Hair loss can be a sign of health conditions such as hormone imbalances, malnourishment, pregnancy, and/or aging; however, there are many bad lifestyle habits that can contribute to hair loss too. While losing 50-100 hair strands is normal, more than that can be concerning, but can be resolved if the problem is identified. Here are some reasons to consider if you are experiencing hair loss.
Poor Diet
A nutritional imbalance can lead to hair loss. Hair loss tends to occur if essential nutrients like vitamin B3 (biotin), vitamin D, iron, protein and fats are not well incorporated in your diet.
Vitamin B3 strengthens hair strands and can be found in foods like salmon, egg yolk, lentil, almonds, and sunflower seeds.The body does not produce B3 itself so it is important that your diet incorporates it whereas vitamin D can be produced within the body with enough sun exposure. Iron is another important supplement especially for females since we experience major blood loss during menstruation. It is important to restore your iron levels with foods like lamb, chickpea, kale, fennel, and spinach. We have a number of hair healthy recipes on our blog like our salmon and kale pesto dish.
Eating the right amount of macronutrients, carbohydrates, protein, and fat, impacts your hair health as well. Protein is the key nutrient for stronger hair because your hair is structured by protein (aka keratin). With a quick Google search, you can find a macronutrients calculator that can calculate proportions based on your Body Mass Index (BMI) and activity level. According to USDA guidelines, these are the percentages for total calories:
- Carbohydrates: 45 to 65 percent
- Protein: 10 to 35 percent
- Fat: 20 to 35 percent
Stress
Stress is your hair’s enemy. Your hair follicles are constantly going between growth and resting phases — this is why we shed hair. However, excessive stress can trigger the follicles to shift to the resting phase all at once, which will cause hair to fall over time. To keep your hair follicles active between the two phases, find activities that relieve your stress and boost your endorphins. It can be anything from jogging, painting, cooking, and gardening — just find a hobby and fall in love with it!
Overstyling with heat
Applying heat can dehydrate your hair, alter its internal protein structure, and create breakage... yikes! We're not saying never style your hair, we all want to bust out the curly iron at times, but just minimize how frequently you use heating tools. When and when you do use heating tools, be sure to use deep conditioners or hair oils/butters after, so you can restore moisture and repair breakage.
Lack of haircuts
Frequency of haircuts depends on multiple factors: how prone are you to split-ends, hair type, and exposure to heat and chemicals. A trim every 2- 4 months can prevent your hair from experiencing split-ends, dryness, hair loss, and tangles.
Bad shampoo and conditioner
Understanding what's in our beauty products is really important! Be aware of ingredients in shampoos and conditioners. Consumers are well-informed about notorious ingredients like sulfates and parabens. Many shampoos use transparent labels such as “paraben-free”, but do not get fooled by other labels like “natural fragrances” or “essential oils”. Synthetic fragrances can cause scalp irritations. Also, avoid diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA), and propylene glycol, so easy to pronounce, as they too can irritate the scalp and destroy the hair’s keratin, which will leave your hair dry and brittle.
Besides ingredients, next time you shop for a shampoo consider one that suits your scalp and hair type. For oily hair, clay-based shampoos help control excessive oil secretion. Whereas, oil based or aloe vera based shampoos are best for dry hair. To get rid of dandruff and build up, add tea tree oil or neem oil shampoos to your cart.
You are not feeding your scalp
Strong and healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp. Deep conditioners, oils, and butters allow the hair to stay moisturized and well nourished. And your scalp also needs the right vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to keep it functioning beautifully and allowing healthy hair to grow from the start. Our prewash mask consists of over 20 nutrient-dense herbs and flowers that will help stimulate growth, moisturize the hair and scalp, and prevent damage.
Photo by Ashley Byrd on Unsplash