7 Little-Known Causes of Unhealthy Hair and How to Fix it Fast.

The pursuit of frizz-free, flawless hair can cost us a lot more than money. Keeping our hair smooth and radiant takes time and energy, as you’ll need to craft the perfect beauty routine just for you. But in our efforts to have spectacular hair every day, we may end up doing just the opposite. For example, using hot tools to get perfect curls or blow drying your hair can end up taking a toll on your precious strands.

Unhealthy hair is evident because of the appearance of split ends, dry texture, excessive tangling, and thinning, among other worrying signs. And while some of them are only natural, such as having dry hair after spending a day at the beach, these unwanted signs of damage should be taken for what they are: a silent cry for help so you can take action and get back on the track of healthy hair.

The good news is that damaged hair can be repaired with small, consistent measures that go from changing your diet to avoiding certain harmful practices that will promote hair growth, repair, and beauty. Start picking up habits that truly make a difference and reclaim your shiny, bouncy hair back and get to the bottom of why your hair is unhealthy! Find below 7 little-known causes of unhealthy hair and how to fix it fast.

7 Causes of Unhealthy Hair to Watch Out For

We all want to have smooth, vibrant hair but this isn’t an easy endeavor. There are many steps to take before showing off those perfect strands! Sometimes, in our search for beauty, we may end up doing more harm than good, especially if we use heat treatments or color our hair too often.

In those cases, instead of shiny and lustrous, your hair may end up feeling and looking dry, dull, colorless, or even scarce. But the good news is that, if you notice something is going on with your hair, you can always take some measures to revitalize it and promote hair growth. Here are 7 little-known signs of unhealthy hair you should be able to identify so you can take action and reclaim your shiny, flawless, healthy hair!

Genetics - Thanks mom and dad. That’s right, genetics play a big role in determining your hairline and the longevity of its existence. Although genetic hair loss can not be fully reversed, it can be slowed dramatically. Androgenetic Alopecia is the most common contributor to female pattern baldness or FPB. Unfortunately the accountable gene has not been medically determined and in fact, most medical professionals believe that a combination of many genes are to blame.

Hormonal Changes - Hormonal changes do more than just create chocolate cravings and sleepless nights. Hormonal changes as we age are often responsible for deceased hair production or increased shedding which can result in natural hair thinning. This leaves women feeling additionally insecure about their bodies during what can be an exasperating time. When our levels of estrogen and progesterone drop your hair not only grows more slowly, but also grows back thinner and weaker.

Styling - It may sound silly but styling your hair can actually cause extensive damage to your hair and inhibit its growth. Styling can even act as an instigator of female pattern hair loss. Tight styling of the hair strains the root increasing the likelihood that the follicle will be damaged and that strands will fall out. Although heat styling, towel drying, and chemical treatments do not cause hair loss, they often lie at the root of hair breakage. These techniques prevent sustainable, healthy hair growth.

Restrictive Diets - Although crash dieting can lead to weight loss, it also can cause hair loss. This happens as a result of a decline in vitamins, minerals, and proteins in the body. Radically changing your diet often means that you are not getting enough vital trace minerals and nutrients throughout the day. Luckily, hair loss from diet changes can be reversed.

Vitamin Deficiencies - A lack of vital vitamins and minerals can result in noticeable hair loss for women. A lack of zinc, vitamin D, calcium, silica, iron, and folic acid, is not only common, but a major contributor to hair loss. Vitamins and minerals are essential for cell development and when lacking, can lead to a number of issues including but not limited to hair loss. When you are deficient in essential vitamins and minerals you may also notice hair greying and a lack of color or shine. Fortunately, staying vitamin efficient is easier than ever today through natural supplements.

woman in bed with a pillow over her head

Stress - Stress impacts our bodies in so many ways. We accept and understand that stress can cause depression, insomnia, headaches, mood instability, gastrointestinal problems, and more. Did you know though, that it can also be a major contributor when it comes to hair loss. Prolonged periods of mental and physical stress can lead to temporary but noticeable hair loss. Although this type of hair loss is reversible, hair re-growth can occur in unpredictable ways. Managing your stress is key for hair health and stability.

Medical Conditions - There are hundreds of medical conditions that contribute to hair loss but the most common are depression, thyroid disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and alopecia areata. More often than not, it is not the disease that causes hair loss, but rather the medication. This is an exception for thyroid disease and alopecia for example but mood stabilizing medication or blood pressure regulators can have a side effect that impacts both hair growth and shedding. If you are concerned that a medication could be causing your hair loss, be sure to talk to your physician.

How to Fix it Fast

Noticing unhealthy hair is the first step towards healing. Now comes the time to take action and fix the problem! In addition to having a flawless hair care routine, you can go the extra mile and take certain hair supplements and foods to promote frizz-free, abundant, glowing hair. Here’s how to fix your hair problems fast and keep your hair bouncy and fresh!

