Coconut oil has been an age-old remedy for numerous hair problems; be it hair loss, dry scalp or hair thinning. It is an unsung superhero of our hair and beauty woes. It is known to condition and improve the overall health of your tresses; thanks to the presence of anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and emollient properties. While it may be a one-stop solution for most hair problems, it is said to be the most effective in preventing hair loss. Hair loss can be due to many reasons; some of them being- stress, medications, nutritional imbalance, rapid weight loss and hormonal issues. Coconut oil has the potential to protect your hair from falling and further help them grow stronger and healthier. Let's look at some benefits coconut oil has to offer for hair loss and some hair packs that you can bring into use to grow happy and healthy tresses.
Benefits of coconut oil for hair

Coconut oil is like sebum, which is body's own natural oil that helps keep the scalp from drying out and also coats hair roots to protect them from damage. A well-oiled scalp is surely a way to keep your hair follicles healthy.

Coconut oil has lauric acid that helps bind the protein in hair, protects the roots and strands and prevent them from breakage.

The antioxidants present in coconut oil help boost healthy hair growth.

Coconut oil is known to penetrate the hair shaft, protecting it against environmental pollutants and excess heat.

Coconut oil contains anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties that help protect against any bacterial problems that can inhibit hair growth.

It helps provide overall nourishment to your hair and scalp.

Coconut oil is known to act as a natural conditioner that helps keep your hair soft and shiny.

Massaging with coconut oil helps improve blood circulation, further ensuring that the nutrients nourish your follicles.

Hair fall is a very common phenomenon that plagues millions of people around the globe. Most of you take supplements of vitamin on a regular basis as it aids the buildup of new hair and skin cells. Read on to find out how exactly do the various vitamins help your hair:

Vitamin A: This vitamin controls the production of retinoic acid in your hair follicle. It is not only helpful for skin care but stimulates hair growth. It is immensely fruitful in moisturizing your hair and keeping it healthy. Vitamin A is usually found in sweet potatoes, carrots, tuna, lettuce, mango, sweet red peppers, green leafy vegetables and spinach.

Vitamin B: Variants of this, such as B12, aid in hair growth by managing stress. Vitamin B is found in fruits such as oranges and papayas, and beans.

Vitamin C: This vitamin helps you absorb iron from the food you eat which is an absolute essential for hair growth. It also boosts the synthesis of collagen that is required to repair the damage and sustain the structure of your hair. Fruits such as papayas, guavas, lemons, sweet lime, orange, kiwi, vegetables such as broccoli, yellow bell peppers and leafy vegetables are replete with Vitamin C.

Vitamin D: This vitamin rejuvenates the hair cells in order to form new shafts of hair. Vitamin D is found in dairy products, mushrooms, soy milk, tofu, and cheese. Vitamin D is also naturally made by your body when you expose your skin to the sun, and is called the sun-shine vitamin.

Vitamin E: This aids in stimulating capillaries and enhancing blood circulation on the scalp. This additionally contributes to hair growth due to its high anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidant content. Certain foods loaded with Vitamin E are pumpkin, broccoli, olive oil, sunflower seeds, almonds, avocado, tofu and spinach.

Vitamin B5: It is also known as Panthenol, is a vital ingredient that is used in medicines to regulate hair fall. Foods enriched with Vitamin B5 are sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, avocados, cheese and mushrooms.

Other Ways to Help Hair-
We have gone over the vitamins that may be important for the health of your hair. But lifestyle changes can help just as much. Try:

cutting back on gels, blow-drying, and brushing hair when wet
lowering your stress by exercising at least 30 minutes a day
drinking enough water, 6-8 glasses a day
Being mindful of the foods and drinks you consume, the products you use, and the way you manage stress, can all help improve the well-being of your hair.

With weight reduction and the growing consciousness about looks and physique turning out to be the biggest resolution for every youngster, a right combination of exercises and nutritious food can be a game changer.

Lack of enough proteins, iron and other dietary supplements in the human body can cause hair loss. Inadequacy of such nutrients makes our hair thirsty and deprived from their desired nourishment which eventually makes them fall.

Arvind Poswal, hair expert at Dr. A’s Clinic and Mandeep Singh, fitness expert at Step-On Fitness Center have rolled out some significant tips to reduce weight without causing any damage to your hair:

* Intake of ample proteins like red meat, fish and beans are a good practice. Proteins help in structuring hair follicles and supplement a healthy diet. Thus, intake of proteins is advisable.

