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4
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BALDNESS and HAIR LOSS (Alopecia)
SYMPTOMS—It is hair on the head that we are concerned with here. There are several types of hair loss: baldness or loss of hair (alopecia). Loss of all scalp hair (alopecia totalis). Hair falling out in patches (alopecia areata). Another type of hair loss is localized and is due to scarring. Alopecia most frequently occurs in men, but occasionally in women. Most common of all is the standard male pattern of baldness and the female pattern of baldness.
A single hair generally lasts 2-6 years, and is then replaced by a new hair. When baldness begins, there is an excess of shorter, thinner hair—the kind babies have on their head.
Remember that it is normal to lose as much as 100 hairs a day. Once the hair follicle dies, it never again produces hair. But there are instances in which the follicle has not died, but only has stopped producing hair. Careful treatment restores hair growth.
CAUSES—Heredity (especially in men), hormonal factors, aging, or local or systemic disease. Localized hair loss could also be caused by scarring following a wound or an operation.
Other factors include poor circulation, high fever or other acute illness, surgery, radiation (X-ray therapy), medicinal drugs, anesthesia, drastic reducing diets, stress (depletes B vitamins), poor diet, skin disease, sudden weight loss, iron deficiency, thyroid disease, obesity, birth control pills, diabetes, or vitamin deficiency. A nourishing diet should be eaten daily.
A significant cause of baldness is the use of hair dyes. Another is using hot air dryers.
Hair loss in women most often occurs after menopause. Some women lose some hair 2-3 months after childbirth because hormonal changes, during late term, tended to block normal hair loss; this is reversed within 6 months.
Hypothyroidism can cause hair loss. Too little vitamin A can cause hair loss, and too much can do it also.
TREATMENT—
• The circulation in the scalp (which is poorer in men than in women) needs to be improved. Massaging the scalp daily helps. Keep the scalp and hair clean; however, do not wash the hair too frequently. Avoid excess shampooing.
• There should be adequate protein in the diet (especially vegetable seeds, such as sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, almonds), brewer's yeast and fresh brewer's yeast; but, as with everything, do not go overboard. (People in the U.S. eat more protein than anyone else, yet they have the greatest hair loss.)
• A variety of factors affect hair loss. Minerals and vitamins are also important for hair growth. Take a good supplement at least twice a day. Drink fresh vegetable juice at least once a day. Take vitamin A (50,000 units daily). Several B vitamins especially affect hair growth and color. Eat sea kelp or dulse. biotin, inositol, niacin, vitamin E, and PABA are also important.
• Oatstraw and horsetail tea are rich in silicon and trace minerals. Rosemary helps prevent premature baldness and stimulate head circulation. Sage is an astringent, and helps stimulate growth. Yarrow helps liver activity.
• Avoid salt, sugar, tobacco, and alcohol. Overconsumption of salt and sugar increases dandruff and hair loss. Avoid large amounts of vitamin A (100,000 units daily over long periods).
• Beware of the drug, minoxidil. Although given to restore scalp hair, it is high-priced and may cause heart damage. The hair it produces is of a poor quality, and tends to fall out when the drug is terminated.
• Some people put a little cayenne pepper on their scalp. It surely will bring the blood, and might even produce some hair! But it may get in the eyes! Most people are not prepared to deal with this extreme method.
• There are others who stand on their head to bring the blood there! It is reported that this also helps. Do not do it at work, or folks will think you are crazy. (And, of course, too much of this would not be good for the brain.) Others lie on slant boards for a time each day.
Here are more suggestions:
• Try rubbing the juice of a quince on the bald area every day. Eat flaxseed and drink sage tea. Iodine (in Norwegian kelp or Nova Scotia dulse) in your diet may help. Rub bald spots with kerosene once a day. For falling hair, try wetting the scalp daily with strong rosemary, sage or white oak bark tea.
• But, first and foremost, you need to go on a cleansing juice program for a couple days, and clean the bowels. Then only eat nourishing food, and no more processed junk.
• It is said that you must faithfully do your selected hair treatment for two months before you will see results.
• Never use strong soaps or hair sprays. Only use mild castile soaps.
• Hats and wigs are apt to cause hair to fall out faster, since they limit the air to the scalp.
• One natural remedies expert gives this advice: "Eat all raw food, massage your scalp often in the sun, wiggle your ears a lot, and stand on your head or lie on a slant board."
ENCOURAGEMENT—Happiness from earthly sources is constantly changeable. But Christ can give you peace and rest which is beyond compare. Let Him, by faith, dwell in your heart.
DANDRUFF
SYMPTOMS—The greatest number of sebaceous (oil) glands are found on the face and scalp. Sebum, the oily secretion, lubricates the hair and scalp in order to keep both soft and pliable. Excess sebum may collect to form dandruff.
Dandruff is a covering of dead skin that prevents new hair from growing, because it cannot break through the dead skin. A scaling or flaking of scalp cells results. It may or may not be accompanied by itching.
CAUSES—A change in the surface cells of the scalp results in a scaling or flaking. This change is especially keyed to nutritional deficiencies. It often occurs in those with oily skin who are prone to develop superficial, acute, and chronic bacterial skin conditions.
There is generally excess secretion of oil by the sebaceous glands. It is this oil which binds the cells together on the scalp. Nutritional deficiencies can cause these abnormal secretions.
TREATMENT—
• Often there are severe B complex deficiencies, a lack of essential unsaturated fatty acids, and zinc.
