Introduction to Hair Fall
Just consider hairfall test at home to be a savior when one is not very sure as to what hair one is losing is normal or some sort of a problem. Admit it, it is terrifying when you find a few hair strands in the shower drain or your pillow. However, rather than making conclusions, a basic home test can help you be clear. Hair loss is a common issue in the modern, busy and fast life. Proper hair care is something we usually ignore and think less of this when we were young.
Why Understanding Hair Fall Matters
Beauty isn’t the only thing in hair, it is part of what makes us us. Hair contributes to our confidence and sometimes judgments that the world may have towards us in life. Being aware of the situations when hair loss becomes an issue will allow you to be timely and prevent further harm and at least mitigate the problem in the early stages.
Normal Hair Shedding vs Hair Fall
On average, everybody sheds off 50-100 hair per day. That is entirely to be expected. However, when you begin to pull out handfuls, or you see bald patches, that may be a sign of too much hair loss.
Common Causes of Hair Fall
Hormonal Imbalance
Hormones have an immense effect on the growth of hair. Medical problems such as thyroid conditions, PCOS or the postnatal period can disrupt your hair growth cycle and cause the gradual hair loss, resulting in serious hairloss and established hairlines no matter whether one is a male or a female.
Nutritional Deficiency
Health in terms of hair is influenced by nutrition. Since all hair consist of protein, their deficiency can become harmful to hair. Our hair can be weakened at its roots due to low amounts of iron, vitamin D, biotin, or protein.
Stress and Lifestyle
As the aspirations accrue in life i.e. to excel in career, to earn so that the rest of the family leads comfortable life, it also brings along with it a lot of hard work but accompanying it to meet the goal, there is mental stress and lifestyle disorder due to the sedentary nature of life. Bad sleep, hectic routines and mental stress can burn down your hair.
Hair Styling and Product Damage
In the age of social media we started noticing much more to ourselves and how it shows in pictures and video. But to appear more polished we over-heat style, have our hair pulled tight and overpower your hair with chemicals leading to breakage and hair loss.
Signs You Might Be Experiencing Excessive Hair Fall
Thinning Hair or Visible Scalp
If your ponytail starts to look flat or your scalp is beginning to show, that’s a warning sign.
Excess Hair on Pillow or Comb
Brushing out clumps, or hair strands all around your pillow? Well worth mentioning.
The Importance of Early Detection
Tackling hair loss really early, gives you a higher chance to reverse. Don’t be sitting around waiting for a bald spot—monitor now.
Simple Hairfall Tests at Home
The Pull Test
Grasp approximately 40 – 60 dry strands of hair in between your fingers and lightly pull. If 5-6 strands more come out then it a sign of over-shedding.
The Comb Test
Rub on hair towel. Count the strands left on the tool. If you keep blowing out a lot of all the time it’s a concern.
The Pillow Test
On awaking in the morning, check your pillow. Some strands are alright but when you start to spot a mini pile per day you should check on that.
The Wash Day Test
Shedding is a result of washing your hair. However, do not ignore handfuls of hair every time you notice that.
The White Paper/ Table Test
This test is especially more powerful in men than in women. It is extremely easy to do and will only run you around 30 seconds.
What you have to do is simply rub your head over a piece of white paper or an unmarked white table top. Subsequently, take a magnified look of the fallen strands of hair. Note how they are, how thick, the number of strands.
When the diameter and thickness of the hair strand is predominantly equal, then it is classified as normal hair fall. If however, there is observable differences in the diameter as well as thickness in over 20 percent or more strands of the hair or the falling away of the hair strands is more in number than is usual, then that could point to loss of hair rather than normal hair loss. This may be one of the first indications of Androgenic Alopecia or Male Pattern Baldness.
When straying hairs retain within normal limits, there is nothing to be alarmed about, it is all a normal part of the ageing process.
Important tips:
These experiments should be repeated in the same conditions (more or less) whenever and whenever possible. To take an example, having done it on washed hair, repeat it again on new, shampooed hair.
Repeat a minimum of twice to reaffirm the results.
How to Interpret the Results
When It’s Time to Worry
In case your test reveals continued excessive hair loss over days or weeks, that is when it becomes necessary to start digging deeper.
Not always is it the normal shedding of hair or hair loss. A shock or stress to the body (because of factors such as certain medications, disease, hair treatments or even pregnancy) can result in a condition that is termed as Telogen Effluvium.
Telogen Effluvium is normally part and parcel of normal hair growth cycle and leads to excessive shedding of hair. Nevertheless, the condition usually does not take longer than 6 to 8 months and hair growth resumes normalcy.
When It’s Just Normal Shedding
Losses can happen from time to time. Your hair grows in cycles—growth stage, resting stage and shedding stage. Don’t worry over a few hairs.
What to Do After the Hairfall Test at Home
Keep a Hairfall Diary
Keep a count of how much hair you lose daily. Patterns can also help you and the doctor you see figure out the root cause.
Try Home Remedies
Miracles can be done with oil massage, onion juice, aloe vera and amla. They are not going to give overnight effects but can enhance the health of the scalp with time.
Seek Medical Advice if Necessary
If hairfall continues even after one is trying, go for a consultation to dermatologist or trichologist.
Preventive Tips to Reduce Hair Fall
Healthy Diet
Stock up on the protein, leafy greens, nuts and fruit. Your hair feeds off of good nutrition.
Scalp Care Routine
Make sure you keep your scalp clean and nourished. Apply soft-wash shampoos and scrub once in a while.
Minimize Heat and Chemicals
Cool hair from heat from straighteners to chemical loads, spray potions.
Conclusion
Such a thing like hair fall is frightening, yet there is good news about it because it can be controlled. You can be ahead of the problem through simple hairfall test at home. Listen to your body, feed yourself internally and do what must be done. Your hair shall bless you!
FAQs
Ideally, a change can be properly tracked once a week is more than sufficient to spot changes to avoid over-analyzing.
Absolutely. Stress leads to such a condition as telogen effluvium that forces hair into shedding phase prematurely
By no means. These are tests that you perform without damaging your scalp or your hair and are of gentler nature that purely involve observation.
If at-home tests show ongoing heavy shedding, then yes — go see a professional.
They are useful, particularly in mild hair loss, although they vary. In extreme cases, medical treatment is normally required.