8 Common Hair Concerns: Causes and Fixes for Healthy Hair

Hair concerns

Hair concerns are specific issues or problems people experience with their hair, which can affect its appearance, health, or manageability. These concerns can range from dryness and frizziness to more severe issues like thinning or hair loss.

The main causes of hair concerns are factors such as hair type, genetic predisposition, environmental exposure, and hair care practices.

Addressing hair concerns is crucial as hair is often seen as a significant aspect of personal identity and aesthetics. Healthy hair boosts confidence and is perceived as a sign of overall health and well-being. For instance, someone with frizzy hair may seek products that promise smoothness and shine to make their hair more manageable and aesthetically pleasing. Others might address scalp health to prevent hair loss, aiming to maintain a youthful appearance.

When deciding on solutions for hair concerns, you should consider several factors to ensure that you choose the most effective and safe options. Ingredients are a significant consideration; many prefer natural or clinically proven ingredients to avoid harsh chemicals that might exacerbate their problems. Additionally, there is a growing concern about the ethical aspects of products, such as cruelty-free and environmentally friendly practices.

In this article, we will discuss the eight most common hair concerns, their causes and what you can do against them.

1. Dry Hair

Dry hair occurs when your hair is not able to get or retain enough moisture to maintain a smooth texture and shine. The potential causes of dry hair are:

• Nutritional deficiencies
• Often, heat styling and treatment, such as excessive blow-drying
• Using hair products made with harsh chemicals
• Washing hair frequently, etc.

Other than this, there are some environmental factors, such as:

• Swimming in or coming in contact with chlorinated or salty water
• Harmful sun rays
• Dry or hot climatic conditions that can lead to dry hair. 

All these factors make your hair look dull and frizzy. Further, dry hair may also occur due to various other inner hair health issues that might prevent your hair from being able to attract and retain moisture. According to Healthline, disorders such as Anorexia nervosa, Hypoparathyroidism, Hypothyroidism, and Menkes syndrome can make your hair more dry and brittle. 

To treat your dry or brittle hair:

• Massage your scalp with hot oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil, and jojoba oil
• Shampoo your hair no more than once or twice a week
• Eat a healthy diet that includes omega-3s and antioxidants
• Do not forget to use conditioner every time you shampoo your hair to add extra moisture. 

Hair care ingredients for dry hair are aloe vera, argan oil, coconut oil, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, menthol, rice water, two-in-one shampoos with silicone, etc. Some of the best shampoos for dry hair are PURE Nature Moroccan Argan Oil Deep Hydra Nourishing Shampoo, Redken All Soft Shampoo, Nexxus Keraphix Damage Healing Shampoo, BIOLAGE Hydra Source Shampoo, etc. 

2. Frizz

Frizz hair is caused by moisture-deprived dry hair. Environmental conditions such as humid, wet climates can make your hair more frizzy. So, basically, anything that makes your hair dry can leave your hair more frizzy. 

Some people have naturally frizzy hair, and the concern is found especially in people with naturally textured waves and curly hair. The potential causes of dry hair are:

• Humidity can dry out the hair cuticle and make it open for water absorption. Due to this, the hair swells up, becomes messy, and frizzy.
• For people who frequently heat style or chemically treat their hair, the products may strip off natural oil called sebum from the hair and make the hair cuticle rough and open.
• Using sulfate shampoo, hair spray, dry shampoo, and some purple shampoo can further make your hair more frizzy. 
• If your shampoo contains alkaline or if the hair products you are using have alcohol as an ingredient, be ready to experience more worsened frizziness. 

Frizzy hair is difficult to tame but not impossible. Some home remedies that help reduce frizz are

• Applying apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, argan oil, avocados, eggs, etc.
• You should also use hair serum, leave-in conditioners, and a sulfate-free hair mask. 
• Do not wash your hair too frequently, limit your heat styling hair treatment usage
• Protect your hair from rain or humidity
• Make hair care a topmost priority. 

Some of the best shampoos for frizzy hair are Briogeo Farewell Frizz Smoothing Shampoo, TRESemme Keratin Smooth Shine Serum, Silk 18 Maple Holistics Conditioner, BioSilk Silk Therapy with Natural Coconut Oil Leave-In Treatment, etc. 