• Cut out excess fats, grease, and all fried foods from the diet. Stop the use of alcohol. Check to see if you have food allergies (wheat, dairy products, citrus, or something else). Avoid stress and poor elimination. Do not use strong, irritant shampoos or hair treatments. Avoid chocolate, sugar, white flour, and seafood.
• To help control appearance, cleanse with a shampoo, designed to help control dandruff. Wash the hair in vinegar, to remove all the loose scales.
• Be sure the diet includes flaxseed oil, vitamins E and A, PABA, Folic acid, B6, and zinc. If needed, take digestive enzymes. Also helpful are kelp, biotin, and lecithin. Eat 50-75% raw food.
• A short fast is a good way to begin the program. Then begin eating only nutritious foods.
• Anti-microbial shampoos are often recommended, but there is no evidence that this germ-killing factor lessens the dandruff.
• Get a detergent, such as Shaklee Basic H or Amway LOC (but not their corresponding shampoos). Dilute (1 tbsp. to 1 cup water), and shampoo twice a week with it. This frequently helps.
• Shampoos containing selenium sulfide can cause eye damage and hair loss.
• Plain water alone is also good.
• Pour warmed vinegar over the head, wrap in a towel, and wash off 30 minutes later.
• Do not put tar-based shampoos on your head if you have blonde hair; it will turn the hair brown.
• A little sunlight is good for your scalp and hair.
• Keep calm and relaxed. It will help your hair.
ENCOURAGEMENT—The peace of Christ is constant and enduring. We can find no rest apart from Him. Come, now, and make Him your own by faith.
OILY HAIR
SYMPTOMS—Excess amounts of oil in the hair. Redheads rarely have oily hair, blondes tend to have it the most often.
CAUSES—The sebaceous glands produce too much oil, and there are nutritional aspects which need to be corrected. There are as many as 140,000 oil glands on the scalp. Oil wicks into fine, straight hair the easiest. Wiry hair tends to be the least oily.
Oil production tends to be increased by intense heat and humidity. Hormonal changes and stress can also affect it.
TREATMENT—
• Many of the nutritional suggestions in "Dandruff" should be considered (which see).
• Only use clear shampoos; they have less oils in them.
• Give yourself a double shampoo, with a rinse in between. After shampooing, feel your hair; does it feel oily? This will help you know how well you are doing.
• Squeeze the juice of two lemons into a pint of water and use it as a finishing rinse. This helps remove soap residues which tend to weigh down the hair. Or use an apple cider vinegar rinse.
• Do not overbrush, for this carries additional oil from the roots into the hair.
ENCOURAGEMENT—When you have asked for the things your soul needs, believe that God will give you the best, just what you need. It may not come in exactly the way you expected, but it will be just what is best.
DRY HAIR
SYMPTOMS—Hair that is dry enough that it bothers you.
CAUSES—A dry garden needs water; dry hair does not need water, but it needs natural oils.
TREATMENT—
• Include enough unsaturated fatty acids in your diet (unheated vegetables oils, such as wheat germ, flaxseed, sesame, corn, or soy oil). See suggestions under "Dry Skin."
• Do not use heat to arrange your hair. Both curling irons and electric curlers produce heat that is too intense. Instead, women should use unheated plastic cylinder rollers.
• Dry hair tends to produce frayed ends. Snip them off about every 6 weeks or so.
• Avoid whipping winds; they also tend to fray your hair. Women do best not to swim bareheaded; use a bathing cap. It will protect the hair. For additional protection, rub on a little olive oil before putting on the cap.
• Shampoo with care, using only mild shampoos.
• Avoid washing the hair every night.
ENCOURAGEMENT—Accept His gifts with the whole heart; for Jesus died that you might have the precious things of heaven as your own, and at last find a home with the heavenly angels in the kingdom of God.
GRAY HAIR
SYMPTOMS—The hair is changing from its youthful color to a gray color.
CAUSES—A lack of three B complex vitamins is specific to this problem.
TREATMENT—
• To restore natural color to gray hair, the following vitamins have been reported to be successful for some people: PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid), pantothenic acid, folic acid, along with brewer's yeast, and blackstrap molasses. Also take a good multi-vitamin/mineral formula. Include some kelp or dulse in your diet.
ENCOURAGEMENT—While self is unsubdued, we can find no rest. But if you will find time and voice to pray, God will find time and voice to answer.
INGROWN HAIR
SYMPTOMS—A hair, generally on the neck, grows down into the skin and causes irritation.
CAUSES—These tend to be caused by hairs which curl. Curly haired people are the most likely to have this problem.
TREATMENT—
• The only practical solution is to pull it out with tweezers. Do not pull at just anything; wait until you can actually see the hair. If necessary, place a warm compress on the area, for a time, to help it be seen better. Then use tweezers or a sterilized needle, followed by a dab of hydrogen peroxide on the area.
• People who find this too much of a problem might consider growing a beard. Once established, that generally solves the problem. If beards are frowned on at your work, have your physician write a note that it is a medical necessity for you to have one.
• Using an electric shaver is better than razors, because razors do not shave quite as close. Razors also sharpen the hair end more, especially double track razors. If you do use a razor, try not to shave as close.
• If your neck hairs are grown in different directions, train them to grow in only two directions, by only shaving up and down, and not crossways.
• Women should shave their legs down, not up. Shaving upward is far more likely to cause inward-growing hairs. This is because leg hairs grow downward.
ENCOURAGEMENT—However fierce the tempest, those who turn to Jesus will find deliverance. His providence will provide for their needs, and His grace will give power to resist temptation and sin.
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