4 Things Your Hair Can Say About Your Health

4 Things Your Hair Can Say About Your Health

Most of us view our hair as separate from the rest of our body, but like our nails, hair is an extension (pun intended) of our body that can give us clues as to our overall health. Herein, four hair signs that something may be amiss.

If you once had thick, lustrous hair that turned fine and limp, first look to see what you’ve been doing to your hair lately. Have you been swimming a lot in chlorinated water? Did you dye your hair recently? These things, among others, can cause your hair to lose its luster. But limp, dry hair may also be a sign of hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, in which your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones, causing your metabolism to slow down. Other signs of hypothyroidism can be sudden weight gain, unexplained fatigue, and being cold all the time. If you suspect hypothyroidism to be the culprit, talk to your doctor about testing your thyroid levels. If you do have an underactive thyroid, you can often take medication to supplement your hormone levels.

A lot of people have dandruff that is easily treated with an anti-dandruff shampoo, but if your dandruff is starting to turn into thick scaly patches, it could be a sign that you have psoriasis, an autoimmune disease in which the skin goes into overdrive, speeding up the process of skin cell turnover. If you have another autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis or Crohn’s disease, it ups the chance that you’ll get psoriasis, so be especially wary if you have another autoimmune condition.

The average person loses about 100 hairs a day (by the looks of my hairbrush at the end of a day, I’d say my average is closer to two or three hundred). This hair loss is normal and doesn’t make your hair feel any thinner. But if your hair starts to feel markedly thinner or your hair starts to come out in clumps, it may a sign that something is up (or in this case, out). Sometimes hair loss can be attributed to a recent stressor, such as a divorce or job loss. In other cases, hair loss can also be another sign of hypothyroidism or a sign of a hormonal imbalance relating to PCOS, polycystic ovarian syndrome. Still, there are also a few medications, including some birth control pills and antidepressants, which can cause hair loss as a side effect.

Yes, hair loss can be related to several things, so in this case, it’s best to talk to your doctor about all your symptoms. Also, if you suspect your meds to be the culprit, talk to your doc about an alternative before stopping your medication altogether.

Finally, another sign of a more serious problem could be dry, brittle hair that breaks easily. Your hair is made up a protein called keratin, and if you’re not getting enough protein in your diet, it could weaken your hair. This could also be another telltale sign of a thyroid issue, so be sure to check with your doc if this is the case.

How To Wash Hair Weft

STEP ONE

The first step to our guide to the best way to wash your hair extensions is to mix half a cup of warm water with a tablespoon of shampoo. We recommend using a shampoo that’s been specifically designed for dry hair, as this will intensely moisturise and nourish your hair extensions, rather than add volume or protect colour

STEP TWO

Next, fill a stain-resistant bowl or sink with warm water and pour the diluted shampoo into it. Before putting the hair extensions into the water, detangle them by brushing out the ends, the mid-lengths and then from the roots to the ends to get rid of all the knots. cause Soaking the hair with water before straightening it out can lead to even worse tangles and knots, some of which may be impossible to remove without taking a pair of scissors to them. To avoid this mess, a comb can be used to gently separate the strands starting from the bottom and gradually moving to the top of the extension. Starting from the bottom is one way to avoid breaking off tangled bits unnecessarily.Now, here's how to wash your hair extensions: gently place the extensions into the water and leave them to cleanse for no more than ten minutes. Don’t be tempted to swish or swirl the hair around as this will only cause the hair extensions to tangle!

STEP THREE

After washing the hair extensions, remove them from the water and rinse them under a running tap, holding the extensions at the top of the weft. Letting the water run through them will help rinse away the shampoo and fully wash your hair extensions.

STEP FOUR

Once you have finished washing your hair extensions, gently squeeze out any excess water before laying them flat on a dry towel. Next up, apply a good quality conditioning treatment to the extensions.Fold the hair extensions into a clean towel and leave them be for one hour before rinsing the product away.