3. Split Ends

Split ends are one of the most talked about hair concerns that can affect all types of hair. Split ends occur at the tip of your hair, this is the weakest and oldest strands of your hair. According to a research by Maria Fernanda Reis Gavazzoni Dias titled “Hair Cosmetics: An Overview”, when the cuticle is damaged, split ends occur, and your hair becomes unhealthy and looks frizzy. If left unnoticed, split ends can lead to hair loss and thinning and can even cause baldness. 

The major causes of split ends are 

• Shampooing the hair ends
• Not including conditioner in your hair routine
• Combing wet hairs
• Using styling tools such as blow dryers, hot combs, or curling tools
• Coloring or dying hair, etc. 

The harsh reality is that you cannot cure split ends. To fix the split end issue, follow these practices:

• Simply cut them off altogether. Some people use the candle-cutting process known as Velaterapiato to treat split ends.
• Apply shampoo on your roots only, not on your ends
• Lower the number of chemicals and heat treatments you use.

If the split ends problem continues to grow, you should consult with an expert hairstylist. Prevention is always better than cure, so if your hair is prone to split ends, it’s better to have a good haircut or trim your hair every 6 to 8 weeks. Use hair masks and leave-in conditioner that contains sweet almond oil, panthenol, argan oil, etc. 

4. Dandruff 

Dandruff is one of the most common hair concerns that affects almost half of the world. There is not even a single person in any geographic location who would not have been affected by dandruff at some point or another. It causes flakiness on the scalp. It is basically a mild version of the common skin condition known as seborrheic dermatitis. 

Dandruff occurs when the common scalp fungus Malassezi Globosa reacts with the natural oils called sebum present on your scalp and breaks down the excess oil into Oleic Acid, one of the byproducts. Around 50 percent of the world’s population is sensitive to Oleic acid, leading to red, irritated scalps and white flakiness(dandruff). 

The common signs of dandruff are

• Irritated scalp
• Skin flakes on hair, scalp, eyebrows, mustaches, shoulders, and beard.

The severity of dandruff depends on the person’s age, environmental condition he/she lives in, stress levels, medical conditions, lifestyle, and hair care routine. 

A mild dandruff hair problem does not require you to consult with a dermatologist. If you have mild dandruff issues, it can be treated with a gentle shampoo. However, if the situation does not ameliorate, it would be better to use a medicated shampoo. If you get no visible result after changing your lifestyle and hair care routine, visit the dermatologist. 

While selecting anti-dandruff hair care products, look for 

• Antimicrobial agents such as Selenium Sulfide and imidazole
• Antifungal agents such as ketoconazole
• Hydroxypyridones
• Naturopathic agents. 

Further, you should also protect your scalp from UV rays because some anti-dandruff shampoos available in the market, such as the shampoo containing coal tar, can make your scalp more prone to harmful UV rays, and sunburn can increase flakiness. Nizoral A-D Dandruff Shampoo, Oribe Serene Scalp Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, and Vanicream Dandruff Shampoo are some of the best anti-dandruff shampoos. 

5. Oiliness/Greasiness

Little oil on the scalp is okay as it helps grow healthy hair. However, if the oil is excessive, it can make your hair greasy and dirty and may even cause skin disorders. Oiliness occurs when the sebaceous glands in the scalp produce excess oil or sebum. Some of the most common causes of oiliness are 

• Seborrheic dermatitis(dandruff)
• skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis, forehead acne, and 
• Genetics, which affect how much oil your glands will produce. 

In general, straight hair is more prone to oiliness.  

You can fix hair oiliness by regularly washing your hair by:

• Using high-quality shampoo formulated for oily hair or dry shampoo
• Use a clean comb and do not use products that contain silicon. 

• If you are suffering from oiliness or grease, look for shampoo ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide
• selenium sulfide
• sodium sulfacetamide, and 
• ketoconazole. 

If you have tried dealing with oiliness without any visible success, it is better to consult with a hair professional to stop the concern from getting worse. Neutrogena T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo, Ouai Fine Hair Shampoo, and Olaplex No. 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo are some of the best shampoos for oiliness hair concerns. 

