5 bad habits that damage your hair and you need to stop right now

Hair represents, in a totally indifferent way for men and women, a source of pride, a symbol of good health, as well as an essential part of one’s beauty that can be modeled in many ways to express our personality. However, not everything always goes as we would like, and we find ourselves faced with dull hair that has lost its shine and softness. Many times we cause damage to our hair ourselves, because we tend to fall into the wrong habits, although some acts we do not even think about how harmful they can be.

Next, we will see 5 bad habits that damage your hair and whose interruption is the golden rule to have strong, vigorous and healthy hair.

Washing your hair every day

This is a question that assails many people, who out of habit wash their hair with shampoo every day. However, it is commonly known that excessively frequent cleaning causes hair loss or progressive thinning. But is this widespread belief true?

There are many false myths that circulate, like the one that concerns us. In this case, the truth is that it cannot be said that the practice of daily hair washing is actually good or bad. In this regard, many different aspects need to be considered, including personal lifestyle, hair type, and hair products and treatments used for cleansing. Only by carefully evaluating these factors will it be possible to more accurately determine whether or not daily washing is capable of damaging the hair.

Here’s some useful information to keep in mind to determine if washing your hair daily is right or wrong.

Hair type

Considering that the frequency of washing cannot affect the structure of the hair, a factor that should not be underestimated to understand whether or not it is correct to shampoo every day is, rather, knowing the type of hair you have. In fact, frequent cleaning is not recommended for people with normal or dry hair. This is because not only is there a real risk of dehydrating your hair, but there is also a chance of damaging your scalp.

The reason is that a daily wash is capable of completely eliminating sebum and, consequently, also the hydrolipidic film that protects the hair from external agents, maintaining adequate and constant hydration. On the contrary, for all those people with oily hair, it is recommended to proceed with daily washing, since it will be possible to eliminate excess sebum that, in some cases, causes sensations of itching and consequent irritation. Likewise, using an astringent or purifying shampoo will help control the amount of secretions. A more specific case is that of people who dye their hair.

In fact, those who have colored hair will have to pay more attention. Frequent cleaning can reduce the effective duration of the color, since the sulphates contained in the shampoo could dull the color, requiring more frequent touch-ups.

Type of shampoo

Therefore, based on the above, we know that washing your hair every day is not necessarily right or wrong, especially if you use the right shampoo according to your personal needs. On the contrary, using the wrong shampoo, especially if it is used frequently, is a practice that can potentially compromise the health of the hair and scalp.

In this sense, for daily cleaning it is better to use delicate products or products with specific characteristics. Of course, they should always be suitable for your hair, like a nourishing shampoo for dry hair or a purifying shampoo for oily hair.

Also, taking into account that the scalp has a pH of 5.5, the best way to avoid damaging it is by buying a neutral shampoo that is gentle on all hair types. Currently, there are many shampoos available on the market, ranging from the most basic to more aggressive ones, whose PH is higher than 5.5.

Therefore, if you opt for one of these shampoos, it is advisable to avoid washing your hair on a daily basis. Similarly, daily cleaning with products containing alcohol, allergens or parabens is not recommended.

Lifestyle

In some cases, washing your hair every day becomes a necessity, such as after a long day of work in a polluted environment or after practicing your favorite sport. In these cases, daily cleaning practically becomes an obligation that, however, could have some consequences.

In fact, as mentioned above, washing your hair every day can cause the loss of all the hydrolipidic film accumulated around the hair, leaving it exposed to any atmospheric condition or pollutant. To limit this particular damage, it can be helpful to combine a nourishing conditioner with the shampoo.

The risks involved in constant washing are mostly represented by scalp irritation which, in turn, can occur for three different reasons. For one thing, washing with a lot of shampoo can leave product residue on the skin, causing itchiness. It also affects the temperature of the water, and it is that excessively high is harmful, as well as the excessive heat of the dryer during the drying of the hair.

Basically, reading all the information we have so far, it might seem like daily hair washing is wrong. But actually, with a few little tricks, this is a practice that can be done frequently without any problems.

In conclusion, we can say that it is neither good nor bad to wash your hair every day, since it is best to wash your hair when there is a real need. That is, when the hair feels heavy, when it looks dull, or if it no longer holds its shape.

