Do you suffer from dry, brittle hair? Did you know that hair breakage is caused by many factors such as poor diet, improper hair care and stress?
Here are six of the top culprits behind hair-breakage and loss.
1 Stress
Modern-day living places huge demands on our bodies and it’s often our hair that suffers most. According to Healthline.com “Telogen effluvium is the type of stress most likely linked to hair damage.” This type of stress makes your follicles become dormant, so hair that’s in the middle of a growth cycle may break off. You might notice old hair fall out, too. So, rescue your hair by incorporating stress-relieving techniques such as meditation and exercise to keep you calm during tough times.
ALSO SEE: A Beginner’s Guide To Mindfulness
2 Over-processing
This seems like a no-brainer, but many people do not realise the damaging effects colouring, highlighting, relaxing or perming can have on hair. If you’re battling with a bit of a crispy coif, reconsider your hair style to give your hair some time to recover. Use an effective hair conditioning treatment and ask your hairdresser to suggest other ways to help your hair recover whilst staying stylish.
3 Poor diet
If you take care of your body, your body will take care of you. A poor diet is one of the leading causes for hair breakage because you need essential nutrients to keep it shiny and full of bounce. Consider taking a hair supplement with zinc, iron and folic acid to help fight hair loss from the inside out.
ALSO SEE: Healthy Eating: What To Eat And When
4 Burn, baby, burn, disco inferno
South Africa is a hot and dry country. Yes, we’re looking at you Jozi Heatwaves! Environmental factors like dry weather, low humidity and excessive heat can wreak havoc on your follicles. If you’re one of the many who suffer from heat-hair, make sure you use your favourite Dove shampoo suited to your hair type that could be followed by a leave-in conditioner for protection from the weather.
5 Towel trauma
Most of us hop out of the shower and vigorously towel dry our hair. Bad move! Hair is actually at its most delicate when it’s wet, and an aggressive rubbing motion can cause a lot of damage. Rather opt for a towel wrapped around your head or blot the hair dry. It sounds like a mission, but you will be thanking us when you’ve got your happy, healthy hair back.
6 Trim it
We should all be going for a trim every eight weeks to keep our split ends from getting out of control. Leaving a split end to its own devices means that the crack in the follicle will travel further up the hair shaft and eventually cause breakage. A quick trim is the cheapest way to glossy tips that shine.
Here’s to healthier, glossier hair!
