Everyday Health Club
Protect Hair from Pollution – When we become older, we begin to think more about supporting and protecting our mature locks. We know what ingredients to avoid in our hair care routine to watch it in the best possible way.
But there is something we do not know about how we must protect our hair from airborne pollution. Free dust particles from environmental pollutants can cause hair loss, which often goes unnoticed as potential culprits when we see thinning hair.
Studies show that oxidative stress, which is deposited in our bodies by environmental pollutants, affects our hair by damaging its proteins. Thus, it causes two significant side effects for our hair: hair loss and grey hair. Though, these are not the only side effects; Dullness, buildup, and scalp inflammation may also occur.
Protect Hair from Pollution? – Some of the Environmental Causes of Hair Loss in Women?
A new study from the American Association for the Advancement of Science has related air pollution to hair loss, so you must defend your hair from air pollution and other ecological stressors.
Some of the biggest culprits are:
- Exposure to smoke or cigarettes
- Sunburn or excessive sun exposure
- Fuel and exhaust gases
- Airborne allergens can trigger inflammatory responses, such as pollen, mould, ragweed, dust, and pet dander.
Protect Hair from Pollution? – How Do You Protect Your Hair from Air Pollution?
We want a boundary between our hair and these pollutants to protect our hair from environmental toxins. It can be a protective hair product or a physical shield, such as a hair wrap or hat.
But you can take other preventive measures to save your hair and scalp from air pollution. Here are our top 8 ways to help maintain your hair as healthy as possible in decay.
Protect Hair from Pollution? – 1. Protect Your Hair with a Shawl or Scarf
Using a hair wrap provides double protection against the elements. Hence defend your hair and scalp from the sun’s damaging UV rays and make a physical barrier between your curls and air pollution, pollen and mould.
Pollution leads to hair loss and also thinning. Researchers have come to know that UVB radiation, an environmental stressor, reduces the proteins in our hair, while UVA energy can cause our curls to fade. So if you plan to get out and enjoy the fantastic spring weather, don’t forget to add a cute hat or headscarf to your dress for extreme hair defence.
2. Ignore sticky styling Products
When we style our hair with products that leave a sticky residue, we invite environmental toxins and air pollution to cling to our hair. To control air pollution and hair loss, prefer water-based styling products that seal the hair cuticle and keep out free radicals that can cause hair loss.
Throw heavy, sticky styling products to the curb to protect your hair! Instead, try a lightweight, non-sticky option like Regret Heat Protection and Taming Spray. It protects hair from damaging UV rays and heat styling and also smooths and smoothes frizz without leaving a sticky residue!
3. Add a Deep Cleansing Treatment to Protect Against Environmental Causes of Female Hair Loss
We all know that healthy hair comes from a healthy scalp. But you may not know that our hair can gain around 4% of its weight due to pollution, scalp oil, and product buildup. Oops!
Hence to help combat the adverse effects of air pollution and buildup on our curls, we need to start at the source. Adding a purifying scalp cleanser to your pre-shampoo routine can help soothe your scalp to reduce inflammation and remove excess pollution and oil buildup. Our new Dawn Activated Charcoal Scalp Cleanser features a massaging applicator that helps remove excess buildup, leaving your scalp clean and vibrant without over-drying.
4. Style Your Hair in a Loose Plait or Twist
Tying our hair back means less contact with air pollution and airborne allergens. Less exposed surface area means less access to our threads!
Try pulling your hair back loosely to protect your hair from air pollution. Low buns, braids, and twists are great options; make sure they are loosely connected to avoid damage!
For easier, damage-free styling inspiration, check out our 17 easy no-heat ideas designed to assist you in beating the heat and looking your best.
5. Make Heat Styling Easier for Stronger, Healthier Hair
Applying heat to unprotected hair weakens the strands and can even cause frizz! Once the chains weaken, they become more exposed to pollutants and environmental toxins.
An easy and effective solution is letting your hair air dry or using your dryer in the most relaxed setting.
But if you’re an everyday heat stylist like most of us, that’s unrealistic. To protect your hair from air pollution and heat damage, it’s essential to apply a heat protectant like our Vegan No Regret Heat Protectant, which coats the hair shaft with vitamin E and plant-based oils to protect it from heat damage. High temperatures. At 450F!
6. Moisturize Your Hair and Keep Cuticles Closed
Aged hair tends to be drier and more porous with less smooth cuticles. Rougher, upturned cuticles mean our hair is more susceptible to absorbing pollutants and odours from airborne particles. (This is particularly true for persons with curly hair!)
There’s nothing better than a rich, ultra-hydrating hair mask to smooth and seal rough, puffy cuticles. Better, Not Younger’s Butter Repair Hair Mask is our pick for maximum hydration. Our Luxe Hair Redemption uses a proprietary blend of plant-based butter, biotin, and argan oil to help seal hair cuticles and prevent airborne pollutants from entering the hair shaft.
7. Eat Your Antioxidants to Neutralize Free Radicals from the Inside Out
In addition to your antioxidant-rich diet, you can counteract the free radicals that cause hair loss and other premature greying of your hair and scalp with a supplement designed to improve the health of your hair and scalp from within. Our Essential Other Hair, Skin & Nails Supplement + Retinol Boost is a great way to ensure you’re eating all your antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C, and E, to assist in neutralizing free radicals from oxidative stress.
Our new You Glow Girl probiotic skin supplement can help too. It contains the proprietary You Glow Girl BlendTM that strengthens the body’s natural defences against daily oxidative stress from free radicals to support healthier-looking skin—including the scalp! In addition, it is also full of vitamin C.
8. Choose a Fully Transparent Shampoo for Pollution Protection
To defend against pollution, strengthen hair, and boost shine, our favourite shampoo is our new Full Transparency Pure Revitalizing Shampoo. It is specially designed to gently cleanse the sensitive scalp of impurities and also restore the buildup of the shine and vibrancy of aged curls. Hence pair with our Pure Full Transparency Revitalizing Conditioner for a scent-free shot of moisture that helps smooth hair cuticles to keep pollutants out!
Formed with mature curls in mind, our dermatologist-tested and hypoallergenic Full Clear range. It contains a blend of plant-based conditioning compounds that form a flexible yet protective layer around hair shafts. Damn all those pesky airborne allergens that can get caught in our hair while we’re out and about!
Protect Hair from Pollution? – Conclusion
Better Not Younger knows it’s essential to protect your hair from air pollution! That’s why we’ve formulated our entire line of products to talk about the unique concerns of mature curls, including environmental factors that can damage our hair. Let us help you find the right products for your individual needs!
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