Did Naomi Campbell, Have Traction Alopecia?

Fashion has witnessed a taste in diversity  and it is been nearly 50 years since  the stigma against evening out the black people faded and the first black women in fashion’s exclusive zone were accepted as models.

The pioneers of early beauty were Helen Williams, who rocked the African American fashion press. The next breakthrough came when the civil rights movement ushered into a new wave of political correctness, around the mid 1960s catapulting the gorgeous women like Naomi Sims and Donyale Luna, bringing them to the mainstream fashion industry along with the pages of Bazaar and Vogue for the very first time.

Not only did it end there, infact, with the passing generations there are a raft of beautiful black models from Joan Smalls to Naomi Campbell who has found great wealth and success.

Black Is Beautiful

Naomi Campbell can be considered to be the most successful and the most popular black model ever, but even she couldn’t escape the price of the beauty and suffered severe extent of traction alopecia.

The perpetual chatter has surrounded Naomi Campbell since April 2008 as this 43 year old British supermodel was seen to be photographed with an unusual wide partition. This was noticed at the time when she was attending a gala opening in New York at the Metropolitan Opera.

This is a condition when describes damaged hair and caused due to the excessive pulling of the natural hair follicle along with the weight of weave that it is attached to. Weaves, extensions or anything artificial thing hanging from your hair, without any breaks for allowing it to rebound.

If the seriousness of the situation still permits to cure from the condition that Naomi is going through. If the extent of traction alopecia is permanent, then restoring hairs may be very tough to figure out. But the process involves moving healthy hair follicles from one part of the scalp to the targeted damaged area; it can be a helpful solution with a dramatic result.

This 42 year old beauty revealed her incredibly receding hairline, which she suffered  by over- relying on the hair extensions and weaves for the maximum  time in her modeling careers.

Though she looked great in shape, but all attention was focused on her hairline as it unwanted exposed the additional barren scalp which can be a major cause of concern. The supermodel usually wore straight extensions over her naturally curly hair for over 25 years consistently, which made her hair weaker and the hairline above the sides and the forehead to thin as the hair in this area are weaker.

In usual cases, it takes three months to one year for the hair to grow back, but if the pulling continues and the hair faces severe damages, then the only option that you will be left with would be hair transplant.

Debunking Hair Loss Myths And Truths About Them

There is a sea of the rumors associated with falling hairs, among which we are here to decode a few facts from them.

#Myth1- Frequent Shampooing Causes Hair Fall

Fact: After every wash while shampooing we notice strands of hair in the tub, leading many people to think that the it is as a result from shampooing that so much hair is falling. It wouldn’t hurt to remember that the hereditary baldness is not due to the hair falling out, but instead the normal hair gradually replaced by the finer and gradual hairs.

#Myth 2: Only Men Suffer From The Genetic Hair Loss

Fact: Balding is often thought as a “man’s problem”, but the fact is that over 40% of the women suffer from significant thinning in their lifetime f noti9ced, sometimes even more than men.

#Myth3: Hair Loss Stops When You Get Older

Fact: Once hair loss begins, the progress never really stops, though the rate at which the hair continue to fall differs. As a person reason the age of 60, the amount of baldness increases.  The younger you start to lose hair, the more likely you are to become bald in the coming days.

#Myth4: Wearing A Hat Makes You Go Bald

Fact: People who accuse of witnessing baldness as a cause of the hair loss are actually preventing the hair follicles to get oxygen from the blood stream rather than air.

#Myth5: Decreased Blood Flow To The Scalp Can Cause Hair Loss

Fact: The hair needs a significant amount of blood flow when it is growing. Not much blood is required after once you have lost your hair, as the blood flow to the scalp decreases.

#Myth6: Hair Loss Is Caused By Clogged Pores

Fact: Clogged pores actually cause acne and not baldness. But common baldness has been just due to the clogged pores, then rigorous shampooing would be required to maintain the full length hair, but as we can see that it is not the case.

