Hold your head up, high

That's what American actress Ricki Lake had to say after opening up about her 30-year battle with hair loss. We speak to experts for physical and psychological hacks that can help women cope with a scant crop

Quiet hell. These two words, part of a long, long social media post put up by American actress and TV presenter Ricki Lake this month perfectly summed up what losing your hair, as a woman, feels like. And she's been fighting it for 30 years. "It has been debilitating, embarrassing, painful, scary, depressing, lonely... I have even felt suicidal over it," she wrote, detailing a journey of extensions, wigs and steroids. Lake attributes her condition to many factors including yo-yo dieting and hormonal birth control. Eventually, she decided to chop her locks off — "to be set free."

Unpacking alopecia

Dr Neha Pakhare

Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss and causes can range from ovarian cysts to localised trauma of the hair follicles. It is also necessary to identify the difference between shedding and thinning. While the former denotes a reduction in volume, the latter is implies bald patches or the widening of the hair part which isn't reversible unless the cause is diagnosed. "Shedding mostly occurs due to nutritional deficiencies. It's normal to lose up to 150 strands a day. If it exceeds that limit, get your thyroid, haemoglobin and ferritin levels, checked" says Dr Banani Choudhary, consultant dermatologist at Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre. An examination of the scalp and dermatitis is also essential. "Don't use a hydrating shampoo if your scalp is oily. Pick hair products that are free of Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS) and parabens," Dr Neha Pakhare, consultant trichologist at Jean-Claude Biguine's Trica Hair Clinic, suggests.

Dr Banani Choudhary

Building self-esteem

The psychological approach towards hair loss is more holistic and to do with self appreciation, according to Jasdeep Mago, neuropsychologist and co-founder of Invisble Illness. "Hair is a big part of female and male appearance. A lot of clients that I see suffer from body image issues which includes hair as a major concern," she says, adding that women with chronic hair loss also have a hard time in romantic relationships as their self-esteem takes a hit.

Jasdeep Mago

Elaborating on gender differences, Dr Amrita Joshi, clinical psychologist, mentions how beauty standards are known to be more oppressive towards women. Men are often able to look at their appearance as a whole, while women tend to follow "a piecemeal approach, where each aspect of the hair like density, growth, thickness, length, colour, and shape is scrutinised." Thus reducing, what Joshi terms as "hair esteem", since almost a third of one's self-esteem is based on body image. For women experiencing hair loss, she advices the following:

Dr Amrita Joshi

• You can opt for beauty enhancement strategies but also continue to challenge oppressive beauty standards. A wig, for instance, can help elevate mood and enhance confidence.
• It also helps to find the source of low hair esteem — Is it past experiences? Teasing, bullying, or comments about hair?
• Be kinder towards your body and/or hair. Make peace with the hair loss.
• It also helps to derive confidence and self-esteem from other sources. Know that your appearance is only one way in which you can feel good about yourself.
• Find and associate with
• caring, supportive, and understanding people around
• you. Amplify their voices. This will help tune out some of the unwanted negative voices.

Style it right

Avani Yashwin

There is no general rule to cutting the hair of clients experiencing thinning. But Avani Yashwin, proprietor and head stylist at Bandra's Happy in the Head, says that she would refrain from going short. "First, the area of hair loss needs to be identified and then the type of cut. Longer hair makes it easier to cover loss. But if you do wish to go short, then a fade or buzz cut can be done as concealment, so alopecia becomes part of the style," she says. If you're losing hair at the crown, opt for bangs or if at the temples, then do a side part, make a tiny braid and use bobby pins to secure it. For accessories, try bandanas or a hair band.

Miley Cyrus sports a fader. Pic/AFP

Economically draining

Roopika Nigam

Roopika Nigam was diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia, male-pattern baldness, in Class 8, having had a family history of the condition. She hopped from physician to endocrinologist to trichologist, nothing worked — even minoxidil, medication known to slow hair loss. "I blew up a lot of money. One trichology session cost me R2,000 for 10 minutes. I've spent over a lakh," she says. The 26-year-old eventually chose homeopathy and has observed 15 per cent growth. Nigam calls for more awareness to the issue. "People can be insensitive and ask, 'why don't you just go to a parlour and get a hair cut?' They fail to understand that this is more than just hair loss."

Unique experiences

Sonali Bhagchanadani

The narrative around alopecia is ridden with perceived necessity, and not choice — something is terribly wrong with you if you aren't undergoing treatment and if you are, you're told, "Oh, you'd rock the bald look, too". None of these choices have to be trivialised, says Sonali Bhagchandani. The Cuffe Parade resident, 25, was diagnosed with alopecia areata (an autoimmune disorder identified by patchy hair loss) when she was seven — "I just didn't care about it then. I went around like, whatever, I'm a little weird." She had lost 45 per cent of her hair till Class 7. Through a rigorous treatment of naturopathy, she gained back a significant amount. Bhagchandani shares, "People need to realise that this is a hassle — one that I would do all over again even if given the option of a wig. I like the feeling of having hair on my head. And age matters, too. Shaving might be an easier choice when you're not in a youthful phase. At the same time, I wish that there is a cure for this one day. And most importantly, all healthcare should be free or covered under insurance."

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