'Tight Turbans' leading to hair loss claim

Saturday, 7th November 2009 - Asian Image U.K.




Increasing numbers of Sikh men are turning to surgery to reverse hair loss caused by tightly wound turbans it has been claimed.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/hard-talk/27424-tight-turbans-leading-hair-loss-claim.html

A leading hair transplant specialists – The Farjo Medical Centre – reports that a growing proportion of its patients now come from the male Sikh community. Men as young as 20-years-old are turning to surgery after suffering traction alopecia, caused by turbans pulling on the hair.

According to Sikh religious laws, the turban is required to cover a man’s long, uncut hair, which is wound into a knot, along with a turban, on top of the head.

The long hair required by Sikhs to create the ‘rishi’ knot is being put at risk by the practice itself, as the knot pulls on the hair, resulting in hair loss. Male Sikhs start to wear their hair wound into a knot from as young as 5-years-old, which then continues when they begin to wear a turban.
Permanent removal of the turban is then forbidden.

Accordingly, most Sikhs wear this style for 24 hours a day, leading to noticeable premature hair loss – particularly in the frontal scalp area.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27424

The turban is steeped in 400 years of history, meaning that the majority of the 10 million male Sikhs worldwide aren’t aware of the problems that can arise from wearing one. Dr Bessam Farjo, former president of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) and founder of Farjo Medical Centre, is urging turban wearers to prevent this problem by winding their turbans less tightly to minimise the stress put on the hair. Dr Farjo said: “We are treating a significant number of patients who have suffered hair loss caused by wearing a turban. Hair transplant surgery can restore the hair permanently, as long as the wearer puts less stress on the hair.”

The Farjo Medical Centre warns that turban wearers aren’t the only people affected by traction alopecia due to choices of headwear or hair styles. The problem also commonly occurs as a result of hair braiding, hair extensions, tight ponytails and wearing tight fitting hats. Dr. Bessam Farjo and his wife Dr Nilofer Farjo head up the UK’s leading hair transplant surgery. They carry out more than 300 operations each year at their Manchester clinic.

More than 4,000 people have travelled from across the UK, Europe and as far as the Middle East, Australia and the United States, to the Farjo Medical Centre.

The centre has an international reputation for not only using the latest hair transplantation techniques – recognised throughout the surgical field – but also for placing significant emphasis on developing pioneering ways to counter hair loss.

© Copyright 2001-2009 Newsquest Media Group

 
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So...don't pull it so tight. Is there anything unPanthic about using a few pins to hold the kes up. I mean, I know most men don't do that, but...

I certainly never pulled my son's hair so tight. I think just a little common sense is called for.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27424
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27424

And why hair transplants when the kes is kept covered? Talk about vanity!

There is a lot of discomfort -- at least reported discomfort -- that comes with a form of eczema that comes with continual tightness and then covering the head at all times. There are also some preventive measures against both the hair loss and the eczema.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27424

1. Work with a dermatologist to find an eczema preparation that is effective.
2. Let the scalp air out at night when you are sleeping. Tie hair back loosely.
3. When in the privacy of home tie kes in a loose bun or ponytail to give the scalp both some air and relief.
4. Do not wash hair more than once a week and do not use a harsh shampoo. A shampoo containing a higher acid ph is better than one with a higher alkaline ph.
5. Dandruff/eczema prevention preparations and shampoos can actually make things worse over the long-term. Don't use them. I can explain why but not now.
6. Yes, hair pins, and if not, tie the the kes loosely rather than tightly.

Thanks, Narayanjot ji.

Those are all good, practical common sense instructions. Most of them are very economical. as well.

One thing bothers me about this whole problem a bit. I grew up with 6 turbaned brothers and, of course, my Dad. I never heard any of these complaints. In his last days, I took care of my Dad's kesh - at 97 he still had a full head of hair - and saw no such problems. I think a lot of the problem is just not tying the kesh properly.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27424

I also wonder if part of the problem might be linked to our modern diet and way of life. The kesh is no healthier than the rest of our bodies. Are we eating and exercising properly? (For myself, my diet is pretty good, but I fall down on the exercise.) One advantage of the turban is that the head hair is not directly exposed to the pollution in the air, which is a huge problem in Indian cities. We still breathe the stuff, however, and so not only the rest of the body but the kesh as well is affected by it. YECH!! Stress levels can also affect the hair. Modern life does often get very stressful. Prayer, simran and good old chardi kala are big helps with this.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27424

And...I wonder how much of this is just an excuse not to tie a turban. :happykaur:

Mai ji

You are raising some very good questions. One thing is known from science - baldness is in most cases hereditary. Then there are cases of pattern baldness caused by duress on ones scalp.

So I don't think any one reason is at work here. Hair takes a beating and often I am tempted to start a thread on how to take care of hair (sorry).
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=27424

There is one young man, maybe about 30 or so, living near my mother who goes to the supermarket in a pugh only. He has so much hair that it puffs up about 10 inches under the pugh. I don't know how he gets a turban around it. But he is one that doesn't seem to be suffering. Yet many are suffering with this. Just my random wonderings.

Narayanjot ji,

Sorry about what? I think this is an excellent idea. Many of us have a lot of hair, which we hold sacred. Yet instructions in the proper care of them are lacking. About all we are given is: keep them clean and comb them twice a day. Great instructions, as far as they go. I think for those intrepid souls among us of both sexes who keep kesh, we ought to make it as easy and as pleasant as possible.

(If someone is looking for an excuse not to keep kesh, I suppose one excuse is as good as another. I know one guy who claimed his doctor (not a Sikh!) advised him to cut his kesh because it was so heavy it was giving him headaches. That's possible, but it doesn't explain why the beard got shaved, as well.)

No I don't buy the headache argument. A scalp massage for a few minutes a day will relieve discomfort. And is good for circulation.

"Hair today, gone tomorrow, whether you wear a turban or not". This should be the new ad slogan from the company, 'Hair for Men', which rakes more money than the hair fallen on the floor at SuperCuts.

Every married man understands what headache is whether he wears a turban or not. Coping with one's wife and the mother in law is a skull tightening endeavour in all aspects.