Hair is an important aspect of appearance for pretty much everyone. It is an essential accessory, and it can take a lot of work to maintain. Many people often find themselves wishing their hair was more manageable, longer and smoother, or even a different color. Most of the time, frustration is the only thing that comes out of the struggle for style. In order to achieve the hair you wish for, it is important to know more about the topic. Through my current internship with a hair coloring company, I have learned a lot of information regarding hair. Some facts that you may not have known about hair are:
1) Hair is dead once it leaves the root. 2) The average head has 100,000 strands of hair. 3) Blondes not only have more fun, but more hair with an average of 120,000 strands. While brown comes in second place at 100,000 and red in last at 80,000. 4) You can lose up to 100 strands of hair per day. 5) Hair grows .3-.5 millimeters per day, which translates to 12-15 centimeters a year. 6) Hair is the second fastest growing tissue in the body, second to bone marrow. 7) Vitamins C and D and protein can aid in hair health. 8) Pigment is what gives hair its color. With age, hair has less pigment, which results in unwanted grays. 9) Factors such as drugs, medicines, and even iron deficiency can result in hair loss. 10) Baldness comes from genes and is experienced by fifty percent of men and forty percent of menopausal women. 11) Hair has two main ingredients—keratin and water. 12) Eumelanine and phaeomelanine are proteins that determine hair color. Dark hair has more eumelanine while lighter hair has more phaeomelanine.
Now that you are more familiar with the facts, you need to know what you can do to achieve the look you are going for. The most important thing to do when wanting better hair is to take care of it. Protein and vitamins are essential for hair health and growth, so eat healthy. Iron and zinc deficiency can lead to hair loss, so make sure you have adequate amounts of both. Taking a supplement that has Vitamin B, like Biotin, will help hair growth. You are what you eat, and if you want healthy hair, you should maintain a healthy diet.
Stress can also hinder hair growth and even result in hair loss. All-nighters, exams, and essays may boost your stress levels, so you have to learn to control the anxiety, or else your hair will suffer from the effects. Exercise is a great way to relieve stress, and being active will add to your overall health as well, benefitting your hair in a positive way.
Hair styling can also do major damage to your hair. Curling, straightening, drying, combing and scrunching can give you the look you desire for the moment, but overdoing it can cause hair thinning and breakage. Make sure you give your hair time to recover from the heat and pressure styling can cause.
Junior business marketing major Katie McCluskey attributes her long hair to the proper care. “I don’t use too much heat so that my hair doesn’t dry out, but I also don’t use too much conditioner so that there’s a balance,” she said.
Dyeing your hair can also have harmful effects. Chemicals within hair dyes can make your hair weak and brittle, and can also cause allergic reactions.
Junior anthropology and education major Madison Pinto said, “I used to dye my hair constantly, changing it from black to brown to blonde, but soon it became dead and weak, and I had to stop.”
The problem with dye is not just common for you and I. Celebrities like January Jones, Lady Gaga, and Kelly Osbourne have all struggled with hair loss due to excessive dyeing. However, there are other solutions if you want to keep coloring without harmful consequences.
Semi-permanent dyes such as Cosamo’s Love Your Color offer the color you are looking for without harsh chemicals found in most dyes. If you want to keep your hair in shape, stick to being natural or choose healthy solutions to conventional dyes.
Although it is necessary to keep your hair clean, you should not shampoo too much. In order to maintain a healthy head of hair, you should wash it three or four times a week. Many tend to think washing their hair everyday will benefit their hair growth and health but in reality, over washing can cause the hair to dry out which can lead to breakage. Dry shampoos will help you get through the days when you do not wet and wash.
Companies like Tresemme make these dry shampoos that are sold in convenience stores. Using oils to coat the ends of the hair will also help to prevent split ends and further damage. Having your hair trimmed every few months will also get rid of unwanted split ends and promote growth. Avoiding overexposure to the sun is also a good idea, although some exposure can allow you to achieve the natural highlights that you might desire.
In order to keep your hair healthy, long, and looking great, consider diet, health, and maintenance. Hair is a great accessory, and it’s yours, so take care of it. Having a balanced diet full of protein and vitamins, exercising and curbing stress, and styling in moderation can all help you have the beautiful head of hair that you dream of.
