Spiritual Meaning of Hair Loss | Dandruff | Grey Hair

Hair loss, also known as alopecia, is a concern for women, men, and children.

The most frequent cause of hair loss is a medical condition called hereditary hair loss. Approximately 80 million American adults have this type of hair loss.

In women, hereditary hair loss starts with gradual thinning at the part line, followed by increasing diffuse hair loss radiating from the top of the head.

In men, it typically starts above the temples, and the receding hairline eventually forms a characteristic “M” shape.

Other Causes

Hair Treatments

Treatments which use chemicals, such as – bleach, hair color, perms, or straightening, can cause hair damage which makes the hair fall out temporarily or break off.

Telogen Effluvium

Telogen effluvium, also referred to as temporary hair loss, is a common type of diffuse hair loss which happens when severe or sudden stress causes an increase in the shedding of the hair. Telogen effluvium appears as a diffuse thinning of hair on the scalp, that may not be even all over.

Alopecia Areata

It is an autoimmune condition in which an individual’s own immune system attacks his body’s hair follicles.

Medications

Occasionally, healthcare professionals prescribe medications that have hair loss as a side effect. For instance, anticoagulant drugs like warfarin and heparin may cause hair loss, as a side effect.

Vitamin D Deficiency

There is some evidence that a vitamin D deficiency may cause hair loss and other hair problems.

Dandruff

Dandruff, also known as seborrheic dermatitis or seborrheic eczema, is a common skin condition which causes grey or white flakes of skin to appear on the scalp and in the hair.

The most frequent cause of dandruff is believed to be the fungus Malassezia – a microbe which lives on all of our scalps. Malassezia survives by consuming the natural oils made by our scalps.

Risk Factors

People with eczema, psoriasis (a skin condition which speeds up the life cycle of skin cells), and some other skin disorders tend to get seborrheic dermatitis much more often than other people.

Also, some studies had revealed that about 10 percent of people who are affected with AIDS or HIV have a substantially higher probability to suffer from seborrheic dermatitis.

Other factors which are known to worsen seborrheic eczema include:

  • too much and too little hair washing can aggravate the condition;
  • the use of some hair products like –  hairspray and hair gel;
  • emotional stress.

Notes

Seborrheic dermatitis generally gets worse during the winter and fall due to the dry air. More men tend to get dandruff than women. It is more common in men since they have larger oil-producing glands in their scalp.

It is not an indication of poor hygiene nor is it contagious. More importantly, it can be controlled by daily shampooing with a gentle shampoo.

Grey Hair

Most people notice their first gray hairs in their 30s and have a substantial amount by their 50s.

But, when grey hair occurs very early in your age, then it is called premature greying of hair.

Important note – premature gray hair is linked with an increased risk of heart disease in men, according to a 2017 study issued by the European Society of Cardiology.

Causes

Common causes may include:

  • the use of hair dyes;
  • drying the hair with an electric dryer;
  • an unclean condition of the scalp;
  • heredity is an important predisposing factor;
  • people diagnosed with hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) display premature greying;
  • iodine, copper, iron, and B vitamins deficiency;
  • mental worries;
  • a diet rich in processed foods;
  • individuals suffering from sinusitis and chronic cold are more likely to be victims of premature greying of hair.

Spiritual Meaning of Hair Loss

Hair loss is generally related to loss or fear of losing something important in your life.

It can be a close and dear person, a job, a commitment, something valuable, and the loss (or abandonment) can be real or symbolic, lived or imagined.

When this kind of situation traumatizes the individual, he is deeply affected in the long-term.

Spiritual Meaning of Dandruff

Dandruff reveals a person’s fear of opening up completely and expressing herself entirely.

Spiritual Meaning of Grey Hair

The first white hairs are considered a sign of maturity, experience, and wisdom.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2887514/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3129121/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/hair_loss/

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