All hair is unique in its type, style, texture, colour, and even length. However, what all tresses have in common is that they’ve each faced some problem that has plagued them endlessly. Hair problems are a result of excessive styling, bad haircuts, wrong products for your hair or diets and at some point, we all have had to cope with them and find solutions that fit our hair.
If you are on the journey to hair health or want to be better prepared for the next time a problem shows up, here are some common hair problems and simple solutions to deal with them.
Top 10 Common Hair Problems
1. Dandruff
While dandruff is believed to be the result of poor hygiene, it is one of the most common hair problems that can occur for many reasons. The white flakes on your hair and shoulders due to any new stressors in your life, or you have recently added a product to your hair care routine, which doesn’t sit well with your scalp.
But just spotting dandruff will not give you the solution. You also have to figure out whether the dandruff is wet or dry. Winter months are popular for dry dandruff as the cold weather and the hot water combine to seep out any natural sebum that your scalp produces and leaves the skin flaky. On the other hand, wet dandruff is due to an excess of sebum secretion or a build-up of product on your scalp. Sometimes, dandruff can cause itchiness, especially near the hairline.
Once you have figured out the causes of dandruff, your next step is to find a solution that fits the bill. Since dandruff is a relatively harmless, non-inflammatory condition, it is easy to treat it, provided you keep a steady routine. Cleansing your hair with shampoo to prevent any build of excess oil or other products on your scalp is your first step towards dandruff-free hair. Adding anti-dandruff shampoo or products rich in zinc, sulphur or piroctone olamine help speed up the process. You can also resort to hot oil treatments and massages with anti-inflammatory or antimicrobial oils such as coconut, tea tree, aloe vera or fenugreek oil. You can also apply a DIY hair mask with apple cider vinegar or add some omega-3, fatty acids or probiotics to your diet.
Lastly, if you see an excess of redness or itchiness or none of the above solutions work, see a dermatologist as these can be symptoms of Seborrhoeic Dermatitis.
2. Hair Loss
Losing about 50-100 strands a day is normal, but sudden hair loss, balding or thinning hair can become a problem that needs attention. So how do you spot a hair loss problem? Here are some of the signs to look out for:
- Your hair is falling more than usual
- Your scalp is visible through your hair
- Bald patches
- A receding hairline
These hair problems usually occur due to a change in your hair care routine or a stressful lifestyle. Ageing or fluctuations in hormones can also cause a hair loss problem. You may also want to think back on whether you have been relying too much on styling your hair, using heat products or have recently done a chemical treatment such as colouring your hair.
While hair loss is a common problem, leaving it unchecked for too long can result in severe damage to your hair and fine hair problems that are much more difficult to treat. Preventative treatments like applying a heat protectant before using styling and heating tools such as flat irons or curling wands, or using an umbrella when it’s sunny outside, is a great place to start. Moisturising is an essential part of treating hair loss, especially if your hair is prone to having a dry texture. Keeping your hair hydrated with the help of essential oils or serums can protect you from external factors such as dust and keep your hair from getting brittle and easily broken.
Your diet can affect the health of your hair, so add protein-rich food to increase the strength of your strands. You should also switch to a mild shampoo and especially take care of your hair when it’s wet, as this is when it’s at its most vulnerable. You can do this by applying a hair mask or hot oil treatment before washing to give it some extra moisture or using detangling cream when combing your hair. Tying your hair when it’s wet or sweaty is also a big no.
Sometimes, medical conditions such as thyroid, diabetes, and PCOD or certain medications can also cause a hair loss problem as a side effect. In this case, visit your doctor to see if they can switch up your prescription or give you a solution to combat hair loss.
3. Split Ends
Your scalp produces sebum, which is the primary source of moisture in your hair. Sometimes, this sebum does not trickle down to your ends, making the hair excessively dry, and leading to split ends. Split ends should be dealt with swiftly through a haircut or at least a trim.
