As simple as it sounds, getting your hair
trimmed every now and then can aid in a healthy growing process and prevent thinning. Regular trims remove dry, brittle, and dead split ends, which otherwise can travel up your hair shaft toward your scalp and cause more strands to drop out. It may sound counterintuitive, but if you want to grow long luxurious hair, get it cut regularly.
6. You take hot showers.
Hot water stresses and
dehydrates hair strands, the same as it does skin, leaving it dry, brittle, and prone to snap and fall out. Combined with a shampoo that already strips your hair of its protective oils, it forces your scalp’s pores to overwork to keep up with oil production, which can damage the roots and lead to additional shedding. Hot water can also
increase the germ and bacteria population on your head.
- What you can do: Take the temp down, opt for a warm shower, and try to rinse your hair with the coolest temperature possible.
7. You scratch your head.
An
itchy feeling on the scalp can be the result of a fungal infection, allergies, or inflammation — all of which is harmful to hair and can potentially result in thinning. But when you start scratching on top of that, you’re
damaging your hair follicles, and that can end up in hair loss.
- What you can do: Switch to a healthier diet, packed with protein and vitamins A, D, and E. Relieve the itch with a scalp massage instead of scratching. Use a shampoo that contains selenium, zinc, and other antifungal properties.
8. You use hot styling tools.
Hot rollers, hairdryers, tongs, and curling and flat irons might be very
harsh on your hair. High temperature
scorches away the oils and proteins from your hair and its protective cuticle, disrupting moisture balance and causing breakage and thinning. Your hair then becomes dry and lacks strength resulting in strands snapping.
- What you can do: Limit your use of styling tools to 2-3 times a week, and start with the coolest setting possible. Apply heat-protection products that create a thermal barrier to reduce friction.
9. You play with your hair.
Tugging, pulling, twirling, rubbing, we all do it with our hair.
Unfortunately, this fidgeting can contribute to breakage and hair loss over time. By constantly pulling on your strands, you’re weakening the follicles. And your hands, however clean you think they are, still carry sweat, dirt, and oils that add to buildup and its consequences.
- What you can do: Keep your hands busy with healthier distractions: play with a fidgety toy or clench your fists. At home, you can cover your hair so you won’t be able to touch it.
10. You’re rough with wet hair.
Our strands are at their
weakest and the most prone to friction when they’re wet since water slightly raises the protective cuticle. Brushing in the shower, followed by rough towel-rubbing, causes the ideal conditions for snapping it off. It’s no wonder we leave so much hair in the shower.
- What you can do: Comb your hair before it gets wet with full strokes from the scalp to the tips. Squeeze the water and blot (don’t rub!) it with a soft microfiber towel after the shower.
