The condition and appearance of your hair can profoundly influence your overall self-confidence. When your hair looks vibrant and healthy, it provides an undeniable boost to your mood and posture. Conversely, a bad hair day can make you cringe every time you glimpse your reflection. One reliable method to secure that positive hair confidence is through dedicated hair health maintenance. This approach goes beyond mere styling and coloring, focusing instead on holistically rebuilding your hair's natural strength and condition. An authority on this subject is Dr Sharon Wong, Consultant Dermatologist and co-founder of DOSE.
The Nine Most Damaging Hair Habits According to Dr Wong
Below, Dr Wong exposes the worst practices for your hair, ranging from products that may seem beneficial but actually harm, to dietary missteps that weaken hair strands.
1. Wearing Tight Ponytails and Braids Repeatedly
The pulling force and tension applied to hair follicles can, over time, cause inflammation and scarring, resulting in permanent hair loss areas known as traction alopecia, explains Dr Wong. She advises opting for looser hairstyle alternatives or reducing the frequency and duration of wearing ponytails and braids. While occasional use for special events is acceptable, repeated styling creates cumulative trauma to the hair and recurrent follicle inflammation. Persistent scalp pain that lasts until the hair is released indicates the style is excessively tight.
2. Using Oil to Moisturise Your Scalp
Oils create an occlusive film over scalp skin that can clog follicles. This can trigger acne-like spots or scalp folliculitis while attracting more debris, dead skin cells, and exacerbating flaking and itching. The scalp skin has abundant grease glands secreting its own natural oils, so additional oils are unnecessary, states Dr Wong. For proper scalp hydration, consider humectants like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, or glycerin, which attract water to the skin surface without clogging pores.
3. Applying Heat Straighteners Directly to Wet Hair
Water molecules within the hair shaft transform into steam when exposed to high heat. This steam expands inside the hair fiber, causing structural deformities called bubble hair that make strands prone to breakage. Straighteners should preferably be used on dry hair at the lowest heat setting, after applying a heat protectant. Dr Wong clarifies that hair dryers pose less risk because they operate from a distance, unlike straighteners whose hot plates make direct contact. Similarly, hair drying brushes generally use lower temperatures with diffused heat application.
4. Crash Dieting and Insufficient Protein Intake
Hair consists of approximately 95% keratin, which is protein. Adequate dietary protein provides essential building blocks for strong, healthy hair. Sufficient caloric intake is equally crucial to maintain the highly active, rapidly dividing follicle cells that produce hair. Crash dieting and inadequate protein can lead to hair shedding, poor growth, and weaker strands, warns Dr Wong. If appetite diminishes due to weight loss measures like medications or surgery, ensure consumed foods are nutrient-dense and protein-rich. Consider protein supplements if dietary intake remains inadequate.
5. Excessive Use of Bleaches and Dyes
Bleaches and dyes expose hair to harsh chemicals that break the bonds responsible for maintaining structural integrity and resilience. Repeated use ultimately makes hair brittle and prone to breakage. Spacing out treatments and using bond repair products can help minimize coloring damage.
6. Sleeping with Wet Hair
Damp scalp skin creates a warm, moist environment conducive to bacterial and yeast growth. This microbiome imbalance can lead to dermatitis, flaking, and folliculitis. Ideally, ensure your scalp is completely dry before sleeping.
7. Using Dry Shampoo Without Washing It Out Same Day
The starch in dry shampoo absorbs sweat, moisture, and dead skin cells to refresh hair's appearance and texture. However, this byproduct remains on the scalp unless washed off, potentially blocking follicles or causing irritation and flaking. Preferably wash out dry shampoo the same day, and if used regularly, incorporate a weekly clarifying shampoo for deep cleansing.
8. Taking Supplements Without a Deficiency
There is no proven evidence that supplements like biotin improve hair growth in the absence of a deficiency, emphasizes Dr Wong. Over-supplementing biotin can even skew results of blood tests for thyroid hormones and heart health indicators. She recommends getting blood tests to identify deficiencies before considering supplements, and only supplementing what's necessary if dietary intake is insufficient.
9. Ignoring Heat Protectants During Styling
While mentioned within other points, this deserves separate emphasis. Regardless of heat styling method—straighteners, dryers, or brushes—always use the lowest possible heat setting and apply a quality heat protectant beforehand to significantly reduce damage.
By avoiding these nine damaging habits and adopting Dr Wong's recommendations, you can protect your hair's health, strength, and appearance, thereby supporting your overall confidence and well-being through proper hair care practices.
