair at puberty, whilst others don't start until much later on in life?
Q3. Why do some people lose hair from the front, back or both these regions of the scalp?
Q4. Why is it that hair can fall faster in one region of the scalp than it does in the other?
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The theory for poor hygiene and high sebum levels cannot provide answers to these questions.
Only skull expansion can answer these and other questions relevant to this type of hair loss. Hair Loss Newsletter Looking for top hair loss tips and hair care advice? Then join Reverse Hair Loss Now. Subscribe to this free newsletter and you also get a copy of: "Skull Expansion - True Cause of Genetic Hair Loss" This groundbreaking ebook reveals how the hair loss industry got it wrong! Learn more.
Leave Hair Washing page and go to Hair Loss Causes index.
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