HAIR LOSS PREVENTION (7)

HAIR LOSS PREVENTION (7)

Hair and Scalp Diseases

There are a variety of hair and scalp diseases; some
are very common, while other more severe hair and scalp
diseases are fortunately rare. Alopecia Areata is an
autoimmune skin disease that causes the body’s immune
system to attack the hair follicles, causing baldness in
patches. It affects 1.7 percent of the population, including
4.7 million people in the United States. In cases where the
disease progresses to the point where all scalp hair is lost, it
is called Alopecia Totalis, and where hair loss advances to
the entire body it is called Alopecia Universialis. There is
no known cause for alopecia areata and therefore no known
cure. The disease usually hits before age 20, and does not
seem to favor one particular gender or culture. Hair loss
with alopecia areata comes in stages, with hair returning
and falling out in phases. For information on this disease,
contact the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF)
at PO Box 150760, San Rafael, CA 94915-0760, (415) 472- 3780.
Seborrheic Dermatitis, an advanced form of
seborrhea, is a non-contagious skin disease that causes
excessive oiliness of the skin, most commonly in the scalp,
caused by overproduction of sebum, the substance
produced by the body to lubricate the skin where hair
follicles are present. Seborrhea is the form of the disease
where oiliness only occurs without redness and scaling.
The disease commonly occurs in infants, middle-aged
people, and the elderly, and is commonly known in infants
as cradle cap. The disease has no cure, yet in infants it
usually disappears in time. With adults the condition may
persist with varying degrees of severity. Flaking, scaling
and redness often are symptoms of this disease. It is easily
treated with topical solutions found in creams containing
corticosteroids and shampoos containing pine tar, selenium
sulfide or salicylic acid. Seborrhea and seborrheic
dermatitis are both easily treated and controlled, and should
be because left untreated they can contribute to hair loss. In
fact, a group of Japanese scientists have linked the
overproduction of sebum to hair loss. This is because the
sebaceous glands in areas of the scalp where hair is
thinning or bald are enlarged, and are thought to cause the
clogging of pores and several other problems that promote hair loss.
Psoriasis is termed an immune-mediated disorder
that affects different areas and functions of the body. It is
non-contagious, and one of the areas of the body it can
affect is the scalp. It usually appears as patches of raised
red skin accompanied by burning and itching. Several
contributing factors are thought to contribute to the
outbreak of psoriasis, including emotional stress, certain
infections, toxemia, the thinning of the intestinal walls and
adverse reactions to certain drugs. At least half of people
who have psoriasis have scalp psoriasis. Like seborrhea,
scalp psoriasis left untreated can cause hair loss.
Fortunately, it can also be treated with a variety of topical
creams and shampoos containing tar and salicylic acid. For
more information on psoriasis, contact the National
Psoriasis Foundation at 6600 SW 92nd Ave., Suite 300,
Portland, OR 97223-7195, (503) 244-7404 or (800) 723- 9166.
It is vital not to scratch the scalp and pick at the
scabs that psoriasis causes, as this could damage the hair
follicles in the dermis and cause permanent hair loss. As
long as the follicles are not damaged, hair loss caused by
this malady is usually temporary and hair will grow back
once the condition clears. Some of the best ways to stop the
itching are using very common household substances such
as mouthwashes like Lavoris® and Listerine®. Carbolated
Vaseline® works well along the hairline to relieve
symptoms. Hair dyes of all kinds and chemical treatments
such as permanents and relaxers should be avoided at all
costs with psoriasis. These chemicals are extremely
harmful in general, but with psoriasis can lead to
irreversible damage to the hair follicle over a relatively
short period of time.
Like any of these other maladies, one must keep in
mind that psoriasis cannot be cured through drugs, and if
any cure exists it is in the form of the body healing itself by
the correction of malfunctions in the body. One condition
present with everyone suffering with psoriasis is toxemia.
When the body becomes toxic, various genetic dispositions
mature and psoriasis is but one illness that arises due to
toxemia. Toxemia is caused by poor circulation and the
thinning of the intestinal walls. The patient’s blood
becomes acidic, and thus this acidity comes through the
largest organ in the body: the skin. Several cases of
psoriasis have been healed through natural processes such
as internal cleansing, giving up alcohol, increasing the
intake of water-especially distilled water, an increase in
exposure to the sun in certain cases, an active reduction in
stress by removing stressful conditions and practicing
meditation, and the elimination of nightshades such as
tomatoes, tobacco, eggplant, white potatoes, peppers (not