#Myth7: Losing Hairs Everyday Suggest That You Are Balding

Fact: Loosing of about 100 hairs a day is normal. But if the count keeps on going higher than normal, it is advised to go for consultation.

#Myth8: Staying In An AC Room Can Lead To The Cause Of Hair Loss

Fact: The Air Condition causes dryness of your hair, leading it to more brittle in nature.

#Myth9: Straightening And Smoothening Can Increase Hair Loss

Fact:  Hair Care products cannot be the sole reason of your hair loss, though it may aggravate hair fall.

#Myth10: Massaging Of The Scalp Can Reduce The Extent Of Hair Loss

Fact: Hair growth is not boosted by the blood circulation, which is why too much brushing is not good as it may cause more breakage of hair, leading to the loss of hair.

Moments To Months After A Hair Transplant Surgery

·         Patient Selection

The surgery procedure can start from the moment a person decides to have the hair restoration surgery, and chosen to be a candidate. Usually, patients are evaluated at large by their medical history and general health, any infectious and allergic tendencies, hair loss evaluation, nowadays  surgeons conduct scalp biopsy tests to ensure that the patients gets the prominent hair growth they have invested for the swanky hair transplant price.

·         What To Expect

Patients usually aim or expect to have a “head full of hair”, which is many times broken down to the factual factors of donor density, donor and recipient dominance and scalp laxity to allow a potential of not more than a sheer coverage of their baldness, with a close cropped hairstyle. If patients understand and are okay with this, they happen to build realistic expectation, which is very important.Hair Transplant Before and After Images create a scene much to manipulate the realistic expectation in vulnerable patients. Sometimes surgeons abet and even use this kind of manipulation for greater leads. Basing or expecting a result from looking at the before and after images should be avoided by patients, and use the images to rather get an idea of the result.

·         Preparing For Surgery

There are sundry technicalities of preparing for the surgery than what the usual pre-operative instructions page in the clinic’s website indicate. Things become more personal in the process.

Stuff like, alternation of certain drugs, such as blood thinners, even protein supplements, or prostate disorder drugs might cause interference in the possibility of getting the surgery. Some surgeons even workout the surgery without refraining on important drugs. For the purpose, mention each and every drug you take, and the purposes, on Real Self, or other social forums. Or, if you do not have internet connectivity, then personally consult a general practitioner alone with a number of hair restoration surgeons simultaneously, never base your decisions on consulting with one surgeon.

·         On The Day Of The Surgery

Have light breakfast, but don’t have coffee or tea or any caffeinated drink, including Coke, or emulsified fruit juice (the carton fruit juice). Wear a button down shirt and flat comfortable shoes.

Sometimes patients feel nauseated at the sight of the hospital on the day of a surgery, while they have been perfectly alright through the consultation and evaluation process. It normal to feel that way, and if you like to bolt, you can, you might have to pay a nominal cancellation fee, but don’t force yourself into this life changing procedure if you are suddenly not feeling like it.

·         During Surgery

You are bound to feel a pinch at the back of the scalp, which presumably the only pain you suffer. The surgeons use fine needles; sometimes even drill needles that cause nothing more than a pinching even ticklish sensation. Don’t panic.

Stories about the anaesthesia wearing out in the middle of the surgery are many times true. But even then, these cases are rear and are typically happen with amateur and unrecognized clinics. Once you have given it the effort to choose a well recognized surgeon, and then take the effort on trusting him/her at the operating table or chair, for this matter.

·         Immediately After Surgery

You will feel dizzy and heavy, and some patients feel nauseated. These are normal symptoms of the surgical trauma there’s nothing to worry or panic about. Your forehead will be covered with a bandana like white bandage, while the top of the head will remain open which you can cover with a clean silk scarf or baseball hat that won’t stick to the scalp and the surgical wounds or damage the new hair grafts.