Washing your hair with hot water

To ensure the good health of your hair, it is important to carefully select not only cleansing or nourishing products, such as shampoo or conditioner, but also the temperature of the water used for washing. In fact, many experts recommend avoiding using very hot water, as it risks damaging your hair and ruining its look. On the contrary, it is recommended to use warm or even cold water.

In fact, too high a temperature is capable of damaging the fiber that makes up the hair, leaving it dull and brittle. Over time, it will also begin to dehydrate and become dry, causing the annoying and unsightly frizz effect. In this sense, therefore, the use of cold water is recommended, especially during the final rinse. This causes the closure of the hair cuticles, thus leaving it with a smooth and shiny appearance.

Of course, this does not mean that during the winter you have to wash your hair with ice water, risking getting sick. You just have to keep in mind that, when cleaning your hair, you should never exceed a recommended temperature, not reaching the boiling point of the water.

This reason makes it clear that the best option is the intermediate one, being the best to opt for warm water, with which the skin and hair will be cleaned, eliminating all their impurities and excess sebum. By doing so, the hair will acquire shine and the pores of the skin will close, preventing the entry of impurities.

When we talk about damaged hair, we have understood that excesses are always harmful, so it is better to avoid boiling water so as not to dehydrate the hair or achieve the aforementioned frizz effect. Similarly, it is also advisable to avoid too cold water, especially in the case of having fine hair that tends to flatten.

Returning to the reasons to avoid too hot water during the shower, the truth is that there are many. In fact, this seemingly harmless practice not only seriously damages the hair, but will also damage the epidermis. Hot water removes the natural oils from the skin, dilates the capillaries and therefore allows the formation of unsightly redness, sometimes itchy, which could lead to skin rashes and inflammation. Therefore, it is one of those 5 bad hair care habits that we have to stop from our lives without hesitation.

Applying products at the roots of the hair

In today’s world, we are used to the terms “organic” and “natural”, both of which have taken over various areas of our daily lives. In fact, they are also present in hair care, and an increasing number of ingredients are being scrutinized to avoid some questionable effects on hair health.

The first to end up on the black list were parabens, sulfates and phthalates, as they are useless or harmful to the well-being of the hair. In fact, following the trends of recent years, it is possible to deduce that silicones are not exactly well-regarded products.

However, are silicones really as harmful as they seem? To find the answer to this question, we first need to understand exactly what we are talking about, so let’s start by understanding what silicones for hair are.

Silicones are nothing more than a polymer with a behavior similar to that of common plastic, since it is a material that is characterized by a particular flexibility and that can be molded for many different uses. As for products dedicated to hair care, silicones are used to form a protective layer around the hair shaft.

This gives hair more shine, while retaining moisture to prevent or reduce frizz. On the other hand, in curly hair, products containing silicones can help control the most rebellious strands, waterproofing each one of them.

Therefore, despite their bad reputation in the beauty field, silicones tend to be safe and effective for many uses, ranging from body wash to hair care, to being included in creams dedicated to moisturizing the skin. face.

What’s more, unlike many naturally-derived oils, silicones are stable. That is, capable of not degrading when exposed to ultraviolet light or heat, and therefore cannot be transformed into unknown or unwanted by-products. This characteristic is particularly important for hair care, as it is continually exposed to direct light or heat styling tools. So let’s try to understand why some types of silicones can be a problem for the hair.

As we all know, silicones are used in many hair care products, including shampoos, conditioners, and various types of serums. So what’s the problem if almost everyone uses them? For some people, the possibility of giving up silicone is just a matter of personal preference, while for others, this renunciation is dictated by the fact that these components give the hair a strange appearance.

This last possibility occurs in the event that the silicones contained in the product are not water-soluble, so they can be difficult to remove during rinsing, in turn causing multiple and repeated accumulations of product on the skin. The result will therefore be the opposite of what is desired. The accumulations in the roots and skin will weigh down the hair and prevent the penetration of nutrients that would help revitalize it and restore its splendor.

