It's typical for guys in their twenties to freak out about losing their precious locks. Suddenly lovingly running your hand through your man's hair is cause for a major argument!
But men aren't the only ones at risk of hair loss. Women are also prone to hair loss and thinning - in fact two in every three women will find their hair loss a cause for concern at one point or another.
Perhaps women don't talk about balding as openly because we're so afraid of it happening to us! But female-pattern hair loss is real issue that plenty of women are dealing with right now. Real facts - by age 40, many women will have noticeable hair loss. While a little thinning is natural, you could be doing your follicles some major (and irreversible) damage by sticking to these eight harmful styling habits! Time to give them up!
Tight buns and ponytails are putting stress on your edges
....but it looks so cute ;(
We know, we know, the high bun has become a very trendy style that adds just the right amount of cool to an outfit. Plus it's very low maintenance, but easy doesn't always mean good for you (or else we'd be chowing down on McNuggets every day).
By scraping your hair tightly up into a bun, it tugs on your edges and creates excessive tension on your scalp, thinning your hair over time. Worst case scenario is that you start seeing signs of traction alopecia, which is hair loss caused by pulling your hair too tightly.
You don't have to stop wearing those sophisticated chignons altogether but just don't do it every day or wear it loosely like Miley used to! Your hair will thank you.
Brazilian blow drys
Jennifer Aniston had to chop off her hair after getting a bad Brazilian blow dry last year. We think the cute bob looks great on her, but we can only imagine how upset she was when she saw the harmful results of her blowout.
The Brazilian blow dry has become so popular because, let's face it, it looks great! However, BBs are full of so many obvious hair don'ts that we're surprised at the flock of women running to the salon to get them. Formaldehyde (yes...the goddamn carcinogen) is applied to the hair with the natural protein, keratin, before it gets blown out at temperatures as high as 400 degrees!!
The result is a silky smooth head of hair but, geez, those chemicals and heat won't leave your hair smooth for long. Numerous women have come forward to say that their BBs led to significant hair loss. So if you're tempted by the trend, take a deep breath and move away from the salon.
In 2011 the US Federal Drug and Food Administration issued a letter of warning to the makers of the Brazilian
blow dry over the "dangerously high levels" of formaldehyde in its products. Ok, this is drifting into Twilight Zone territory.
Long-lasting hold styling products
Sometimes on a windy day you can't help but reach for your favourite long-lasting hold product. It keeps the flyalways down or keeps your sleek look shiny and sexy. But have you noticed that after several hours of wearing a mega-hold product your hair is super dry and your scalp is flaky?
If you're a chronic-gel or long-lasting hold user, stop! The alcohol in these products zap the moisture from your locks, causing you to use more each time you apply it. If you just can't imagine eliminating them from your hairstyling routine then give your strands a few days of rest to regain their natural moisture after each use.
Constant use of weaves
Weaves aren't intrinsically a bad thing! They can transform your hair from good to OMG, GIRL, WHO DID YOUR HAIR!? But if you're going to jump from weave to weave without giving your natural hair a break, the damage underneath it isn't gonna look pretty.
To avoid this damage, only keep a sew-in weave for 4-6 weeks. Wrap your hair in a scarf or sleep on a silk pillow to preventing strands from breaking off. Have a stylist take out the weave for you and immediately deep condition your hair before you start thinking about your next style.
Weaves are fun, but they can completely ruin your real hair if you don't stick to a healthy haircare routine.
Excessive colouring and bleaching
Silver, lavender, neon pink, rainbow - there are so many fashionable ways to colour your hair these days! You might be itching to try them all this spring but try to control the urge to change your look every few weeks.
Frequently dying your hair with permanent dye will result in over-processed strands. Your hair will eventually feel brittle, dry, and easily-breakable to the touch.
If you're a dye-addict, try using semi-permanent or demi-permanent. These dyes condition your hair during the dying process and wash out after a few rinses!
Inadequate care of braids and twists
Many women of colour get show-stopping braid or twist styles to protect and grow out their hair. Let's get this straight - braids don't damage hair. It's the improper care that results in breakage, hairlines receding, and teary-eyed visits to the hair salon.
Similar to the high bun, super tight braids are hard on your edges. If you have red bumps on your hair line or a blistering headache after getting braids put in, your stylist did them too tight! Next time you go in, tell her not to pull as hard.
Finally too many women don't adequately wash or moisturize their hair when it's in braids because they're afraid it'll make the fake hair frizz. Don't believe that nonsense! Wash your hair once or twice a week and apply oil to your scalp.
Drying your hair with a towel
So many of us towel dry after washing up that we don't even think twice about what it's doing to our locks. Unfortunately, wet hair is more vulnerable to damage than dry hair because of its elasticity.
When we're in a rush, vigorously drying our hair with a towel creates lots of friction which ultimately leads to breakage.
If you've got the time, wrap a towel around your hair and relax, give yourself a mani, moisturize the rest of your body. If you just can't waste time, gently pat dry and then leave the house with your hair slightly damp. It'll dry in no time!
Crash dieting
Jessica Simpson famously crash dieted after giving birth to her second child. Lucky for her, she probably has a five-person hair styling team and an on-call nutritionist to keep her blonde hair healthy. For the rest of us, crash diets can severely thin our hair.
Crash diets deprive the body of nutrients that are crucial for strengthening your hair follicles. Also, the lack of water and fat makes it difficult for your body to create sebum - the natural oil that protects your hair and hydrates the scalp. These types of diets inflict just as much damage on your body too. Is it really worth the extra 1 or 2 pounds to follow a strict (and typically unhealthy) diet?
What styling habits are you desperate to break? Tweet us @sofeminineUK