6. Thinning Hair/ Hair Loss

According to a report by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), it is normal to lose 50 to 100 hair strands every day. If your hair loss count is more than this range, you might be suffering from thinning hair. The potential causes of hair loss are 

• Color-treating or chemically treating the hair
• Using products formulated with harsh chemicals
• Eating a nutrient-deficient diet
• Tightly styling the hair. 

Hair loss is common when you lose weight, give birth, experience high levels of stress, and have high fever. As per the report by Chin H. Ho; Tanuj Sood; Patrick M. Zito. about Androgenetic Alopecia, over 50% of the population will experience baldness (male pattern and female pattern) at some stage in their life. 

The best way to prevent and cure hair loss problems is by 

• Gentle massaging with essential oils
• Using anti-thining shampoo, increasing biotin intake
• Using biotin shampoo, etc. 

Biolage Full Density Shampoo, Ouai Fine Hair Shampoo, and Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo are some of the best shampoos for hair loss concerns. 

7. Lack of Volume

Lack of volume, flat roots, or limpness is another common hair concern that is a byproduct of decreased hair density. The potential causes of flat hair are:

• Constantly dampened hair
• Product or pollution buildup that can weigh down your hair
• Applying conditioner on the roots. 
• Heat or chemical hair treatments

The hair’s frequent heat or chemical styling, such as coloring, blow drying, curling, or flatting tools, can cause wear and tear and weaken the hair cuticle. The hair strand will gradually become thinner, and you will notice flat hair that lacks the volume you used to flaunt. 

To fix flat or volume-lack hair, follow these practices:

• Use volumanizing shampoos and conditioners
• Avoid applying heavy moisturizing hair products, which can make your hair greasy, and use root-lifting sprays
• Limit the times you use the heat tool and apply protection before styling. 

Living Proof Full Shampoo, Vegamour GRO Revitalizing Shampoo for Thinning Hair, and Authentic Beauty Concept Amplify Cleanser for Fine Hair are some of the best volumanizing shampoos for fine and flat hair. 

8. Scalp Sensitivity

A sensitive scalp is the presence of redness, irritation, skin flaking, or a burning sensation on the scalp. Scalp sensitivity may happen because of various skin conditions such as 

• Sunburn
• Rashes
• Head lice
• Acne
• Allergies
• Eczema
• Insect bites
• Dandruff, etc. 

According to 2022 research titled “Sensitive scalp: An epidemiologic study in patients with hair loss”, out of 317 people suffering from hair loss problems, around 32 percent have scalp sensitivity. 

The treatment of scalp sensitivity depends on its root cause. The effective treatment for scalp sensitivity are as follows:

• You should gently massage your scalp with good-quality oil
• Use cold or heat packs
• Avoid long sun exposure
• Cut down chemicals and dyes. 
• Use antibacterial shampoo or hair products that are anti-itch or contain salicylic acid. 

Nécessaire The Shampoo, Vanicream Shampoo, and Kristin Ess Extra Gentle Shampoo for Sensitive Skin + Scalp are some of the best shampoos for sensitive scalp. 

What are the most common hair concern types?

Some of the most common hair concerns for different hair types are dry hair, dandruff, hair loss, scalp sensitivity, lack of shine, lack of volume, oiliness or greasiness, frizziness, split ends, colored hair, product buildup, slow hair growth, hair tangling, color fading, heat and chemically damaged hair, etc. Let us now see some of the most common hair concerns for different hair types. 

What are the most common hair concerns for curly hair?

The most common hair concerns for curly hair are dry and frizzy hair, a dandruff-prone scalp, and tangled hair strands. For curly hair, it becomes quite challenging for natural oils to reach the hair tip. Due to this, the hair end becomes rough and can also split.  

What are the most common hair concerns for men?

The most common hair concerns for men are dandruff, greying of hair, and hair fall, which can also lead to baldness. The most common hair concern for men is male pattern baldness, also called alopecia androgenetic. This can cause a horseshoe-shaped hair ring at the back and sides of the hair. 

What are common summer hair concerns?

The most common hair concerns for summer are a greasy scalp, faded hair color, frizzy hair, split ends, and scalp sensitivity. 

What are common winter hair concerns?

The most common hair concerns for winters are dandruff, flyaways, split ends, dry or tight scalp, and lack of shine. 

What are common concerns caused by heat styling?

