Every time you wash your hair, when you see a bunch of tangled and disordered hair falling off your hands, won't you ask yourself: How far is it until I become bald? Every time you buy shampoo, when you see the exaggerated hair-growth and hair-protection advertisements from the merchants, wouldn't you wonder again: Is this really effective?

Today, we will use an article to have a detailed discussion with all of you about these matters.

1. Is there really a connection between hair loss and frequent hair washing?

In fact, hair loss has no essential connection with frequent hair washing.

The cortex on our scalp mixes with sweat to form a weakly acidic lipid film. This lipid film not only protects the scalp but also acts like applying a layer of wax to the hair, making the hair look shinier and more elastic, thereby providing protection for the hair.

Our scalp also needs such a weakly acidic environment to maintain the stability of the scalp microenvironment. If we wash our hair too frequently, not only will the cuticle layer of the hair not be well protected, but the hair may also become dry, hard and lose its luster. The entire scalp microenvironment may also be damaged, which is not conducive to the health of the scalp.

However, frequent hair washing has only a limited impact on the growth of hair follicles deep within the scalp and does not damage the foundation of our hair. Therefore, we generally believe that an increase in the frequency of hair washing is not related to hair loss.

II. Are the hair growth and hair loss prevention shampoos available on the market really effective?

When we are shopping in malls or online stores, we often come across many shampoos promoting the claims of preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth. Are these really effective? We need to consider this from two aspects.

Firstly, in the first aspect, as consumers ourselves, we should be cautious when shopping. The shampoo purchased in the mall is merely a daily care product and not a medicine. We cannot expect it to have particularly remarkable effects.

On the other hand, when analyzing from the perspective of the product itself, many shampoos on the market that claim to have hair growth and hair retention effects have relatively low drug concentrations and their effects only last for a few minutes on the scalp. The short duration of absorption by the scalp limits the effectiveness. Therefore, they rarely can achieve the effect of hair growth simply through washing the hair. At most, they can only have a certain effect of delaying hair loss.

So when we choose shampoo, we only need to pay attention to three aspects:

After the trial, do you feel comfortable? Are you satisfied with the fragrance, elasticity and luster?

② Is it a genuine brand and is the quality guaranteed? Generally, the quality of products from major brands can be relatively assured, at least in terms of hair loss prevention functions. However, for inferior brands, especially those without any certification (three-no products), they often not only fail to have any effect but may also cause irritation, allergies, excessive heavy metal content, etc., which can lead to dermatitis and aggravate hair loss.

③ Look at the ingredients in the hair cleanser and, based on your own judgment, choose the shampoo with the desired functions such as oil control, anti-dandruff, and anti-itch. Also, pay attention to the pH value of the shampoo. It should be slightly acidic. If the shampoo is alkaline, it is not suitable for use. Otherwise, it may cause the scalp to become tight, the hair to become dry, and the wavy scales on the hair that resemble tiles will easily generate static electricity and all open up, making the hair look frizzy and feel rough when touched.

III. Are there any medicinal shampoos that can treat hair loss?

Many people experience hair loss which is actually androgenetic alopecia. Regarding this, there are currently two types of topical medication gels available on the domestic market that can help us with the treatment. They are the 2% selenodithione shampoo and the 2% ketoconazole shampoo.

These two types of drugs both have the functions of controlling oil secretion and eliminating dandruff, inhibiting the proliferation of Malassezia fungi on the scalp, and improving the microenvironment of the scalp. However, they also have their own advantages and disadvantages:

Note that these two shampoos are generally not recommended for direct use as they are medicinal products and do not contain surfactants, which means they cannot produce foam. As a result, they can make the hair extremely dry. When washed with your hands or a comb, it is more likely to damage the scalp and hair cuticles.

Therefore, we generally recommend mixing it with your regular shampoo for use. Use half of the shampoo and half of the lotion. Mix them together in the palm of your hand, apply to the scalp, rub to create foam, let it sit for 2-3 minutes to allow the medication to fully contact the scalp, then rinse off with water. This can not only prevent the hair from becoming too dry, but also achieve excellent results in cleaning the scalp and inhibiting Malassezia bacteria.

In addition, apart from these two Western medicine solutions, we can also use some external Chinese medicine preparations, such as Skin Care Solution and Canghuang Solution. These medications contain certain components that have the functions of clearing heat, detoxifying and drying dampness. They can also achieve the effects of controlling oil secretion and inhibiting the proliferation of Malassezia fungi. Moreover, Chinese medicine solutions tend to have less irritation to the scalp compared to Western medicines. Therefore, for patients with mild scalp inflammation, not excessive oil production, sensitive scalps or those with scalp folliculitis, they can choose to use Chinese medicine solutions in combination with their own shampoo.

Four. Why is it recommended to use hair conditioner when washing your hair?

The basic principle behind the effectiveness of hair conditioner is to make the hair scales on the hair surface fit together more closely. This way, the hair will appear shinier and better moisturized. When the hair has a certain level of moisture, it will not break easily due to dryness. Therefore, we generally recommend applying some hair conditioner after washing the hair.

However, we need to keep in mind that hair conditioner is more effective in repairing the ends of the hair. This is because the hair at the ends is more prone to damage due to frequent combing, washing, styling, and exposure to ultraviolet rays. The newly grown hair, being in better condition to begin with, does not show significant effects from the use of hair conditioner.

This tells us that when using hair conditioner, it is best to apply it at the ends of the hair. Girls can choose to start applying the hair conditioner about 10 cm away from the tip of the hair, approximately at the mid-length section, to achieve the best effect of the conditioner.