Natural ways to get rid of hair breakage
- Written by Cara Barilla; Hair, Beauty & Wellness Educator
There are many contributors to excess hair breakage in our society today, whether it is environmental damage: from harsh winds, sea salt & UV rays
Chemical damage: which involves poor quality hair products with cheap low quality ingredients, use of harsh ingredients for the hair which can strip your hair down and cause more damage
Physical Damage: If you are the culprit for over drying & over ironing your hair this will definitely contribute to hair breakage.
If you continue to physically damage your hair by scratching your hair and scalp & touching your hair which not only is a bad habit, this will travel dirt from your hands into your hair and scalp which adds to the low porosity of your hair.
Overall, your choice of surroundings and behaviour will contribute to the damage and breakage of your hair which will end up breaking your hair and will appear shorter.
If you’d like to make a change to your hair health here are some important everyday tips which you can follow that will strengthen your hair and prevent breakage.
Apply hair oils: there are many essential oils which don’t break the budget that can heal your hair and prevent breakage. Essential oils such as avocado oil, coconut oil, lavender oil, macadamia oil and olive oil provide natural sources of amino acids, contalauric acids, fatty acids, vitamin E and can assist in balancing your PH levels. Applying these oils once a day as a leave in treatment or an application under heat for one hour can heal your ends and stimulate new hair growth.
Use hair protectors: If you are a regular swimmer either at the beach or local pool you’ll need to protect your hair using anti chlorine and sea salt protection sprays. This will barrier your hair from salt, chlorine and humidity damage. Even If you are not a swimmer, it’s important when on a hot day, humid or windy day that you protect your hair from weather damage. Macadamia oils, coconut oils and argan oils make excellent natural protectors. Apply a small amount over the top surface of your hair and scalp. There are many hair barrier creams and sprays which offer uv protection.
Get tiny regular trims: If you love your length and don’t want to risk having to take off inches off due to damage, regular tiny hair trims are appropriate for balancing your hair, re-energising your hair from dryness, brittleness and for your natural oils to heal and coat your freshly trimmed ends.
Brush your hair once a day: It’s important to brush your hair at least once a day to prevent tangles, breakage and will pro long your next hair trim visit. When you brush your hair you are not only smoothing and directing your hair to zero degrees to prevent tangles; You are mainly spreading your natural oil secretions from your scalp down to your mids and ends for healthy natural balance.
Each time you brush your hair you are massaging your scalp and stimulating hair growth which will assist in better quality hair and prevent damage.
Try to let your hair breathe: Try not to wear too many products which can cause tension for your hair and scalp which can cause breakage, damage and short term alopecia. Over wearing the same hair accessories everyday such as tight hair ties, hair clips, clip in hair extensions, permanent hair extensions, hats, beanies and headbands if worn too much can cause strong breakage and premature balding. Don’t forget that hair breakage doesn’t only occur from the ends. It can start as high as your scalp area.
Before and after hair accessory use there should be hair treatments and hair protectors to still balance and heal your hair.
Stress less! There's much evidence combining links between stress and hair loss. Breakage and poor blood circulation on the scalp can lead to a slower hair growth cycle. It is known that whether it is short term or long term stress can each develop into breakage. Stress damages your hair cycle and can create low quality hair follicles which leads to breakage in the middle of a growth cycle where your hair may break off. You might notice your old hair fall out as the tension in the scalp might break off healthy circulation from your roots. Try to drink plenty of water, regularly brush your hair, massage your scalp and this will remove all over scalp tension.
Be aware of your surroundings: Try to be conscious of where you place your self for your health; Whether your desk is right under the air conditioning system which could cause hair and skin damage, if you are surrounded by smokers which overall can damage not only your hair and skin but many other vital parts of your body, if you are sitting in the sun for long periods of time, or if you are even having lunch by the water with your friends.
It’s important to be aware of your surroundings, protect your hair and skin and try and prevent damage from occurring in the future.
For more information please visit www.featurehair.com.au