People love their hair. There are entire industries and product lines dedicated to the styling, coloring, and accessorizing of hair in all shapes and forms. How you fix your hair is different for job interviews, wedding receptions, and exercising, and every style is important.
With such an intense focus on hair in our society, it makes sense that hair loss is a major concern for many. Hair loss, especially in your younger years, can be difficult to deal with and can drastically lower your confidence. In many cases, hair that is lost cannot be grown back, at least not with a decent amount of intervention.
The best way to ensure you have hair tomorrow is to take care of your hair today. This article will present some tips for keeping your head full of healthy hair that you can enjoy for years to come:
Switch Out Your Hair Products
The first thing you should look at is the variety of hair products you use on a regular basis. Simply put, not all hair products are created equal. Your favorite hair gel might get the job done better than any other, but it could contain chemicals and additives that are actively damaging your hair.
Examples of ingredients to watch out for are parabens, sulfates, and synthetic dyes. Products with these additives can contain components that damage the scalp and hair. These ingredients can contribute to dehydration, hormone manipulation, or even follicle damage.
Before purchasing a hair product, take a look at the ingredients on the bottle. In addition to looking for things to avoid, keep an eye out for ingredients that are actually beneficial to your hair. Biotin, caffeine, green tea, and saw palmetto are all natural ingredients backed by science to improve hair growth.
If shampoo isn’t addressing your hair concerns, it might be time to consider medication. Topical finasteride is a prescription hair loss treatment that stimulates hair regrowth and reduces hair loss. It blocks the production of DHT, the hormone responsible for male pattern baldness
Adjust Your Diet
Did you know that your diet could be making you bald? This is a broad generalization, but it’s true that what you eat can impact your hair health. It’s important to make sure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to grow hair. In addition, an improved diet will benefit just about every other aspect of your physical health as well.
As a general rule, the more balanced your diet the better. To get more specific, anything sugary or salty should be eaten in moderation. Even too much red meat can tamper with your hormonal balance, which can ultimately lead to hair loss.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are certain foods that can promote hair health and growth and prevent premature balding. Examples include healthy fats and proteins like eggs and nuts as well as your classic fruit and vegetable combo. There are even supplements you can take if your body struggles to produce or retain key nutrients.
For example, vitamin B and iron are quite important for hair health and can be supplemented if necessary. However, it’s important to note it’s wise to talk to a medical professional about adding certain supplements. For example, too much iron can lead to serious complications.
Keep it Cool
There is one simple thing that can damage your hair, and that’s heat. In particular, excessive use of a hair dryer or repeated salon treatments that use high temperatures can become a problem. You may even notice immediate issues with damaged hair after a salon trip due to dehydration.
Think about how your skin feels after you’ve been out in the sun for too long. Does it feel dry and cracked in addition to being sunburnt? Now think about how the skin on your head reacts to intense heat. The lack of moisture and natural oils can alter the structure of the hair and restrict blood flow to the scalp. This is not a recipe for successful hair growth.
The simplest solution is to avoid applying excess heat to your hair. Swap out a blow dryer for a microfiber towel. Transition to different hair treatments that don’t rely on intense heat. You may even consider adding an infusion hair treatment to your self-care regime to add necessary vitamins and moisture back into your hair.
Change Up Hairstyles
This might seem like a trivial adjustment, but a change in hairstyle may actually help you keep the hair on your head. To be more specific, hairstyles that are very tight can cause something that is called traction alopecia. In layman’s terms, this is hair loss triggered by the constant pulling of your hair at its roots.
A basic example of a hairstyle that can contribute to this kind of hair loss is a ponytail. This is one of the most convenient hairstyles for people with long hair. In fact, a ponytail or tight bun is often required in some professions to keep hair up and out of the way. However, over the years this can really strain your hairline and even cause it to recede.
Tying your hair up quickly isn’t the main problem, it’s leaving it up there constantly. Try to give your hair a moment to relax every once in a while. Try sleeping with a nightcap on instead of a top bun or loosen your hair as you relax on the couch. This will break apart the periods of strain so the roots of your hair stay strong.
While you try these strategies to combat hair loss, remember that losing your hair doesn’t make you any less of a person. It will take time to see your hair grow back, but a positive outlook can truly benefit your recovery. The sooner you start making these changes, the more success you can have at keeping your hair longer, so start now!