·         The Night OF Surgery

The first consecutive nights after the surgery are going to be much discomforting, as you have to sit up all the time and not tilt or lie your head down. You must even sleep with your head up, probably with the support of pillows for back rest. It might be unbearably or bearably painful as the anaesthetics wear off. The feeling may be much like someone pulled your hairs too hard. Pain relievers and antibiotics are prescribed for use if necessary.

·         Showering After The Surgery

Since you can’t tilt your head and not use shower on your head, you should use the cup your palms or a bathing mug, to pour cold or lukewarm water over your head. This may be carried on for days or up till a week as the surgeon recommends.

·         First Hair Growth

The first emergence of hair growth can be expected to emerge at the end of 3weeks it may take more time, for up to more than a month.

·         Shock Loss

Every patient dreads this thing since Wayne Rooney hair transplant before and after, since not everyone is capable of paying the £30,000 hair transplant price. The code word is to not panic, and lay all the stress upon the surety of hair growth in the times before the surgery. Shock loss usually is a temporary thing, as the hair follicles are traumatized or shocked with the unnatural replacement and shed off. But this doesn’t cause inflammation to the dermal papillae which makes hair regrowth after shock loss a plausible situation. Topical hair loss medications prove much helpful in the regrwoth of hair post shock loss.

Natural Hair Loss Treatments To Cure Brittleness And Retain Thickness

There are many types of hair loss that works differently for men and women. Infections as well as failing to recognize that the hair products you use might not be suitable are notorious to cause temporary hair loss. So what can you do about it?

1.       Lower The Stress Quotient With Smart Working Rather Than Hard Working.

Whatever it takes to make your life easier, do it. Inspire yourself into a better life with something that you enjoy. If you are married with a house full of children and have no time for yourself, use the children’s school time. You can’t be so busy or occupied that you can’t savor your meals, have them as specially as you pack them for the children. Be positive, and take as you give.

2.       Hair Salon At Home

·         Rinse your shampoo and conditioner thoroughly. Make sure of the sides of the ears and the tip of the hair that hangs on the back.

·         Apply almond oil on the tips which prevents split ends and brittleness.

·         Use eggs as a pack, it stinks for sure, but it also gives your hair some instant volume and shine and health that are worth the effort.

·         Find out your hair type, and find the ideal ingredients to make a hair pack. Applying a hair pack for 20mins suffices and isn’t as time consuming or laborious as it might seem.

·         Do not sleep with wet hair, loose hair.

·         Braiding is a good way to prevent hair brittleness. No matter how short is your hair, try loose braiding hairstyles (not cornrows) to save it from daily pollution.

·         Combing twice daily is good for blood circulation in the scalp, try and avoid running your fingers through your all the time.

3.       Dieting For Healthy Hair

Unpunctual and casual food habits may be responsible for limp and dull hair. Eat well and sleep well to have a better impact on your aesthetic appearance as well as how you feel inside. Here are some food items that are comfort food to your hair.

·         Chicken

·         Salmon

·         Chickpeas

·         Almonds

·         Spinach

Hair Restoration— Surgery And Other Clinical Options

Hair transplant surgery is a permanent solution for permanent hair loss that might lead to acute decrease of hair density, hair line recession and baldness. The surgery aims for hair restoration, majorly opted for male pattern baldness, or androgenic alopecia. The surgery uses baldness immune of the patient’s own, existent at the back of the scalp to replace onto bald zones to achieve an even density and fuller coverage.

Conclusion

If you are having natural hair loss, then the above mentioned natural remedies can restore your hair for the greater good. However, for genetic hair loss, natural remedies can only slow down the process by providing strength to the hair, but not prevent or stop it. Medical hair loss treatment contributes to diagnosis and treats a number of symptoms of baldness, decreased density and receding hair lines. Hair loss medication, hair transplant surgery and other treatments work for the better.