STEP FIVE

The next step in our guide to how to wash your hair extensions is to apply more conditioner to your hair extensions (you can use more conditioner on hair extensions than you would on natural hair, as it’s harder for them to get greasy!). When you've applied and rinsed out the conditioner, fold your clip-ins up in a clean towel and leave them to dry naturally overnight. If you're in a hurry, leaving them in an airing cupboard or by a radiator can speed up the process.(remember ;Making sure to dry your hair thoroughly is very important, Otherwise, a weave left wet runs the risk of acquiring mold, which will leave your hair smelling far worse than before. )

STEP SIX

Finally, comb or brush through your hair extensions when dry (remember, you should always comb your extensions working from the ends upwards but donn't  comb wet hair.Your hair is in a delicate state when it is wet. Hence, avoid combing in such condition as it leads to hair fall and hair breakage." ).

STEP seven
Replace your weave on a regular basis. Weaves will lose some of their lustre over time, so it's generally good form to replace them around every three months. Even natural hair weaves are fairly inexpensive, so making purchasing a new set part of your routine is a great way to maximize your look!

Wear a Weave Without Wrecking Your Hair

Wear a Weave Without Wrecking Your Hair

Wearing a weave or extensions in your hair can give you the volume and length you long for. But you’ll need to take extra care to make sure they don’t break your hair or pull it out.

“Anyone can wear extensions and still have healthy hair,” says Melanye Maclin, MD, a dermatologist and hair loss expert in Washington D.C. “You just have to take the time to show your natural hair and the weave some TLC.”

Here’s how to do it.

Prime Your Hair and Scalp

Get your hair in good shape before adding extensions. Take a break from the weakening chemicals in curl relaxers or dyes to get a head start in avoiding breakage.

Make sure your hair is clean, well conditioned, and free of buildup from dead skin cells and styling products like hairspray. These can cause dryness, flaking, and itching.

“If your scalp is dry and flaky, use a medicated shampoo that contains zinc pyrithione or selenium sulfide, concentrating the suds on your scalp,” Maclin says. Leave it on for 15 minutes and rinse out. Then wash once more with regular shampoo and condition. Do this once a week for 4 weeks.

If you’re still seeing flakes, visit a dermatologist before getting extensions. You may have seborrheic dermatitis, which can be harder to get under control when you have extensions.

How Extensions Are Attached

How a hair extension is attached to your head depends on the type you use:

A partial or full weave is sewn into tight braids of your own hair.

Extensions are bonded to your hair with a type of glue. You may need 50 to 100 of them, depending on the thickness of your hair.

Clip-in extensions add volume or length in a hurry. You attach them under the top layer of your hair.

Stay Loose

Maclin says the biggest mistake that women make with extensions is wearing them too tight. This puts a lot of tension on the hair follicles, which can make your hair fall out. At worst, it can contribute to the most common type of permanent hair loss in African-American women.

Getting extensions should not be painful or cause headaches. If it does, they’re too snug. Speak up! Ask your stylist to loosen them before continuing.

Clip-ins are the least damaging extensions because they can be removed quickly and require little to no glue or braiding. But they can cause hair breakage if they pull or snag your hair, so put them in loosely.

Don’t Skimp on Shampooing

“Gently shampoo at least once a week to keep your scalp at its healthiest,” says hairstylist Tamika Fletcher, co-owner of Natural Resources Salon in Houston. “This reduces the buildup of product used for styling your extensions and dead skin cells.”

If you wear clip-in extensions, remove them first. Clean and dry them separately before reattaching.

If your weave or extensions are sewn, bonded, or glued into your hair, separate your natural hair from them as best you can. Then wash, rinse, and condition your real hair separately from your faux hair. Towel-dry gently before you comb through or blow-dry.

Don’t Overdo It

Even if they still look neat and polished, don’t wear hair extensions for more than 6 weeks at a time. “Weaves should be removed to allow for a thorough cleaning of the scalp and deep conditioning of the hair,” Maclin says.

Take Care When Taking Extensions Out

The glue used to secure hair extensions to your head contains chemicals that can cause hair loss. “If bonding glue is absolutely necessary, use bonding glue remover not only to take out the extensions but, more importantly, to ensure no glue remains in the hair,” Fletcher says. “Any remaining glue can adhere to hair and become nearly impossible to remove without losing hair in the process.”

If your hairline or scalp itches after your weave is removed, you may have an allergic reaction. Formaldehyde is used to preserve hair weaves, and it sometimes causes irritation. See a dermatologist. They can treat an itchy or irritated scalp.

Give Your Hair a Break

Forgo extensions for a few weeks while you baby your hair and scalp to give it a break. Switch to a hairdo that puts less stress on your hair. Then you can put the extensions back into healthy hair.

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