Hair is
the ultimate fashion accessory. What else can you style so easily and
relatively cheaply to create such different versions of yourself? Want to look
like you don’t care, let it grow long and shaggy, want to have a throwback to the 1950s,
grab that hair pomade, and for the ultimate in smartness, you can’t go wrong
with the crew cut.
But
sometimes your best pal atop your head might not be in the best of health. So
how can we help our follicled friend to maintain its thick, luscious shine?
Fighting fit
With the start of the year, it’s no surprise everyone is taking the ‘new year, new me’ motto, and getting into new exercise routines, gym membership or even prepping to run a marathon. Of course exercise is a good thing for your overall health, but it’s important to remember that it is a stress on your body and that combined with other stresses this can have a negative effect on your hair health. So make sure you’re not too overburdened with stress, build up your routine slowly, and we’ll see you at the finish line!
Cigarettes
Everyone knows smoking isn’t great for anyone’s health, but what they might not be aware of is that it can also be really damaging for your hair (more information here). How’s that you may ask? Well, it seems puffing away can not only inhibit blood flow to your scalp, but also increases hormone production leading to damaged follicles, both things nobody wants.
Booze
It may be Dry January for many people, but in terms of your hair health, you needn’t worry about having a few drinks. Despite what you may have heard, there’s no link between going over the recommended allowances of alcohol and hair loss. That said, the side effects of going heavy on the sauce can have a negative impact on your follicles, the prime one being dehydration. When you get too dehydrated, this can lower your mineral count, which in turn leads to brittle, dry and fragile hair – a definite no no. In addition, a lack of hydration can also lower your body’s stores of iron, which can cause temporary hair loss, also known as telogen effluvium.
You are
what you eat
While a
healthy diet might seem like common sense these days, what you eat can play a
major part in your scalp and hair health. While steering clear of too many greasy
take-away meals is a rather obvious step for your general health, to ensure
your hair’s well being vitamins like Vitamin A, B, C, and other nutrients like
iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium are where it’s at. These key components
are abundant in vegetables like spinach, greens and sweet potatoes, as well in
salmon, chicken and eggs, so throwing together a meal with at least a few of
these, shouldn’t prove too difficult.
