Hairy Situation

While follicle flaws like graying or baldness simply slide down the family tree, others derive from external factors. In fact, your locks don’t just accentuate your look; they often reveal your health. But whether split ends stem from too many color treatments or a more serious issue, you’re right to tend to the condition of your tresses.

• Loss: Shedding a few strands as you brush is no cause for alarm. Your head says goodbye to about 100 hairs a day. But some conditions can cause more extreme thinning. Thyroid dysfunctions, eating disorders, and iron or protein deficiencies can all shut down hair production. Eat enough protein (about 50 grams/day for women and 60 grams/day for men, depending on age and lifestyle), like eggs, fish, and whole grains that contain all essential amino acids.
• Frizz: Too much blow–drying, styling, and ponytail–wearing can rough up your hair. But brittle bangs can also indicate a dietary shortfall in healthy fats, vitamin A, and selenium. Choose more foods like wild salmon, flax, spinach, and walnuts to help revitalize your strands… and dial back the use of hair products and devices.
• Flakes: Even though dandruff can signal eczema or psoriasis, hormone imbalances, or immune disorders, some experts believe the overgrowth of a common skin flora triggers the rapid cell turnover that leads to flakes. Try washing with tree tea oil shampoo, which has antifungal and antiseptic qualities.