First things first – let’s talk about what’s considered “normal hair loss” so we can establish a baseline for how much hair the average woman should expect to lose on a day-to-day basis. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the average adult woman can expect to lose approximately 50-100 strands of hair each day, so if you fall within this category, there’s no need to stress because this amount of hair loss is what we would consider within the realm of “normal.”
That understood, if you can say with 100% certainty that you’re losing more than the “normal” amount of hair a day – this would now be a good time to take a closer look at your lifestyle and haircare regimen to see if you’re practicing any one (or several) of the following bad habits that can cause your hair to fall out.
1. You love wearing tight, protective hairstyles
Do you love sleek, tight buns and ponytails? What about tight braids or extensions? Here’s the thing, while protective styles like buns and braids look super cute and are super easy to maintain, the fact remains that tight hairstyles (protective or not) will put a lot of tension on your hair follicles, which can then lead to hair loss, or a condition known as traction alopecia.
Keep in mind too that after many weeks, months, or years of tight hairstyling, traction alopecia can lead to permanent hair loss. Yikes! So if you’re going to wear protective hairstyles, never make them too tight. Also, it’s a good idea to regularly rotate between fully loose and protective styles so that you’re not putting too much stress on just one particular part of your scalp for a prolonged period of time.
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2. You don’t eat a healthy, protein-rich diet
Many women don’t realize this, but our hair is over 95 percent protein, and our scalp lubricates and protects itself with a substance called sebum (which is made from fat).
Now you can see why it’s so important to eat a protein-rich diet that contains foods like meat, eggs, fish, nuts, beans, and seeds, as well as other key hair growth nutrients like omega-3 fats, B vitamins, and iron.
One more thing – another strategy I highly recommend to help ensure that you’re feeding your body ample hair growth nutrients is to regularly use a high-quality hair vitamin and/or a nutritional supplement like my Beauty&Body Protein.
3. You’re a fiend for heat styling and chemical treatments
You’ve heard the saying “too much of anything can be bad” – and this absolutely applies to heat styling and chemical treatments like relaxers, which can both damage the hair shaft (thus leading to breakage). Excessive heat also puts undue stress on the hair follicle via heat or harsh chemicals, which can then lead to hair loss.
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That said, if you’re starting to notice more hair loss while frequently using things like blow dryers, flat irons, relaxers and hair coloring treatments, it might be wise to step away from the heat and chemicals and start air-drying your hair.
RELATED: 5 Reasons Your Hair Texture Changes
In addition to that, start wearing your hair in its natural state more often so that you can help prevent further hair loss, while also
