Use These Hair Care Tips To Stop Hair Fall And Have Beautiful Hair

Often we cause damage to our hair by following hair care tips that are designed to sell certain products. We heat it, treat it and bleach it and it is often these treatments that we inflict on it, that are the cause of hair loss.

We spend hours and hours on our coiffure (now there's a word I bet you haven't heard for a long time!). For the uninitiated, or those of you that are younger, that means the way you dress your hair. Unfortunately we are more often than not doing a lot of damage to our crowning glory.

Of course, if you are a male and you are reading this, you could well have lost your hair already as more than 50% of men over 50 suffer from significant hair loss. Please don't stop reading as you may be able to help someone else with this information, and you could still find many hair care tips of interest to you.

Follow these hair care tips for beautiful shining hair as it is certainly an asset. Well styled hair can either make you look young and trendy, or old before your time. Did you know though, that your hair is a very good indicator of what is going on with your general health?

So if your hair is falling out and, unless you are sure that you are suffering from "pattern baldness" which is genetic and can affect about 20% of women over 50, a trip to your doctor is advised.

Diseases such as Lupus, Diabetes, Heart Disease, certain Autoimmune Disorders, Anemia, Fungal Infections and Hypothyroidism can cause hair loss. Of course Chemotherapy treatment is well known for causing the hair to fall out, and Trichotillomania (a psychological disease) where the patient will pull large clumps of hair out, is also a culprit.

Factors including pregnancy and other hormone disrupters such as menopause, and stress over a prolonged period can all cause hair loss or poor hair condition, but faulty nutrition, such as too little protein and a deficiency of Iron or Zinc in the diet, is definitely the major cause.

The following information is taken from Patrick Holford’s New Optimum Nutrition Bible which is the book that I use as my health bible and can recommend unreservedly. As you can see these hair care tips are really dietary tips but they definitely work for the health of your hair.

•Oily hair can be caused by vitamin B deficiency

•Dry or brittle hair is often a sign of essential fat deficiency

•Poor hair growth can be a sign of zinc deficiency

•Hair loss is linked to a lack of iron, vitamin B1, vitamin C and Lysine (an amino acid)

•Drink plenty of safe water to keep your hair and body hydrated

A combination of good nutrition, stimulating the scalp with massage and correcting hormonal imbalances has proven to be the best way of treating hair loss. In addition you should take the following hair care tips into account;

•Improving the circulation to the head by hanging upside down or doing inversion poses in Yoga can also be beneficial, and not only for your hair growth! For more information on this go to our interesting yoga page. •Believe it or not, regular exercise is also important for the health of your hair! The reasoning behind this is that it promotes good circulation and sees that the hair root receives vital oxygen and nutrients.

•Cut down on tea and coffee. These are stimulants that increase the excretion of water and nutrients and, unless these are replaced, can cause dry hair of poor condition. They also hamper the absorption of minerals.

•Some contraceptive pills deplete B complex vitamins and Zinc which are important for strong hair growth. If you notice a change in your hair after starting on contraception, or changing your pill, do go and see your doctor.

•Some drugs may cause hair loss so if you are taking any of the following drugs and are experiencing hair loss, chat to your doctor about an alternative:

Accutane (acne)Coumadin (blood thinner)Paxil and Prozac (antidepressant)Some blood pressure drugs and antifungals have also been known to be culprits.

•Alcohol increases blood flow to the tissues by dilating the blood vessels so it should be good for healthy hair.

Unfortunately, it is an antagonist to some vitamins and minerals that are necessary for healthy hair so consumption should be limited.

•Sugar, in excess, and nicotine are also vitamin robbers that will affect your health and therefore your hair.

It is important to remember that the only part of your hair that is alive, is under the scalp and that the shaft is covered by overlapping cuticle almost like the tiles on a roof. It is therefore very easy to damage and you need to remember the following hair care tips:

•Using too much heat, such as blow drying at high heat, GHD and flat irons etc.

•Bleaching or dyeing and perming too often

•Using detergent based shampoos which are too harsh

•Over exposure to sunlight

•Excessive brushing. Yes Granny said 100 strokes a day was the way to go, but she was wrong!

•Rough rubbing, pulling or stretching of your hair when it is wet. Wet hair is very prone to breakage so dry it gently by blotting it with a towel

Lastly remember that most hair products that are bought off the shelf contain harmful synthetic ingredients that, not only harm your hair, but are absorbed by your body and cause ill health and ultimately death from cancer. Some (but not all) of these ingredients are:

•Parabens (Methyl, Propyl, Butyl and Ethyl)•Propylene Glycol (PEG)•Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate•Diethanolamine (DEA)•Triethanolamine (TEA)•Monoethanolamine (MEA)

Read the labels and don’t be fooled by shampoos and conditioners that claim to be healthy because they contain Tea Tree or Rooibos or one of the many other herbs that are used in hair care products these days. Look out for the baddies listed above and try to avoid them as much as possible.

Now it is quite obvious that your hair colourant is also going to contain some dangerous chemicals but a gal has to do what a gal has to do! I for one am not going to walk about with grey hair! The trick is to cut out the harmful shampoos and conditioners and to keep the other processes to a minimum. Of course the later you can start with the hair bleaching and tinting the better.

Another great hair care tip is to have your hair cut or trimmed regularly by a good hair stylist. This will remove any split ends and improve the quality of your hair.