Take More Calcium, Magnesium, and Passion Flower

These substances can cleanse the hair and make it grow healthier and stronger. As shown by research, calcium promotes hair growth while magnesium prevents hair loss (1). You can find calcium in low-fat milk, yoghurt, or cheese, but also in other foods like green leafy vegetables or bread made with fortified flour. Meanwhile, you can add more magnesium to your diet by taking nuts, almonds, spinach, and soy milk, or use hair supplements to increase your intake of these vital nutrients.

Passionflower also promotes hair growth, glow, and overall health. While it has been traditionally taken for anxiety and insomnia, a cup of passionflower tea a day can help you manage high stress levels, which are one of the main causes for hair loss. Additionally, passionflower has moisturizing properties, which will do away with your painful tangles and strengthen the cuticles in your hair. This is essential for your hair to look and feel smooth, shiny, and with spectacular volume.

Trim Your Split Ends

We know, it can be difficult to grab the scissors and trim, but sometimes it’s necessary! Split ends cannot be fixed in any other way and end up damaging more than just your ends. So, try to trim your hair before they progress. Use sharp scissors and keep your hair healthy and bright.

Avoid Certain Damaging Practices

In our quest for perfect hair, we may end up doing things that can damage it. Practices as common as towel-drying your hair can cause irreparable damage, like split ends. Be smooth and gentle when you wash, dry, and brush your hair. If possible, replace cotton-made towels with microfibre ones, which produce less friction.

Also, using blow dryers, hot combs, or curling irons can burn your hair and make it look dry and without volume. Some measures you can take to reduce damage include letting your hair dry naturally whenever possible, using the lowest heat setting, and overall aiming at using these tools once a week or even less often.

Take Vitamins B5 & B7

Vitamin B5 nourishes your strands (2), protecting them from potential damage made by blow drying your hair, exposing yourself to the sun, or using certain heat treatments. This vitamin plays a crucial role in hair repair by strengthening follicles and can be found in foods like beef, chicken breast, avocado, and nuts.

Vitamin B7 (also known as biotin) can also help you keep healthy hair by stimulating keratin production and hair regeneration. This chemical is found in many foods and beverages like carrots, nuts, and milk, with a recommended daily intake of 30 micrograms. If you want to give it a little boost, you can always take a hair supplement that contains the right amount of biotin for you (if in doubt, you should always consult your doctor).

Use Natural Shampoos and Conditioners

Today, you can find a myriad of shampoo and conditioner brands that make a lot of promises. And while most people understand the risks of certain heat styling treatments or coloring, there are subtle ways in which you may be damaging your hair. One of them is by using shampoos that contain parabens and sulphates, which can ruin the natural oils produced by your hair, irritate your scalp, wash away the color from your strands, and even trigger hair loss.

Luckily, you can prevent this from happening by using more natural alternatives, promoting healthier, happier hair. Also, make sure you are choosing products specially formulated for your type of hair, be it curly, straight, or curvy, as they have been created to address unique hair goals and needs.

Increase Your Intake of Vitamin C and Zinc

Vitamin C plays a crucial role in your health and wellbeing, and your hair is no exception. This substance helps nourish your strands because it plays a major role in iron absorption. A deficiency in iron is the main cause of hair loss and thinning, so increasing your consumption of vitamin C will definitely help you get thicker, shinier, healthier hair. As you may know already, citrus fruits and strawberries are amazing sources of vitamin C, but peppers, broccoli and potatoes also have high concentrations of this vital substance.

Meanwhile, it’s also important to avoid zinc deficiency (which is also a major cause of unhealthy hair or even severe hair loss). Consuming enough zinc can help repair hair tissue and cuticles along with keeping your oil glands operating well (3). This will give your hair that shiny, glowing appearance you always wanted. You can get zinc from foods like oysters, spinach or lentils, or have easy-to-take hair supplements for improved health.

Although there are plenty of products in the market that make big promises, not many of them deliver. But keep your eyes open, there’s a comprehensive, easy-to-take, fresh new product coming soon that will be the solution to your hair problems!

Been Hair Before? We Can Help You Reclaim Your Incredible Hair!

Just like any other part of your body, your hair needs to be nourished and taken care of to be healthy. In addition to using appropriate products and avoiding harmful practices, you need to make sure you are eating a balanced diet to avoid vitamin and mineral deficiencies that can cause hair loss or other problems. The 7 causes of unhealthy hair mentioned above are a wake-up call you should not ignore. Take action before it’s too late to repair the damage done to your hair!

And if you feel a bit overwhelmed by all the steps you have to take to keep your health strong, shiny and bouncy, don’t worry: help is on the way! Stay tuned and learn more about a simple, all-in-one product you can incorporate into your daily routine in just seconds. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Check out our LinkTree for more information and watch out for news in the coming few days!

Meanwhile, you can take our FREE Comprehensive Hair Quiz today! to get personalized healthy hair recommendations and have a look at Happy Mammoth’s website to discover more amazing hair supplements and health products that can transform your life for the better.