5 Lifestyle factors that can cause Hair Loss
From inheriting baldness pattern to undergoing medical treatments, there can be plenty of reasons which can cause hair loss or accelerate the process. Hereditary hair loss is one of the most common reasons for hair loss in men and women according to the American Academy of Dermatology but who can we really blame? Well, your day to day lifestyle habits could also be majorly affecting your dream of healthy full head of hair.
Here are our top 5 lifestyle factors that can cause hair loss:
Diet
When it comes to hair, low levels of zinc, iron, protein and omega-3 fatty acids are often linked to hair loss. If there is certain deficiency in nutrients your hair can turn brittle and dull and if left untreated ultimately could lead to hair loss. Eating disorders, crash dieting plans, regular junk food intake can all deplete the level of vital nutrients needed for hair growth. Reducing excessive salt, sugar and fatty acid intake while having eight glasses of water a day can help transport essential nutrients better. Watching what you eat and how much you eat can help you reverse hair loss. At the end, it is no mystery ‘you are what you eat!’
Stress
We all face stress in our day to day life; this may be physical, emotional or both. There is no running away from stress, so how one deals with it plays an important role. For some people, little events of stress would be motivating enough to keep them on their toes however for some this may not be the case at all. Stress can trigger hormonal imbalance causing scalp problems like dandruff and telogen effluvium and disrupt eating habits - all of this can cause hair loss. This means your regular hair growth cycle gets disturbed, leaving it to resting stage for prolonged period. Generally, once stress has passed hair growth is retained but this always may not be the case. By learning techniques to effectively manage stress can help reduce its severity.
Hair Styling
Sure, flat irons, rollers and chemical dyes make hair look great temporarily but are you willing to face the long lasting damage after? The heat from these tools make hair lose its natural elasticity and when overused or misused these hair styling treatments can cause brittle hair strands, eventually breakage from scalp. Also, persistent brushing especially wet hair can damage the hair shaft itself. Hair loss can be prevented by reducing chemical treatments and applying heat protectants, however, the best would be to consider giving your hair a break from these.
Smoking
Unsurprisingly, smoking can also lead to extreme hair loss. Research suggests there has been consistent link between premature graying and smoking. To stay healthy hair follicles are in constant need of fresh blood supply and smoking restricts the blood vessels throughout the body. This makes the recovery of hair loss difficult and the process for hair to naturally re-grow is disturbed. If thought of heart disease, respiratory illness or even cancer are not good enough reasons to make smokers quit, then probably the consciousness of physical appearance may do the trick.
Pollution
Environmental factors such as extended exposure to sun, hot or humid weather can dry out your hair and increase the risk of hair breakage. One is constantly faced with harmful fumes from vehicles while travelling. But smoke and dust are present everywhere making it difficult to protect. These affect formation of keratins leading to weaker and easily damaged hair, these can form scalp infections and inflammations too. However, these may indicate common symptoms of hair loss. By taking appropriate measures such as covering hair or washing with natural conditioners each time can help reduce the damage.
Making necessary shifts in your lifestyle can be a fantastic start to hair fall solution but it is best to get underlying problems checked. Suffering from some diseases like PCOS, diabetes, or thyroid disorder can cause you to lose hair. But, fortunately with homeopathy we can together work on hair loss alongside other ailments.
