Hair loss: A Common Affliction to Men and Women

It may surprise many people that hair loss affects women as much as it does men. Throughout history, hair loss has been portrayed as a male only problem with many finding their hair thinning by the time they reach the age of 50.

Yet, recent studies have shown that women experience hair loss almost as much as men do. On average, women lose 50 to 100 individual hairs a day.

This occurrence is nothing to worry about. However, heavier hair loss may be linked to androgenic alopecia. This genetic condition affects both men and women causing them to lose their hair from the crown and frontal scalp.

Nonetheless, hair loss is not always due to this genetic condition. Indeed, some bad habits may be contributing factors to this issue. Cutting down on those habits will help keep your hair where it belongs.

12 bad habits contributing to hair loss

1. Hair products

Change your habits when it comes to styling products such as hair spray and hair mousse. Indeed you could be creating buildup on the scalp which can eventually result in blocking in hair follicles or hair breakage. Opt for nurturing styling products instead, containing protection against heated tools and UV damage and that won't build-up, such as the Iles Finishing Serum.

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2. Blow drying

Heat is not always a friend to your hair, especially if you use a blow dryer daily. This hair tool is great when you are in a hurry but not optimal for everyday use. Protect your hair by cutting back on your blow dryer dependency and opt instead for the above mentioned serum as it can act as a heat protectant when blow-drying your hair.

3. Junk food diet

Your hair needs protein, iron, and other nutrients to stay healthy. If your diet is unhealthy or unbalanced, then your hair will lose the vitamins and minerals it needs to remain in place. As doctors have been saying time and again eating right is the key to health and this advice applies to your hair as well.




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4. Medication

While scientifically proven to fight off illnesses, ingesting too many pills can have an adverse effect on your hair, causing it to fall out. You may not be able to cut out all of your medication, but you may be able to cut some of it down. Talk to your doctor for the best solution and alternatives he might have to offer.

5. Smoking

This habit is bad overall and not just for your lungs. Other than cancer, smoking has many detrimental side effects such has being the culprit for hair loss. If you are a big smoker, your romantic interest might find themselves short of hair to run their fingers through on date night.

6. Alcohol

Although you are having fun when you consume alcohol on a night out, alcohol does not have the nutrients necessary to help your hair stay beautiful and strong. One of the effects of heavy drinking is hair loss. Cut down on your alcohol consumption if you want your hair to look good.

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7. Crash diets

Everyone likes to lose those few extra pounds especially when a wedding or a school reunion is looming on the horizon. Unfortunately, those crash diets rob your hair of needed nutrients making them prone to fall out and disappear for good. So better think twice of the dilemma between loosing those few pounds fast versus long term hair loss.

8. Supplements

Toning your body sometimes includes drinking a lot of protein shakes. Too much of these can harm your head of hair. Not because of the protein itself in those shakes but rather because of the other ingredients that may be harmful to your hair if ingested in large quantities. Everything in moderation is a good rule of thumb to go by.

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9. Heavy workouts

Younger men especially enjoy showing some muscle by practicing weightlifting – sometimes more than they should. These intensive workouts produce testosterone in large doses. When that happens, the hair suffers and can fall out. Not the ideal situation when you are in your 20s.

10. Stress

 

Stress does not just affect heart and blood pressure, but also your hair line. Removing yourself from activities that cause you extra stress is another venue to consider to stop or slow down hair loss. What’s more, by doing this, you will not only protect your hair but also your overall health.

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11. Different hairstyles

You may think you look chic or cool, but a hairstyle that is constantly too tight is not healthy for your hair. Hair that is tightly pulled causes a lot of breakage and other related issues. Being in does not mean ending bald. Try finding a looser hair style to use so your hair stays around longer.

12. Wet hair treatment

Experts believe that how you treat your hair once washed can lead to breakage and hair loss. As an example, combing and towel drying are the two biggest contributors to this problem. Be careful and gentle when you handle your wet hair. You can, for instance, select a wide-tooth comb or wet brush to prevent stress on the wet hair.

Some final words

Preserving your great looking head of hair means being aware of how you go about your day. Not all hair loss is to be blamed on genetics or androgenic alopecia. Sometimes hair loss is a direct result of how you live your life.

It will take effort and time to make changes to your daily life habits, removing the bad and keeping the good ones. Yet, keep in mind that in the end, it won’t be just your hair that benefits from these changes. Your whole body will be thankful and healthier if you lower or remove some of these bad habits such as smoking, drinking and eating junk food.

Forget what your old classmates would think should you show up with a few extra pounds. Your hair is more important than a fad diet that promises a quick weight loss without any side effects.

Instead, let them be envious of your full head of hair. These changes take patience but will be worth it in the long run, if you adopt the best treatments for hair loss.

Author’s Bio: Justin Bounds

Justin Bounds is the founder of The Barbr - a Hair Care/Grooming blog providing honest advice, useful tips about the topic. He has spent thousands of hours researching, experimenting just to find out the best ways to take better care of our hair.