If left unchecked, the split will reach as far as your hair shaft, and you will eventually have to cut more of your hair. Split ends can stop the growth of your hair, make them easily tangled and give your hair a dull, limp look.
While the major cause of split ends is dry hair, they can also occur if you tend to use a lot of heat styling products such as curling irons or flat irons. Chemical treatments such as colouring have the same effect as the chemicals strip your hair of the natural moisture it creates.
If you see split ends in your hair, your first step should be to get a trim so that the splits do not move up to your roots. If that is not an option, you can pack the split ends with moisturising products such as a serum. This helps revive the look of your hair and keeps the split ends from inducing a hair fall problem. After this, all your energy needs to go into trapping as much moisture in your hair as possible. Apply hair masks, and make sure to thoroughly apply conditioner from mid-hair to your ends to hydrate your hair. To prevent moisture from escaping, sleep on a satin pillow cover, use a microfibre towel and reduce the amount of heat you apply to your hair. Also, use accessories that do not tangle your hair or lead to breakage, such as hair bobbles.
4. Frizzy hair
One of the most common curly hair problems is the occurrence of frizzy hair at the drop of a hat. While people with curly hair battle frizz all the time, this doesn’t mean those with other textures aren’t affected by this hair problem.
Frizzy hair is often the result of a change in the humidity or moisture content of the hair. If you travel to a more humid destination, the external moisture sucks out the natural moisture of your hair, making all the hair curl separately and stand out. If humidity isn’t the reason, it can simply be an activity that causes a lack of moisture in your hair, such as using heat styling tools like curling irons or straighteners or using too much shampoo in your hair.
Frizzy hair is tough to tame and can look extremely dry and unruly. If you want to avoid this outcome for your hair, wear a headscarf or cap to protect your hair from any external humidity. It is also imperative that you keep the moisture in your hair locked in so that you don’t face a hair fall problem due to frizzy hair. You can do so by occasionally (say every two weeks) using a hot oil treatment for your hair before showering or applying a mask to hydrate your hair. Making the switch to sulphate-free natural shampoo can also battle any hair loss problem you may face when your hair is wet.
If you want to style your hair but are afraid it may frizz, or the dry hair may cause hair fall, try loose braids or a chic messy bun that keeps your hair secure while also looking stylish.
5. Damaged Hair
Any number of practices can cause the cuticle of your hair strands to break, causing a dull, frizzy and dry look. If you see that your hair has reached the same fate, you are probably dealing with damaged hair.
Damaged hair is stressful, but not something that you cannot come back from. The first step to recovery is to point out the root cause of your issue. If you have been experiencing a lot of stress or have fluctuations in your diet, it can degrade your hair health and cause damage. Chemical treatments or not using a heat protectant when styling can fry out your cuticles and lead to the damage that you’ve been dreading. In fact, if the cuticle of your hair is damaged, the issue doesn’t end there. This can cause fine hair problems or excess hair loss if not treated immediately.
Your first step to repairing damaged hair is to strengthen the bonds that hold your cuticle together and prevent thinning of hair. Since protein is the main element that strengthens your hair, try including it in your diet along with vitamin E, K, and D. Also, ensure that your hair is always protected with a layer of serum, leave-in conditioner or a lightweight oil that doesn’t cause build-up on your scalp. Lastly, if you need to colour your hair, ensure that you are using specially formulated shampoos to minimise any hair fall problem.
6. Premature Greying
Greying of hair is a natural progression as you grow old, but if you experience it at an early age, it can be embarrassing and inconvenient for you. Once a strand greys, it cannot be reversed. However, you can stop the greying of other strands and eventually get your shiny, natural head of hair back.
The common causes of premature greying involve a reduction of melanin or blood supply to your hair follicles. This can happen when you’re overly stressed or have a hormone imbalance in your body. Greys can sometimes be a genetic occurrence, so if your family is prone to premature greying, you will likely suffer the same fate. The toxins released during smoking can also affect your hair follicles and grey your hair while decreasing the blood supply as the follicles shrink in size. Lastly, premature greying can occur if you put your hair through physical stress, such as hairstyles, to pull your hair in a different direction than its natural flow, heat styling, and chemical treatments.
