Monday November 30, 2009

Tress management

By MAJORIE CHIEW

YOU have to lose hair to grow hair, said Mark Birch (pic), Svenson’s international trichologist from Britain.

“You can’t just keep all your hair. Otherwise, your head will be like a bush and you won’t be able to get out the door!” he jested.

He explained the natural cycle of hair. “You basically grow hair; the process (hair cycle) slows down and then, hair falls out. It’s a continual process throughout your life.”

Birch, 48, comes from a long line of family hairdressers in West London and is regarded one of the world’s experts on hair and scalp care.

He assures that at certain times of your life, you’re going to lose more hair than others. In women, it can be due to hormonal changes, childbirth or menopause.

Other factors are hereditary, work stress, oily scalp, lifestyle, heavy smoking, drinking, unhealthy diet, heavy use of styling products and dandruff.

“At any one stage of your life, you’re growing 90% hair and losing 10% hair,” he said.

When asked if shampooing every day is bad for those with thinning hair as it could expedite hair loss further, Birch said it’s a misconception.

“The hair that comes out when you shampoo is only old hair being replaced. You can’t take any hair out of your scalp when you’re shampooing it,” he explained.

An individual, he said, loses about 30 to 100 strands of hair every day anyway.

Hair should be washed every day as dead skin cells and bacteria have to be removed. Shampooing daily helps to keep the scalp clean and healthy.

According to him, people with dandruff have to remove the flakes from their scalp. Dandruff is the breakdown of dead skin cells from the scalp and these have to be removed with anti-dandruff shampoo to avoid a built-up on the scalp.

“Too often, many people don’t rinse their hair properly. They get into the shower and they jump out. They leave residue in their hair when they don’t wash thoroughly,” Birch said.

Rubbing oils onto the scalp (like some Indian women do) will not create more hair. “These oils will create more hair loss. Oil blocks up the follicle glands in the scalp. The more oil you rub, the more DHT (the enzyme that causes hair loss) you’re producing,” he said.

A person produces two to three grams of sebum, which is natural oil from the scalp. The sebum will help to moisturise the scalp, otherwise, it will split and crack, and become very dry. “Sweat which is produced every day acts as a cooling regulator to the scalp.”

Teo Kim Teik, Svenson Asia’s chief tricologist, said that some people believed that shaving made hair grow thicker and faster.

“Hair growth happens at the hair bulb (papilla) underneath the skin. Cutting hair short or shaving it makes no difference to hair thickness, but only gives a temporary Yul Brynner look,” he added.

Some people say that standing upside down improves circulation and hair growth.

“It’s only partially true provided that it is done often and for a long period of time. Chances are, one will have a higher possibility of breaking one’s neck rather than improve one’s hair growth.”

And, are bald men more virile? “If they want to think so, those with hair should not dispute it. We all know that a virile lion has long thick mane,” said Teo.

Some say hair loss is hereditary, generally from the mother’s side but Teo said that there is no basis to the myth.

Also, pulling one grey hair will not make two grow in its place.

“Pulling hair out can damage the hair follicle. Grey and black hair are of the same structure and if the above theory is correct, to have more (double) black hair, you should pull all the black hair out! All you will end up with is pain and no more hair!” he said.