What your hair is REALLY trying to tell you

From low iron levels to poor diet
and digestion:

What your hair is REALLY trying to tell you

When it comes to bad hair days, often we attribute them to falling asleep with wet hair, a bad blow dry or simply neglecting to wash our locks before work.

But in fact, the state of our mane can be down to our lifestyle as well.

From the hair type that depicts low iron levels to the warning signs your locks are giving you that your diet and digestion are poor, here, with the help of leading Australian trichologist, Jane Davies, FEMAIL reveals what your hair is trying to tell you.

1. You're stressed

Speaking to FEMAIL, Jane revealed that if your hair is looking worse than it did a few months ago, it could be more than a bad hair day:

'If your pony tail is getting thinner, if your hair is more brittle or if your hair doesn't grow as quickly or as long as it used to, it could be a sign that your body is stressed, or deficient in nutrients or other more medical or physiological issues,' she said.

'It's important to realize that hair vitality only comes about when the body is healthy.

'As hair cells are the second fasting growing cells in the body, they are dependent on every part of the body working synergistically and optimally together to provide the best possible hair growth.'

2. Your diet and digestion are poor

While you might think the signs that your diet and digestion are poor are mostly around your waistline, a diet laden with sugar, fat and carbs can also manifest in your tresses:

'Hair loss or thinning is a common consequence of somebody who does not provide the hair follicles with the correct amount of nutrition they require to function at the optimal level,' Jane explained.

As a a result of a bad diet, you might experience hair loss and thinning, and Jane highlighted that this is especially the case when you crash diet and cut out specific food groups, such as good sources of animal protein:

'When we eat a good source of bioavailable protein it's broken down in our stomachs into amino acids and this is a crucial part in producing strong healthy hair cells,' she explained.

'Also, if there are any underlying gut health issues, such as low stomach acid, intestinal permeability or candida overgrowth, these can also cause nutritional deficiencies and have a detrimental effect on hair growth and scalp health.'  

3. Your pill is messing with you

We all know the contraceptive pill has a huge impact on our hormones, but what about our hair?

According to Jane, it's 'becoming all too common for trichologists to come across young women who have been taking a high androgen index contraceptive pill that is causing some issues with hair growth and reduction of volume through the top part of the scalp'.

She said that if you suspect you have any hair thinning because of the contraceptive pill, you should consult a trichologist who may say you need treatment to reverse the progressive thinning pattern.

4. Your have low iron levels

As explained before, Jane said your hair can often show off the results of a diet low in iron and good sources of animal protein.

'The hair growth cycle will most often be the first thing to be affected, and the last thing to recover when you have deficiency in an essential micronutrient,' Jane explained.

'Telogen Effluvium - or excess hair shedding - is the hair loss pattern you are most likely to see.

'However, long term most nutritional deficiencies can also cause poor quality new hair, as the hair is not being replaced "like for like".'

The expert added that nutritional deficiencies affect the 'overall density of the hair shaft, which can make the hair become weak and brittle'.

If you're not a fan of meat and fish sources of iron, then make sure your hair is getting the adequate nutrients by opting for some eggs, pulses and beans and wholegrains in your diet.

5. You are washing your hair too little or too much

Last but not least, a question that is debated a lot by hairdressers and trichologists is whether we wash our hair too little or too much.

'I get asked this daily and it's my favorite question to answer,' Jane revealed.

'The skin on the scalp is an extension of the skin on your face. It's covered with 120,000 hair follicles which produce sebum (oil) continuously to keep your skin supple and help to maintain the correct pH balance.'

Jane outlined that 'contrary to what people think, regular shampooing is not in any way detrimental to your hair or scalp.

'In fact, done correctly and with the right products, it actually re-moisturises the hair.'

She said that if you refrain from washing your hair too much, then the oils will collect dirt and that dirt will sit there until you remove it.

Jane concluded that if you have any scalp issues, 'such as persistent flaking, oiliness or itching, you will see some improvement if you start shampooing more frequently.'  

So no need to feel guilty if you're a daily hair washer, then.

Jane Davies, Founder of The Hair Physio, is a Certified Trichologist and a Member of the World Trichology Society. To find out more, please click here. 
 
This article first appeared on Daily Mail