Smoothening Hair Products That Is Good For Hair Too

·         Shampoo And Conditioner

Know your hair type and buy your shampoo as well as conditioner accordingly. Many think that the labels in the containers are all puny and the products are all the same but that is not true. The labels actually target the hair type that it indicates.

Tabloids and hairstylists advice not to shampoo your hair every single day since it dries off a lot of natural oils in the process. But considering scenarios if you have a very oily scalp and scout in heavy dust and grime prone areas you need a daily hair wash, you know. Also, if you use any heavy hairstyling products, shampooing every day prevents product build up that maybe damaging.

On a general scale, the daily washing, styling and pollution attack needs to cut down all together, otherwise one thing leads to another. So if you must shampoo every day, doing it with more care and carefully choosing your shampoo and conditioner is essential.

·         Hair Serum And Other After Wash Anti Frizz Products

The larger number of hair products other than shampoo and conditioner are hair serums; live-in conditioners and hair serums are devised for different hair types, it is not meaningless. The problem with the products is that they all look the same and promise the same thing so knowing what’s best for you is to try them all. But don’t do it. Trust the experts and try not to be too experimental with products with a judgment of “they are good as long as they are expensive”. They are not.

·         Silicone and Sulfate In Hair Products

Though silicone or sulfate is notorious for causing hair damage in the long run, there hasn’t been obvious evidence.

What silicone does is coat your hair with a plastic like sheet of product build up that makes your hair instantly smooth, manageable and glossy. The silicone coat prevents the hair from frizzing, but also prevents the hair from breathing. So in terms that hair looks good, it doesn’t’ get its food for heath from the silicone based live in hair products.

What sulfate does is hard clean your hair off oil, dirt and product build up. Some silicone based hair serums require sulfate to wash off, while others may be washed off with water alone. Almost all shampoos, conditioners and hair serums contain silicone, but many products pack in essential nutrients that also work as food for hair.

·         Silicone and Sulfate Free Hair Products For Good

Body Shop Rain Forest Moisture range of sulfate and silicone free shampoo, wash off conditioners Detangling Hair Sprays are also paraben free.

Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shampoo is based on coconut oil is silicone, sulfate as well as paraben free. For more details please visit at http://www.hshairtransplant.co.uk/ .

Garneir Fructis Pure Clean Shampoos are low on sulfate and are silicone free; the conditioners are sulfate and silicone free, and also no parabens.

Tresemme Naturals Shampoos are low on sulfate and without silicone. The conditioners are silicone and sulfate free.

Trader Joe Nourish range of shampoos

Ojon Shampoos are quite higher on the price list but are excellent examples of what you are looking for Argon Oil is an excellent after shower natural live-in conditioner alternate to silicone based hair serums.

Hair Loss-Psychological Impact

Hair loss can affect you tremendously and can trigger low self esteem, induce more depression and anxiety with shattered confidence. Research shows that hair loss lead to social withdrawal, anxiety and depression among the top effects of this situation.

Medical science has welcomed significant amount of advancements in the domain of transplantation where the surgery may work  wonders in recovering lost hairline and hair growth.

The surgery usually takes a day and can be performed at an outpatient basis. Local anaesthesia is required and no hospital stay is necessary. Though there are many hair transplant procedures, but the follicular units are chosen from the donor site and planted with meticulous attention after a small incision for the right depth and angle for proper growth. The  candidate can go back to do the normal lifestyle from next day itself.

 The most common reactions to hair loss are as follows:

·        Self Denial

This is a common tendency mainly noticed among men, which makes them to deny to themselves that there is a significant amount of hair loss. The attitude of Self denial and secretive nature lead to poor treatment, making the situation worse than what could have been.

·        Panic Stricken Mind

Hair is a symbol of strength and in many conditions may question the masculinity factor in many men. The drastic change in their appearance may affect his confidence and career prospect somehow as some may end up feeling de-motivated lack of enthusiasm and old.

