Hair, much like our health, is something most of us take for granted until we start losing it. Most youths are hardly concerned about it, unaware that a staggering 20% of young Singaporean males, as well as 40% of women, suffer from hair loss.
In a survey conducted by Straits Times, almost seven in 10 men said that they were willing to forego alcohol for a year in exchange for a full head of hair. Additionally, 15% of Singaporean men said they would give up one year of their life to be free from hair loss.
But there isn’t always space for wishful thinking. Perhaps a better way of approaching the situation would be to be aware of the causes of such problems in the first place — the culprits being habits that we are no longer conscious of.
Overstyling
Waxing one’s hair has become essential for most Singaporean men. However, products that promise long-lasting hold often use alcohol to make hair stiff and sticky, which in turn makes it dry and brittle. Styling products also lead to the build-up of sebum on scalps, eventually clogging pores. This causes hair miniaturisation — the process that eventually leads to a balding scalp.
While most females may not use products such as hair wax, they are likely guilty of excessive heat treatment such as straightening, curling, and blowdrying. The heat applied creates air bubbles within the hair shaft, making the hair shaft more porous and prone to breakage. Paired with improper technique while using hair appliances, hair would then break from the roots, resulting in increasingly thin hair.
Undergoing Dramatic Colour Changes
Bleaching, designed to lift and penetrate the hair cuticle in order to change its colour, will break these bonds, leading to the breakdown of the integrity of the hair shaft if used excessively. This is especially so if you were to insist on dramatic colour changes in one sitting — going from black to blonde, or vice-versa.
Wearing Tight Hairstyles
We’d love to let our hair down, but sometimes, Singapore’s scorching weather simply doesn’t permit it. Up-dos have become key in Singapore’s everyday look book — males included — with high and tight ponytails or ‘man buns’ being the go-to styles for their cooling factor.
Alas, such hairstyles results in a type of hair loss termed traction alopecia — the hair loss that occurs after persistent gentle pulling on the roots after several hours or days. The hairs at the margins of the scalp tend to receive the greatest tensile force, resulting in excessive tension on the hair follicles and damaging them permanently.
Eating Junk Food
A poor diet can almost always be blamed for anything harmful, and this is especially the case for hair calamities. Greasy food clogs not only your arteries, but also the pores of your scalp, resulting in hair miniaturisation and hair loss. Harmful hormones such as DHT get trapped, re-triggering hair loss mechanisms.
Furthermore, the carbonated drinks you’d get with your meals are high in sugar, resulting in a spike in blood glucose levels when you drink them. In order to lower blood glucose levels, insulin is released, which results in lower levels of the hair growth-promoting hormone SHBG, in turn raising DHT levels instead.
Sleeping with Wet Hair
You come home late. You sleepily take a shower. Since the rest of the household is sleeping, you don’t dry your hair off with your loud hairdryer — you’re too lazy for that anyway. Exhausted, you crash into your bed, wet hair and all.
The above scenario is all too familiar for most of us. While sleeping with wet hair does not immediately damage the hair follicle or shaft, hair is weakest when it’s wet, making it more pliable and easy to break. Such a habit would hence result in a higher chance of breakage, consequently resulting in thinning hair overall.
It’s Crucial to Seek Treatment
But before you go pulling out your hair in a state of panic, take solace in the fact that hair loss can be treated in its early stages. Hence, while it is important to change one’s lifestyle, it is equally vital to seek treatment in order to reverse the damage caused before it is too late.
Leave-in conditioners, hair oils, and serums may alleviate the symptoms, but the foundation for healthy hair begins with a healthy scalp — something that the award-winning treatment from TK TrichoKare can effectively help out in, with the use of trichology.
Promotion
TrichoKare is currently having a promotion for their award-winning Hair Densifying Treatment, going at $40 with complimentary FolliGRO Ampoule and Energy Serum (total worth $743).
Customers who sign up for this trial treatment are entitled to win a 2D1N Staycation at Marina Bay Sands (worth $550), so be sure not to miss out on this opportunity, and click here to sign up now!
Trichology — the study of the health of the hair and scalp — covers everything from physiology, nutrition, as well as genetics. With TrichoKare’s in-house trichologists, you can rest assured that you will receive the most well-informed treatment customised for your ailment.
TrichoKare’s award-winning Hair Densifying Treatment comprises of 3 stages, counteracting the root cause of hair loss — sebum build-up in the scalp — as well as strengthening hair follicles and lastly, promoting hair density. At the centre of the treatment is their European herbal hair remedy, free of harsh chemicals yet uniquely formulated to fit all hair and scalp conditions.
Before treatment – Signs of a flaky scalp and hair breakages
Post treatment – Visibly cleaner scalp
Outlets:
Velocity@Novena Square, #03-19
The Clementi Mall, #05-11
Nex, #02-24
Orchard Gateway, #02-12
Compass One #04-10
Operating Hours:
Mon–Fri: 1100–2100
Sat–Sun: 1000–1900
Contact: +65 6338 8680
Website: www.tk-hair.com
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Testimony
“”I was a little skeptical prior to the treatment as I felt that I didn’t have any obvious hair or scalp issues but I was open to understanding the insights of what a specialist might be able to observe. Throughout the examination, I began to realize that a lot of the scalp problems are not noticeable to the naked eye and if left untreated, the problem will escalate. Under close examination, my seemingly “healthy” scalp was flaky and it showed signs of hair breakage as shown in the picture above. After the customised treatment session, my scalp definitely felt cleaner and a lot of the grime and pasty build-up was cleared. The session was extremely therapeutic and more importantly, effective.
To my surprise, the next morning I found little to no hair fall throughout the week, an amazing feat given the amount of hair strands I wake up to each day! With just one treatment, the effect was clearly visible. I am a new convert and I’m already looking forward to my next session!”
