Nine Hair Loss-Causing Habits to Avoid

by Alexandra Kilpatrick

Want to prevent hair loss? It may be as simple as identifying the everyday bad habits that are wreaking havoc on your hair and making simple changes to avoid them.

To ensure that you keep your locks looking healthy, thick and gorgeous for decades to come, check this list of nine daily habits that could be ruining your hair.

1) Avoid Tight Hairstyles

Steer clear of any slicked back ponytails, braids or super tight buns. The extreme or prolonged traction could lead to inflammation of your roots and eventual hair loss, according to Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in the department of dermatology at New York City's Mt. Sinai Hospital.

2) Avoid the Flat Iron

Go easy on the straightener to avoid hair abuse and breakage, board-certified dermatologist and Skin Rules author Debra Jaliman warns. You can easily cause bad breakage when you constantly go over the same piece of hair with a flat iron. That bad breakage then leads to hair loss.

3) Avoid Chemical Processing

Quit chemically processing your hair. According to board-certified dermatologist and ‘Art of Dermatology’ founder Dr. Jessica Krant, chemicals must break and recreate molecular bonds in order to color, curl or straighten your hair. Such unnatural chemical reactions are caustic and damaging to both the scalp and the hair follicles themselves. Many women permanently lose the ability to grow their hair after years of chemically processing their hair.

4) Avoid Disrupting Your Hormones

Going on and off birth control pills can disrupt the body's natural hormonal balance in both directions. Dr. Krant comments that while starting some pills can lead to thinner hair, stopping others can have the exact same effect. It's important to carefully consult with your doctor before starting a new birth control pill, especially if you already have thin hair and don't want to worsen the situation.

5) Avoid Sun Damage

Protect your hair from the sun by remembering to wear a hat or spraying a quality SPF on your lovely locks. Prolonged sun exposure can dry out your hair, making it more prone to breakage. UV radiation can also damage bonds and weaken hair strands, according to Jaliman.

6) Avoid Too Much Stress

There's a correlation between stress and hair loss, according to recent studies. Manage your stress by finding something to calm you down, a new hobby, sport or a simple massage, and make it a regular part of your life, women's hair restoration specialist Lucinda Ellery advises.

7) Avoid Heat Styling

Beat the heat by avoiding or minimizing hair dryer use. The dryer's heat not only damages your hair strands, drying them out, creating boiling bubbles underneath the smooth cuticles and causing a loss of sheen, but also your hair follicles. This makes long term hair growth less likely. If you must use a hair dryer, simply dry the middle third of the hair shaft, avoiding undue heat on the roots and tips.

8) Eat a Well-Balanced Diet

To ensure beautiful healthy locks, Ellery suggests eating a well-balanced diet, rich in iron, beta carotene, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, zinc and biotin.

9) Get Supplemental Help

Take gelatin supplements on a daily basis to complement hair loss treatments and improve your hair's overall health. Advanced Skin & Hair creator Dr. Alex Khadavi recommends taking two to three grams of gelatin supplements, found at your local drug store, each day. The Los Angeles based dermatologist points out that large doses help support healthy hair with no side effects, according to recent studies.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about hair loss treatments in general, please feel free to contact one of our representatives today to schedule a consultation with a hair restoration specialist in your area today!