black pepper) and paprika. One food that is a common
plague to those suffering with psoriasis is pizza. Obviously
containing tomatoes, pizza also contains every ingredient a
psoriasis sufferer should avoid, such as white flour, peppers
and hot spices. Additionally, pizza is highly acidic and
should be avoided by all means.
In addition to the dietary suggestions given earlier,
it is suggested that those suffering with psoriasis should eat
fish, poultry and lamb regularly, maintain a high alkaline
diet and consume low fat milk or buttermilk. Fish,
especially fresh or canned salmon, sardines and solid white
albacore tuna contains Omega-3 fatty acids that are vital for
skin and scalp health. Although most fish are
recommended, avoid dark-fleshed fishes such as mackerel
or bluefish, sushi or shellfish. Poultry such as chicken,
turkey, Cornish Hens and other non-fatty fowl are excellent
foods for those with psoriasis when not fried. To avoid
excess fat, remove the skin before eating and avoid fowl
that has high fat content like goose and duck. Lamb is the
only recommended red meat for those suffering with
psoriasis, being that it is easy to digest and still a great
source of protein. Of course it should be prepared any way
except by frying. Dairy products should be consumed
sparingly, and only low-fat or non-fat dairy products Those
suffering with psoriasis can obtain their calcium from
sources mentioned earlier in the section on Diet, Nutrition
and Hair Loss, such as soybean products, celery, lettuce
and greens. White bread should be avoided. And a limited
amount of whole grain bread and whole grain products can
be substituted, but should be consumed with caution
because all grains except millet are acid forming.
Additionally, one should eliminate alcohol consumption
entirely, except for perhaps a small glass of red wine with
dinner to promote rich blood and digestion. For cleansing
suggestions, see the earlier section on Natural Hair Loss Remedies.
Lecithin is beneficial for psoriasis, and can be taken
in its granular form in the dosage of one tablespoon three
times a day, five days a week, either plain or added to
water, juice, sprinkled on salad or cereal. After the
condition clears, reduce the dosage to one tablespoon taken
once per day, five days a week. Lecithin can be obtained at
any health food store, and although it can be obtained in
liquid or tablet form in addition to granular form, it is best
used in granular form due to the high phosphatide content
when consumed as such. These doses should not be
exceeded, as the over consumption of lecithin can cause a
blockage in the absorption of calcium
Eczema is another non-contagious skin disease that
mimics psoriasis very closely. Eczema produces scales,
reddened inflamed skin that periodically ooze, and the
familiar itch that is of supreme annoyance to those that
suffer with it. These are however two different diseases that
usually require different treatments. However, there are
certain treatments that work for psoriasis that work for
eczema also. Eczema causes extreme buildup and sores on
the scalp, and can cause severe scarring. The buildup
caused by eczema can cause temporary hair loss, however
the scarring that can occur especially if one scratches the
painfully itchy lesions can cause permanent damage to the hair follicles.
Eczema is an illness caused by toxemia as well.
And although one can use the various medicated shampoos
and creams on the market to control its symptoms,
permanent relief is only going to come from removing the
cause of the toxemia. Therefore once again cleansing and
drinking plenty of purified water are keys to fighting eczema.
Many of the dietary recommendations are the
same for one who suffers from eczema, except there is
usually an increased sensitivity to fish-therefore it should
be eaten in a limited amount. Also, there is usually a high
intolerance of cow’s milk, since eczema is highly
associated with allergies. Therefore, one should use
soymilk or goat’s milk instead.
Hair loss due to chemotherapy treatments is a
common side effect of the treatment. Chemotherapy kills
rapidly reproducing cancer cells, however the side effect of
this treatment is that chemotherapy also destroys the
rapidly reproducing cells that promote the growth of hair
and nails. Hair is lost rapidly and in large quantities in most
instances. During this process, no prescription, herbal or
over the counter treatments of any kind have been found to
assist in maintaining the hair. Fortunately, hair normally
returns within six months to a year after treatments cease.

Patients have found that hair re-grown after chemotherapy
is finer in texture and lighter in color at first. These are
usually temporary conditions that improve with time. Those
recovering from chemotherapy should avoid chemical
processes such as perms, relaxers, bleaching and coloring
in the hair until it grows at least three inches and not until
at least one year after the last treatment. Chemotherapy can
cause skin sensitivity and these chemicals can be extremely
irritating to the scalp.