A hot water shower can be the most refreshing thing at the end of a long and tiring day. While it is good to get rid of muscle pain and freshen up your mood, did you know that hot water can cause hair damage? So, if you are experiencing hair loss, read on to find out if your hot water shower is the cause of hair fall.
Reasons to avoid a hot water shower
- Hot water causes hairfall
Are you losing approximately 100-150 hair strands in a day? It is normal hair fall. But if you are losing more than that, you should know that it is excessive hair fall. And if you’re using hot water to wash your hair, it could be causing inflammation. This could lead to hair loss.
- Hot showers make the scalp dry and itchy
Oil glands lie just below the scalp. And they secrete the hair’s natural oils. Their job is to protect and moisturize the scalp skin. Along with the shampoo, it strips the sebum and makes your scalp dry and dehydrated. Itching and flaking can be terrible for scalp health. It disturbs the hair roots and might trigger inflammation. As a result, more itching and flaking follows. So, there starts a vicious cycle.
- Hot showers wreck the pH balance of the scalp
Have you heard the term pH balance a million times but do not know what it means? It measures how acidic or alkaline a solution is. It is measured on a scale of 1-14. A pH of 7 is neutral, a pH less than 7 is acidic and a pH greater than 7 is alkaline or basic. Pure water has a pH of 7. This means it is neutral i.e., neither acidic nor alkaline. The pH of the scalp is around 5. This means it is slightly acidic. And what gives our scalp the acidic pH? It’s the sweaty combination of your scalp’s natural oils combined with sweat, that creates an acidic layer. This forms a thin film over your scalp and hair. pH balance is a big deal because it protects your scalp from fungus, bacteria and other microbes. When pH is at optimal levels, it improves the skin’s barrier function. Thus, your scalp can retain moisture better and flake less. The hot water washes away all the sebum. There goes the protective acid layer. And your scalp will be more prone to getting infections as well as eczema, dermatitis and acne. Consequently, the hair follicles cannot thrive and flourish. This can slow hair regrowth. While your scalp will secrete more sebum and form the pH balance again, it takes hours to replace it. And the gap time leaves the scalp unprotected and exposed.
- Hot showers cause protein loss and thinning hair
Hair is made up of keratin which is a protein. If you drench your hair with water that is too hot, then the proteins in your hair will get damaged. This leads to thinning hair.
- Shampoo and hot water are a bad combination
When you shampoo your hair, there is a tendency to lose hair. But if you use hot water on your hair, you will have excessive hair fall. You need lukewarm water to shampoo your hair.
Now that you know the reasons why you shouldn’t use hot water, you should also know that you need a cold shower after conditioning your hair.
Your hair wash is incomplete without using a conditioner. But using hot water on your hair after applying the conditioner is incorrect. It defeats the purpose of conditioning your hair. It washes away all the softening effects of the hair conditioner.
When to see a doctor?
See your doctor if you are distressed by persistent hair fall and want to pursue treatment. Talk to your doctor if you notice unexpected hair fall or more than normal hair fall (approximately 100-150 hair strands) when combing or washing your hair. Sudden hair fall is a sign of an underlying medical condition that requires treatment.
Hair fall treatment in homeopathy
Homeopathic remedies are selected and customized for you based on your case history. Homeopathy efficiently treats the fundamental cause of hair fall. This helps in hair fall control. Homeopathy can be supplemented with the treatment options listed below for further enhancement.
- Hair Vitalizing Treatment (HVT)
HVT is a US-FDA-approved hair fall treatment. It reduces hair breakage. It has a success rate of 90% (as authenticated by the US-based agency American Quality Assessors (AQA)).
- STM Cell Treatment
This South Korean innovation to grow your hair naturally, repairs hair tissue. This method triggers hair regrowth with negligible or no pain. This procedure takes 60 minutes once a week. It has a success rate of 88% (as authenticated by the AQA).
- GroHAIR Treatment
This French technology is based on a Nobel Prize-winning innovation. This is India’s first non-invasive hair fall treatment. This treatment strengthens the hair’s keratin tissue. It brings the amino acids and vitamins essential for hair growth up to the hair root. This procedure takes 30 minutes once a week. It has a success rate of 77% (as authenticated by the AQA).
Several diseases can result in excessive hair fall and many of them overlap in symptoms. Hence it is vital to consult a hair doctor. Through a detailed case history, he/she can diagnose accurately and determine a treatment plan. Visit the nearest hair clinic to seek side-effect-free hair fall treatment in homeopathy.
