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HAIR THIS
The 8 everyday mistakes that are RUINING your hair – from your diet to the way you brush
Plus, why your hair might be looking greasier than normal - and The Sun Health team's favourite products
LOOKING after our hair is easy, right? Apparently not.
Millions of us are making mistakes every day that are ruining out locks.
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That's according to trichologist Anabel Kingsley.
She said many people assume they are prioritising their hair health, when in reality they are making it worse.
If you're battling excess grease, out-of-control frizz, or recurrent split ends, you might be guilty too.
Here, Anabel reveals the eight most common haircare errors - and how to avoid them.
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1. Using a boar bristle brush regularly
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Boar bristle brushes are touted as "the ultimate tool in haircare".
They help distribute your scalp's natural oils evenly through your tresses, helping it look shiner, softer and healthier.
They are also said to help gently detangle, prevent frizz and breakage, boost volume, improve elasticity, and reduce static.
However, you should not use one every day or risk causing serious damage, warned.
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The consultant trichologist at said: "I’ve had clients where the sole cause of their hair damage is frequent use of a bristle brush.
"It’s true that boar bristle brushes provide great traction and smoothness, but they damage the outer hair cuticle.
How to make your hair grow faster in 7 steps
"Over time, this weakens the hair and causes breakage and split ends.
"Just run one over the back of your hand - it will feel rough and leave marks – and it’s doing the same thing to your strands, you just can’t feel it as your hair doesn’t have nerve endings.
"Reserve using bristle brushes for special occasions; I’ll let my stylist use one when I have an event, but never myself day-to-day.
"Brush and style daily with a brush with rounded, plastic flexible prongs, that will give you a smooth, shiny finish but without the trauma."
2. Using straighteners or a very hot blow-dryer setting
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Deep down, most of us know that heat is bad for our hair.
Yet many of us still regularly reach for our hairdryers and straighteners.
It's time to stop, according to Anabel.
"Hair can burn, you simply can’t feel it," the guru said.
"Straighteners and very hot styling tools can scorch strands and cause irreparable damage that’s only remedied with time and new growth.
"They can also cause ‘bubble hair’, a condition that causes weak spots to form along the hair shaft.
"They look and feel like tiny nodules and the only cure is to cut the hair off above the damage."
Even small dietary inadequacies can impact the hair - and long before they disrupt your general health
Anabel Kingsley
If you must straighten your hair, limit it to once a week, and keep your hairdryer at a distance, she added.
"Even one overzealous straightening session can do a lot of harm," Anabel said.
"In terms of blow-drying, always keep your heat setting to low or medium and hold your dryer at least six inches away from your hair.
"Also keep moving the dryer - don’t leave it focused on any one area.
"I like to quickly blast my dryer over the back of my hand to see how hot it feels and then adjust my settings and distance accordingly.
"I recommend using a hair treatment once a week or ideally twice a week."
3. Not washing your hair often enough
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How often do you wash your hair? Every day? Every other day? Or just once a week?
There is much debate over what's best, and like most things, it will differ from person to person.
However, as a general rule, Anabel would never leave it more than three days.
"I go back and forth between New York City and London - lovely, yet definitely not the cleanest of cities," she said.
"I would never not shampoo regularly – especially after seeing the grime I remove from my face when I cleanse it at the end of the day.
"Scalp is skin and needs similar care to the skin on your face.
"Your scalp sweats, produces oils, turns over and sheds dead skin cells and is exposed to the same environment as other skin.
"A clean, healthy scalp is able to support healthy hair growth, whereas a flaky scalp can cause hair loss.
"I have fine hair and shampoo daily, medium textured hair may be OK with every other day, and curly, coiled hair, for the health of your scalp, don’t leave more than three days between shampoos."
Anabel added: "Some people forgo shampooing believing that natural oils that build-up between shampoos will moisturise the hair.
"However, this is not the case.
"Hair’s pliability and elasticity is due to water, not oil content.
"Oils simply sit on top of the hair and if left for too long they can become rancid and irritate the scalp.
"To keep your scalp healthy and your hair in good condition, try to shampoo at least every other day – leaving no more than three days between washes.
"To provide your hair with extra moisture, use a pre-shampoo conditioning treatment once to twice a week."
