Linking Your Hair To Your Health
Look at the following interesting factoids and know if a bad hair is linked to bad health.
Dandruff is not contagious. True. White flakes are not harmful to you or to others. What causes it? It can be an overgrowth of a fungus. Possible risk factors are oily skin, stress, obesity, cold, dry weather, and eczema or psoriasis. An anti-dandruff shampoo used daily may help. Yellow dandruff may be seborrheic dermatitis, an inflammatory skin condition that can occur where there are lots of oil glands. It may be due to fungus, hormones or a neurological condition. It’s treated the same way – use anti-dandruff shampoo and do see your dermatologist.
If you’re shedding 100 hairs or more a day, it is no cause for alarm. 90% of your 100,000 hair follicles are producing hair at any given time, the other 10% are in a resting phase. The hair that falls out in 2 to 3 months is replaced by new hair, and the growth cycle starts over again.
Any of the following can shock your system – surgery, vaccinations, giving birth, some medications, crash diets, severe stress, thyroid problems. They can force your hair into resting state. After a couple of months, they fall off, sometimes in handfuls. In most cases, new hair starts growing right away.
In alopecia areata, your immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, causing hair to fall out suddenly. There may be bald, smooth patches. Hair may grow back on its own, and treatment may help it grow back more quickly. If your nutritional deficiency is serious enough, like for someone with an eating disorder, hair can fall out. If you have a very low-calorie diet, lacking in sufficient nutrients, you can stunt hair growth or leave hair dull and limp. A crash diet can cost you your hair? Your hair needs protein and iron to stay healthy, along with omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamin A.
If your hair is going gray, it’s not always due to aging. Some people not yet 40 have already gray hairs. Then it may be genetic. Anemia, thyroid issues, vitamin B12 deficiency, and vitiligo can cause premature graying, but graying is not usually a sign of poor health.
Unlocking Hair Myths and Truths
Know more about hair health and body health links from your hair salon in Bellevue. We may be able to help you clear up some misconceptions you thought as true all along.