The most common hair concerns caused by heat styling are damaged hair, split ends, dryness, dull strands, and increased hair breakage.  

What are the most Important Causes of Hair Concerns?

Hair concerns are caused by many factors, which include genetics, unhealthy lifestyle, stress, hormonal changes, etc. If you continue to damage your hair, you will have to face severe consequences, such as bald spots in the near future. Once you know the various factors that lead to hair concerns, you can better understand the problems and stop further hair damage. Some of the most important causes of hair concerns are:

1. Poor Hair routine such as ignoring the conditioner after shampooing, rubbing wet hair with a towel, combing wet hair, frequently using heat or chemical treatments like blow dryers, hot combs, curling tools, tightly styling your hair in a ponytail, buns, etc. 
2. According to Medlineplus.gov, genetics influences hair texture(be it straight, wavy, or curly), hair porosity, hair thickness, etc., and hair concerns such as baldness and hair thinning. 
3. The food you eat affects the health of not just your body but your hair, too. A healthy diet can make your hair strong and shiny. While, if your hair is not getting sufficient nutrients and minerals, your hair will become unhealthy and more prone to various hair concerns. As per the research by the National Centre for Biotechnological Information, the deficiency of various nutrients such as iron, zinc, Niacin, fatty acids, selenium, Vitamin D, A, E, folic acid, biotin, amino acids, and protein can cause hair loss. 
4. Stress can severely accelerate your hair problems. For example, as per the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), people who suffer from extreme stress levels experience excessive hair loss called telogen effluvium. 
5. Environmental factors such as pollution, dust, dry, humid weather, chlorinated water, and harmful UV rays can damage hair texture, color, shine, elasticity, etc.  

How can you avoid hair concerns?

You can avoid hair concerns by taking care of your diet your mental health, and making hair routine a priority. Some signs of healthy hair are as follows:

• Your hair has a natural shine
• You lose little hair when you wash or comb your hair.. 
• You have no or few split ends. 
• You do not face any problems while detangling your hair. 
• Your hair is growing, even if the growth is gradual. 

The best hair care practices for healthy and beautiful hair are as follows:

• Comb your hair strands before shampooing. 
• Shampoo your scalp, not your roots, and apply conditioner from mid-length to the hair tip. 
• Use high-quality styling tools that will uniformly distribute the heat on your hair and give you the desired beautiful hair look. 
• Do not take hot showers, as they can remove natural oil from your scalp and cause irritation. 
• Protect your hair from pollution, dust, and harmful UV rays. 
• Follow a hair care routine based on your hair type and concern. Do not follow the internet blindly because what product and routine suits your favourite influencer might work negatively on your hair type. Do your oen research and then follow it for a week or two and notice the changes. If you are not getting desired results, you must go back to the drawing board again and experiment. 

Your lifestyle choices can impact your hair’s health and growth. Therefore, include protein sources such as eggs, nuts, beans and peas, fish, low-fat dairy products, chicken, etc in your diet. Eat berries for antioxidants and collagen production, green vegetables such as spinach for vitamins A and C, sweet potatoes, avocados, etc. Do yoga, gently massage your hair scalp with coconut oil or olive oil, regularly wash your hair with mild hair care products made with high-quality natural ingredients, gently style your hair without being too harsh to get the end results, and limit hair processing such as hair color or dyeing. 

When to Seek Professional Help?

You should consult with a hair care professional when you experience continued hair problems that have not shown any sign of improvement even after you are done with all home remedies and other experiements. The expert will analyze your hair texture, genetic history, your lifestyle, and will guide you with tailored advice and tips, and keep you informed of your progress. Or in case you have a special occasion coming up, which may be a wedding or job interview, and you do not want the hair concern to take your full attention and lower your excitement, it would be better to consult with a hair care professional to achieve the desired look on the event. 

Conclusion

Having a sound knowledge of various types of hair concerns, their causes, signs, and treatments help you in your hair care journey. You become more aware of your hair, its needs, what ingredients or remedies will work on it, why it will work, and how long it will take to get the desired results. Ignoring the initial stage of these common hair concerns is equal to digging the graveyard of your beautiful and healthy hair. Therefore, act smarter and faster before it’s too late for the hair concern to be solved.