Bangalore, As with every medical condition, it is difficult to predict if it is a symptom or a condition in itself. Hair fall, hair thinning and receding hairline are conditions that are now being seriously looked at by researchers in dermatology as symptoms of a deep rooted medical condition.
In an effort to get to the root cause of hair fall, Hairline International Research and Treatment Centre recently conducted a research on over 100 hair fall patients across their 4 centres in Bangalore over a period of 8 months from 1st December 2013 to 31 July 2014.
The research findings revealed that 92% of hair fall patients had high levels of BPA (Bisphenol A) in their blood!
The presence of BPA in their blood suggests predominant use of plastic in the kitchen which can lead to several medical complications including cancer.
Blind Study by Hairline International Research and Treatment Center
The following were taken up in the study
• A detailed history was taken of the subjects to understand their lifestyle and the number of times they use plastic in a single day.
• Number of hair fall, menstrual and PCOD history were evaluated.
• Blood investigations such as blood count, thyroid hormone, lipid profile and Vitamin D were done.
• BPA levels in blood and urine was also collected.
Observations from study
It was seen that 35 out of the 50 cases examined were BPA positive in both urine and blood. They are mainly in the age group of 21 to 45 years and were working professionals consuming food from plastic vessels at least 4-6 times a day.
“Conclusions from the study showed that 92% of the cases visiting the clinic with hair fall were all BPA positive. Hair fall may have been due to the direct effect of the estrogen mimicking property of the chemical BPA or indirectly causing hair fall by altering the lipid levels, increasing the obesity, blocking the thyroid hormone activity or increasing the blood sugar levels in the blood.,” explains Dr. Swagata Chakraborty, Dermatologist, Hairline International Research and Treatment Center.
Observational studies conducted in Western nations show that the presence of BPA may be one of the markers that lead to several other ailments such as:
• Neurological defects
• Thyroid malfunction
• Heightened risk for cancer and tumors
• Asthma and heart diseases
• Sexual dysfunction
• Hair and skin ailments
While this is merely an observational study, it does suggest, as have many other studies of a similar nature that plastic consumption may inadvertently cause skin and hair trouble. We may therefore need to re-evaluate what we use in our daily lives. Ms. Bani Anand, Director, Hairline International Research and Treatment Center says, “Products that inherently contain BPA seem to have become an integral part of our lives these days. Therefore the need to move to a greener lifestyle and a greener kitchen is the need of the hour. We need to avoid the use of plastics in the kitchen and environment in general. We need to replace plastic vessels with steel or glass. If plastic is absolutely necessary in certain cases then we can opt for BPA free plastic products”.
“For many of us, the ill-effects of BPA may already be in play. Now Hairline International is currently working on a formula to combat the effects of BPA in the blood. That will chelate the Bisphenol A and reverse the condition. We will be launching the same shortly” adds Bani Anand.
