Bad habits can have significant consequences on our health and well-being. Not only can bad habits affect overall health, but they can also contribute to hair loss.
While genetics play a significant role in thinning hair and hair loss, certain lifestyle choices and behaviors can exacerbate the issue. It's essential to recognize these five bad habits that can lead to hair loss and take steps to break them to protect the health of your hair.
Poor Diet
It's no secret that a well-balanced diet is essential for good health. However, an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals is also critical for maintaining the health of your scalp and growing strong, healthy hair.
One of the first signs of a nutritional deficiency is changes in hair growth. When your body lacks an essential vitamin or mineral, it diverts resources away from non-essential functions, such as hair growth, to maintain vital bodily functions.
Any nutritional deficiency, such as one caused by an eating disorder or a crash diet, can impact the health of your scalp and lead to thinning hair and hair loss. Hair loss caused by poor diet will usually regrow once the issue is corrected, which can generally be accomplished by adjusting your food intake or taking supplements.
Wearing Tight Hairstyles
Consistently wearing tight hairstyles can lead to a type of hair loss called traction alopecia. Over time, the constant tension on hair strands from tight styles, such as buns, braids, ponytails, or extensions, can cause breakage or damage to follicles. Occasionally wearing a tight hairstyle won't harm your hair, but constant tugging can lead to permanent hair loss if you wear the same style daily.
Excessive Heat
Excessive heat can damage your scalp and hair, regardless of hair type. Blow dryers, curling irons, straighteners, and other hot styling tools are convenient, and a nice hot shower can be relaxing, but all that heat can dry out and damage your hair.
Hot styling tools can help you achieve the look you want but can also make hair dry, brittle, and easily damaged. If you must use hot styling tools, limit the frequency and use a low-temperature setting.
It's also important to avoid washing your hair in hot water. Using lukewarm or cold water instead of hot helps close the cuticles and increases your chances of having healthy, shiny, frizz-free hair. Cold water also closes scalp pores, helping to keep them free of dirt and bacteria.
Shampoo Routine
When washing your hair, there is more to consider than wash, rinse, and repeat. Washing your hair removes the natural oils that keep your scalp and hair moisturized and protected.
How often you wash your hair is as important as choosing the right hair care products. Washing your hair too often or using shampoos that contain harsh chemicals and ingredients can strip away natural oils and leave your hair dry, brittle, and easily damaged.
Excessive Stress
Continuous exposure to stress can lead to biological responses that may impact hair growth patterns. Chronic stress can trigger a common form of hair loss called telogen effluvium.
Telogen effluvium occurs when excessive stress levels cause large numbers of hair to enter the telogen phase of the hair growth cycle. Several months after the stressful event, the affected strands of hair suddenly fall out, causing thinning hair.
Identifying and addressing the cause of stress is crucial for preventing and treating telogen effluvium and promoting healthy hair growth. Long-term, chronic stress can lead to a process known as miniaturization, where the hair follicles shrink, producing finer and shorter hair strands.
Hair Loss Answers From Mane Image
Hair loss is complicated, with many different causes and contributing factors. While genetics play a significant role, there is a clear link between bad habits and hair loss. For some people, making a few lifestyle changes and developing new habits can address the root cause of their hair loss and enhance their overall well-being.
The first step to preventing and treating hair loss is to determine the cause. At Mane Image, we have been helping men and women experiencing hair loss since 1987. Our team of experts can help determine the cause of your hair loss and recommend effective solutions to help you grow and keep a thick, luscious, full head of hair.
To learn more about bad habits that lead to hair loss and what you can do to keep your hair, contact us today and schedule your FREE initial consultation.
