Why Is My Hair
Falling Out?
The honest, no-fluff guide to understanding hair fall, fixing an oily scalp, and growing thicker hair โ covering diet, lifestyle, and what you actually put on your head.
In this guide
- Why hair falls out โ the real reasons most people miss
- Diet for hair growth โ what to eat (and what's silently hurting your hair)
- Lifestyle habits โ the daily things making it worse
- Oily scalp guide โ why it happens and how to fix it
- Your weekly haircare routine โ a step-by-step that actually works
- Myths we need to stop believing โ because your nani was wrong about some things
Section 01
Why Is Your Hair Really Falling Out?
Before you panic-buy every hair growth oil on the market, understand this: some hair fall is completely normal. We naturally shed 50โ100 strands a day. The problem starts when that number climbs โ and there's always a reason.
Hair loss in Pakistan has spiked in recent years, and it's not a coincidence. Our hard water, intense heat, nutrient-poor diets, high stress levels, and over-processed hair are a perfect storm. The good news? Most hair fall is reversible โ once you understand what's causing it.
Iron & Ferritin Deficiency
The single most common cause in Pakistani women. Your hair follicles are the first to be starved when iron is low.
Thyroid Imbalance
Both overactive and underactive thyroid disrupt the hair growth cycle. If nothing else is working, get your TSH checked.
Stress (Telogen Effluvium)
Emotional or physical shock pushes hair follicles into a rest phase. Shedding appears 2โ3 months after the stressful event.
Hard Water & Scalp Buildup
Mineral deposits from tap water coat the scalp, block follicles, and weaken roots over time โ a huge issue in Lahore and Karachi.
Hormonal Changes
PCOS, postpartum periods, and menopause all disrupt the hormones that regulate hair growth cycles.
High Sugar & Processed Food
Spikes in insulin raise androgens that shrink hair follicles. Your biryani addiction might be partly to blame.
Section 02
Feed Your Hair From the Inside
No hair oil in the world can fix what a poor diet breaks. Hair is made of keratin โ a protein โ and it needs a constant supply of nutrients to keep growing strong. Here is exactly what to eat.
Think of your hair as a garden. The shampoo and oil are the water. But what you eat is the soil quality. You can water a nutrient-dead garden every day and nothing will grow well. Most Pakistanis are chronically low in iron, Vitamin D, zinc, and protein โ and all four are non-negotiable for hair.
What's quietly hurting your hair: Excessive chai (tannins block iron absorption), white bread and maida, crash diets and prolonged fasting, and heavily fried foods. None of these need to disappear from your life โ just bring in more of the good stuff and the balance shifts.
Section 03
Daily Habits That Are Quietly Wrecking Your Hair
Your hair records everything โ your sleep, your stress, your water intake, even how tightly you tie your ponytail. Small habit shifts here often produce bigger results than any product.
Sleep 7โ8 hours โ non-negotiable
Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is released during deep sleep. This hormone is directly responsible for cell regeneration including hair follicle repair. Chronic sleep deprivation = visible thinning over time.
Drink 2.5โ3 litres of water daily
Dehydration makes hair brittle and slows growth. Your scalp is skin โ it needs hydration just as much as your face does. If your lips are dry, your scalp is dry too.
Stop tying your hair too tight
Tight ponytails, high buns, and braids create "traction alopecia" โ hair fall from constant pulling at the root. Use a silk scrunchie, wear it loose at home, and never sleep in a tight bun.
Reduce heat styling โ or protect properly
Straighteners and curling irons above 180ยฐC literally crack the hair's outer cuticle layer. If you use heat, always apply a heat protectant spray first. No exceptions.
Manage stress actively
Cortisol (the stress hormone) pushes hair follicles into a resting phase and triggers mass shedding 2โ3 months later. A 10-minute walk, prayer, journaling, or deep breathing daily can measurably reduce cortisol levels over time.
Get 20 minutes of morning sun
Vitamin D deficiency is rampant in Pakistan despite being a sunny country โ because most of us avoid the sun. Low Vitamin D is directly linked to hair thinning. Morning sun (before 10am) is safe and free.
Section 04
The Oily Scalp Problem โ Why It Happens & How to Fix It
An oily scalp is not a cleanliness problem. It is a sebum regulation problem. And more often than not, the way you're treating it is making it worse.
Here's the irony most people don't realise: washing your hair every day strips the scalp of its natural oils. Your scalp then panics and produces even more oil to compensate. You wash more. It gets oilier. It's a cycle โ and it starts with overwashing.
Other reasons for excess oil: hormonal imbalances (especially PCOS), using the wrong shampoo (moisturising shampoos meant for dry ends applied to the scalp), silicone-heavy conditioners that build up on the roots, and a high-sugar diet that raises androgens.
Wash 2โ3x a week, not daily
Train your scalp to produce less oil by stretching wash days gradually.