·        Fixation

If someone is losing more than normal amount of hair in several areas of their head, the focus must be in those spots. Usually the monk’s spot is the most common spot, witnessing the major loss of hair in men, fixing which on-time is necessary.

·        Social Isolation

This condition has one of the most dangerous impact. Many people feel socially isolated and deserted by their friends and acquaintances in many gatherings and functions. Some may feel ‘unmanly’ to share their worries and stay without proper treatment for a large span of time. You can also visit at http://www.hshairtransplant.co.uk/ for more information.

·        Complex And Jealousy

People going through hair loss are often seen to suffer from an inferiority complex in their minds, resulting into jealousy towards having dense scalp of hair.

·        Humiliation

People suffering from hair loss often end up feeling extremely taunted, teased by their friends and known people. Some may not react to it at all and some may take it to another level, making them desperate, which indulges them into taking impulsive decisions about their treatments without proper knowledge.   Not only it causes a deeper psychological impact, but also leads people to take wrong decisions in a rush.

Hair Loss Significance In Women

As per the experts’ estimation, it is seen that almost 1 out of 2 women have experienced thinning of hair in their life before reaching a reasonable age even.

It is noticed, accepted and expected by many that men are more likely to lose their hair as compared to women.  Thus, when things take a different turn, and women begin to lose more hairs and witness a visible scalp, which was earlier covered by shinny cascading hairs, they are devastated psychologically like any other serious disease, which affects their physical health too.

Androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness, which is common in most men, is an unnatural impact of androgen hormones leading to miniaturization and shedding of hair among women.  In case of women, the role of DHT has not yet discovered, but researchers are getting sure that genetic disposition is supposedly the foremost reason causing hair thinning in females after the genes.

Patients witnessing a lot of hair loss suffer from body image issues and lost self esteem and broken confidence.

FPHL – Female Pattern Hair Loss

This is the most common cause of progressive hair loss in women, affecting almost 30 million women. This pattern leads to thinning of hair towards the top and the crown of the scalp, with the center partition gradually widening. The hair follicles are miniaturized, leading to a shorter, smaller, more brittle, and thinner hair. The nutritional stores in the body shifts away from the hairs to the other vital organs like heart and brain causing a shortage for the hair portion.

Women are usually seen to be suffering from more health hazards than men do and if a woman decides to undergo the surgery, it requires more meticulous study behind the exact reason behind it, which includes scalp biopsies and blood tests too.

Some of the diseases which may have lead to hair loss  in women are as follows:

·        Alopecia Areata

This medical condition causes hair loss from the entire body in a pattern of oval and round patches. Repeated loss of hair in the same region. The severity of this condition may cause complete hair loss in areas of eyelashes, eyebrows and scalp.

·        Trichotillomania

Happening due to obsessive compulsive disorder, this is a psychological condition with numerous broken hair fibers as a result of the patients pulling their own hears from several areas giving a patchy appearance.

·        Traction Alopecia

The condition crops up as a result of mainly tightened hairstyles kept intact for a prolonged time. Mainly seen in African-American women, who prefer tighter braids and the cornrows, resulting in chronic pulling of hair follicles.

Surgery And Other Options For Hair Restoration

The basic surgical plan for hair restoration is that the candidate’s own existing hair is relocated to bald zones. Surgical planning of modern hair transplantation has first of all developed the follicular grafting strategy. In this strategy, the naturally occurring groups of hair are selected in 2, 3, 4 and 5 hairs for each graft as the hair is plucked from the back of the scalp with a thin sheath of fatty tissue. This technique replaces the old methods wherein 1hair graft consisted of 7-12hairs making unnatural looking hair plugs.

The hair grafts can be harvested by two methods.