To avoid premature greying, you can include vitamin B-12 in your diet. This vitamin increases the production of melanin and keeps your hair colour intact. Iron, copper or nutrient-rich leafy vegetables also produce the same effects as vitamin B-12. You can also reduce the amount of stress you put yourself and your hair through and don’t pull out any greys you see in your hair
7. Hair Breakage
It is important to understand what hair breakage is and how it appears before pinpointing the causes and treating it. Each strand of your hair is covered in scales and when the scales are affected due to various factors, it can weaken them till they eventually break off. Hair breakage can appear through split ends, shorter strands, a rough hair texture and dry, tangled hair.
Hair breakage is caused due to a myriad of factors, all of which are easily treatable if you give your hair some extra care and attention. A change in your diet or excessive stress on your hair or yourself can affect the bonds of your hair follicles and lead to breakage. A hair fall problem left unchecked eventually results in breakage since the hair is more fragile and lacks moisture. Over-washing your hair can lead to a similar fate as the water and shampoo strips off the natural sebum that your scalp produces.
However, you may rejoice in knowing that there are many treatments available for your hair breakage. Once you have identified the cause, you can simply cut back on the sources that cause the hair breakage in the first place. For example, if you have a lot of stress in your life, you can try exercises to reduce it. You can reduce the physical stress on your hair by wearing loose braids or letting your hair down every once in a while to allow it to breathe. If you are going to take a dip in the pool, ensure that your hair is protected inside a cap so that it doesn’t come in contact with chlorine. Ensure that you protect your hair with oil or sulphate-free shampoos during hair wash as well.
Remember that sometimes hair breakage can be caused due to eating disorders or medical conditions such as hypothyroidism. In this case, you must consult your doctor for alternative treatments.
8. Greasy Hair
Moisturising your hair is important, but over moisturising can cause a greasy or oily look that no one wishes upon themselves. Sometimes, your scalp itself can produce excess sebum, because of which your hair can get greasy, leading to a myriad of problems if not dealt with properly.
Greasy hair can appear due to an oily scalp and show itself as sticky hair, even after shampooing. This type of hair generally contains oily dandruff, which sticks to your hair after the skin on your scalp has shed. You can also expect to have an itchy scalp because the oil acts as a build-up that irritates the skin. A hair fall problem also accompanies the other symptoms.
If you believe that your hair is exhibiting the symptoms of greasy hair, you may have over-conditioned your hair or let the product build up on your scalp. If you use a lot of styling products or condition your hair often, it is important to cleanse your scalp from time to time. Brushing too much can also cause your scalp to secrete more oil, hence pushing towards an excess of secretion and greasy hair. If none of these reasons applies to you, it can simply be that a greasy scalp runs in your family and is a part of your genes.
To avoid greasy hair, you must shampoo regularly. If you know that your hair greases easily, avoid thick creams, hair masks or heavy oils such as shea oil, as they may cause greasy hair. You can also avoid eating excessive amounts of oily food, as what you eat often contributes to the way your scalp and hair behave.
9. Dry Hair
Dry hair is not only dull, frizzy, and lacklustre, but it also attracts a host of problems. Having dry hair is often the first sign of damage, and if your texture is heading towards it, you must take immediate action.
Since dry hair is the root cause or symptom of many hair problems, it is important to understand what causes it. The first and foremost reason for dry hair will be a lack of sufficient moisture. This issue can be caused due to excessive hair wash, using hard water, not using the right products for your hair or exposure to external factors such as UV rays and dust or wind. Lack of nutrients in your diet or reduced blood circulation in your scalp can also cause your hair to dry out. While these are everyday things that sometimes cannot be controlled, another culprit you must be wary of is artificial heat. If you tend to use heat styling tools or chemical treatments, it is almost certain that your hair is drying out and needs more hydration.