Use cool or lukewarm water
Hot water stimulates sebaceous glands to produce more oil. Cold water seals the cuticle and controls grease.
Shampoo the scalp, condition the ends
Conditioner on roots = guaranteed grease. Apply from mid-length to tips only.
Stop touching your hair
Every time you run your fingers through your hair, you transfer oil from hands to strands.
Use a clarifying shampoo weekly
Once a week, a sulphate-free clarifying shampoo removes mineral and product buildup from hard water.
Try a scalp scrub monthly
A gentle scalp exfoliant removes dead skin and unblocks follicles โ the skincare step your scalp has been waiting for.
makeU Tip: Our Organic Hair Solution is formulated specifically for oily, buildup-prone scalps common in Pakistani hard water conditions โ sulphate-free so it cleanses without stripping, and with natural botanicals to regulate oil long-term.
Explore the Organic Hair Solution โSection 05
Your Complete Weekly Haircare Routine
You don't need ten products. You need the right five, used in the right order, consistently. Here's what a week of healthy hair habits actually looks like.
Night before wash day (weekly)
Pre-wash oil massage โ 30 to 60 minutes before washing
Warm a nourishing hair oil (look for castor, black seed, or bhringraj) between your palms and massage into the scalp in circular motions for 5 minutes. This increases blood flow to follicles and creates a protective barrier before shampooing. Leave for at least 30 minutes โ overnight is even better.
Sulphate-free shampoo โ focus on the scalp
Dilute a small amount of shampoo in water and apply it directly to the scalp. Massage gently with fingertips (not nails). Rinse thoroughly โ shampoo residue is one of the biggest causes of itchy, flaky scalp.
Deep conditioning mask โ mid-lengths to ends only
Apply a protein-rich hair mask from the ears down. Leave for 10โ20 minutes under a shower cap. This is where the real repair happens โ the steam opens the cuticle and allows nutrients to penetrate the cortex.
makeU Pick: Our Organic Hair Solution is packed with keratin-strengthening botanicals and nourishing oils โ designed to repair the damage that Pakistan's heat, sun, and hard water causes. No parabens, no silicone buildup.
See the Organic Hair Solution โCool rinse โ always end cold
A 30-second cold rinse after conditioning seals the cuticle, reduces frizz, and gives that shine you see on product adverts. It feels painful in winter. Do it anyway โ your hair will thank you immediately.
Air dry โ or diffuse on low heat
Pat (never rub) with a microfibre towel. Let hair air dry as much as possible before using any heat. If blow-drying, keep the nozzle moving and use the cool setting for the final 2 minutes.
Between wash days โ a light serum on the ends
On non-wash days, apply a tiny amount of hair serum only to the ends to prevent breakage and control frizz. Nothing on the roots โ you'll undo all the work of training your scalp.
"Real hair growth is quiet. It doesn't happen because of a viral product โ it happens because you slept well, ate your iron, stopped panicking, and stayed consistent for 90 days."
โ makeU Haircare TeamSection 06
Myths We Need to Stop Believing
Some of these have been passed down through generations. Time to respectfully correct the record.
"Cutting your hair makes it grow faster"
Hair grows from the root, not the ends. Trimming removes split ends and prevents breakage โ which makes hair appear healthier and longer over time โ but it does not speed up growth at the follicle level.
"Oiling every day gives more growth"
Daily heavy oiling without proper cleansing actually clogs follicles and attracts dust. Once or twice a week, before washing, is optimal. The massage matters more than the oil quantity.
"Expensive shampoo = better results"
Price does not determine quality. What matters is the ingredient list โ specifically that it's sulphate-free, free of harsh alcohols, and suited to your hair type. A Rs. 400 shampoo with good ingredients beats a Rs. 4,000 one with silicones and SLS.
"Scalp massage genuinely helps hair growth"
This one is actually true and backed by research. A 4-minute daily scalp massage increases hair thickness over 24 weeks by stretching the dermal papilla cells at the base of the follicle. No products needed โ just your fingertips.
"What you eat shows up in your hair within 3โ6 months"
Hair grows roughly 1โ1.5cm per month. Changes to your diet, stress levels, or health take time to appear in the hair shaft. Expect to wait 90 days minimum before judging whether something is working.
Hair health is a long game. There is no shampoo that undoes six months of poor sleep, low iron, and daily heat styling in two weeks โ anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. But the reverse is also true: three months of consistent, simple care produces results that genuinely surprise people.
At makeU, we believe in making that simple care as effective as possible. Our haircare range is built for Pakistani hair โ dealing with hard water, heat, and the kind of stressors our environment dishes out daily. No filler ingredients, no empty promises. Just formulations that do the work quietly, the way good haircare should.
Your Hair Deserves Better
Explore makeU's Organic Hair Solution โ formulated for real Pakistani hair, with real ingredients that actually work.
Shop Organic Hair Solution โ