Combination Approach The Best Solution To Hairfall, Says Traya

Everyone is on the lookout for the best solution to hair-fall. People try everything from banana and onion masks to expensive parlour treatments but it doesn't really work on everyone. Addressing the incongruities of these hairfall control techniques, Traya Health offers a customized solution to hair fall based on the person's lifestyle and internal problems that may be triggering it. Saloni Anand, co-founder of Traya runs us through the story behind the brand and how it is solving India's hair loss problems.

1. Traya has a digital-first approach, how do you think India’s health landscape is changing with the advent of health tech?

Healthcare definitely has the potential to increase the economic growth of India and offer the means to make medical services more understandable, accessible, and affordable. It is an exciting market and people are receptive now more than ever. But at times, they are so accustomed to face-to-face interactions with doctors that it makes them skeptical to trust a brand behind a screen until they actually try the treatment and see the desired results. 

2. What are some of the more common reasons for hair fall amongst Indians? Are your findings based on some research?

Most people tend to believe that hair fall is caused by either hard water or using the wrong shampoo but the truth is that 90% of hair fall cases are caused by internal factors. Data amassed from Traya’s online diagnosis (Dx) over 1,50,000 cases, shows that along with hair fall 68% of people suffer from psychological or chronic stress, 36% have irregular sleeping patterns, 45% have poor energy accompanied by gut imbalances, and 27% suffer from some nutrient deficiencies. Treating hair fall by targeting these root causes has given us a 93% success rate. 

3. How has the company performed during the pandemic? What is the vision that Traya has for the next two years?

Traya was built in 2019 as a digital health-tech start-up with an online diagnosis to identify the root cause behind hair fall and deliver doctor-backed, customized kits to consumers right at their doorstep. We also helped create awareness about post covid hair fall and that was what became our best-selling kit initially. 

The vision of the company is to be synonymous with the term hair fall and hair care. We are building a brand that does not compromise on efficacy and is loved by customers. We are at the forefront of launching our new products for cuticle damage - an entire women’s range of products. We also plan on building a Traya app, which is an advancement that is both exciting and challenging at the same time.

4. The backbone of Traya is its 3-science approach of Ayurveda, Nutrition, and Dermatology. In today’s world, how important is it that people shift to more natural ways of taking care of themselves?

When we talk about natural ways of taking care of health, the efficacy remains conditional. There's no doubt that going natural can be better for health, However, if you’re looking at preventive measures, modern science is a must - mainly because natural ways can be limiting in some regard. 

Look at Redensyl - a hair growth active that is completely plant-based and is clinically proven to show results. The efficacy of redensyl is even compared to that of minoxidil in the hair market but the truth is that redensyl is effective only during the initial stages of hair fall while minoxidil delivers hair regrowth to those in slightly advanced stages of hair fall (Stages 3 & 4)

This is what Traya believes in - natural but also doctor-backed at the same time, providing customized solutions with 93% efficacy in solving hair fall be it minoxidil or redensyl. When treatments are curative, there’s no harm in opting for those as they are a part of evolving time. 

5. When it comes to using natural means, onion and banana masks in particular have been gaining a lot of popularity, how effective are they in taking care of one’s hair?

In terms of hair care, it definitely helps to reduce dryness by providing moisture so that hair feels softer and smoother than before. However, these are just temporary solutions to manage hair damage and not hair fall. Hair fall needs more than just products it needs science. This is where Traya comes in combining the goodness of three sciences - Ayurveda, Dermatology, and Nutrition. Every individual gets a customized plan from a team of doctors - a dermatologist, an ayurvedic practitioner, and a nutritionist. So, the customer receives a prescription along with every kit. 83% of hair fall treatments fail due to a lack of adherence. This is why Traya also provides a hair coach for every customer who acts as an ideal companion throughout the hair growth journey and helps them stay on track during the process. 

6. Any advice you’d have for people facing monsoon hair loss?

Seasonal hair loss is very common, especially in India. Monsoon brings in a lot of scalp and hair issues including severe dandruff, and excess sebum production which increases hair fall. Here are a few hair care tips to follow during the monsoon to prevent hair fall. In case the hair fall is severe, I’d advise you to go fill out Traya’s online hair test to identify the cause of your severe hair fall.

Due to the moisture content, the scalp tends to get oily and greasy with a lot of scalp build-up… This is why you must shampoo your hair 3 times a week to improve scalp and follicle health. 

Make sure when you get wet in the rain to dry your hair and scalp immediately to prevent fungal growth and itchiness.

Drink plenty of water and consume foods that are rich in Vitamin D to make up for the loss of sunlight