Dry hair can be revived by simply attuning your hair care routine to your hair type’s needs. Using moisture-rich products and adding a little more hydration can do wonders for your mane. For this, you must learn to use hair masks and natural oils, such as coconut oil or aloe vera oil, to your advantage. They will help enrich your hair with hydrating nutrients and pack the moisture that your scalp secretes. You must also use protectants for wading off the external factors that strip off the natural ingredients from your hair and leave them dry. Lastly, ensure that you use chemical-free products, especially those without sulphates, alcohol and parabens that can absorb all the moisture from your hair.
10. Hair Thinning
Hair thinning is an age-old problem that affects both men and women as time passes. The thinning process may range from simply a reduction in the volume of hair to complete baldness. While thinning of hair is natural when your body begins to age, it can occur as early as your teenage years.
Hair can start thinning if you have consistently lost a lot of hair or let your hair get damaged or dry and left unchecked. A poor diet and stress are major contributors to the thinning process. Most times, heredity plays a huge role in determining when your hair will begin to thin or bald, but sometimes it may be other factors such as tight hairstyles that can weaken your hair roots or using the wrong product for a long time.
Thinning of hair can be reversed with a healthy diet rich in omega-3, fatty acids and nutrients to revive the follicles and improve blood circulation. If you want to slow the process of balding, you can also apply essential oils that are laden with nutrients that repair your hair from within. One such oil is coconut oil, which seeps into each strand of hair and acts as natural sebum.
Sometimes, hair thinning can also be the result of a medical condition or medications such as chemotherapy. Most times, when this is the cause, the hair loss is only temporary and reverses itself, but you must consult your doctor for further assistance.
How To Prevent Hair Problems by Using Parachute Advansed Hair Oil?
Parachute Advansed Hair Oil is a 100% organic solution to all your hair problems. Most hair issues need an extra bit of TLC, which Parachute Advansed Hair Oil provides while also being able to satisfy the unique needs of all hair types with its range of products. You can use these oils as a base to create a DIY hair mask, as] a hot oil treatment or even a light serum.
The best part about the Parachute Advansed Hair Oil is that it forms a perfect substitute for chemical products that may only add to your hair problems. The oil also has the special benefit of being able to seep into your hair up to 96%. This means that the oil repairs your hair from within and prevents any problems that may be left unchecked. This includes dealing with dry and damaged hair, breakage, split ends or any serious damage. With time, Parachute Advansed Hair Oil can deal with all the problems that may plague you.
Frequently Added Questions
What are Hair Diseases?
Sometimes, hair loss occurs due to a disease dawning upon your mane. These diseases are treatable, but you must consult with a doctor for effective solutions. Some of these diseases include androgenetic alopecia or male/female pattern baldness, tinea capitis, folliculitis, and telogen effluvium. Sometimes, hormonal fluctuations that affect your hair may also be seen as a disease. Scalp disorders may also come under this category and should be treated effectively and swiftly so that it doesn’t have lasting damage.
What Can Your Hair Tell You About Your Health?
Hair health is often directly related to mental as well as physical wellbeing. Being physically and mentally fit can reflect on how well your hair is doing. If you are experiencing a lot of stress, it can easily reflect on your hair as it may start to fall or even grey prematurely. Similarly, what you eat determines how healthy your hair is. Eating unhealthy or oily food can make your hair greasy and untameable. If you do not give your body enough protein and nutrients to work with, it will not supply your scalp and roots with them, and therefore, your hair health may decrease rapidly. Sometimes, hair loss or an itchy scalp can also be symptoms of more serious underlying conditions, and in these cases, you must get a check-up from a doctor immediately.
Conclusion
It is essential to understand and identify the most common problems that everyone faces at least once in their lifetime. Understanding how to recognise and differentiate these universal problems and being prepared to deal with them effectively will help you gain mastery over your hair. Once you do this, achieving that effortlessly fabulous and silky hair will be as easy as ABC.
While this is in no way an exhaustive list of the kind of problems that your hair may face, it is some of the most common ones that you may encounter or may have already experienced.