Top 8 Most Common Hair Problems and Their Treatments

10月 28, 2022 Julie Lu

Top 8 Common Hair Problems

1. Dandruff

Dandruff is one of the most common hair problems on the planet. The main characteristic of dandruff is producing white flakes on the scalp. While it is a harmless condition, it could be an indication that something is wrong.

We can classify dandruff into two types:

Dry dandruff – The scalp is dry due to cold weather conditions and the use of hot water, which strips the oil from the skin.
Wet dandruff – Also known as oily dandruff, this type occurs when the glands on your scalp secrete a lot of sebum, which accumulates and traps dust.

Treatment options for dandruff

Hair mask – Creating a paste from natural ingredients and applying it directly to your scalp can be helpful with dandruff. Make sure to leave the mask for 30 minutes, then rinse it off with herbal shampoo.

Oil massage – Massaging your scalp with herbal oil can be extremely effective at getting rid of dandruff. This is helpful for dry dandruff. Herbal oils include almond oil, coconut oil, camphor oil, and tea tree oil.
Regular washing – Washing your hair every day can dry up the natural oils on your scalp. However, if you have wet dandruff, you should wash your scalp at least twice a week using herbal shampoo to keep everything healthy and clean.

2. Frizzy Hair

Frizzy hair describes the curling or standing up of strands in a non-conform way. This will give your hair an uneven texture, making it look all fuzzy.

Treatment options for frizzy hair

Hair masks – Moisturizing your hair with masks to keep the oils inside the epidermis is one of the best ways to reduce frizz. Make sure to use natural ingredients in your mask (more on that later).
Use a herbal shampoo – Chemical shampoos tend to dry the skin and cause frizz. You should opt for herbal shampoos that contain no chemical additives.

Do not expose your hair to elevated temperatures – Avoid hairstyling products that use heat. These practices can dry up your hair and scalp, leading to frizz.
Use a microfiber towel – A microfiber towel can reduce frizz and keep your hair healthy. Using an old towel to dry your hair produces the opposite effect. Moreover, consider getting a satin pillow cover as it may also prevent frizz.
Loose hairstyles – Loose hairstyles (e.g., braids, buns) can prevent frizzy hair from the start.

3. Damaged Hair

When your hair gets damaged, it develops cracks on the cuticle (i.e., the outermost layer of the hair strand). This will give your hair a dull, frizzy look. Managing this condition is somewhat challenging, even for an experienced dermatologist.

The best way to manage damaged hair is by preventing it from occurring altogether.

Treatment options for damaged hair

Yoga – Research shows that yoga can be useful in eliminating toxins from the body to the lymphatic system. It’s also great at dampening stress levels. Finally, yoga helps with boosting the blood supply to the scalp. The combination of these effects can help your hair grow naturally and healthily. (6)

Throughout this article, you will notice that yoga is part of the treatment of many hair problems. This is due to the amazing benefits this free practice has to offer.

Eat a healthy diet – Providing your hair with the necessary nutrients to grow is indispensable. Make sure to consume foods rich in vitamins A, B, C, D, and E. You also need to supply your body with important minerals, such as iron and zinc.

4. Premature Greying

Everyone experiences grey hair at some point in their life. However, this process can occur in younger adults who seem otherwise healthy.

Grey hair in your 20s and 30s can have a negative impact on your self-confidence and self-esteem. Therefore, you may get tempted to opt for dyeing it.

We recommend trying the following solutions first:

Treatment options for premature greying

Take vitamin B12 supplements – Cobalamin or vitamin B12 interferes with the production of melanin in hair follicles. This substance is what gives your hair its natural color (e.g., black, brown, blonde).
Relieve your stress – Relieving your stress through exercise and yoga is an excellent way to prevent premature hair greying.
Improve your diet – Foods that improve enzymatic activity can be great for premature greying. Examples include nuts, leafy greens, iron, and copper.

5. Hair Break

The hair strands are composed of overlapping scales. Unfortunately, the weakening of these scales can lead to the breakage of the strands.

People often find it difficult to describe this problem since hair breakage is not commonly talked about. However, this condition is real and requires immediate attention.

Treatment options for hair breakage

Condition your hair – Applying a hair mask made of aloe vera, honey, yogurt, or hibiscus flowers can prevent trans-epidermal water loss. In other words, your scalp will be more effective in keeping its moisture trapped.
Regular trimming – Trimming your hair regularly can help with getting rid of split ends and preventing hair breakage.
Scalp massage – Use castor oil to massage your scalp. This will improve blood flow to your hair follicles, supplying the roots with all the nourishment they need to grow undisrupted

6. Greasy Hair

The sebum glands on your scalp are responsible for producing oils. Normally, these glands produce just enough oils to keep your skin hydrated and healthy. However, sebum production can go mayhem for some people. This will make your hair look greasy and shiny.

