Today, healthy hair is considered a symbol of health and beauty. A few weeks back, I put up a video on Instagram where I talked about hair problems and what causes them. Facing hair problems for me is an absolute nightmare and I do everything possible to keep away from it. Despite all my efforts to keep my hair healthy, I still end up experiencing hair damage, hair fall or breakage, etc. 

Most of it comes from the fact that I style my hair very often (considering my profession) and to style my hair every week I use heating tools like straighteners, curlers, etc. I ensure to use heat protectants and other sprays to avoid much damage to my hair but the frequency of doing it kind of takes a toll on my hair eventually. 

I even consider getting a hair spa and haircut done from time to time to keep my hair healthy. All in all, I leave no stone unturned when it comes to keeping healthy hair but sometimes it’s still not enough. 

I also talked about PERFECTIL, a triple-active beauty multivitamin, which turned out to be my go-to solution for providing all the essential nutrients to my hair ensuring it’s healthy and shiny. And how it works wonders for my hair!

It is interesting to know that: 

It has 22 essential micronutrients including zinc, biotin and selenium that helps to maintain healthy hair, skin and nails. I also came across a unique tool that gives you a beauty multivitamin exclusively according to your body weight and age.

With hair problems making a comeback now and then, I decided to dive a little deeper and gain some in-depth knowledge about healthy hair and the science behind it.

Healthy Hair: What is it?

Shiny and lustrous hair with a smooth texture and clean-cut ends or tapered tips are usually perceived to be healthy. Hair texture and shine relate to hair surface properties whereas the integrity of hair ends relates to the hair cortex. Healthy hair is not only important for our appearance but also our hygiene. Some of the signs of healthy hair are:

a. Shiny and smooth

b. Good elasticity

c. Detangles easily

d. Minimum breakage

e. Less amount of hair fall

f. Not too dry

Having healthy hair means that your body is producing enough vitamins and nutrients ensuring the body operates at its peak condition. Unhealthy, dry and frizzy hair may be a sign to change your diet or haircare routine. 

What are the causes of hair problems?

Hair problems can occur due to various reasons. Some of the reasons could be genetic, medical conditions, hormonal imbalance, poor diet, lack of nutrients, stress, aging, etc.

Did you know that Zinc plays an important role in building and repairing hair tissues, ensuring that the oil glands around the hair follicles work seamlessly? A deficiency of this micronutrient often leads to hair loss and thinning. Zinc is involved in important functional activities in hair follicles. In addition, it potently inhibits hair follicles regression and accelerates hair follicles recovery. (1)

Zinc deficiency results in protein structure changes in hair follicles, weakening their integrity leading to new hair falling out quicker than usual.(2) There have been recorded cases of how people revived their hair color, texture and strength with a zinc-rich diet. (3)

Our body does not naturally produce Zinc, its ingested from food or oral supplements. The 10 best foods that are high in Zinc are meat, shellfish, legumes, seeds, nuts (& peanuts), dairy, eggs, whole grains, some vegetables and dark chocolates. (4) Having a varied diet is a good source of having a sufficient amount of Zinc in your system. If you are still not having enough, you can consult a doctor for supplements.

Other than Zinc, deficiency in nutrients like vitamins B, D, C and iron can also result in hair loss. Maintaining an overall nutritious diet is indispensable for keeping healthy hair growth (5)

What are other Hair-care remedies?

Shampoo & Conditioner: While we all know the right shampoo and conditioner can contribute a great deal to keeping hair clean and healthy, we all often find ourselves confused about which one to use. Not to blame ourselves when there is a plethora of brands available in the market. One is bound to get perplexed. 

The shampoo is meant to clean the sebum (an oily, waxy substance produced by the body’s sebaceous glands). Sebum is primarily meant to protect the skin and hair from moisture loss. The excess or deficiency of sebum may alter its purpose. Dry hair could mean you have less sebum and oily hair could mean you have an excess of it. In either case, you should seek a doctor’s or a healthcare’s advice. 

A shampoo removes excess oil, sebum and dirt from the scalp. However, it may lead to hair tangling making it difficult to manage or leaving them frizzy upon drying. A poor combing technique can also add to hair breakage and other hair problems. A shampoo alone cannot do the needful, it needs to be followed by a conditioner. 

Applying a conditioner on wet hair after shampooing makes hair soft, easy to comb and restores shine and smoothness. Hence the right combination of shampoo and conditioner can play an important role in achieving healthier and shinier hair. If you are unsure which product will suit your hair better, reach out to a dermatologist. (6)

After doing my fair share of study about hair problems, their causes and remedies, I am certain as to how to take better care of it and prevent it from damage. As they say, HAIR IS YOUR CROWN, I am definitely making sure my crown remains healthy and shiny by using Perfectil.

Perfectil gives me nourishment on the inside, with triple active support for skin, hair and nails with biotin, zinc and selenium. It is also the UK’s No. 1 beauty supplement brand and my one-stop solution. I hope you find this post helpful. I will see you in the comments section, do hit me up for any query, if you may have. 

References:

(1) Ann. Dermatol. 21: 142-146, Exp. Dermatol. 14: 844-853 &

Ann. Dermato. 9: 239-241, https://www.anndermatol.org

(2) The therapeutic effect and the changed serum zinc level after zinc supplementation in Alopecia Areata Patients who had a low serum zinc level , https://www.anndermatol.org/

(3) Zinc-rich diet has given positive results in hair growth, https://www.healthshots.com/

(4) Zinc rich foods, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-foods-high-in-zinc

(5) Other nutrients that can also affect hair health, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-vitamins-hair-growth

(6) Hair Cosmetics https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4387693/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR : NISTHA SARAF

MBA is my qualification and Fashion is my passion. I embarked on this beautiful blogging journey to share my fashion space with everyone out there. Follow me on INSTAGRAM, TWITTER and FACEBOOK