8 Things Your Hair Can Tell You About Your Health

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We usually think that the condition of our hair depends on the way we take care of it and on external factors. But it appears that our hair, together with various symptoms, becomes an indicator revealing that something’s wrong with how our body is working.

Bright Side has analyzed, collected the most common hair problems, and found out what diseases they point to.

Dull and lifeless hair

The first reasons that come to mind if our hair gets dull and lifeless are mistakes in caring for it, dying our hair frequently, or using a curling iron or a straightener too often. Hair also gets dull in the winter and falls out when our body suffers from a lack of vitamins and microelements. This symptom may indicate that your body needs selenium, sulfur, and phosphorus. To make sure you’re right, take a look at your gums and teeth: if you notice dental issues or other unpleasant changes, you should consult a doctor.

Dandruff

Dandruff isn’t dangerous in itself but it looks rather unpleasant and can cause excessive itching. There are many reasons that cause this nasty thing. You might use too many hair care products. What’s more, dandruff occurs as a result of frequent diets (especially those where you have to cut back on fats and carbs.) Another reason may be stress, issues with your gastrointestinal tract, or immunodeficiency. If a person suffers from yellow dandruff, they may have seborrheic dermatitis, a dermatological pathology that is rather difficult to get rid of. In this case, anti-dandruff shampoos won’t help and you’ll have to visit a trichologist to determine the cause and find a solution.

Thin and brittle hair

Thin and brittle hair may be a result of a lack of protein, an element that performs various significant functions that other elements can’t deal with. In other words, it builds our body. When the body suffers from the lack of protein, the condition of our skin, nails, and hair gets worse. It’s recommended to eat more fruits and consume omega−3 fatty acids. But such symptoms may indicate that there are more serious problems. For example, brittle hair is one of the symptoms of Cushing’s disease. To be on the safe side, make sure you don’t have any other signs of this disease: chronic insomnia, high blood pressure, and unexplainable back pain.

Focal hair loss

It’s said that losing around 100 strands per day is normal, except during pregnancy, change in your age, or other natural things when we lose more hair than usual. The easiest way to check if everything is OK is to run your fingers through your hair and drag them from the roots to the ends. If everything is great, there should be from 0 to 2 strands; if everything is fine there’ll be from 3 to 5 strands; if there are more strands, then it’s time to visit a doctor. Hair loss may be connected to the endocrine system or issues with your immune system. It may also be a sign of diabetes. So it’s recommended to visit a doctor as soon as possible. Don’t panic, it may be the lack of vitamins or a result of stress. That’s why it’s a good idea to start drinking soothing herbs.

Greasy hair

Greasy hair usually indicates that your diet isn’t healthy enough and that you consume too many animals fats. To solve this problem, try to eat less meat, greasy, and fried dishes, avoid consuming sweets, smoked foods, alcohol, and coffee. You may try to make your sebaceous glands work properly using tea tree oil: a few drops added to your shampoo may solve this issue. If these tips don’t work, greasy hair may indicate that you experience metabolism problems, hormonal failure, or liver issues. In this case, you have to turn to a professional so as not to worsen the situation.

Premature graying

In fact, graying mostly depends on a person’s genetic predisposition: as we age, the number of melanocytes responsible for pigment production decreases. On average, women start seeing gray hairs by the age of 30-40. But there are also situations when young people and even teenagers go gray. Premature graying affecting separate strands is often a result of severe stress, chronic fatigue, or even a poor diet (for example, when a person reduces the amount of protein.) Scientists are sure that all these things affect melanin production and that’s why our hair may go gray faster.

Itchy scalp

If this symptom is accompanied by pimples, sores, head skin peeling, and other kinds of skin irritation, it’s a sign that something’s really wrong and it’s time to turn to a dermatologist to make sure it’s not psoriasis or eczema. If the itching isn’t accompanied by any other symptoms, it may be a result of a nervous system disorder caused by stress. It may also be a tic disorder (as well as nail biting.) In this case, it’s recommended to drink soothing herbs and vitamins B1 and B6. Then you should visit a neurologist.

Dry hair and split ends

If we don’t consider such obvious factors as a perm and frequent hair dryer use, our hair also gets dry because of the lack of protein (it’s a building material as we’ve already mentioned), iron, and copper (as a result, our scalp experiences oxygen deficiency.) This problem is also frequent in people who follow strict diets and suffer from issues with their endocrine system. Make sure you’re eating healthy foods and, from time to time, eat redfish and carrots to enrich your body with vitamins. It’s also recommended to drink orange juice since it contributes to better iron absorption. Don’t forget to drink enough water to avoid dehydration.

Split ends, as well as dry hair, are a result of a chemical impact. But there are more types of split ends than you may think. And there are different ways to treat them. 3 of the most common types: Y-split is the most well-known type. In this case, you don’t have to cut your hair. You can save your hair with the help of oils enriched with vitamins and moisturizing masks. The candle (or taper) split signifies a loss of the outer cuticle and, while a split has not yet started, the strand is highly likely to split at any time. In this case, you have to get your hair cut. To avoid this problem in the future, you may treat your hair with essential oils and install a mineral shower filter that will protect your hair from chlorine. The feather split means that there has been severe damage done to your hair, which has weakened and caused multiple splits along the strand. In this case, a person’s hair looks like straw. This type of split is most common in women with bleached or color-treated hair, so you have to stop bleaching or dying your hair. It’s also recommended to reduce the use of a hair dryer, a curling iron, and so on. You may also buy a special hair care product containing OFPMA, a molecule that protects your hair.

We want to remind you that this data is just for your information and you shouldn’t diagnose yourself. If you experience any health problems, you should consult a doctor. Take care of your health!

How do you usually take care of your hair? Do you have any tips to share with us?

Preview photo credit Aes-jasonjones

Source: https://www.brightside.me/inspiration-health/8-things-your-hair-can-tell-you-about-your-health-619510/