Losing more hair than what’s normal can be alarming, and chronic hair fall can eventually lead to bald spots when left unaddressed. However, just because you’re already losing hair at an unusual rate doesn’t mean it’s too late to do anything about it.
First, you have to determine what’s causing your hair problem. Genetics plays a significant role in hair loss or hair thinning. However, lifestyle habits can also cause hair loss or further exacerbate it. From smoking to skipping meals, here are the lifestyle habits that could be making your hair loss worse:
1. Smoking
Smoking causes a lot of negative health effects on the body, and one of them is accelerated hair loss. It changes the regular saturation levels of oxygen in the body and constricts the blood vessels, making it harder for fresh blood to reach the hair follicles and keep the strands healthy. Furthermore, a reduced flow of blood into the hair follicles can make it more difficult or even impossible for hair to grow back.
That said, smoking can speed up hair thinning, which can eventually lead to permanent hair loss. If you smoke, find a way to stop as soon as possible; seek help from a doctor or a smoking cessation program if you have trouble doing it yourself.
2. Being too rough with wet hair
When hair is wet, it is more susceptible to breakage because the protective cuticle on the strands is slightly elevated. That said, combing wet hair or aggressively towel-drying can cause you to lose more hair than usual. To avoid this, gently towel dry your hair and comb or brush the strands when it is dry.
3. Taking hot showers
The hot water in the shower is great for sore muscles, but it is not as great for your hair and scalp. Hot water dehydrates the skin on your head as well as your hair strands, causing dryness and brittleness that can lead to all sorts of hair problems, including excessive hair fall.
While you don’t need to avoid hot showers forever, it is a good idea to turn down the temperature of the hot water whenever you’re showering or bathing. Moreover, only expose your hair to hot water for a limited amount of time while showering, and then wash it with slightly warm or cold water when it’s time to rinse. It’s also a good idea to use moringa herbal shampoo for hair loss instead of regular shampoo to further protect your hair from breakage.
4. Using excessive styling products
Hair dye, hairspray, hair gel, and other styling products contain chemicals that can cause damage to your hair when overused. One such type of damage is dryness, which can make hair brittle and more likely to fall out. So, to avoid causing unnecessary damage to your hair, limit the use of hair styling products and find alternative ways to style your hair without using chemicals.
If you must use hair dye or bleach, be sure to give your hair enough time to rest before dyeing it again. For hairspray, gel, and other types of chemical-laden products, get them out of your hair completely after the day is done with a long shower and some good shampoo.
5. Eating an unhealthy diet
Your diet affects almost every aspect of your physical health, including that of your hair. A diet that is rich in sugar, fat, salt, and preservatives can weaken your hair because it’s not getting the nutrients that it needs to grow strong and healthy. The same goes for skipping meals, especially if it’s an everyday occurrence.
To keep your hair healthy, enrich your diet with protein (since hair is primarily made up of proteins) such as eggs, lean meat, fish, and legumes. Also, eat enough food rich in magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins to encourage strong hair growth.
6. Using excessive heat
Hair can tolerate high temperatures, but too much heat and too frequent heat styling can make hair more susceptible to damage. With that in mind, it is highly recommended to avoid heat styling as much as possible, as well as using a blow dryer to dry your hair. Instead, towel dry your hair and use alternative styling tools, such as curlers and silk ribbons that can give you curls that are just as stylish but without the heat.
When left unaddressed, hair fall or hair thinning can eventually lead to permanent hair loss, especially as you get older. By minimizing or eliminating these habits from your lifestyle, you can keep your hair long, thick, and luscious for as long as possible, even as you age and your hair becomes naturally weaker.
