Why less is more when it comes to hair health, By Dr. Eccles

The last time I wrote about hair, I made the point that of all our anatomical features, our hair is one that plays an important part in defining how we are perceived by others. It impacts on our confidence and self-esteem and has been shown to play a primal role in the chemistry of sexual attraction.

In other words, our hair is important, and when we start to lose it, the impact isn’t just , physical but can also be deeply emotional.

Hair is the one unique physical signature we have real power to change on a daily basis. Things like tinted lenses, false lashes and nails and cosmetic treatments represent a commercial sleight of hand that can give the illusion of a changed physical appearance of facial features and hands, in the end that’s not the stuff you were born with.

In 2016, women spent an average of £750 on their hair – that’s £62.50 a month and hair salons were part of an industry sector turning over £4bn annually and accounting for close to 10% of the British workforce. Make no mistake, hair is serious business.

But our preoccupation with our hair is also its greatest threat. There are all sorts of reasons why our hair starts to thin or recede as we get older and very few of them are to do with natural anatomical process: in most cases, we’ve played an active if unknowing role in helping our hair on its way.

The good news is that thinning or receding hair doesn’t necessarily have to be permanent. Here at The Natural Doctor_® we’re seeing tremendous regrowth results from our BioGroHair treatment after just eight weeks and as long as you act before it’s too late (there’s no coming back from complete baldness) there’s a good chance of reversing hair loss. But more on that in a moment.

If you’re one of our happy clients who’s seen their hair recover and wants to do what you can to protect it in the future or if you don’t have a hair loss issue but you’re worried you might, here are some tips on how you can do your best for your locks.

Fire engine red might reflect your vibrant personality, but it’s doing nothing for your hair health. The more colour and bleach you put in your hair, the more damage you’re doing. The same goes for perming – which is just chemical curling. It all goes back to that thing about our hair being the one thing about our physical appearance we can readily and easily control. And we do, spending hundreds of pounds in salons up and down the country in order to rock a particular look.

Bleach and other chemicals, like hair dye, removes natural pigments and changes your hair structure, making it weaker. In short, you’re poisoning your locks.

Go easy on the heat. The hair dryer and hair straighteners and curling tongs all use heat to achieve the style you want, but if you use them too much they can have a big impact on the structure of your hair – temporarily changing the natural make-up of the hair strands. Less is definitely more where heat and hair are concerned.

Scraping your hair can get your hair into a scrape. Like most things, ponytails and braids are fine in moderation but the key is not to pull your hair back too tightly, because that causes the hair to break and wearing that kind of style every day can cause long-lasting and even permanent damage. Extensions and weaves can have the same effects, causing the hair to become brittle. If ponytails, braids and extensions are your thing, then give your hair a better chance of long-term survival by styling it that way when it’s dry, since wet hair is more fragile.

Rapunzel was wrong. Received wisdom (which turns out not to be so wise) is to brush your hair through 100 times, just like the fairytale heroine. But over-brushing creates more friction than the hair can handle and leads to breakage and potentially permanent damage. Invest in a good brush, too – the cheap variety can lead to snags and tangles, stressing your tresses.

Oil leaks are good. Your scalp produces natural oils which help to strengthen, moisturise and nourish the follicles and the hair strands. Shampooing is a good way of cleansing the scalp and maintaining those oils and natural moisture at effective levels. But overdo it and you start to do more harm than good. Your hair may be the cleanest it’s ever been, but it’ll also start to become dry and brittle. Wind it back a bit and find a wash frequency that keeps your hair clean, protects the follicles and maintains natural moisture and oils.

If you’re worried about hair loss or you think you may already be suffering from excessive thinning, come and talk to me about how my all-natural, non-chemical BioGroHair treatment can help.

BioGroHair is a two-phase treatment using formulas containing only natural molecules. An initial daily phase of treatments stimulates regrowth and is then followed by a two- to thre-times weekly maintenance phase.

You can discover more by visiting our BioGroHair information pages.

As an expert in hair loss, I’ve applied my philosophy of using only natural treatments to developing a range of formulas that have seen amazing results in just eight weeks with no risk.