What are the Common Causes of Hair Issues?

No matter who you are, where you’re from or what you do, as long as you have hair on your head you are likely to fall prey to at least one or more hair and scalp issues throughout your life. Hair comes in many different lengths, patterns, colours, and textures which can often be amazing yet frustrating and confusing for almost everyone. That’s why at The Good Hair Co we aim to help you uncover the mysteries of the hair world to bring you closer to understanding your hair and establishing the perfect routine for your hair’s profile.

Let’s talk about hair issues!

FIRSTLY, WHAT IS HAIR?

Hair is a fibre made up of keratin packed cells that have been formed in the follicle through a process called keratinisation. Your hair begins to grow from the bottom of the follicle known as the hair bulb which contains arteries that nourishes the hair. A follicle is a sac-like pit in the dermis layer (second layer) of the skin which grows your hair by packing old cells together. As these cells multiply in the follicle, the hair grows and gets pushed up through the outermost layer of the skin (epidermis layer) before eventually shedding and being replaced by new hair. This growth cycle happens in four phases - anagen, catagen, telogen and exogen.

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF HAIR ISSUES?

Whether your hair is long or short, wavy or kinky, chemically treated or natural, it can experience a number of hair issues that are more common than you might think. All hair types can experience dryness, frizziness, split ends, limpness, heat damage, colour damage, hair breakage and greying hair as well as hair loss. These changes are often due to genetics, ageing and stress as well as medication, environmental conditions, nutrition or specific hair care practices. In this article, we briefly explain how each of these factors can contribute to the hair issues you might be experiencing.

Genetics

The unique characteristics of your hair such as your hair's natural density, texture, porosity and curl pattern as well as length and colour are largely due to genetics. The types of genes you get and how much of it is dependent on which genes your parents passed down to you and how many variations you inherit. It is possible for parents to be carriers of a gene without displaying signs of that gene and passing it on to their child instead. This is why not every child’s hair will resemble that of their parents but perhaps their grandparents or great grandparent instead. Since genes can interact with each other and you receive two sets of genetic information from each of your own parents, the genetic traits you inherit are entirely random. A lot of the hair issues we experience are a result of our genes which we have no control over.

Ageing

As you age, your body and your hair also begin to change. From changing in colour to growing slower and losing density. Much of those changes are due to genetics however, hormonal changes that occur as you get older and the usual wear and tear from the environment and certain hair care practices you adopt over the years can all contribute to you experiencing different hair changes as you age. Adjusting your hair care practices and looking after your body inside and out can help you and your hair age gracefully.

Stress

Trying to juggle all of the ups and downs that come with life often leaves many people stressed which can get worse when it’s not addressed properly. Significant amounts of stress over a prolonged period of time can lead to different forms of hair loss such as Telogen Effluvium, Trichotillomania or Alopecia areata. The good news is stress-related hair loss isn’t normally permanent and hair should revert back to its normal growth cycle once the reason behind the stress has been addressed properly. Consulting with a professional the moment you notice patchy or unusual amounts of hair loss will help you get to the cause of the hair loss sooner rather than later.

Medication

There are a lot of medications that list hair loss as a side effect. Amongst those are acne medications containing retinoids, anti-clotting drugs, antibiotics, antidepressants, birth control pills and cholesterol-lowering drugs just to name a few. Therefore it is important to make note of any medication you take, read the leaflets provided carefully and consult with a professional should you experience any of the side effects listed. 

Environmental Conditions

Your daily environment contributes to the condition of your hair in ways many of us are not aware of. Our skin and hair are there to protect us from the environment and as a result, they are the first to receive the bombardment of chemicals, pollution and weather change the environment has to offer. Over time, these harsh conditions can leave hair dry and brittle leading to damage and thinning hair. Therefore protecting your hair from the environment with appropriate hair care products and practices will go a long way to keeping your hair healthy.

Nutrition

Your hair needs protein and iron to stay healthy, along with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B, zinc, and vitamin A, however, crash dieting and poor nutrition often mean these vital nutrients are missed out on our daily intake. Without a balanced healthy diet, your hair growth may slow down or even stop, leading to damaged hair or hair loss. Therefore it is important to make sure your diet includes a variety of food such as salmon, nuts, spinach, carrots, whole grains, eggs, avocado, sweet potatoes, pumpkin seeds, lentils, broccoli etc, which are rich in the essential nutrients your body needs to keep producing healthy happy hair.

Hair Care Practices

Oftentimes the styles you choose to do on your hair may be the main reason for the hair issues you are experiencing. From tight ponytails to heavy hairpieces or over manipulation of your hair. These hair care practices, if done too often and incorrectly, can cause trauma to the hair follicles and lead to hair damage or hair loss over time. Other hair care practices like using high heat or chemicals to straighten hair or over-processing hair to change it’s colour damages the cuticle layer of your hair causing hair to become dry, dull and eventually break off. Therefore seeking a professional to help you manage and maintain your hairstyling needs is important if you want to achieve your hair goals, faster, easter and healthier.

Everyone has a story when it comes to hair problems but no matter what the story, the ultimate goal is healthy, happy, great-looking hair. Our mission here at The Good Hair Co is to help achieve exactly that! 

WHAT DO I DO NOW?

Now that you have an idea of some of the potential causes of your hair issues, book your consultation with one of our certified hair experts. Get a personalised regimen consisting of highly effective product recommendations to solve your hair and scalp concerns. Let us help you discover the expert hair care advice you need to get the healthy hair you want.