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"Do you think you can live a person from just hair?" was the first question Topaz heard in the consultation room.
Topaz is an ordinary family doctor who works at the city's community health centers and sees a wide variety of patients every day.
He replied with a smile: "From a medical point of view, hair changes can indeed reflect some health problems, although it cannot directly predict lifespan, but if your hair has certain features, you should pay more attention." ”
The external condition of the hair is usually a reflection of the internal condition. For example, frizzy, brittle hair can mean a lack of essential nutrients, such as protein and iron.
In fact, the appearance of hair is closely related to overall health. People with low levels of zinc in their hair have a higher rate of hair loss, which is related to the nutritional status of the body.
In addition to this, the appearance of white hair may be associated with increased stress. Oxidative stress refers to the instability between some substances in the body, and long-term oxidative stress can accelerate the aging process of the body.
Premature gray hair may be an outward manifestation of oxidative stress, which is associated with a weakened antioxidant capacity in the body. For example, people with premature gray hair generally have lower activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), an important antioxidant enzyme that helps neutralize harmful free radicals.
Also, the hair growth cycle and the rate of hair loss can also reflect the health status. For example, people with hypothyroidism often experience dry hair and hair loss because thyroid hormones have an important impact on the hair growth cycle.
Next, Topaz touched on a lesser-known area: the health of the scalp. Poor scalp health, such as frequent dandruff, excessive oil production, or inflammation of the scalp, can be a sign of hormone imbalances or immune system problems.
People with severe scalp problems have a relatively high risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This may be because scalp problems are associated with increased levels of inflammation in the body, and a long-term inflammatory response is one of the main risk factors for many diseases.
Topaz further explained: "You see, we don't usually pay much attention to the health of the scalp, but in fact, the scalp is like the 'soil' of the hair, and once the 'soil' goes wrong, the 'crops' on it will inevitably be affected.
For example, excessive scalp oiliness or chronic scalp inflammation can affect nutrient absorption and health at the root of the hair. ”
Subsequently, Topaz also mentioned an issue that is often overlooked – the impact of sleep quality on hair health. "In fact, sleep not only affects our mental state, but also directly correlates to our hair health.
Not getting enough sleep can jeopardize internal stability. Growth hormone helps maintain healthy hair and skin, while cortisol is the 'emergency hormone' in response to stress, and long-term high levels of cortisol can cause hair growth to slow down or even fall out. ”
The doctor went on to describe several concrete cases that made these abstract medical concepts more vivid and concrete. "For example, one of my previous patients came to the clinic because of severe hair loss.
After a series of examinations, we found that his hair loss was directly related to long-term work stress and lack of sleep. ”
Towards the end of the conversation, a young patient asked a question: "Dr. Huang, I recently noticed that not only did I lose more hair, but my scalp also had a little itch, what is going on?"
After listening to this, Topaz asked the patient in detail about his daily life and the hair care products he used. "Based on your description, it could be due to using a shampoo or hair product that isn't suitable for your scalp type," he explains. ”
"Did you know that a lot of hair care products out there today contain ingredients that can cause allergies? These ingredients make hair feel smooth, but their persistent presence can damage the scalp barrier, leading to scalp inflammation and hair loss. ”
He advises patients: "Try changing some gentle, sulfate-free shampoos while maintaining good lifestyle habits, including eating properly and getting enough sleep." In addition, if the condition does not improve, it is advisable to come to the hospital for further dermatological examination. ”
What are your thoughts on what characteristics of hair should be paid attention to?