Monday, November 21, 2005

My Mother Never Told Me Women Can Go Bald

When I was in junior high school many, many years ago, I stopped at a friend’s house after school. Her grandmother was visiting from down south. I remember thinking how regal this woman looked because her hair was extremely long and she had it styled in a fabulous bun on top of her head.

As I was sitting in the living room having a conversation with my friend’s grandmother she started taking her bun apart. As she untied the bun her hair fell down around her shoulders. I was startled because she was completely bald in the middle of her head. I had never seen a bald woman before or even knew that women can go bald.

It became a major concern for me and at a very young age I began to hope that I would not become bald in my golden years. Now that I am in my 50’s I realize I have to do more than hope. We loose 50 to 80 strands of hair per day. It’s a normal situation we shouldn’t be concerned with unless we have a deficiency in our diet or we are in ill health.

Not to worry our lost hair is replaced quickly by new ones. Each hair grows a quarter to a half inch in length each month. It is essential to remember that hair must be treated gently. Excessive stretching and tugging with hard combs and styling appliances, exposure to heat, regular use of rollers, blow drying, perming and coloring can lead to hair loss.

Never ever brush your hair when it is wet, this only leads to their breakage. Many hair manufactures now offer hair products with botanicals (plant extracts). If you use any herbal products on your hair make sure you find out the ingredients. Also conduct a patch test on the inside of your elbow to avoid any allergic reactions.

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