Whenever I see a woman with full and gorgeous hair, I often stare at her, wishing that mine was just like hers. My hair has been gradually thinning since I was in my early 20s. So far, I think I have been managing it ok by doing whatever it takes to regrow the lost hair and keep it healthy. However, I often regret a few things I did to my hair in the past. If I didn’t do these three things, I believe my hair would be in great shape (Here is a great source if you want to learn more about female hair loss).
1. Extreme dieting
Women versus diet, in my personal opinion, is an ongoing battle. There is never a point where you will be completely satisfied with a result. In my late teens, I tried so many different dieting methods from detoxification, South Beach to Atkins. You name it, I probably tried it. One of the worst diets that really affected my hair was a one-food-only diet.
Based on my limited research, I found a bunch of people talking about seaweed being a great way to lose weight and effectively cleanse your body by removing any unnecessary buildups. Well, now I think about it, it’s crazy. Eating only seaweed for three weeks straight? I don’t know what I was thinking! But back then, I was still too young to think things through.
To make it short, the seaweed diet worked with weight loss (considering I was only eating seaweed), but the side effect was really horrifying. One day, I was brushing my hair as I normally do and I noticed a big chunk of my hair on the right temple area was falling out. It literally freaked me out!
Since I wasn’t doing anything different other than the diet, I knew that my choice was causing my hair to fall out. I immediately stopped and started eating balanced meals. Eventually, hairs in the thinning spots slowly filled in, but to this day, my hair has never fully recovered.
2. Frequent hair coloring
Since I was a teen, I dyed my hair at least once a month. Sometimes it was at a salon… others, I just bought a hair coloring kit from a local drugstore and tried not to stain my sink. I remember times I felt a burning sensation on my scalp while leaving the dye in my hair, but I usually ignored it and focused on the end results. To make it worse, I left it on my hair (including my scalp) much longer than what the directions said.
The end result? Thinning hair all over my scalp.
I keep thinking, ‘If I had stopped when I first noticed the uncomfortable burning sensation, how would I be now?’ But after consistent abuse to my hair for many years, I regretfully say… it’s too late.
3. Ignoring ingredients
Many people are aware of the dangers of harsh chemical ingredients in shampoo products. I am sure you’re already familiar with ingredients such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) or Paraben. According to Dr. Mercola, when you use products that contain these chemicals, it directly gets absorbed through the skin without any filtering.
Until 5 or 6 years ago, I was more focused on using shampoos that had a pleasant smell. Also, a lot of shampoo commercials featuring models or actresses tossing their gorgeous hair affected my purchasing decisions.
All in all, for people experiencing hair loss, every little thing counts. Shampoos with harsh chemicals may not be the primary cause of hair loss, but it still contributes (Click here to see a list of shampoos designed for thinning hair).
Looking back
Looking back, I feel like I abused my hair for a long time. Do I wish I didn’t do these things to my hair? Yes – I think about it everyday. I’ve been doing whatever it takes to keep my hair from thinning any further. From taking hair vitamins and using natural shampoos, to essential oil massages every night, I’m trying everything. Luckily, all of my efforts have helped me slow my hair thinning down… and I’m determined to keep trying.
Most women who are still young probably think that they are safe from hair loss. But from my experience, I know it can happen to anyone. Don’t wait until it becomes a problem.
