Healthy Tips from a Hair Growth Specialist
Growing your hair takes a lot of time and is a process that doesn’t happen overnight. Each strand of your hair goes through a cycle of active growth that transitions into a resting phase. Eventually, this leads to shedding, and most people normally lose 50–100 hairs every day. Of course, if you feel you’re shedding more than your hair is growing, it may be time to see a specialist.
In addition to treatment, you can also take a few extra steps to promote the growth of healthier, stronger hair. If you’re looking to keep your hair in tip-top shape, here are some tips from a hair growth specialist.
Have a Well-Balanced Diet
Your hair can reflect your overall health and condition, so having poor nutrition means that your tresses are affected, too. Your diet may not have the sufficient nutrients you need.
Your diet should have an adequate amount of protein, iron, zinc, and biotin, among other nutrients. Healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals are also vital. For instance, research shows that Vitamin D deficiency is linked to alopecia. Thus, it is crucial to have a well-balanced diet, which doesn’t eliminate or have an excess of any food groups as much as possible.
Identify Any Underlying Conditions
In some cases, no matter how healthy and well-balanced your diet is, you may have underlying conditions that can cause hair loss. For women, circumstances like pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause can cause hormonal imbalances that result in the shedding of hair.
Conditions like anemia and thyroid problems also play a role in hair loss. Likewise, medications for certain diseases like arthritis, cancer, and high blood pressure can have hair loss as a side effect. If you feel there might be an underlying cause for your hair loss, you should consult a hair growth specialist for an assessment and get tested for any health issues.
Protect Your Hair from Damage
To grow healthy hair, you need to prevent it from breaking during the process. Though several factors can result in hair breakage, you can easily avoid and minimize them.
Avoid Heat Styling
One of the most common causes of hair breakage is heat styling. As much as possible, avoid repeatedly using blowdryers, flat irons, or curling irons.
Otherwise, using a heat protectant before styling will help lessen the damage. Investing in a styling tool with a ceramic plate also minimizes damage. Because ceramic plates heat up evenly, you don’t have to go over a section of hair repeatedly.
Minimize Bleach and Chemical Treatments
Bleach and chemical treatments such as perms and relaxers can cause your cuticles to break down. As much as possible, avoid frequent chemical treatments, and leave 8–10 weeks between sessions to give your hair a breather. Hair dye may also contain ammonia and hydrogen peroxide, which can weaken and break hair strands.
Lessen Friction from Towels and Elastic Hair Ties
Out of habit, you may dry your hair after a shower by rubbing it with your towel. However, this does more harm than good as the friction damages your vulnerable, wet hair.
If you have long hair, putting your hair up in a ponytail or bun may be inevitable. However, you can ensure your hair doesn’t suffer from too much damage by using proper hair ties. Using rubber bands will further pull at your scalp, thereby causing more breakage. You can also avoid tight hairstyles altogether, as these styles pull on your hair and may result in tension alopecia.
Get a Trim
This may sound counterproductive, especially if you want long hair. However, you need to get a trim to grow healthy hair. Getting a haircut prevents split ends from running up your hair strands and causing damage.
Take Care of Your Scalp
You may be addressing all of these problems, except the root of it all, literally. Your scalp is just as crucial as your tresses. Any cause of inflammation like dandruff or infection can impede hair growth. You can keep your scalp healthy by avoiding heavily fragranced hair and scalp products. Over washing your scalp can also counteract the natural protective moisture it produces.
Top-Notch Hair Growth Specialist in Kansas City, MO
Growing your hair is a process, and it can take time. Fortunately, hair growth specialists can give you the guidance you need.
The team at Darling Hair Restoration specializes in cosmetic, non-surgical, and surgical hair treatments tailored to your individual needs. At the forefront of our team is Dr. Scott Darling, a leading hair restoration and growth specialist in Liberty, Missouri, and the Kansas City area. He can evaluate your hair loss and walk you through various options to get your hair to a healthier place.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation, contact us today by calling (816) 792-3400 or by filling out our appointment request form now. We look forward to serving you!
