We’re all hyper-sensitive about the onset of hair loss, but in many cases our daily hair care routine is doing more harm than good. Here’s what you need to look out for:
Vigorous towel-drying
If you’re stepping out of the shower and immediately attacking your hair with a towel – particularly a thick cotton one – you’re causing more damage than you think.
According to Dr Glynis Ablon in a recent Mashable article, a dermatologist and brand expert for Dove Men+ Hair Care, ‘fresh, out-of-the-shower wet hair’ is already prone to damage as the follicles have been weakened by the experience of showering – and taking a towel to it and scrubbing away is a definite no-no.
Heat-styling tools
When you’re in a rush in the morning or after a session in the gym, that hairdryer lying on the bedside table or hanging on the dressing room wall looks mighty tempting for a quick fix, but parching the scalp at full-blast can seriously damage your hair.
There is a school of thought that suggests that using a hairdryer can be safer than letting it air-dry, but only after the hair is three-quarters dry and the drier is on the coolest setting, but that takes time. So if you’re in a rush, leave well alone.
UV rays
The sun in extreme conditions doesn’t only play havoc with your skin: it can also cause your hair to become discoloured, dry, fragile and brittle. You should be doing this already, as the top of the head is massively susceptible to UV, but make sure you’re wearing appropriate headgear when it’s hot.
Swimming
Chlorine has a very bad rep when it comes to hair damage. One common myth is that it causes hair to thin and fall out. Not so. What it can do, however, is cause hair to become brittle – and when you combine that with vigorous towelling and blasts of hot air, that’s where the problems can begin.
