Pollution is creating havoc on many fronts- our health, our environments, our natural resources, and many others. Our hairs too suffer from the negative impact of this. Recently a study was conducted showing the dwindling of testosterone levels in Indian men (https://www.hindawi.com/journals/au/2019/2468926/) with many suffering from severe hair loss. Healthcare professionals all over the world have cited the increasing levels of air pollution as the main culprit behind these findings. With the changing lifestyles, both men and women are starting to suffer from various hair problems such as premature balding, hair fall and dandruff.
How Pollution affects Hair Loss
Environmental factors are major influencers of your hair health. This is because these chemical pollutants are emitted not just from industrial or traffic units but also from fires and cigarettes. Several other culprits harmful to your hair follicles can easily be found right in our homes. These include the carcinogens emitted while smoking and the smoke from open fires and cooking that is not channeled out of the homes. The soot collected from these hydrocarbons in the air increase the oil production on both face and hair.
There is also the common household dust that contains harmful micro organisms which can cause itching and scaling if they come in contact. Not only this, some of them can even impair the absorption of nutrients by hair follicles.
There is also the added concern of air conditioners that absorb the moisture content of the hair making them dry and frizzy. The resulting changes in your hair scalp may be hardly noticeable at first but if left unchecked and undiagnosed; it may result in androgenetic alopecia.
Importance of right diagnosis
You may live in an urban setting or a rural setting but it is becoming increasingly impossible to be able to avoid air pollutants completely. However, it is only after a proper diagnosis has been done can there be proper treatment. For example, most of the people may just know that they have dandruff but it may be dry scalp dandruff or oily scalp dandruff or even a condition called scalp psoriasis. Hence, it is imperative to consult a doctor rather than self medicate.
In fact, according to hair experts, most of the hair fall issues are a symptom of a disorder rather than being a disorder themselves. And while there are several hair fall treatments available in the market, most of them are not very effective. However, science has progressed by leaps and bounds and has now launched a revolutionary product in India called Hairpro that uses Low level laser technology to rejuvenate the dormant hair follicles making them grow faster.
Right Hair Care Matters
It is imperative that you pay attention to your hair and scalp to keep them healthy. Apart from right nutrition, there are several dos and don’ts that you can follow to promote better hair health. 
When Outdoors
- Cover your hair from sun and wind
- Keep a headscarf handy when traveling into polluted areas
- Tie your hair when traveling to avoid tangles due to blowing winds, thus avoiding damage
- Oil or moisturize your hair before going to the beach
When indoors
- Wash your hair regularly even though you may not sweat much to avoid sweat buildup on the scalp
- Look for products containing natural ingredients
- Avoid using hair dyes containing harsh chemicals
- Keep your hair hydrated by drinking a minimum of 8 glasses of water every day
Remember, shampoos, conditioners and hair masks can help only till a certain extent. What you must understand is that they are just superficial products. If you want healthy and beautiful problem- free hair, the change must be from within.