* Eggs, spinach, citrus fruits, nuts, carrots, avocado and whole grains must be incorporated in your diet for a healthy contribution to your body.

* Always ensure consumption of plentiful calories, which are vital for proper functioning of the human body system. It is essential to confine calories for weight loss but excessive restriction results in hair loss as lack of nutrition does not supplement hair growth.

* Hair loss after weight loss is usually associated with a condition called Telogen Effluvium. Fluctuation in the Body Mass Index causes physical stress, which signals the hair follicles to move into an inactive stage. Hence, the weight loss must be gradual.

* Some other vital supplements for hair growth are vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, iron and zinc. These vitamins have been seen as significant contributors to weight loss and hair growth.

* Brisk walking, yoga and light workout aids effective weight loss as there are no shortcuts to effective results.

Hair loss from sudden decline in the body weight is not permanent. There are several ways to resume healthy hair growth.

* People who lose weight often restrict their calorie consumption. For proper functioning of human body, it is important that our body receives the necessary nutrients for ideal operations. Lack of optimum calorie intake, leads to deficiencies in the body system. Just like our body needs food, similarly our hair also require intake of nutrients for their healthy growth.

* Hair loss is not a hassle anymore. It does get difficult for our body to cope with sudden changes and takes time to adapt to them. Proper diet and a healthy lifestyle are always effective.

Many aspects of our lifestyle—from what we eat to how we handle our hair can affect our hair. While losing a few hair strands is considered normal, it’s when you start shedding clumps of hair that raises a lot of red flags. If you are wondering what you are doing wrong, these are some common mistakes that are leading to hair thinning and breakage.

Taking hot showers
As much as you love hot showers, you should know that it dehydrates strands (just like skin), and strips the scalp of its natural oils, leading to dry, brittle hair that’s more prone to breakage. Instead opt for lukewarm water and try to rinse hair with the coolest temperature.

Combing wet hair
Our strands are never more fragile and prone to breakage when wet. Hence it’s important to use a wide toothed comb or let them air-dry first before any form of styling.

Wearing tight hairstyles
Pulling your hair too tight from the roots causes damage and hence, should be avoided. It is also best to not use very tight hair ties while sleeping at night.

Layering too many products
There is no dearth of hair products available in the market, which promises gorgeous hair. However, using too many of these chemical laden products could prove harmful in the long run. It’s best to give them a break and try natural home-made recipes instead.

Not washing hair often
Skipping regular washes could lead to excessive product buildup on the scalp that can clog hair follicles. It’s essential to wash your hair every two days especially if you are sweating or using a lot of products.

Skipping meals
Starving yourself or crash dieting can cause malnutrition which could have an adverse effect on your hair. Include plenty of lean protein in your diet to curb hair loss

There are several reasons for hair loss, balding or hairfall. But there are cases where iodine also plays an important role in the thinning of hair.

Dr. Ravindra Gupta of Internal Medicine from Columbia Asia Hospital, Gurgaon explains how iodine deficiency can cause hair loss.

There are several causes of iodine deficiency:
Alopecia areata
Androgenetic alopecia
Trichotillomania
Hormonal imbalances
Post-pregnancy and menopause
Anaemia
Stress
Crash dieting
Personal care of hair like use of shampoo, oil, lack of massage, brushing wet hair, etc.

However, lack of iodine also results in hair loss. Dr. Ravindra Gupta explains how iodine deficiency is linked to hair loss, “As we all are familiar that iodine deficiency leads to hypothyroidism and goitre.

But hypothyroidism leads to thinning of hairs by unknown mechanism. So, iodine deficiency causes hair loss due to deficiency of thyroid hormones.”

Balding or hair loss is a symptom of thyroid imbalance accompanied by other hypothyroid symptoms like fatigue, depression, weight gain, dry skin, muscle cramps, aches, swelling of the legs, and excessive sleepiness.

Instead of increasing salt intake, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Rich sources of iodine in food:
1. Baked potato with skin
2. Milk
3. Prawns
4. Boiled eggs
5. Baked turkey breast
6. Cod fish

It is recommended that adult males and female should consume approximately 150 mcg of iodine per day.