Treatment options for greasy hair

Eat a healthy diet – Processed foods and meals rich in simple oils trigger greasy hair. Instead, binge on leafy, green veggies.
Wash your hair regularly – Wash your hair with a natural shampoo two or three times per week to strip off some of the excess oil.
Avoid overusing hairstyling products – Using hot hairstyling products can be very damaging. The same goes for hair wax and creams.

7. Dry Hair

Dry hair is the result of stripping oil from the scalp. Some people are just born with dry hair and need to pay a lot of attention to their hairstyle routine.

Note that washing your hair on a regular basis with shampoo can worsen this condition.

Treatment options for dry hair

Use herbal oils for scalp massage – Apply herbal oils to nourish the hair follicles and massage your scalp. Choose oils with natural ingredients, such as ashwagandha, Guduchi, and Shatavari.
Eat a nutritious diet – Include more fruits, veggies, and nuts in your diet. If you are not lactose-intolerant, dairy products are also a good choice.
Hair Masks – Create a mask with Aloe Vera, bananas, yogurt, or fenugreek seeds. These masks can help replenish your scalp’s reserve of natural oils.
Avoid chemical ingredients – Exclude products that contain chemicals as they can worsen the dryness of your scalp.

8. Hair Thinning

Hair thinning is prevalent in men and women. You will notice that your hair is becoming less thick, leaving some empty spots. You will also find bulks of hair after you wash it or shower. Hair thinning can lead to hair loss if left untreated.

If this is the beginning of a serious hair condition, you might need specialized help. However, the vast majority of hair thinning cases are the result of telogen effluvium (i.e., hair loss caused by stress).

Treatment options for hair thinning

Healthy Diet – Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B9, biotin, iron, and zinc can help with hair thinning. You should also get enough protein in your diet.
Yoga – Yoga can help with relieving stress and stimulating blood flow to the scalp. Both mechanisms can improve the outcome of hair thinning.
Use Herbs – Herbs likes Fallopia multiflora and Ligustrum lucidum, are believed to strengthen the kidney, promote blood circulation and strengthen the hair follicles.

Takeaway message

Hair is subject to a variety of problems that affect most people. Dealing with these issues can be frustrating, especially when you have little understanding of their nature and treatment.

We hope that this article managed to shed some light on the most prevalent hair problems and how to address them. If your problem is getting worse, make sure to speak with your dermatologist for tailored medical advice.

References

1-Horev, Liran. “Environmental and cosmetic factors in hair loss and destruction.” Current problems in dermatology vol. 35 (2007): 103-117. doi:10.1159/000106418

2-Ranganathan, S, and T Mukhopadhyay. “Dandruff: the most commercially exploited skin disease.” Indian journal of dermatology vol. 55,2 (2010): 130-4. doi:10.4103/0019-5154.62734

3-Zaid, Abdel Naser, et al. “Ethnopharmacological survey of home remedies used for treatment of hair and scalp and their methods of preparation in the West Bank-Palestine.” BMC complementary and alternative medicine vol. 17,1 355. 5 Jul. 2017, doi:10.1186/s12906-017-1858-1

4-Lee, Yoonhee, et al. “Hair shaft damage from heat and drying time of hair dryer.” Annals of dermatology vol. 23,4 (2011): 455-62. doi:10.5021/ad.2011.23.4.455

5-Kaushik, Vaibhav et al. “Alternative Protocol for Hair Damage Assessment and Comparison of Hair Care Treatments.” International journal of trichology vol. 12,1 (2020): 7-15. doi:10.4103/ijt.ijt_3_20

6-Choi, Jaewoong, et al. “The Association between Exercise and Androgenetic Alopecia: A Survey-Based Study.” Annals of dermatology vol. 29,4 (2017): 513-516. doi:10.5021/ad.2017.29.4.513

7-Kumar, Anagha Bangalore, et al. “Premature Graying of Hair: Review with Updates.” International journal of trichology vol. 10,5 (2018): 198-203. doi:10.4103/ijt.ijt_47_18

8-Tobin, Desmond J. “Aging of the hair follicle pigmentation system.” International journal of trichology vol. 1,2 (2009): 83-93. doi:10.4103/0974-7753.58550

9-Koyama, Taro, et al. “Standardized Scalp Massage Results in Increased Hair Thickness by Inducing Stretching Forces to Dermal Papilla Cells in the Subcutaneous Tissue.” Eplasty vol. 16 e8. 25 Jan. 2016

10-Ma, Li et al. “Sensitive scalp are associated with excessive sebum and perturbed microbiome.” Journal of cosmetic dermatology vol. 18,3 (2019): 922-928. doi:10.1111/jocd.12736

11-Asghar, Fahham et al. “Telogen Effluvium: A Review of the Literature.” Cureus vol. 12,5 e8320. 27 May. 2020, doi:10.7759/cureus.8320