·         Follicular Unit Transplant Strip Procedure (FUT)

A strip of skin can be removed from the back of the scalp which would contain the hair follicles stuck in it, in the procedure termed as Follicular Unit Transplantation. The skin is dissected under a microscope to separate the hair grafts. One 20cm strip of skin can commonly contain 1,500 to 2,000 hair follicular units. The area of the scalp from where the skin strip is removed, leaving an open wound which is closed and sutured into a fine linear scar that may be hidden underneath upper layers of hair. However, with poor planning of either the strip excision, wound closure and suturing can leave a more prominent permanent scar.

·         Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

Individual hair grafts are extracted one at a time through a long strenuous process. This surgical option eliminates the need to remove any skin strip or skin cutting, with resultant potentials of no permanent scarring. The procedure is also minimally invasive with very less downtime and surgical fatigue. However, the surgical planning of this method is a crucial factor, as the one at a time graft extraction exposes the hair grafts to stay out of the body for longer period jeopardizing graft survival after the transplantation.

For accommodating the hair relocation on the barren zones, a person requires more than a sufficient donor reserve (enough hair at the back of the scalp).  This is also beneficial for maintaining an even density all through the scalp area. However there are set of many other factors which qualify the eligibility of a patient with the best potential credits for undertaking this surgery.

Assessing the baldness pattern of the candidates is required to understand the best technique possible for harvesting donor reserve hair, which is usually located at the back of the head.  The faster you get to realize that the future baldness possibilities are well understood by glancing at the pattern of the current baldness pattern of the candidate.

The hair which is already affected by the genetic baldness beholds the characteristics of the recipient zone, which may come out gradually even after treatment. Infact, even if the transplantation is expensive, but taken from the affected donor region, the risk of persistent baldness still exists.

Proper assessment of the thickness and the healthy texture of the donor hair is required to understand the number of grafts required to achieve the best area coverage of the scalp.

Psychological Effects Associated With Hair Loss

Extensive studies have also shown that living in a culture where “beauty and physical appearance” is given an optimum level of importance. As per researchers it is noticed that the hair loss often leads to depression, anxiety and social withdrawal.

Hair loss is a cosmetic problem storming today’s generation with severe priority at some points. It doesn’t only seem to have a significant impact on a person’s face, but also on her mind.

Here we state down certain upsetting reaction of hair loss caused in most women:

• Panic: Hair symbolizes strength in many cultures, loss of which may lead to several issues.  Change in their appearance may often be the reason of serious concern in their career causing some serious hamper. Not only they feel a lack of enthusiasm to work, but also is the cause of lack of opportunity. Imagine being bullied among your friends, as not everyone is lucky enough to have good surroundings.

• Denial Of One’s Own Self: Self denial doesn’t help anyone overcome the situation of hair loss and hair thinning or receding hairline in men and women. Acts of self denial may worsen the situation due to lack of treatment. They also seem to suffer from lack of self confidence, but don’t realize what harm they are causing to themselves.

• Fixation: When it comes to the area of losing hair, there can be certain spots which suffer the maximum amount of hair loss like the monk’s spot. Thus, the fixation of these hair loss spots with an evenly balanced density of hair happens to be a great tactic to cover up the whole head easily at an affordable, costing and can avoid you to avoid the expenditure to be incurred if opted for a full head hair transplant.

• Social Isolation: Men and women with baldness or thinning hairline feels the ignorance of many people in the society and are  often left alone  in social gatherings.

• Inferiority Complex: They may sometimes feel really low and are often seem to suffer from inferiority complex along with feeling jealous about their friends having densely covered scalp full of hair.

• Humiliation: This part is unavoidable and people suffering from hair loss often need to encounter that. They are taunted and teased by friends in a fit of humours, which may be outrageous at times, leading to disappointments. Many may simply digest it and absorb it within themselves, but some may come with psychological impact, when they end up in taking up many impulsive decisions with several treatment procedures.

Though this is the unfortunate part of the story, the present world has also been taken over by the advancement in hair transplantation offering original hairline and a natural result.