Hair is an intrinsic part of the human body. We quite often think about the need to have hair when, for some, itโs short or barely even there. We all may think that hair is something that just adds beauty to a person without any other use.
Everyone goes through an ambivalent relationship with their hair at least once.ย Hair acts as both shame and an act of beauty at the same time. If the hair that is present on the exterior portion of our body is visible, itโs considered gross. This certain aspect only applies to women because it is unfeminine.ย In this blog, we talk about how to know if the hair on your head is damaged or not.
At the same time, if a woman has longer hair on her head, then itโs the utmost peak of beauty. Hair is a part of our body that is considered very trivial and loved almost all the time. We spend millions of amount to shorten it, to curl it, to straighten it, to shave it.
Also, we spend a huge amount on the betterment of our hair: adding volume, better growth, moisturizing, and more.
1. Is Hair Considered Important?
No matter how often we say that looks and appearance donโt matter, it isnโt always so. In our society, beauty eventually controls major industries. People donโt usually invest money in something that isnโt appealing.
We always run behind beauty when it shouldnโt be the case. The first thing you notice about someone when you first meet them is their face. No matter what we say, the impression we get from their appearance is the initial push to mingle with them. Then comes the character. And that will ultimately make us stay connected despite appearance.
And hair is an unavoidable aspect of good looks. Thatโs why we spent money on styling it. People judge each other by the way their hair looks.
The hair will be seen as dirty and unpleasant if it is untidy. If itโs well maintained, moisturized, and styled, we are clean and good people. For some people, hair is something that boosts their confidence. Even if they lack in some parts, if their hair is appealing, then they feel slightly more confident.ย
2. Hairstyles
It is very important to choose a suitable hairstyle that would look good for one person. Just because you like one particular hairstyle doesnโt mean that you look good in that one. Hence, itโs very important to seek professional advice.
Identifying a suitable hairstyle is not an easy task to do, and without any prior knowledge, it will be an even more difficult task, so leave that job for a hairstylist.
A suitable hairstyle can do many things to your face. If you have any facial weaknesses, it will be able to hide under the hairstyle. With the right hairstyle, you may change the appearance of your eyes, facial shape, and length of your hair. It can add to your strengths and will showcase them.ย
3. What Happens to Your Hair When it is Damaged?
Hair damage can occur in a variety of ways: overuse of chemicals, heating products, colouring, hard water, etc. Sunlight directly falling onto your head is pretty much damaging. It can give you a heat stroke, or it can even give you a burn, or can even kill you. So itโs very important to protect our head from direct sun contact. That is why we have hair, and not just for beauty purposes.
If you are beneath the sun for a long time, there are chances of your hair getting dry due to the UV rays. It can cause your hair to become thin, frizzy, dry, discoloured, etc. If your hair strands start getting split ends, frizzy, and dry all of a sudden after going out on a sunny day, itโs your hair acting up. It is a symbol of hair damage caused by the sun.
Additionally, it may cause your hair to become grey. This is because the sunโs rays act like bleach and change the colour pigment because of it.ย
4. How To Know If Your Hair Is Damaged Due To Styling
If you use straighteners, curlers, or any other equipment that applies profound heat to your hair, it will damage your hair in the long run. The hotter the equipment you use on your hair, the more damaged it will get. After frequent use, you will observe signs of your hair becoming dully, frizzy, and lifeless.
Similarly, even if you use products to enhance your hair quality, if the usage of chemicals is more in the product, then be ready to lose your hair.
Using low-quality items will also damage your hair. Choosing to save pennies on items that can be cheaply bought and using them without expert advice will not help in keeping good hair for the future.
Straightening takes out all the moisture from your locks and leaves it dry. It is why your hair goes back to its original position after a hair wash. But when you use it daily, it leaves you with no moisture and lifeless locks, unable to produce natural oils. It can also ruin your hair roots, leaving you more susceptible to heavy hair loss.
