Reduce preventable hair breakage with gentle care, looser hairstyles and balanced nutrition while recognising hair loss that needs medical assessment.
Some daily hair shedding is normal, but noticeably increased hair fall may follow illness, childbirth, major stress, rapid weight loss, nutritional deficiency, thyroid problems or certain medicines. No single oil or supplement treats every cause.
Handle fragile hair gently. Use a mild shampoo on the scalp and apply conditioner to the lengths. Detangle with a wide-tooth comb, starting near the ends, and avoid aggressive towel rubbing. Reduce frequent bleaching, chemical straightening and high-temperature styling.
Tight ponytails, braids, extensions and buns can repeatedly pull on the roots and contribute to traction hair loss. Looser styles and regular breaks can reduce tension.
Eat a balanced diet containing adequate protein and iron from appropriate foods such as pulses, eggs, dairy, fish, lean meat, nuts, seeds and leafy vegetables. Supplements should not be taken blindly: excessive amounts of some nutrients can worsen hair loss or interfere with laboratory tests.
Precautions
Hair oil may reduce dryness and friction along the hair shaft, but it cannot reverse genetic hair loss, autoimmune alopecia or an untreated medical condition. A dermatologist may recommend blood tests when deficiency, hormonal imbalance, thyroid disease or infection is suspected.
Seek medical advice for sudden heavy shedding, round bald patches, scalp pain, redness, scaling, scarring or loss of eyebrows and eyelashes. Early diagnosis can improve the chance of preserving hair in some conditions.
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