Our hair can be a defining feature of our identity. While you may think your tresses are in a healthy condition, you could be unknowingly causing your locks some serious damage. Here are four hair mistakes you probably don’t know you’re making.
Whether it’s a receding hairline or thinning tresses, hair loss can be an upsetting experience. There are a range of different types of hair loss. The most common is male pattern baldness, which is a genetic condition. Another type of hair loss is telogen effluvium, and this can be caused by your body responding to a range of stresses, including physical trauma, hormonal fluctuations, intense emotional stress, illnesses, crash dieting and certain medications. I had thin and even some bald patches after pregnancy. Depending on the cause of your hair loss, you might be able to take advantage of effective treatments. For example, there are now various shampoos, lotions, medicines and even surgical options like hair transplants available that can help people with male pattern baldness to regrow their hair. Of course, you don’t have to take action to tackle hair loss. Many people embrace their thinning locks. However, if you would like more information about your treatments options, you could speak to your GP.
Whether your tresses are turning grey or you simply love to experiment with different shades, having your hair frequently coloured is likely to be causing your locks some damage. I hold my hands up to this one! For example, permanent dye opens up your hair cuticles and lifts your current colour so the new colour can settle. Doing this too often could cause the strands to become porous, leaving your hair feeling dry and coarse. To keep your mane in great condition, why not ditch the dye and embrace your silver roots? If you’re not ready to go au naturel, perhaps you could opt for a wash-in, wash-out product instead and remember to use conditioning treatments.
After potentially spending a lot of time in front of the mirror perfecting your hairstyle, it only seems right to apply a handful of gel or hairspray to keep it in place. However, using too much product is a mistake that many of us make at some point in our lives. Going overboard with the mousse or other products can leave your hair looking greasy and wet. Overusing such products can also cause your scalp to dry out, leading to skin conditions such as dandruff. Remember that less is more when it comes to applying product.
We all know that shampooing regularly is a basic step in human hygiene. When showering, it feels natural to give your locks a clean at the same time. However, you may not realise that washing your hair too much can cause your tresses to become dry and prone to breakages. Also, you may find your hair is actually easier to style when it’s not freshly washed. While it’s down to personal preference as to how often you clean your hair, you might find shampooing your mane every other day leaves it feeling much healthier.
If you’re guilty of one or more of these common hair mistakes, now is the time to change up your habits. Taking these simple tips into consideration could help you avoid a potential hair mishap.
These are great tips. I stopped dying my hair after 10 years of bleaching and permanent dye. I do feel like I need to colour it to “scratch the itch” but I’m trying to resist!
I’m guilty of the colouring – when I was younger as I had it done in pink and purple and everything. Now I think I wash my hair way too much. I wash it every other day otherwise I find it feels greasy and I feel unclean.