Coco Chanel once said that “a woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.” Your hair is more than just your crowning glory. It symbolizes one’s individuality and beauty. It’s the first thing that people notice about you. It, no doubt, speaks volumes about who you are.
Having gorgeous hair gives you a quick self-confidence boost. This is the reason why you have to take care of your hair. However, a lot of people’s bad habits can damage their tresses.
Here’s a list of bad habits that can potentially cause hair loss:
Unbalanced diet
The ketogenic diet is getting popular nowadays. It’s a high-fat, high-protein, and low-carb diet. It’s found to be effective in promoting fast weight loss. But, according to Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt, keto diets (such as Atkins) can cause hair loss. Starvation, nutritional deficiencies, and calorie-restricted diets can also lead to hair loss.
Stress
We currently live in a demanding modern world. It’s no wonder that stress has become an inevitable part of our life. Stress can wreak havoc in your life in many ways — it can destroy your health, your relationships, and your sanity. It can also cause serious damage to your hair. In fact, prolonged exposure to stressful situations and environments can lead to hair loss. Why? Well, when you’re stressed, your brain produces a hormone called cortisol. This stress hormone can negatively affect the cyclic regulation and overall function of your hair follicles, preventing hair growth and causing your hair to fall out. According to a study conducted by Vladimir Botchkarev, stress is the leading cause of hair loss. Scary, right?
Excessive heat styling
It’s fun to try out different hairstyles. This is the reason why electric straighteners, blow-dryers, and curlers are getting more and more popular these days. But these styling tools can damage your tresses and cause hair loss and breakage.
Smoking
Smoking is not only bad for your lungs; it’s also bad for your hair. According to a study conducted in 2010, cigarette smoke can damage the hair follicles, preventing hair growth.
Drinking alcohol
We know that too much alcohol can damage your liver. But do you know that it can cause balding, too? Excessive consumption of alcohol dehydrates you. In turn, this could make your hair brittle and dry. It also increases your blood sugar level, which is linked to hair loss. Lastly, drinking too much beer can increase one’s estrogen levels. Increased estrogen levels can prevent hair growth and cause baldness (especially in men).
Combing wet hair
Your hair is naturally tangled when you go out of the shower, so combing wet hair can lead to breakage and hair loss. So, don’t comb your hair until it’s dry.
Excessive exercise
Going to the gym can do wonders for your body. It strengthens your muscles and helps you shed the extra pounds. But extreme weight-lifting activities increase your testosterone levels, which can cause hair loss. So, to protect your luscious hair, regulate your gym activity.
How to Prevent Hair Loss
Hair loss has a number of psychological effects, chief of which is that it can significantly reduce your self-esteem and slowly eat away your self-confidence. Losing your hair makes you feel like you’re losing an important part of yourself. On the other hand, having luscious locks can make you feel good about yourself.
Here are some tips on how to prevent hair loss:
Eat healthy
You need more than a good shampoo and a good conditioner. You must eat healthy foods, too. Having a balanced diet helps prevent hair loss. It keeps your hair healthy-looking and beautiful, too.
To have healthier and more beautiful hair, make sure to follow these nutrition tips:
- Eat foods that are rich in fatty acids – Fatty acids can improve the health of your scalp and they also hydrate your hair follicles. So, if you want healthier hair, you have to consume foods that are rich in omega fatty acids such as mackerel, oysters, caviar, flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, soybeans, and anchovies.
- Avoid junk and overly processed foods – Microwave meals and fast food are nutrient-deficient and can cause inflammation and hair loss over time. Learn to say no to fast foods such as pasta, tacos, burgers, pizza, and fries.
- Eat vitamin-dense foods – Eating healthy can do wonders to your life. It can help you shed a few extra pounds. It can make your skin healthier and it can make your hair thicker and more beautiful, too. So, eat nutritious foods, especially ones that are rich in vitamins E, C, D, and B. Make sure to include the following foods in your diet: almonds, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, peanuts, avocado, kiwi, mango, turnip, salmon, crayfish, lobster, octopus, cod, spinach, eggs, berries, oranges, and sweet potatoes.
Win the battle against stress
Stress is an inevitable part of life. But if you want to have healthy hair, you must reduce the stress triggers in your daily life. Rest when you’re tired. Take a step back whenever you feel overwhelmed. You can also try stress management tools like yoga, meditation, and tai chi. More importantly, don’t forget to get ample quality sleep.
Quit smoking and drinking too much alcohol
You know that smoking and drinking too much alcohol are bad for you. These habits do not only destroy your lungs and liver; they can also ruin your crowning glory. How horrible is that?
Limit heat styling
Blow-dryers, electric curlers, and hair straighteners are great styling tools. You can use them during special occasions or when you’re going on a date. But as much as possible, don’t use them daily as they can weaken strands. If you ever need to use them, use a generous amount of serum to protect your strands and don’t forget to turn down the heat.
Invest in good shampoo
It’s true that there are a lot of good cheap shampoos, but don’t skimp on hair care. You should invest in a good shampoo, especially one that contains argan oil. This essential oil is often called “liquid gold” because of its beautifying effects. This oil can help prevent hair loss. It’s also a good remedy for split ends. It makes your hair silkier, shinier, softer, and more lustrous.
Use aloe vera gel
This wonder plant contains proteolytic enzymes, which heal the scalp. Aloe vera improves the function of your hair follicles and promotes hair growth. It’s also rich in vitamins and nutrients, so it naturally nourishes your hair.
Don’t do too much weight-lifting
No one will fault you for wanting to have a body like Dwayne Johnson’s or a bikini bod like Taylor Swift or the Kardashian-Jenners. But as mentioned earlier, too much weight-lifting can increase your testosterone levels. This can lead to hair fall.
This is not to say that you shouldn’t exercise. Having a regular moderate exercise routine can reduce your stress levels and offer benefits to your hair. You can simply bike, walk, or do Zumba at least 30 minutes a day.
Apply a little bit of green tea on your hair
Green tea is not only a strong weight management tool. It can also prevent hair loss. Dip two bags of green tea in a cup of hot water. Let the tea cool, then apply to your hair. Massage onto your scalp. Leave it for one hour and then rinse thoroughly. Do this for 30 days and you’ll instantly see the difference in your locks.
Team Hairlossly
Our in-house team of hair care experts will ensure a steady stream of high-quality and valuable information from the industry’s leading thought leaders. We are also committed to providing updated information about the latest developments as the happen in the industry.
