Do you ever wonder what your hair can tell you about your health? Maybe spotting a few gray hairs or too much shedding indicates that you’re a bit more than just stressed out.
Looking at your hair’s condition means more than just what it looks like aesthetically. So, let’s take a look at some of the things your hair can tell you.
Hair Is Graying Earlier Than Expected
Gray hair is something nobody wants to see before they get really old. We’re talking about when we’re 60 or over. But what if you’re noticing gray hairs in your twenties or thirties? Sound all of the alarms because something is definitely wrong.
There are several reasons why your hair would lose its pigmentation at such an early stage in your life. The first thing we all think of is stress, and that’s entirely correct. Consistently being in stressful situations and having no ways to deal with that stress can cause many health problems. One of them is definitely our hair turning gray.
Another of the factors is simply the question of genetics. If it runs in your family, you’ll probably experience it as well. There’s not much you can do about it other than try to hide it if it really bothers you.
Last but not least, having gray hair can be an indicator of trace mineral deficiency, specifically copper. Obviously, you can’t just start munching on a copper wire, hoping it will solve your problem. So, what can you do? Eating more seaweeds, mushrooms, or generally focus on foods that are rich in copper. You might not be able to reverse the situation and give color back to your already gray hair. However, you can slow and affect the graying process.
Shedding Too Much Hair
If you’re noticing too much shedding, there are a number of things your hair is trying to tell you. Stress is the most obvious factor, but is that all there is to it? Of course not. Consider it to be a cycle in which stress can cause both the shedding and other conditions that, in turn, also cause shedding. It’s a circle of life, but no Hakuna Matata because we’re definitely worried!
It’s normal for healthy hair to shed a little bit. Experts say that around 100 strands of hair a day are something we should all expect. New hair simply grows out, but what happens when it doesn’t? What if your hair keeps falling out and new strands aren’t growing out? You can thank a number of medical conditions for that. One of them being telogen effluvium, which is a condition that causes your hair to thin out due to certain medical conditions (or pregnancy, for example).
That’s not all. If you happen to have hypothyroidism or iron deficiency, you can blame them for your hair falling out as well. Luckily, all of these conditions are highly manageable, if not completely treatable. That’s why finding out you have them shouldn’t worry you too much. Well, at least when it comes to your hair falling out.
Nutritional deficiencies are also to blame for this, so make sure you have a healthy diet to prevent your hair from abandoning ship.
Dull, Thin, or Weak Hair
Having dull hair is a nightmare that nobody ever wants to face. It simply seems like there’s nothing that can be done about it. However, let’s take a look at what’s causing our hair to act this way before we go into action.
If your hair is dull or weak, that can be a sign of too much sun exposure. Yeah, we all love that sun-kissed look. Our hair becomes lighter, our skin darker, but are there side-effects to this glow? Apparently so. Too much fun in the sun can weaken your hair. If you’re dark of hair, you can trust it to protect you from UV rays a bit more. In case your hair is naturally lighter? You have to find a way to protect it.
Thin hair is equal to losing hair dramatically. That’s at least what some people would say. Still, what could be causing it? We can name several things, and one of them is protein deficiency. You’d be surprised how many things can be solved with just having a healthy, balanced diet. Also, if you suffer from hormonal imbalances, you can blame that for your hair not being as luscious as you want it to be as well.
There are a number of things you can do to fix your hair. We’d suggest staying away from those special supplements that claim they will do exactly what you need. Instead, visit a dermatologist and follow their instructions. After all, that’s definitely the safest way to go about repairing your hair.
Your Hair is Dry
Last but not least, let’s talk about dry hair. The kind of dry that no moisturizing and deep-conditioning can fix. You’d think that a trip to a salon is all you need, but there might be more to it than meets the eye.
If you’re into safe sex and are on birth control pills, dry hair can be one of the not-so-great side effects. There’s not much you can do about it, but fret not. That just means that you’re in the process of adjusting to these pills, so negative side effects should go away in several months at most.
Let’s blame it all on the sun once again. However, this time we’ll also mention that if your hair is already thin, weak, or dry, your scalp can get a nasty sunburn. So, if you must go outside in the sun, make sure you wear a hat.
Also, we’d like to try and persuade you to consume more healthy fats. Yes, we know the word “fats” sounds scary, especially if you’re on a diet. But hear us out. We want to say that you need to eat food that’s rich in healthy fats. Those include olive oil, fish, and, everyone’s favorite, avocado.
Still, it’s not all about making cute food masks as the internet has taught you. You’re supposed to consume these foods because the real change can only come from the inside. You need to let your body heal on its own because making an avocado mask won’t do the same magic that eating it will.
Conclusion
Your hair might sometimes have a mind of its own, but that’s not what we mean when we say it’s smarter than you realize.
Paying attention to your hair really pays out and not only for aesthetic purposes. Seeing unwanted changes can lead you to discover underlying causes and conditions. Nobody likes finding out there’s something wrong with them, but knowing about it means you can do whatever you can to become healthier.
