Hair fall is natural, even if you’re shedding up to 100 strands per day. Unfortunately, thanks to all the chemical dyes and styling we opt for, we end up losing unhealthy amounts of hair. However, there are natural and safe ways you can fight hair fall, instead of going for expensive hair treatments, which could further harm the hair.
What Causes Hair Fall?
Several factors can contribute to hair loss. Stress, improper diet, pollution, male pattern baldness, anemia, pregnancy, hypothyroidism, and exposure to chemicals are some of the most commons reasons for hair loss. However, hair loss could also be the result of chemotherapy, certain medicines, or antidepressants.
How You Can Prevent Hair Loss
1. Oil Your Hair Regularly
Oiling hair regularly can smoothen the hair, and make it soft. Apply oil to the scalp, and work downwards to evenly distribute the oil. It is believed that leaving in the oil overnight and washing it off the next day strengthens the roots and makes the hair healthier.
2. Choose The Correct Shampoo
Ensure that you use a shampoo that suits your hair type. Use a deep-cleansing shampoo if your hair tends to get oily. Also, do not wash your hair everyday, as it curbs the production of natural oils on your scalp. Opt for a herbal shampoo, to avoid side-effects and exposure to chemicals.
3. Dry Hair Gently
One of the mistakes that most people make is to rub wet hair with a towel. This causes the hair to stick to the towel and break away. Always dab the towel against your hair gently, remove excess moisture and let it air-dry.
4. Use A Wide-Toothed Comb
Never use a hairbrush or a thin-toothed comb if your hair tends to fall often. Always go for a wide-toothed comb as it does not break or damage the hair.
5. Use Hot Oils
Using hot oil is a great way to de-stress and de-toxify the scalp. Every week, massage your head gently with moderately warm oil. Hot oil massages help treat dandruff, hair fall, rough and dry hair.
6. Organic Hair Masks
Use eggs, strawberries, banana, green tea, or even avocado as a hair mask! Add coconut oil and milk to the preferred ingredient (eggs, banana, etc), and massage it on to the scalp. Wash it off after half an hour. These organic hair masks replenish the hair with essential nutrients, and effectively treat hair fall.
7. Avoid Chemical Treatments
We know how great a perfectly straightened or curled hair looks. However, chemical treatments can damage the hair, and cause hair loss. The heat that your hair and scalp are exposed to makes the hair thinner and more susceptible to hair fall. Dyeing your hair is another no-no. The artificial dyes can strip your hair off the natural oils and nutrients. If is necessary that you dye your hair, use organic dyes like henna.
8. Avoid Hair Serums
Hair serums promise to make your hair softer and thicker. But, more often than not, they end up damaging the hair. Always go for organic oils instead of hair serums, as they as risk-free and are more effective in softening the hair!
9. Get Adequate Sleep
Your hair needs sleep as much as your body does! Your hair is sensitive to the changes that occur within the body. Disturbances in the sleeping patterns affect the body’s immune function, hormone secretion, physical and mental stamina. Ensure you get a good 7 to 8 hours of sleep to keep your hair healthy.
10. A Balanced Diet
The hair follicles require nutrition to be healthy. Follow a well-balanced diet consisting of food, such as spinach, broccoli, cereal, beans, meat, lentils, tuna, flax seeds, and walnuts. Ensure that you get all the required nutrients through your diet. Also, remember to drink large quantities of water, as it helps flush out toxins from the body.1
11. Exercise Regularly
Exercise allows uniform circulation of blood throughout the body. To prevent hair loss, it is essential that your body is fit. Healthy hair is a reflection of a healthy body!
12. Handle Stress Better
Hair loss is your body’s way of telling you to slow down. Stress is often the primary source of hair fall. If you are under severe work pressure, be organised, prepare to-do lists, and do not multitask. Your brain cannot handle more than one thing at a time. Try deep breathing exercises, yoga, and meditation to handle stress better in the long run.
13. Acupressure Therapy
A form of alternate therapy, acupressure involves the application of manual pressure over specific energy points in the body. Acupressure improves blood flow to your face and scalp, flushes out toxins and helps remove dandruff and dead skin cells.
14. Avoid Smoking
Smoking aggravates hair loss by decreasing blood circulation to the head and scalp. Lack of blood flow affects the hair follicles, leading to hair loss. Avoid cigarettes to keep your hair happy.2
Follow these steps to avoid hair fall, and have healthy hair! However, if you are abnormally losing large chunks of your hair, get it checked. Abnormal hair loss could be a symptom of serious conditions, such as lupus.
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