Most of us love our hair and want it to look its best, so it is tragic that so many of us are damaging our hair in so many ways each and every day, without even realising it!
This might sound unlikely, especially if you are someone who takes pride in your appearance and spends a plot of time treating your hair with moisturising masks and expensive salon treatments, but it really is true. If you don’t believe us, check out the many ways you are (probably) damaging your hair every day below.
- Using dry shampoo
Dry shampoo might seem like a godsend. It ensures that our hair never looks dirty or greasy even when we do not have time to wash it before heading out, but is it really good for our hair? Sadly not. Most trichologists, who are after all experts in healthy hair, would say that dry shampoo can be problematic when used regularly. Why is it problematic? Because it can block pores in your scalp leading to dry, itchy soreness that is not good for your head and not great for your hair. Used occasionally it is fine, but do not start to rely on it if you want to maintain a healthy head of hair.
- Towel drying your hair
Many of us understand that using heat on our hair too often is bad for it and is likely to lead to dryness, split ends and all manner of other hair disasters. So, we naturally believe that towel drying where possible is the way forward. This might not be the case. Yes, towel drying is less harsh on the hair overall than using a hair dryer, but it is still pretty rough and can cause split ends and frizz due to the friction involved.
What should you do then? Ideally, you should use an old cotton t-shirt to wrap to dry your hair in a gentle manner. If you do use a towel., then pat your hair instead of frantically rubbing it and it will cause far less damage to your locks.
- Sunbathing
We all know that too much sun can be bad for our skin but did you know that it can also be harmful for your hair too? If you spend too much time in the sun it can dry out your hair and damage it in a way that would be difficult to repair. It will get frazzled and you will need to put a lot of effort into nursing it back to health. The good news is, there are lots of leave-in conditioners and sun protection products designed specifically for protecting the hair, so if you do want to top up your tan, spray some in first and your hair will thank you for it.
- Tying it back
There is nothing wrong with sweeping your hair back into a simple ponytail or messy bun, but if you scrape it back and tie it really tightly, that could be a different matter entirely. Hair that is tightly scraped back is more likely to fall out and leave you looking a little thin on top. Not only that, but it is more likely to snap off and you’re more likely to end up with a sore scalp. It can even cause tension headaches. Loose ponytails and freer buns are definitely the way forward if you want to take good care of your hair.
- Washing it too often
These days, many of us have gotten into the habit of washing our hair every day. We think this is the best way to stay hygienic and keep our hair looking good. For most of us, this is simply not true, Unless you have very greasy air or get your hair dirty and sweaty every day, then washing it less frequently is probably smart. Why? Because overwashing can strip your hair of important natural oils that help to keep it moist and shiny. It can cause your hair to become brittle and dry and it can even lead to flaky, dry and itchy scalp issues that are not exactly pleasant. Try washing every other day and see how you go.
As you can see, a lot of the things we all do every day without even thinking can be really bad for our hair, but now that we all know about these harmful hair habits, we can do something about it and grow those lovely, luscious looks that we so desire!