Does it seem like you’re losing more hair? Why there are many causes of hair loss; genes, aging, hormones and pregnancy. There are other reasons that could be damaging your hair and causing them to fall out, some might even surprise you. Here, experts reveal three little known reasons for your hair fall and what you can do to stop them.
“Excessive hair styling, or hairstyles that pull your hair too tight, have the potential to cause alopecia,” explains Adina Mahalli, hair and skincare expert at Maple holistic. “This underlying reason for hair loss is often overlooked because the hair loss isn’t always obvious. Nevertheless, it usually occurs over time and can lead to bigger issues.”
Mahalli also mentioned that the chemicals in your styling products and your heat-styling tools could be damaging your strands as well. Her advice? “Give your hair a break from chemicals in hair styling products, as well as avoid aggressively tight hairstyles to prevent further breakage and give your hair time to repair”.
The hair is made up of proteins, a deficiency in this nutrient could greatly affect your hair quality and growth.
“A drop in your protein intake can have an adverse effect on your hair strength and overall growth rate,” says Mahalli. “After about two or three months of a significant drop in protein intake, your body may ration protein by shutting down hair growth.”
Sometimes, even seemingly harmless food like spinach, if taken excessively, could pose a threat to your hair, according to Heather Downes, MD, board certified dermatologist in Bannockburn, IL.
Anxiety and stress don’t just cause sleepless nights. According to Mahalli, they could also be the reason your hair keeps falling off. “telogen effluvium (TE) may occur when you’re anxious or your body is under stress”, explains Mahalli. “Essentially, it means that your hair follicles are pushed into a premature resting phase.”
While you can’t control the factors that trigger your stress levels to shoot up, taking a few necessary steps to manage it like deep breathing, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and nicotine, indulging in physical activities might help to get your stress and hair loss under control.