It can also lead to the depletion of natural oils on your scalp, as we said before, and it can lead to the hair follicles in your head dying. Soon after this, your scalp will get itchy. This will later on affect the growth of your hair, which will visibly decrease. You will leave with a few strands of hair that look and feel dead, or in the worst scenario, you will be left with zero hair.ย
5. How To Know If Your Hair Is Damaged Due to Chlorine
Chlorine is usually used in pools where it eliminates the bacteria that are present in the pools and keeps the pool clean. This chlorine can do bad to your hair.
Chlorine is even present in regular waters at home. Regular usage of this chlorine water1 to bathe can do enough damage to your hair. Taking a bath once in a while in chlorine water might not necessarily do any harm.
Continuous use of chlorine water may rip your hair off the natural oils present in your hair, which can cause an itchy scalp. It is very common to find chlorine-damaged hair.
And If your hair is constantly knotted, tangled, or dry, and you find it lifeless and dull after every wash you take, itโs better to assume that you are chlorine-affected.ย But itโs a boon that your hair is fixable and repaired with the right care.
For proper treatment, it is important to speak to a professional because only they can guide you with the right treatment. Different methods must be used to address different hair types and types of hair damage. So, get a professional to guide you further.ย To get rid of harsh substances in your hair, use a hair clarifier. It is available in stores or can be easily made at home.
You can make a hair clarifier at home by adding apple cider vinegar with baking soda and using it on your hair while washing it. It is important to determine the degree of damage the chlorine has done to your hair. You can find out about that with the help of a professional/doctor.
Use coconut oil or palm oil, and gently apply it to your roots. It will help with blood circulation and retain moisture.
6. Protection From Chlorine Damage
Taking precautions is way more economically feasible and sensible than running behind worriedly after the damage has occurred.
If you canโt resist the usage of chlorine water, then itโs wise to take precautions and ways to prevent it from occurring. And itโs tricky when people ask how to know if your is damaged or to reduce the impact of it.
So, if your hair has been in contact with chlorine water, rinse it off with fresh water as soon as possible. It will help prevent the settling of chlorine and other harmful substances. Another hack is to wash your hair with fresh water before getting the pool water on your hair. This is because it will only absorb less chlorine when it is already wet.
If you are someone who usually swims or is someone who canโt avoid chlorine water use, then try using a silicon cap. Your hair will be kept dry by doing this. Donโt buy cheap quality items. Buy a good one that will last and be of good use.
It is also said that coating your hair generously with oil prevents chlorine and other harmful stuff from settling on your scalp. Do deep conditioning treatments. Use shampoos and conditioners that are of good quality. Make sure it contains protein because it can help in reviving the lost quality of your hair.
Also, use hair brushes that have soft bristles and be gentle while combing your hair because using hard combs will damage your hair while untangling the wet hair.
Trimming your end hair is also important to ensure the good growth of the hair. People who have rough hair, coloured hair, fine and thin hair, permed hair, or bleached hair are more prone to get their hair dead by chlorine.ย
7. Common Causes Of Hair Loss
Here are common causes of hair loss.
7.01. Hormones
Hormones act like messengers of our body and are responsible for sustaining balance. Consequently, any imbalance in the body will cause some form of health issue. Some hormones react in the way of hair loss. It affects the growth and the sustenance of the hair.ย
Hormonal imbalances ofย Testosterone, Insulin, Estrogen, Cortisol, etc., can cause hair loss.
Testosteron 2 is a male hormone, and an increase in the testosterone hormone in the human body will result in high production of dihydrotestosterone, aka DHT, which will naturally lead to hair fall.
Insulin helps with the circulation of sugar levels in the blood. People with insulin imbalances are prone to hair loss and weight gain.
Estrogen3, which works with the female reproductive system, handles a lot of responsibilities that are taking place in our bodies. Issues related to estrogen can also affect the condition of your hair, just like during Menopause.
