2. Loss of Hair

Loss of hair at a very early age has become a common disorder thses days. It causes a great deal of concers to the affected persons, esp cially Indian women who regard thick long hair as a sign of beauty. The most important cause of loss of hair is inadequate nutrition. Even a partial lack of almost any nutrient may cause hair to all. Persons lacking vitamin B6 lose their hair and those deficient in folic acid become completely bald. But hair grows normally after the liberal intake of these vitamins.

Another important cause for the falling of hair is stress, such as worry, anxiety and sudden shock. Stress leads to severe tension in the skin of the scalp. This adversely affects the supply of essential nutrition required for the healthy growth of hair. General debility, caused by severe or long-standing illnesses like typhoid, syphilis, chronic cold, influnza and anaemia, also gives rise to this hair disorder. It makes the roots of the hair weak, resulting in the falling of hair. An unclean condition of the scalp cam also cause the loss of hair. It weakens the hair roots by blocking the pores with the collected dirt. Heredity is another predisposing factor which may cause hair to fall.

Treatment.

The healthy condition of the hair depends, to a very large extent, on the intake of sufficient amounts of essential nutrients in the daily diet. Hair is made of protein and adequate protein is necessary for luxuriant hair. Women require 60 grams, men 80 to 90 and adolescent boys and girls 80 to 100 grams of protein. Protein is supplied by milk, buttermilk, yoghurt, soyabean, eggs, cheese, meat and fish. A lack of vitamin A may cause the hair to be coarse and ugly. Adeficiency of some of the B vitamins, of iron, copper and iodine may cause hair disorders like falling of hair and premature greying of hair.
Women are generally deficient in iodine and vitamin B1, either of which slow down circulation to the scalp to such an extent that hair may fall out and new hair grows in vey slowly. Women who keep their diets adequate in iodine, the B vitamins and iron have better growth of hair.
Lack of inositol causes loss of hair. A person having trouble with his or her hair should eat foods rich in inositiol such yeast, liver and molasses.