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The way you style your hair can make hair look brittle, flyaway, dull, or even fall out. Follow these tips from dermatologists to help style your hair without causing damage.[S] |
Habits that damage your hair
In our quest for beautiful hair, we often do things that damage our hair. Damaged hair is brittle, so it tends to break. Hair breakage can leave us with frizzy and unhealthy looking hair. If we continue to damage our hair, we may end up seeing thinning hair or even bald spots.
The good news is that simple changes can prevent further hair damage.
Here's what the professionals say about how to kick those bad habits to help give you beautiful, healthy hair. Dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology recommend following these tips.[S]
17 Bad Habits that damage your hair and how to fix it
1. Washing hair by rubbing the length of the hair with shampoo
- Gently massage the shampoo into your scalp. When you rinse the shampoo off your scalp, let it flow down the length of your hair.
2. Using conditioner
- Use conditioner after every shampoo.
3. Drying the hair by rubbing it with a towel
- Wrap your hair in a towel to absorb the water, then let your hair air dry.
4. Combing wet hair
- Do you have straight hair? Allow your hair to dry a bit before combing it gently with a wide-tooth comb.
- Do you have tight hair or tight locks of hair? Always comb your hair while it is wet with a wide-tooth comb.
5. Using a hair dryer, hot comb or curling iron
- Allow your hair to air dry when possible. Use the lowest heat setting.
- Limit the time the hot comb or curling iron comes in contact with your hair.
- Use these tools less frequently, with a goal of once a week or even less.
- You should never straighten wet or damp hair.
- Use a product to protect your hair from excessive heat.
- For curly, curly and wavy hair, a diffuser should be used on a hair dryer to facilitate styling and avoid hair breakage.
- Use the Natura Lumina heat protection spray which will protect your hair from overheating from electrical appliances.
6. Using long-lasting hair products
- Try a hairstyle that doesn't require styling products.
7. Pull the hair back too tightly, like a ponytail or bun
- Keep your hair pulled back.
- Use covered rubber bands specially designed for hair styling.
- Try a different hairstyle that doesn't pull your hair.
8. Wearing yarn or hair extensions
- Wear light threads and connections so they don't pull.
- Get threads and hair extensions at a salon that specializes in these services. Wear a professional weave or hair extension for two or three months at the most.
- Keep your scalp clean when wearing weaves or hair extensions.
- Switch up hairstyles, so you don't always wear woven threads or hair extensions.
9. Dyeing, perming or straightening the hair
- Try to add more time between touch-ups, especially when the air is dry. In winter, try to extend the time between finishing touches every 8 to 10 weeks or more.
- You only have one serving of coloring, straightening, or perming cream. If you want more than one service, dry or straighten your hair first, and do it two weeks before you dye your hair.
- Use conditioner after every shampoo.
- When you're out in the sun, protect your hair with a leave-in conditioner that contains zinc oxide or wear a wide-brimmed hat.
10. Brushing the hair 100 times a day or pulling your hair for a hairstyle
- Just comb your hair to style it. Hair never needs 100 brushing passes per day. This is a myth.
- Use a wide-toothed comb and gently brush your hair.
- Avoid pulling or pulling on your hair while combing, styling, or styling.
- Gently remove tangles with a moisturizing conditioner if necessary.
11. Too Much Sun Gives Your Hair Vitamin D
- Too much sun is a serious threat.
- Protect your hair from the sun with a styling conditioner, preferably one that has a UV filter.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat or scarf.
12. Taking a Hot Shower
- This
bad habit, especially in the winter, helps to increase the production
of sebum in the scalp, which damages the hair due to the loss of
proteins and other essential components.
13. Too Much Shampoo
- Excessive shampooing dries out your hair and scalp, stripping your scalp of the natural oils that create the moisture needed to keep hair healthy and shiny.
- Washing
every two days only. Use dry shampoo, to keep you centered. When
showering, choose a sulfate-free shampoo, which is gentler and less
stripping on hair.
14. Using a cotton pillowcase
- There is nothing necessarily wrong with cotton. It's not great for your hair, especially if it's coarse or curly.
- Cotton roughens your hair, creating more frizz, flyaways, and knots.
- Silk
pillowcase is a great choice. Since your hair glides through, there is
less friction, which makes your hair softer and shinier.
15. Stress
- Later, a 2007 study published in the American Academy of Dermatology confirmed that stress can cause skin problems, such as acne, brittle nails or even hair loss.
- To
combat stress, try some simple stress-relieving exercises, meditate,
practice deep breathing and take steps to remove known stress from your
life.
16. Malnutrition
- In order to have healthy hair, you must include healthy and natural foods rich in protein, vitamin E and iron in your diet. You should also include foods rich in trace minerals, such as zinc and copper.
- Don't
eat junk food and avoid a very strict or strict diet, as it can lead to
nutrient deficiencies that can cause hair loss, thinning and dull and
brittle hair.
17. Infusing hair with chemical products
- Chemicals like hydrogen peroxide and ammonia in hair dye can cause hair to thin and fall out. Dihydrotestosterone or dihydrotestosterone is another harmful chemical found in shampoos that can contribute to hair loss.
- The primary chemical of concern in hair relaxers is sodium hydroxide, which can weaken hair and cause a scalp infection.
- Avoid
weighing your hair with harsh chemical products. Instead, opt for
herbal products or home recipes for hair masks or hair dyes that use
natural ingredients.
When do you see a dermatologist?
If changing the way you care for your hair isn't helping you see healthier hair, you may want to see a board-certified dermatologist. Taking care of your hair may not be the root cause of your problem.
A visit to a dermatologist is especially important if you are concerned about hair thinning or hair loss. Most causes can be stopped or treated.
The faster the problem is addressed, the better your results will be.
Summary
When it comes to hair damage, many of us only think of the obvious culprits, like frequent highlighting, skipping regular haircuts, or picking at split ends. But, here's the thing: a lot of what takes a toll on your traits are your daily habits, many of which seem harmless.
It's the constant daily repetition of these activities that can eventually do some serious damage to your hair.
Even if you are guilty of one (or several) of these mistakes, don't worry. Fortunately, you can easily protect your strands by making a few small changes and using the right products.