Ask Betsy

Dear Betsy,
Thanks so much for the outstanding job that you are doing nowadays.

I would like to confide in you regarding my problem, since I think you are experienced, mature, gentle, and you give great advice.
I am a 14-year-old boy living in Bahrain. My problem is that I have been suffering constant mass hair loss. Is it because of the hard water in the taps locally? What should I do to prevent my hair-fall? Till about a year ago, my hair used to be thick and shiny, but of late, I have been losing quite a bit of it and if this goes on I will be bald very soon.
My whole life lies ahead of me, and I realise that one's hair plays a very important role in one's personality – especially at young age.
I don't think hereditary characteristics can influence hair loss so early in life.
Please suggest the right diet and/or any other ways that I can restore my hair to its former glory.
Thanks so much, you are my last hope.
Dwayne

Dear Dwayne,
At 14 it is normal to be worried about your appearance.
It is also a bit early to worry about hereditary hair loss, as you say, but it would not do any harm to have a hormone check as this can be one of the causes of hair loss in both men and women. Even if this is the case, there are medications that your doctor can prescribe to minimise hair loss.
However, don’t panic, as the first thing I want to tell you is that it is normal to lose around 100 to 150 hairs-a-day depending on your hair colour and ethnicity. 
It can be scary to look down in the shower and see hairs falling out everyday but it can also be a sign of healthy growth as the old hairs have to fall out as the new ones grow in.
At your age your body is changing in many ways as you approach adulthood.
Most noticeably you may see changes in your hair and skin such as oily hair and blackheads and pimples appearing and also the growth of facial and body hair.
There are many sensible things you can do to make sure your body gets all the help it needs to make these natural transitions.
The most important ones are to get enough sleep, exercise and eat a balanced diet.
You also have the added stresses of challenges at school and so taking a daily supplement such as Cod Liver Oil can help your brain power as well as your skin and hair.
Take a calcium, zinc and magnesium supplement (they usually come together in one combined vitamin) as they are important for many facets of your physical and emotional health.
Lean proteins, (fish, chicken, beef, lamb) complex carbohydrates such as oats and brown rice or pasta, wholemeal bread, fresh fruits and vegetables and nuts and seeds such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and almonds are the sort of foods that will help you make the most of your health, including your hair. 
Avoid fizzy drinks as they are full of caffeine and also have eight to 10 teaspoons of sugar in each can or small bottle.
Freshly squeezed juices, from fruits and/or vegetables are especially revitalising and can be an enjoyable source of vitamins and minerals.
Try a fruit/veggie combo such as carrot and apple with a hint of fresh ginger and experiment with your own combinations.
If you read my column last week then you will know the importance of drinking good quality mineral water. Keep a small 500mls bottle with you whenever you can and sip throughout the day.
When bathing, water can be an important factor, so always keep a big bottle of sweet water to use in the final rinse after your shampoo.
The shampoo that you use is very important. Avoid any shampoo that has sodium laurel sulphates (SLS) in them as this is a potentially harmful chemical. Look for a gentle organic, non-detergent shampoo for sensitive scalp, regardless of your hair type, but don’t use baby shampoo as it is formulated for an infants scalp which is very different from a teenagers.
Even if your hair is oily resist the temptation to use an oily shampoo as this will usually totally strip the scalp of all the oil, which in turn will result in your brain getting a message that there is no oil or sebum on the scalp and the brain will then send messages to your sebaceous glands to produce more sebum and so you have an oily scalp again very quickly. This is a vicious circle, best avoided, as excess sebum can flood down to the roots where it turns into an acid which can eat away at the roots and make your hair fall out prematurely.
The sebaceous glands can also be over stimulated if you are under stress or are exposed to lots of EMW, electro magnetic waves, emitted by most electrical equipment such as TV’s, computers, printers etc. 
Minimise the amount of time you spend on the computer or watch TV and make sure you don’t have a computer or TV in your bedroom. If you do then move them out to another room.
Learn to relax.
Sounds simple Dwayne, but not easy until you recognise what relaxes you. It could be going for a jog, swimming, playing chess, and reading, chatting with friends or listening to your favourite music.
It is fashionable for guys to use lots of hair gels, waxes and creams, but these are best avoided on a daily basis as overuse can lead to chemical build up. If you must use a ‘dressing’ on your hair then look for a natural organic hair cream with a sun protection filter in it.
A prominent politician I know, shared his hair care secret with me, he swears by a slick of organic mayonnaise every morning and for his age, he has a fab head of hair!
Have your hair trimmed every six weeks, or sooner, if you like to wear your hair short, which is a cool fashion statement these days.

My own stimulating hair oil recipe is as follows:
• 20 mls of jojoba oil
• 8 drops rosemary essential oil
• 4 drops of roman chamomile essential oil
• 4 drops geranium essential oil
• Mix together and massage into your clean scalp.
The massage technique is very important.
• Sit down and place your elbows on a table and place your hands on your scalp.
• Keep your elbows still and using your fingertips to really ‘move’ your scalp with firm movements for five to 10 minutes maximum.
• Longer massage will over stimulate those sebaceous glands so don’t over do it. Leave the oil for another 15 minutes then rinse off and shampoo.
• Repeat three times a week for three months, as this is the hair growth cycle time, then reduce to once or twice weekly to maintain your healthy hair.
You should be able to find these oils in local pharmacies, if not then email me and I will help you find a supplier.
Jojoba oil is really a sort of liquid ‘wax’ rather than an oil and it mimics our own sebum so will help normalize your sebaceous glands.
It is also absorbed by the hair shaft which helps condition your hair too.
This does not happen with any other oil such as almond, grapeseed, olive or coconut oils.
In fact, these oils will flood your roots and upset your sebaceous glands as described above and as they cannot penetrate your hair shaft, it usually takes three good, strong shampoo repeats to remove all the oil from the hair which just strips it even more and upsets the balance.

There are, of course, many unusual remedies that are supposed to promote healthy hair; rubbing raw garlic onto your scalp, eating a fresh chili pepper every day, standing on your head for 30 minutes a day, sleeping with your head facing north (or was it south?) and even drinking sheep’s urine. Yuk!
If I were you I would avoid these and get out your favourite comedy movie and have a good old belly laugh.
It is also worth remembering that many handsome celebrities don’t have flowing locks and the shaved head or very short haircut is very fashionable and appeals to women the world over.
Please keep in touch with me and let me know your progress Dwayne.