According to Stop Hair Breakage, the adult scalp has roughly 100,000 hair follicles. Every day we lose about 100 hairs and they grow back in five to six week. Factors that contribute to hair loss are heredity, aging, stress, diet, medicinal side effects, and poor hair hygiene and grooming habits. You can't fight heredity, but the other factors are within your control.
Step 1
Prevent hair breakage from beneath the scalp. According to Holistic Online, eating a diet rich in protein, iron, folic acid and vitamins C and E promotes healthy hair growth. Vitamin A is also essential for healthy hair; however, too much can cause breakage. Start drinking soy milk. Soy protein strengthens and stimulates hair growth. Silica is another good hair nutrient that stimulates hair growth and adds strength, luster and shine to your hair. Potato skins are a good source of silica, as are cucumbers and bean sprouts.
Step 2
Handle your hair with a gentle hand. Hair is strong enough to endure daily grooming wear and tear; however, gentle is always better. Avoid over-brushing or over-combing your hair. Comb and detangle wet hair with a widely spaced comb to minimize breakage. Wet hair is weakened; thus it breaks easily. Refrain from brushing your hair while it is wet. Brush it before you shampoo to stimulate blood flow to the scalp and loosen dead skin and sebum.
Step 3
Find and maintain a good shampoo and conditioning regimen. Do not over-shampoo--this strips your hair of minerals vital to the health of your hair. Switch from commercial to natural shampoos that contain keratin. According to Solve Your Problem, keratin seals breakages in the hair's cuticle. The site also recommends avoiding natural shampoos containing sodium lauryl sulfate, which strips away too much oil from the hair and leaves shampoo residue. Condition your hair regularly to keep it moisturized. Using a shampoo with conditioner added may save time, but the effectiveness of both are diminished when combined. Pat your hair dry after shampooing rather than rubbing it, especially when using a towel. Hair can break off onto your towel.
Step 4
Use hair color, perms and relaxers according to the directions. Have a licensed stylist do it if you can afford the expense. Exercise more care with your hair because these products chemically alter and weaken hair. If you must color, perm or relax your hair, use a color rinse or semi-permanent color.
Step 5
Avoid both hair and mental stress. Hairstyles that tightly pull hair from the scalp, such as braids and ponytails, break the hair, particularly along the front hair line. Over time, this will causes permanent hair loss in that area. Use as little heat on your hair as possible. Overuse of blow dryers and flat/curling irons dries out your hair and causes breakage. Emotional and mental stress wreaks havoc on all your body's functions; your hair reflects this by excessively breaking. Find ways to relieve stress in your life for the benefit of your overall health.
Things You'll Need
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Wide-toothed comb or brush
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