10 Secret factors that can ruin your hair

Your hair health, consequently – its look, depends on many things, but today we gonna talk about the 10 most important factors that can ruin your hair health. We are doing it simply because the interest in hair is mainly focused on hair growth, hair types, and hair care. Although, we don’t want to skip these topics, we’d like to attract your attention to your diet because your hair is also an important biomaterial primarily composed of protein.

Your scalp is a complicated thing

Under a microscope, your scalp looks like a complex system: hundreds of thousands of hair follicles, each of which is approached by sebaceous glands, nerve endings and bundles of microscopic vessels. In addition, most of the hair follicles are equipped with their own miniature muscles (due to or because of them your hair can “stand on end”). Obviously, many conditions must be met for such a complicated system to function normally: good blood circulation, healthy state of the capillaries and sebaceous glands and on and on… Therefore, any troubles – whether it could be stress, an improper diet, or polluted air – can lead to hair loss.

And your hair is a complicated thing too!

Every hair strand consists of three layers: the cuticle, cortex, and medulla. The cuticle is the hair’s outer layer which has shingle or scale like cells that overlap. It prevents damage to the hair’s inner structure and controls water content of hair fiber. The scaly structure of the cuticle usually has about ten layers of cells. When damaged, the number of these layers is reduced making the hair thinner and less protected. The damaged cuticle has a loose structure, and therefore the hair cortex is vulnerable and unprotected. Such hair needs intensive care and treatment.

10 Secret factors that can ruin your hair

1. Unbalanced and insufficient diet
2. Stress
3. Washing your hair improperly
4. Highly mineralized water
5. Mechanical damage
6. Regular use of hair dryers
7. Often hair salon visiting
8. Heat
9. Chemical damage
10. Health conditions and illnesses

#1

Unbalanced and insufficient diet

Nourish your hair from within. Healthy hair is a reflection of a healthy lifestyle and your overall health. However, most common interest in hair is focused on hair types and hair care, but hair is also an important biomaterial primarily composed of protein, notably alpha-keratin. The rejection of fats and proteins is especially harmful for your hair because these nutrients are responsible for hair growth. To keep your hair and skin looking gorgeous, your diet must include meat, eggs, fatty fish, nuts, olive oil, cheese, fresh berries, and leafy greens. Unbalanced diets can lead not only to brittleness, but also to hair loss.

#2

Stress

Stress and hair loss are closely related. In fact, nearly two-thirds of women consider stress as the main cause of their hair lack of volume and thickness – more so than anything else – aging, unbalanced diet, poor haircare, hormonal changes, illness, or medication.

During a strong emotional shock, the muscles that hold the hair follicles involuntarily contract, which leads to the root squeezing and low blood flow, consequently, to poor or no nourishing. Of course, you cannot avoid stressful situations, but at least, try to look at everything positively. Today everyone knows about the power of positive thinking.

#3

Washing your hair improperly

Your hair should be washed as needed. However, it is very important to choose the right shampoo. Try to use natural shampoos. Shampoos with sulfates and parabens strip away too much moisture, leaving the hair dry and unhealthy. They may also make the scalp dry and prone to irritation. Moreover, many people have an allergy to sodium laureth sulfate or sodium lauryl sulfate. Sulfate free shampoos keep the natural oils on the scalp and hair making the risk of getting a “dandelion effect” minimal. It leaves hair feeling healthy, clean and smelling great while amplifying your natural texture. If you are used to washing your hair every day, buy a daily shampoo.

#4

Highly mineralized water

The quality of the water also affects your hair state. If you have the option to install a water filter, be sure to do so. If you have a sensitive scalp, then rinse your hair with warmed boiled water or herbal tea.

#5

Mechanical damage

Combing improperly, wearing a bouffant regularly and winding on curlers damage the cuticle, scratch and exfoliate its scales. Wet hair is especially susceptible to mechanical damage as the cuticle swells, exposing the cortex. Intense combing can provoke alopecia, as well as lead to brittleness of naturally dry hair. Never comb wet hair, ever. Period.

#6

Regular use of hair dryers

Never use (at least try not to) hairdryers, instead allow your hair to air dry naturally after you shampoo. French girls very often do hair wash before going to bed and sleep on damp hair to get that naturally tousled texture and gorgeous shape when they wake up. But if you have to use a hair dryer, then it must be in constant motion. Do not use attachments that restrict the flow of hot air and change the drying air temperature to a lower one.

#7

Often hair salon  visiting

Visiting a hairdresser on a weekly basis won’t do anything good for you. Curling irons, hair dryers bleaching, perm, dying, daily heat styling and endless hair product testing can lead to split ends, breakage, and shorter hair at the roots. Remember, minimizing your visits to hair salons and avoiding harsh chemicals make your hair healthier. Do you know that Parisian hair care is more about what not to do than what to do? Give your hair a break from coloring and styling. Such a rest should last at least a week; in the case of dying – 1-1.5 months. It is also desirable to combine it with hair-restorative treatments.

#8

Heat

Your hair does not like styling with hot appliances and an excess of styling products. The use of curling irons and hair dryers does not pass without a trace for your hair health. Heating destroys the temporary (hydrogen) bonds in the hair that connect the polypeptide links – this allows you to give the hair a new shape. However, excessive heat leads to irreparable damage to the hair structure that can lead to hair loss. Solar radiation can not only bleach the hair, but also dry it out, which also increases the susceptibility of the hair to damage.

#9

Chemical damage

The haircare products used for staining, discoloration and perms penetrate the cuticle and go into the cortex. Harsh chemicals break the disulfide bonds in polypeptide chains destroying your hair health. The incorrect or often use of these products and failure to follow the instructions can lead to serious damage to the hair and scalp.

#10

Health conditions and illnesses

If you are taking a great care about your hair but all your efforts come to nothing then talking to your doctor is a good idea. Anemia or thyroid problems are the major causes for hair loss in women. Normally, hair grows in cycles of growing, resting and shedding and each strand has a life of 4-6 years. The body usually sheds nearly 50 – 100 strands of hair every day; don’t panic if it’s the case. High stress situations, such as examinations or pregnancy, or a chronic illness or acute illness resulting in hospitalization can also cause hair fall, split ends and breakage.

The state of your hair reflects the state of your overall health, which, in turn, depends on a variety of internal and external factors, from stress and unbalanced diets to sudden changes in the outdoor temperature. It means that your healthy hair is not a 3-month project, it’s a lifestyle.