This is why conditioner and similar products should be applied only to the lengths, which is the part that needs to be treated, while the roots should be left free to avoid this unpleasant effect. And above all, you should buy products based on water-soluble silicones, which are easy to remove during subsequent washings.

Drying the hair with a towel

One of the bad hair care habits that we have all committed at least once is that of wrapping the hair inside a towel. Why? Because not everyone knows that this procedure right after shampooing hair is harmful.

Forming a turban on the head with a towel exposes us to the risk of damaging wet hair, due to rubbing against the hard and rough fibers of the fabric. In addition, a towel tends not to let the scalp ‘breathe’, which could change its texture, making it dry or frizzy, which can lead to breakage or fall over time.

Fortunately, there are many alternatives available that can be used as a towel substitute. After washing, delicate cotton cloths can be used to dry the hair, but also silk towels or towels made of more delicate fabrics than a terry cloth towel, which will undoubtedly damage the hair.

It is therefore good to avoid over-toweling your hair, as it will not only ruin your hair with its excessive friction, but it will too quickly deprive it of all the moisture needed to withstand subsequent blow-drying. So let’s see how you can dry your hair correctly.

To do this, we must first let the towel take care of drying only the body, and reserve an ad hoc treatment for the hair that maintains its beauty and health. In fact, taking care of your hair every time you clean it means avoiding suffering from the degradation of its softness and shine.

Therefore, we leave you with the basic steps to avoid stressing your hair during the drying process and thus leave aside another of the bad hair care habits:

• Do not twist the hair forcefully: this practice will ensure that the hair does not suffer from the stress related to excessive traction, with the risk of breaking it or pulling it out by the roots.
• Do not rub your head with a cotton towel: using a fabric that is not a terry cloth will, as stated above, save your hair from rubbing against a hard and rough material that could easily damage it.
• You must dry with a dryer maintaining a reduced temperature: the temperature of the air with which we dry the hair is also important, as is the case with the temperature of the water used to wash it. Indeed, if it is too high, it will inexorably weaken the structure of the hair.

Not protecting your hair when using heat styling tools

Finally, it’s time to take a look at the relationship between hair and one of its historical enemies: heat. It is known, in fact, that styling treatments that involve the use of heat styling tools, such as a blow dryer at close range, a flat iron and a curling iron, are extremely risky for the health of the hair. Especially if they are carried out with some frequency, since it could result in a real bunch of burnt hair.

This happens because the heat has the secondary effect of opening the cuticles that cover the surface of the hair, which in this way will have a rough, uneven appearance that is completely far from the ideal of fluidity and smoothness that we want to achieve. In particular, too frequent and incorrect use of the hair dryer can cause serious damage to the hair structure, since on wet hair the water evaporates at an impressive speed, contributing to further raising the temperature.

This is how the bubble hair phenomenon is created: in practice, a chemical reaction is triggered that causes the formation of bubbles, air spaces called vacuoles, on the surface of the hair, permanently altering it. In this way we will find ourselves before hair damaged by the hot iron or the dryer, which should never be used with hair that is still very wet. As a result, the hair will be very weak and prone to breakage easily.

To prevent this from happening, in addition to minimizing the use of heat styling tools, you can observe a few simple rules that will prevent disaster. First of all, the hair dryer should be used at a temperature that is not excessively high and away from the hair. Therefore, it is not prohibited, since it is enough to keep it at medium speed and at a minimum distance of 30-40 cm, although natural drying is still the best method during the summer months.

Another key factor when it comes to heat styling tools is the use of a heat protectant, a great friend of healthy hair. These are products specifically designed to protect the integrity of the hair against intense exposure to heat, as it is capable of greatly reducing the impact of this harmful agent. Special attention should be paid to the flat iron, bearing in mind that the thermal shock to which the hair is subjected is much stronger than that caused by the dryer, as well as being more prolonged and concentrated in the individual strands.

For this reason, it should be used only when absolutely essential. Finally, it is a good practice to regularly apply a nourishing and restructuring cream which, like the thermal protector, will defend the hair from the repeated action of agents that can damage it.

By following these tips, the risk of damaging your hair should remain low and it will be easier to achieve the result you want by stopping the 5 bad hair habits that your need to stop right now. So, prepare for loose, shiny hair worth stroking all day.