Hair Loss

Hair loss was measured using the Sinclair Hair Shedding Scale. This scale varied for participants based on their gender, ethnicity, hair type, and hair length. To make sure participants aren't putting random numbers or forget how to compare their hair loss to the previous days, they took pictures of the amount of hair that was on their comb after they precisely brushed their hair before and after washing. Since I evaluated the extent to which each participants' hair changed, the results are personalized. Here is an example of one of the following scales that participants could've received:

sinclair hair shedding scale

On the graphs, you will notice random words and numbers clumped together on the horizontal "Participant" axis, as well as "B[number] and A[number]."

Each participant is represented on the graph. Since I can't give away the participants' names and reveal their identities, I decided to create a code for each participant.

"F17IndMW" represents a participant who is F (female) 17 (years old) Ind (Indian ethnicity) M(medium hair length) and W(wavy hair texture). Similarly, F18ChiMS applies to the participant who is female, 18 years old, Chinese, medium hair length, and straight hair type.

"B[number] and A[number]" represent each of the four weeks, and two data points from each week. B1 means week 1, before hair wash, and A1 means week 1, after hair wash. You can follow along with this points through the graph to understand the context behind each data point in these data models.

1. General comparison To start with a general comparison, below are two bar graphs models, one representing the hair loss of control group participants over four weeks measured twice each week, and the other representing the the hair loss of experimental group participants over four weeks measured twice each week

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From B1-A4 on both graphs, we can see a pattern on both models. In both models, there are pretty random results for a few participants, and hair loss seems to fluctuate quite a bit for most participants, there isn't necessarily a consistent pattern that often. In the control group, 90% of participants hair loss either stayed the same, or increased at the end of the experiment. On the other hand, in the experimental group, 100% of participants' hair loss shedding number either stayed the same or decreased, with 80% of participants' hair loss shedding number decreasing. There is a significant difference in the general results of hair loss across the two groups, supporting my hypothesis that Ayurvedic oils can significantly decrease the rate of hair loss.

One factor in measuring this particular factor of healthy hair is the fact that the shedding scale used differed based on people's hair type, hair length, and gender. To get a more precise understanding of how exactly Ayurvedic oils improved or exacerbated hair loss, we must look deeper into these results. I've made separate graphs for each hair type, hair length, and gender, but I will group all graphs for females of the same hair type together for easier readability.

2. In depth comparison: Wavy hair of control vs. experimental group: In the control group, we had participants with wavy hair and medium hair length. In the experimental group, we had participants wavy hair and long and medium hair length. Below are the graphs of participants with wavy hair in both groups.

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For medium hair length and wavy hair, both the groups have a positive rate of change for hair loss per week, meaning that during these four weeks, the hair loss fluctuated in an increasing level. However, in the experimental group, the participant ends with a hair loss a shedding number lower on the scale, which the control group participant ends with the same shedding number they started with on the scale. In the experimental group, the participants with long and wavy hair experienced significantly less hair loss, signified by their negative rate of change over the four weeks.

3.  In depth comparison: Straight hair of control vs. experimental group: 

AVERAGE rate of change of hair loss over the weeks: - 0.00396 hair loss shedding number/ day data recorded

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Despite the difference in hair length across the two groups, the results remain similar within each group. The average rate of change for women in the control group with medium and straight hair is -0.00396, which is near 0. This shows there was little to no improvement in the hair loss of these participants. In the experimental group, we see one participant with long hair and straight hair have no change in their hair loss. Even the participant in the control group had hair loss shedding numbers that fluctuated close together, from 3 to 4 occasionally, so there wasn't a massive change in hair loss. Hair loss seems to work differently based on the hair type and length. With participants with wavy hair, their hair loss number changed to larger extent across those four weeks. However, a participant in the experimental group went from their hair loss shedding scale to be at 5 originally, to a 2 at the end of the experiment.

4. In depth comparison: Curly hair of control vs. experimental group: 

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We see an interesting change in the participants with curly hair. So far, participants in the experimental ended with less hair loss by the end of the experiment. However, participant F17IndMC had more hair loss by the end of this experiment. This could be explained due to external factors, such as weather, if the number of times they washed their hair per week changed, pollution, etc. However, the participant in the experimental group with short and curly hair had significantly less hair loss by the end of this experiment, going from a 7 to a 4 for the shedding scale number. The control group participant had relatively constant hair loss, with having less hair loss one day of the eight days they examined hair loss.

5. In depth comparison: Male hair loss of control vs. experimental group: Men and women usually have different hair length and hair routines which could result in relatively different hair loss rates. To individually examine this, I made separate graphs for the men that participated in the both groups. Let's see how that turned out!

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As I mentioned earlier, usually men will have different hair length compared to women, but in this study, every male had short hair. We still had men with different hair types (straight, curly, and wavy). I predicted that the hair loss for men would not change in either group, because of how short their hair is. For the teenagers, their hair loss stayed the exact same. However, the control group had participants who were adults. One of them also did not have any change in hair loss, but the older participant did experience a massive change in their hair loss, which they also indicated through the comments section in the weekly google form.

Overall, hair loss seems to be effectively improved by Ayurvedic oil in the experimental group, while it remains constant or changed at a very minor scale in the control group.