Dr Apoorva Shah, the first certified trichologist of the country, has simple tips to give boys worried about hair loss and girls about thinning hair during his brief visit to Chandigarh on Saturday. Lifeinchandigarh.com catches up with him for an exclusive interview. Read on…..
Three decades ago, most people had to worry about their hair only after entering their forties. But, no longer. Most children start having hair problems right from their teens. Both boys and girls must start getting conscious about their crowning glory from age 14-18 years as soon as initial indications start to show up. “I have seen children losing their confidence and self esteem, suffering from loneliness and consequently falling into a depression as these problems aggravate for want of professional help. In a condition called ‘trichotillomania’ some of them even start compulsively pulling their hair,” says Dr Shah, who no longer sees patients in routine but visits every centre of his Richfeel brand of clinics once a year to remain in touch with hair related problems of people.
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Photo By: Vikram Joy
Changing lifestyles, including fashion trends and stress, are leading to hormonal imbalances. “Girls and ladies are witnessing less growth of female hormones and more of male hormones, resulting in thinning of hair where these are wanted and heavy growth at unwanted places like face, etc. The males are experiencing greater growth of male harmones and are losing their crowning glory faster,” observes Dr Apoorva, who alongwith wife Dr Sonal Shah, has been hair care expert to the Miss India contest for the past 16 years.
Chandigarh region experience
Asked specifically about his experiences with patients in Chandigarh region, he said “Hard water is a major cause of hair loss and thinning hair in these parts. Hard water leads to deposition of calcium and magnesium in the scalp which weakens the roots of the hair. The only and simplest of solutions is to squeeze a lime in a bucketful of water while bathing. Eating good healthy food and intake of 2-3 litres of water daily helps keep hair healthy,” was his mantra for all.
Barometer of health
Emphasising that world over hair has been recognised as the barometer of the health of a person, Dr Shah recommends that people must get Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA), a safe and non-invasive pathology test which measures the levels and comparative ratios of nutrient and toxic minerals found in hair, done just as they do general health check-up. “This test is compulsory for the police force in the US and for cricketers in Australia,” he added.
So let’s take the renowned trichologist’s advice seriously and get cracking to retain our Crowning Glory.
