Hair is considered the pillar of beauty, which is why hair care products are a multi billion-dollar industry.
Everybody, be it men or women, loves to have healthy, shiny and strong hair that reflects one’s personality. For many, a bad hair day equals a bad day, and it can seriously affect a person’s self-esteem.
For centuries, people have looked for ways to keep their hair healthy. Although a few people are lucky with naturally luxurious locks, many people complain of hair problems like hair loss, dull and brittle hair, lifeless hair and so on.
While genetics and health problems have a direct connection to your hair’s health, there are many things that you may be doing in your daily routine that are damaging your hair.
Stress
Stress not only affects one’s mental and physical health, it can even cause hair loss.
When you are under stress, hair can go into the telogen (fall-out) phase. In fact, hair loss can occur up to three months after a stressful event. However, after the initial hair loss, it usually grows back in six to nine months. The effect of neurohormones, neuropeptides and neurotransmitters during stress may significantly influence the cyclic activity of hair follicles.
To fight stress, try some simple stress-buster exercises, meditate, practice deep breathing and take steps to remove known stressors from your life.
Poor Diet
What you eat has a direct impact on your skin and hair health. Hair needs various vitamins, minerals and proteins to remain healthy. Hence, it is important to follow a healthy diet to enjoy healthy hair. In order to have healthy hair, you must include healthy and natural foods that are rich in protein, vitamin E and iron in your diet. You must also include foods rich in trace minerals, such as zinc and copper. Do not survive on junk food and avoid following a severely restrictive crash or fad diet, as it can lead to nutrient deficiencies that can cause hair loss, thinning, and dull and brittle hair.
Hair styling Tools
Nowadays, most of us tend to experiment with our hair and end up using hairstyling tools frequently. Even the daily use of a blow dryer causes significant damage to your hair. The heat from the dryer strips the serum from your hair, making it look dry and dull. To reduce damage to your locks, set your hair dryer on a low setting and constantly move it in up-and-down motions. However, it is always better to allow your wet hair to dry naturally.
Other styling treatments like straightening and curling contribute to more hair loss when done frequently. When using a hair straightener or curler to style your hair, the less heat the better. Too much heat can cause serious damage including breakage.
Infusing Hair with Chemical Products
To keep the hair healthy, many of us rely on commercial shampoos, gels, serums and other hair styling products. But not all the products available in the market are healthy for your hair. Many products contain harmful chemicals that can cause great damage to your hair, which may not be reversible. Chemicals like hydrogen peroxide and ammonia found in hair dye can cause thinning hair and hair loss. Dihydrotestosterone or DHT is another harmful chemical found in shampoos that can contribute to hair loss. Avoid overloading your hair with harsh chemical-based products. Instead, opt for herbal products and homemade recipes for hair masks or hair dyes that use natural ingredients.
Swimming in Chlorinated Water
Swimming is one of the best activities to help you stay fit and healthy. But swimming in a chlorinated pool is not good for your hair. There are more than 100 chemical by products in pools that use chlorine as a disinfectant. These byproducts are not good for your health as well as hair. In fact, chlorine buildup in the hair causes it to become frizzy and fragile. Also, chlorine can remove the natural oil that covers hair shafts, which results in loss of shine and flexibility, as well as making your hair more susceptible to breakage.
If you like swimming, try to swim in chlorinated pools only occasionally. Preferably, wear a swim cap. Make sure to shower and shampoo your hair immediately after swimming. Do not allow the pool water to dry up in your hair.
So keep yourself a little careful and feel free to fly with your beautiful hair… 🙂