Five habits which may be accelerating your baldness

Many people suffer from the loss of hair. For some men this can be in the form of male pattern baldness, for others they may notice their hair thinning over time or their hairline receding. Hair loss is common and where there may be a stereotype of balding being only for older men, this is simply not true. Hair loss can affect any age and any demographic with some men starting to lose their hair as early as in their twenties.

Some men aren’t concerned by their hair loss and will embrace their new bald look. However, for many men the start of losing their hair is a stressful time. Understanding what can cause hair loss is essential for anyone who wants to take preventive measures which will prolong the lifespan of a full head of hair. Whilst there are many products that claim to stop hair loss, these are not guaranteed. If you want to reduce hair loss, then it will be better to avoid doing things that speed up hair loss. Here are the top 5 things that Americans do which speeds up the hair loss process.

Number One: Wearing a Hat

If you think about it logically. It makes sense that hats, bandanas, and other head coverings that are worn for an extended amount of time increase the risk for hair loss at a faster rate. The reason that the hair falls out at a faster rate is for two reasons. The first reason is that while the hair is dead, the scalp is not. It must have sunlight and exposure to the elements. If your head is not getting the proper natural exposure to the sun, then the skin and follicles become weakened and hair loss increases. To have a full, healthy head of hair, you need to have a healthy scalp.

The second reason is that anything which is covering the head has a tendency to cause a level of friction on the head. The more the hair is rubbed back and forth the more likely you are to lose hair. If you wear hats or other head coverings more frequently then you will hair more frequently. If you are already losing hair then you might have to decide whether to give up the hats or not.

Number Two: Too tight pony tail/ Hairstyle

Ponytails, and other pulled back hairstyles can speed up your hair loss. If the hair is bound too tightly, there is unneeded strain put on the scalp. Just like a string which is being pulled, eventually the tension will give and you will start to see hair loss. To minimize the hair loss, keep an organized but less tense pull on your hair. If possible, try to use styles which do not require pulling the hair back (such as using a headband). If you feel tension at the temples or experience headaches when your hair is pulled back the ponytail or hairstyle is too tight. If you are really conscious about losing your hair then try to keep your hair flowing naturally and not tie it up.

Number Three: Too many Chemicals

One of America’s trends is hair dyes. Some individuals change their hair color every month. Others dye their hair monthly to maintain the color they have and cover up the regrowth at the roots. Regardless of the frequency in which you use a hair dye, you are adding chemicals which are not beneficial to the scalp. Hair dying has become such a normal part of life that most people don’t consider the damage that is done whenever these chemicals are added to the scalp.

There is only so much that your hair can take before the chemicals literally burn the piece of hair from your scalp. Thin hairs and weak hairs are more prone to dislodging from scalp follicles and so the more you dye your hair, the weaker your hairs become, speeding up the loss of hair. Also, bleaching the hair and temporary “wash away” dyes are extremely harmful to the hair. Minimize or eliminate the use of hair dyes and the amount of chemicals you put on your scalp to slow down the hair loss process.

Number Four: Beads and weights

Americans have a tendency to want to embellish their hair with various foreign objects. Whether you are using beads, fabric, plastic, etc., these are all adding to the weight which is put onto the hair. Anything which has an extensive amount of tension applied constantly will have weaknesses. In the same way that your hair is pulled when it is tied back too tightly, if you add unnecessary weight to your hair, there will be strain on the scalp.

The areas of your hair that have the most weight added (be it beads added to the hair, glues, or fabrics) will experience faster hair loss. If you only add objects to certain parts of your hair and not all over, you will find that your hair loss will be uneven.

Number Five: Over Brushing

Your hair is not your teeth. Granted, you do want to ensure that your hair is free from tangles and that you don’t look like you’ve just got out of bed, but you do not want to over brush your hair. Unfortunately, the constant pressure to look good means that many people spend a lot of time styling and restyling their hair. This usually involves a great deal of brushing or combing as people primp throughout the day to keep the look they want.

Combs and brushes are not designed to be gentle on the scalp and hair. Even ones that are sold as ‘gentle’ will be causing some degree of harm. Yes, they perform a task and the job gets done, but the brush and the comb is at its core a rake for your scalp. No matter how softly you try to brush your hair, the more you pull the tool through your hair, the more raking of the scalp you do, and the more the hair strands will get tangled around the brush and the comb. If you are noticing that you have a great deal of hair loss in your brush or comb, you may want to ask yourself how frequently you are primping and tending your hair.

Hair loss is a condition which in many cases is preventable or at least can be managed through a few simple changes. However, if you are experiencing hair loss/ baldness and need professional help in reducing the visual effects of the loss please feel free to contact us.

Skalp is not a hair replacement system, but a way to help you maintain the look of being able to grow hair. If you have any inquiries on how you can prevent and minimize hair loss, or if you would like more information about the micro pigmentation services please contact us.