Six Ways You May Be Damaging Your Hair
Often, we are aware our hair is damaged but don't know the source or root of why our hair is suffering. Are you suffering from hair loss, hair thinning, and severe breakage? Or is your frustration from slow to no hair growth, temporary hair loss, raging split ends, and hair thinning? Or maybe your hair is dry, brittle, and lifeless. Whatever it may be, it is deeply frustrating and can alter your life and self-confidence. Below are six ways you may be causing your hair more damage than health.
1) PRODUCT BUILD UP
We all use many products on our hair, from shampoo, conditioners, oils, leave-ins, creams, gels, and hair coloring. The overconsumption of products breeds product build-up, damaging and clogging the hair follicle. Using too many products can suffocate the scalp and restrain the strands from producing more follicles. The scalp needs to breathe, and with a plethora of products used daily, it can clog the follicle and prevent it from hair growth. So, begin to incorporate a more minimal approach to the products you use for your hair to avoid product build-up.
2) POOR OR INCONSISTENT WASHING CYCLES
Adopting the proper washing cycle for your hair type is essential in healthy hair. Over washing can strip away natural oils, and your hair needs natural scalp oils because it protects the follicles. Underwashing your hair can cause product and dirt build-up, clogged follicles, increased tangles, slow growth, and various scalp disruptions such as dandruff and bacteria.Daily hair washing can be a good thing for some hair types, but for those with more coily and kinky textures, daily washing may cause severe breakage, damage, and hair loss. Pay attention to your hair, find the right balance, and schedule for hair washing that best fits your type. For example, if you have more sensitive or coily hair, washing every 7-10 days may be beneficial and prevent hair damage.
3) LACK OF HYDRATION AND MOISTURE
Drinking copious amounts of water help to hydrate, provide nutrients, and support hair growth. If you are dehydrated, your follicles will suffer, causing excessive dryness, split ends, hair breakage, hair loss, and slower hair growth. Symptoms of lack of moisture in your hair include:
Weak hair follicles.
Excessive dryness.
Brittle and rough hair strands.
Split ends.
Increased tangles in the hair.
Minimal or no shine or luster to hair.
To combat lack of moisture, reduce heat, wash cycles, chemicals, hair dyes, and condition hair each time you wash. VNH has a great Follicle Serum that penetrates the hair strands adding moisture and nutrients to follicles. Also, incorporate hair oils, serums, and leave-in conditioners. Another tip to consider is if you are washing your hair in high water temperatures, it may be stripping away natural oils, which is counterproductive to healthy hair and hair growth. It is best to wash your hair in cold to mild temperatures because it provides more hydration to the scalp, seals in moisture, and helps hair to retain sebum.
4) YOUR NOT NOURISHING YOUR BLOOD
Lack of blood nourishment is an important topic, and I will write more about this in another post. But for now, keeping your bloodstream clean is significant to hair health and growth because the blood that nourishes the hair must be purified. Hair analysis shows that hair is composed of iron, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, and sulfur. So, for your hair to thrive and grow healthily, the blood must be supplied with essential minerals to carry it to the scalp. An effective way to get the proper mineral to your scalp is by consuming raw foods because they hold the highest percentage of minerals obtainable. Raw foods can include cucumbers, carrots, arugula, and avocado.
5) THE FOODS YOU CONSUME
The foods you eat can affect your health, hair, and skin. Suppose your diet consists of processed foods, caffeine, caffeinated drinks such as soda, trans fat, excessive alcohol, dairy, or too much meat. In that case, it will eventually affect your hair and skin and your overall health. Circling back to nourishing your blood for healthy hair growth, foods that nourish the blood and kidneys are essential in hair health and include eating chlorophyll-rich foods like beets, dark berries, and molasses. Also, incorporating foods that help with blood circulation is vital: cayenne, chick-weed, ginger, Gotu kola, and Hawthorne berries. Eating foods like dark leafy veggies like kale and spinach are a plus, as well as legumes, beans, apricots, and dates all help restore and build hair health. Further, turmeric, mint, and green tea are also beneficial for hair health and growth in that they promote healthier hair and reduce breakage and hair loss.
6) MISHANDELING YOUR HAIR
Just as various fabrics require specific care instructions, so does your hair. Think of your hair as a rare fabric that requires gentle handling. Be soft with tangles, take your time and use your fingers to untangle them. Breakage occurs when detangling, so start from the ends of your hair and move up to the scalp. Comb slowly and thoroughly, avoiding aggressive pulling of the strands as that may cause further breakage and damage to your hair. Also, think about the source or root of your tangles. Excessive tangles may indicate a lack of moisture on your hair. If so, care for your hair accordingly.
After reading this blog post, I hope you rethink how you care for your hair and begin adopting healthier practices that promote healthy hair and steady hair growth. Click the link below to learn more about Videau Natural Health hair products and how they can help you on your journey to healthy hair.
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