What Is Damaged Hair? Hair damage occurs when aggressors (read: friction, heat, and harsh chemical treatments) attack the protective outer layer of your hair (aka the cuticle). This leaves cracks in its exterior, lifting up the cuticle.
Sun exposure, heat styling, humidity, smoking, and more can all contribute to hair that's damaged and dry. The good news is that there are a few things you can do if you feel like reducing the dryness of your hair.
Things like aggressive brushing and combing, sleeping on wet hair or rough fabrics that create friction, constantly pulling your strands into styles that are too tight, and heat styling are all some of the main reasons why hair breaks.
Harsh shampoo, hair treatments, styling products, and excessive brushing contribute the most to poor hair health. However, other culprits include: overconsumption of alcohol. low-calorie and crash diets.
Iron deficiency (ID) is the world's most common nutritional deficiency and is a well-known cause of hair loss.
Telogen effluvium hair loss — the type of hair loss linked to stress — typically affects your scalp and may appear as patchy hair loss. However, it can also cause you to shed more body hair or notice less hair on your body than you normally would.
using heat-based drying and styling tools too frequently. shampooing too often. using a shampoo with harsh ingredients, such as sulfates, that are drying for your type of hair. not using a conditioner often enough or one that's designed for your type of hair.
Product buildup, environmental factors, and overstyling can all contribute to hair that looks dry and lifeless. Fortunately, there are ways to add more shine and natural luster to your hair. Using basic home remedies, trying shine-boosting products, and nourishing your hair from the inside may all help.
Does damaged hair grow back healthy? The only way to get healthy hair is to allow your hair to grow without further damage. If you'd damaged your hair by over-styling, too much heat or over coloring with harsh chemicals, the good news is - your hair will grow back healthy.
Hair follicles typically grow back within one to two months as long as your scalp does not need to recover from damage. If your hair follicles are damaged, it can take up to four years until they are able to regrow hair normally unless it is permanent, in which case no new strands will grow.
Biotin. Biotin is an essential B vitamin (meaning we need to consume it daily) that's known to be important in hair and nail growth. "When patients have a biotin deficiency, they suffer from thinning, dry hair, and dry skin," says Zeichner.
Using a harsh shampoo. Blow-drying your hair too often. Heat damage from straighteners or a curling iron. Harsh chemicals like dyes, perms, and relaxers.
Thyroid hormones regulate your metabolic rate and the speed at which cells work – including those within your hair follicles. When you produce too few thyroid hormones, the imbalance can make your hair dry, brittle and noticeably finer.
Sources of Biotin
Foods that contain the most biotin include organ meats, eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts, and certain vegetables (such as sweet potatoes) [2,12].
The Hair Diet
Your hair craves healthy fats! So eat plenty of avocados, salmon, and olive oil. These foods are jam-packed with essential fatty acids, which can moisturize a dry scalp with natural oils.
If you notice sudden or patchy hair loss or more than usual hair loss when combing or washing your hair, talk to your doctor. Sudden hair loss can signal an underlying medical condition that requires treatment. If needed, your doctor might also suggest treatment options for your hair loss.
When to see a doctor. See your doctor if you are distressed by persistent hair loss in you or your child and want to pursue treatment. For women who are experiencing a receding hairline (frontal fibrosing alopecia), talk with your doctor about early treatment to avoid significant permanent baldness.
The human body produces the hormone melatonin. This hormone has been confirmed by researchers to regulate the sleep cycle and increase hair growth. While sleep has a direct impact on the human body's natural hormones, it means that poor sleep reduces the amount of melatonin, potentially cause hair loss.