Some Common External Factors That Affects Our Hair Negatively

1. Drugs and Certain Medications

Certain drugs and medicines are a major cause of hair loss. Some of these medications target rapidly growing cells in the body, which also includes the hair cells as well. Antidepressants, anticoagulants, hormones and drug prescriptions for heart disease and high blood pressure can affect the hair’s growth cycle in some cases.

2. Sun exposure

Sun exposure can cause hair dryness and photo-aging. Sunlight on human hair causes photo-degradation. Also, the UV rays change the hair’s physical properties and chemical composition. Free radicals damage results in bleaching due to melanin oxidation and causes protein degradation, keratin impairment, tryptophan degradation, making hair fragile, dull and dry.

3. Low protein or crash diets

Protein or amino acids are the building blocks of hair, collagen, cells, etc. Low dietary ingestion means fewer building blocks.

When our protein stores are low, the body immediately shifts hair growth into the catagen resting phase where it can remain for months.

4. Low quality hair care products

Using low-quality products can also have a very bad effect on our hair. These products are made up of cheap quality material which further damages the hair and makes weaker day by day.

5. Extreme Weather Conditions

Extreme weather conditions tend to negatively affect the moisture levels in hair and mostly results in breakage and damage. For example, exposure to very hot weather and UV rays can lead to yellowing and damage to the outer layer of hair. Hence it is important to protect your hair from environmental damage.

6. Exercising

It is imperative to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise is good for our bodies but the sweat residue, on the other hand, can leave bacteria on your scalp and hair fibers and can also make hair feel fragile when the sweat dries up. Build up of bacteria on the scalp will hamper scalp health and dry weak hair will break easily.

7. Swimming

Chlorine in swimming pools builds a layer on the hair which will abolish the majority of your hair care efforts because the buildup of mineral on hair will prevent hair products from being absorbed into hair fibers appropriately.