Come summers and we just cannot help dreading the sweat. Call it a boon of living in an equatorial country, there is practically no way by which we can escape the cruel crutches of all that sweat and oiliness.

This is particularly true in the case of those people who have no option but to subject themselves to the scorching rays of the sun for a portion of the day. In fact, if we look at the Indian society at large, a very small section of the society has access to air conditioning.

Now, while some optimists may claim that sweating is actually good for the body as it facilitates weight loss and has a detoxifying effect on the body, the fact remains that sweating actually does more harm than good. Other than the usual discomfort of grease and oiliness that it brings along, sweat also results in loss of vital minerals from the body.

This gets one dehydrated, which in turn makes one feel light-headed and weak. Other than these common effects of sweating on the body, there are some more ill consequences, which are not that well known. This article explores one such consequence; that is this article draws the correlation between excessive sweating and the loss of hair in a human adult. Broadly speaking, there are four reasons for the association of excessive sweating with hair fall.

• Role of lactic acid

All of us are well aware of the fact that sweating causes the release of lactic acid. The human hair is such that it has a high content of keratin in it. When the lactic acid that is generated mixes with keratin that is present in the scalp and hair, it results in hair loss. That is why, it is seen that irrespective of your age or sex, any normal human being is seen to experience damage to hair and subsequent hair loss immediately after sweating.

• Role of bacteria

At any given time, the human scalp has a certain level of bacteria in it. The sweat that is secreted from the sweat glands present in the head, mixes with the bacteria that are already accumulated in the scalp. This gives rise to a number of fungal infections and consequently leads to degradation in the quality of hair. This in turn paves the way for further hair loss.

• Dehydration

As stated earlier, sweating results in loss of nutrients from the body. Thus, when this sweating happens on the head, it leads to dehydration of the hair strands. The hair follicles also get dehydrated and in that way, they do not grow to the best of their abilities. This leads to hair loss.

• Blocking of pores

For hair that has not been recently washed and cleaned, it is obvious that there will be the presence of certain dry flakes on the scalp. When the newly secreted sweat mixes with these flakes, it can block the pores. Blocked pores make the hair follicles totally inactive and are a very common source of hair fall. This is all the way truer in the case of women over the age of 30.

Now that we have established how sweating results in hair fall, the next question that arises is how we can stop this type of excessive hair fall. Read on to know more details about the same.

How To Stop Excessive Hair Fall

• Use of oil

Make it a practice to massage your scalp with oil at least once or twice a week. Doing so will ensure proper circulation of blood to the hair follicles and provide it with the nourishment that it needs. Massaging with oil also fosters the removal of harmful toxins and other dirt particles from the hair and thus negates the effect of sweat in it. Make sure that after you are done with the massaging, you leave the oil on your hair for a minimum of 30 to 40 minutes, before rinsing off the same with a shampoo and applying a conditioner. Please note that coconut oil or almond oil is the best suited in this regard.

• Use of steam

Take steam on your hair at least once every fortnight. Doing so will make sure that the pores in your scalp are opened. This in turn will flush out all forms of dirt and toxins from the hair. The extra oil will be immediately removed and the hair follicles will be activated for proper functioning. You will not just end up feeling much fresher than before, but will also ensure that your hair is being given the best environment to flourish and grow.

• Wash your hair

While you may argue that you actually do the same, the fact remains that during the sweaty summer months, you must do so more regularly. This will keep off the germs by removing all the extra unwanted oil and dirt from the scalp. This method also ensures that the extra sebum production, which is one of the primary causes of hair loss is also dealt with at the root level. Make it a point to wash your hair after exercise. In case your daily schedule involves a lot of travel, make sure that you wash your hair daily.

• Do not go for tight hairstyles

Hairstyles like ponytails or anything that is tight cause the sweat to get evaporated from the hair. This leaves behind a host of dirt and oil, which in turn fosters hair loss in all the aforementioned four ways. Thus, make it a point to keep your hair loose. This will enable passage of air and keep hair fall at bay.

• Brush your hair more often

Brushing your hair is one of the healthiest things that you can do to it. This helps in improving the blood circulation and thereby in preventing hair loss. Brushing your hair many times in a day also helps to keep the sweat away. For the hair that has already been lost, frequent brushing improves hair growth by pressurizing the points of the hair follicles.