Put An End To Hair Loss, Hair Breakage & Hair Damage!
It can be stressful and disheartening when it seems like clumps of your tresses are coming out in your brush. While some hair loss is a natural occurrence, hair breakage is not a part of this normal process. It is quite normal for a healthy head to shed up to 100 strands per day. Breakage occurs when the strand is damaged and it splits off before it has completed a full life cycle.
Hair damage can be caused my many different external factors, including elastic ties that are too tight or damaging bleaches. Dry or brittle locks are one of the first signs of damage that is likely to lead to breakage and sometimes also hair loss. In order to effectively combat hair breakage it is important to consider all the internal and external factors that can influence the health of your lovely mane.
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Be Gentle
Avoid the temptation to pull, twist or twirl your hair. Unnecessary bending or twisting of the hair strand will cause stress on the hair fibres, making them more likely to break or fray. Also avoid any unnecessary washing or brushing. While a little daily grooming may be required, excess washing and brushing will add extra stress to each individual hair strand.
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Don’t Brush Wet Hair
Your strands are at their weakest and most elastic when they are wet. Brushing your locks when they are wet stretches the strands and may lead to splitting or breakage. Instead, comb well conditioned wet hair with your fingers then brush it once it is dry.
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Choose Styles Wisely
Wearing pony tails or pig tails will cause stress at the hair line and can also lead to hair breakage if the hair tie is consistently placed in the same spot. Use elastics that are gentle on the hair (stocking fabric is great) and alternate your styles on a regular basis.
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Let Natural Kinks and Curls Rule
Regular flat ironing and straightening can cause hair damage through heat exposure, causing brittle and dry hair that eventually breaks. If you do wish to straighten your locks for a special event, keep the temperature of the flat iron as low as possible, use heat protection products and avoid pulling your tresses through the tongs too quickly.
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Avoid Excess Processing
Any chemical processing is likely to increase your chances of developing dry, brittle strands. Regular bleaching and perming of the hair strips it of natural oils and reduces the integrity of every single strand. Repeated processing will ultimately lead to increased breakage no matter how much extra love and attention you give your locks.
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Have Regular Trims
Avoiding that trim because you want to grow your tresses long may actually be prolonging the lengthening process. Regular washing and brushing of hair is likely to cause some split ends regardless of how much care you take. If these split ends are left they will travel up the strand and break off even closer to the shaft, effectively making your hair shorter.
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Protect Your Hair From Your Pillow
Hair breakage can be caused by friction against the pillow when we toss and turn in our sleep. If you are prone to waking up with a messy mane then it is likely this is happening to you. Reduce the stress on your hair during the night by using a silky pillow case. This will also make your hair easier to brush the next morning.
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Healthy Diet For Healthy Hair
What you eat can have a significant impact on the health of your lovely locks. A diet including protein rich foods such as red kidney beans, salmon and nuts can help promote strong healthy hair, however too much may actually cause brittleness. Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water is also important in preventing dry hair. It’s also good to avoid foods that are high in sodium and sugar. Essentially, having a healthy balanced diet is the best way to increase of chances of having luxurious, healthy hair.
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Reduce Stress
Stressful situations in life can result in previously healthy hair becoming dry, brittle and more susceptible to breakage. Hair loss is also likely to increase when the body is under a significant amount of stress. Recognise when you are feeling stressed and find ways that you can relax and reduce stress levels.
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Feed Your Hair
In addition to eating right, your scalp will readily absorb nutrients placed directly onto the head itself. There are many shampoos, conditioners and hair masks available designed to promote healthy hair and repair hair fragility. Avoid products containing SLS (sodium laurelth sulphate) and mineral oil in as these chemicals are quite harsh and will be likely to cause dry hair. There are also many fantastic home remedies using household items such as olive oil, honey and avocado that can help keep your tresses healthy.
While hair breakage cannot always be avoided, there are plenty of simple ways to encourage healthy growth. Being aware of the internal and external factors than can cause hair damage is a helpful step in preventing further breakage and subsequent hair loss. While dry locks that have become fragile and brittle may repair with the correct care, split ends and broken hair strands are irreparable and should be cut off just above the site of breakage. Healthy hair is an important indicator of our general health and wellbeing, so damaged or dry locks should not be ignored. If you find you are suffering from excessive breakage or loss it may be a sign of an underlying health problem so always discuss any concerns you may have with your local health practitioner.