4. Not applying SPF to your parting
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Protecting your scalp from the sun is just as important as your skin, according to Anabel.
She said: "I would never not apply sunscreen to my face – so I give the same consideration to exposed areas of my scalp, like my parting and near my hairline, behind my ears.
"Like my other skin, I use SPF50 on my scalp in the summer.
"I’ve seen many men and women with sun damage on their scalp, and quite a few who have had skin cancer there."
Sun Health's favourite hair products
STROLLING the aisles in Boots and Superdrug can be overwhelming.
With so many hair products on offer, it can be difficult to know which to buy - especially when they all claim to do wonders for your tresses.
Well, these are our favourites.
Vanessa Chalmers, Health Features Editor
"I wouldn't use any other hair mask. As someone with ringlet curls, it's necessary to keep them hydrated to stop them from knotting. I only use it once a fortnight or so - otherwise I'll use the Curl & Shine conditioner. I can tell the difference straight away - the curls are very soft and silky. This brand is best for people with more coarse hair as it provides a lot of moisture but fewer protein-building ingredients."
Alice Fuller, Senior Health Reporter
"I've been using it for about 15 years and I don't want to try anything else. It glides through wet and dry hair so easily, and doesn't make it fall out."
Isabel Shaw, Health Reporter
"I like to apply this to the ends of my hair when it looks particularly dry and wispy. It helps make my hair look healthier, less damaged, and a bit thicker, plus it smells really good."
Sam Blanchard, Health Correspondent
"I have fine and unruly hair and this will hold it in any style easily. I’ve tried a lot of hairsprays since I was a teenager and found this has the best combination of strong hold, easy to brush or wash out, and it doesn’t stink like a lot of others."
Eliza Loukou, Health Reporter
"I've used this since I was a teenager. I spritz this into my roots for some extra texture and it smells pleasantly salty and sandy, like the beach. Plus, it doesn't break me out in the back of my neck or hairline like other texturising products I've used in the past."
5. Detangling from the top
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If you've got really knotty hair, it can take forever to detangle.
But you should always start from the bottom and work your way up, Anabel said.
"I always detangle gently from my ends up," she said.
"Detangling from the top places unnecessary friction on hairs, and you’re much more likely to snap through interlocked hairs.
";If you start from the ends, you’re able to carefully ease them apart.
"For an even healthier method, start off by applying a detangling spray."
6. Not eating enough protein
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Protein is vital for keeping our bodies healthy - from our muscles to our skin, and even our hormones.
But it is also key for the health of our hair.
Anabel said: "Hair is a dispensable tissue as it isn’t needed for physical survival.
"This means nutrients are first used to keep essential cells functioning, with hair receiving them last.
"Even small dietary inadequacies can impact the hair - and long before they disrupt your general health.
"Eat three balanced meals a day containing proteins, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and a variety of vitamins and minerals."
Protein is found in larger quantities in foods like meat and dairy, as well as beans, nuts and eggs.
Exactly how much we need each day varies throughout our lives, but generally, the NHS recommends that people try to eat 0.75g of protein per kilogram of body weight every day.
7. Using oils to treat dandruff
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Dandruff can be an absolute nightmare, especially if you have darker hair.
And sufferers may reach for anything they think might clear their flaky scalp.
But put down the oil, Anabel said.
"Oils are not so great for your scalp and should be avoided," she added.
"The malassezia yeast that cause dandruff thrive in an oily environment, and so are likely to overgrow if you shampoo infrequently or have a naturally oily scalp.
"Therefore if you have an inflamed or irritated scalp, adding oil will only exacerbate the problem.
"Instead, use a daily shampoo containing an anti-microbial active, such as piroctone olamine.
"This ingredient specifically targets the yeast responsible for dandruff, and rebalances your scalp’s microflora.
"Look for a scalp toner containing camphor, a soothing and cooling active, as well as an astringent ingredient, like witch hazel, which helps to soak up excess oil."
8. Applying conditioner to the roots
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"Applying conditioner to your roots can make hair heavy and limp," Anabel said.
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"Only apply conditioner to your mid-lengths and ends where the hair is older and needs it the most.";
It's also important not to squeeze out too much, she added.
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