The stress created in our body is caused by Cortisol. In this era of taking everything lightly, it is not okay to take stress as a silly thing. It might deteriorate and damage your body muscles if not handled properly. High stress is the most common reason for hair fall in people who fall into the age category of 14 โ 35.
7.02. Pregnancy and Medication
Pregnancy, medicines, and menopause are all other reasons for hair loss found in people. Hormonal changes occur in your body throughout pregnancy and delivery. Mostly, it is a change that happens for a short period, and after some weeks or something, your hair will be back in its original condition. Medication pills have some bad side effects that lead to hair loss.ย
8. Hair Protection
We will discuss some hair protection tips in detail.
8.01. Cleaning Your Scalp
Cleaning your scalp is very important. Washing your hair regularly and religiously is the only way to do so. Making sure the water is clean and fresh is crucial. Make sure it is chlorine-free. While washing, be gentle with your hair and treat it with love.
Donโt just pull out your hair and scratch hard on the hair roots and the scalp. Donโt use products that are harmful and full of chemicals in washing your hair.
Use chemically gentle shampoos and conditioners. Use oils to nourish the growth of hair. Apply it on the roots and gently massage for better blood circulation. It can help you with reviving the hair damage caused by the sun and repair damaged hair. It can also help strengthen the hair and improve hair growth.
8.02. Be Gentle With Your Hair
Donโt do any rough work on your hair. Use combs that are soft or better if you use your hands to untie the knots. Use good quality bands/buns to tie your hair.
While tying your hair, be gentle with it, donโt tie it hard or tightly, and avoid tight hairstyles. And even while braiding, let it be loosely done rather than tightening it. It always should be function over fashion.
Reduce the use of heating equipment on your hair. Even if you canโt stop it entirely, minimize the use of it. Start applying a heat hair mask and other heat protectant masks on your hair while doing heat-related things on your head or while heading out on a sunny day.
There are also treatments for hair growth enhancement, such as red light therapy, platelet-rich plasma, and so on.
9. Final Note
Every human being, irrespective of gender, faces hair loss. Every day, the human body losesย about 100 hairs. Itโs just a constant hassle between losing hair and gaining it. And it is normal.
Be alert when you uncontrollably lose your hair and it is constantly dry. Beauty is not the epitome of anything. Fashion and trends are all okay, fine. It starts getting weird at the point when you have to destroy your body.
Trends go off and on, and your body wonโt be able to handle it. Even though we live in a beauty-obsessed world, there are still enough pieces of evidence for people who promote naturality. We can find influencers and people on social media coming and telling us to wear our personality instead of faking it out.
Everything is good until it begins to have an impact on you in some manner. Start accepting the way you are and proudly wear that on your sleeve.
Be yourself proudly and unapologetically. Accept the fact itโs just hair; itโs not who you are. And you arenโt defined by the amount of hair you have. No amount of hair and styling can give you a better personality or life condition.
It is your outlook towards life and the people that matter. No beauty can stop you from conquering the world.ย These preconceptions and beauty standards came from people, specifically males.
The narrative is changeable, and some individuals are now editing it. And one must indeed have eyes for beauty. For some, you may be beautiful, and for others, you may not. Who cares about them when you matter to yourself and you love yourself?
- Luginbรผhl, Marc, Susanne Nussbaumer, and Wolfgang Weinmann. โDecrease of ethyl glucuronide concentrations in hair after exposure to chlorinated swimming pool water.โย Drug testing and analysisย 10.4 (2018): 689-693. โฉ๏ธ
- Noubarani, Maryam, et al. โEffect of Adiantum capillus veneris linn on an animal model of testosterone-induced hair loss.โย Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research: IJPRย 13.Suppl (2014): 113. โฉ๏ธ
- Ohnemus, Ulrich, et al. โThe hair follicle as an estrogen target and source.โย Endocrine reviewsย 27.6 (2006): 677-706. โฉ๏ธ
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