5 tips for avoiding bad hair days

Crown Clinic’s consultant hair transplant surgeon Dr Asim Shahmalak

is one of the world’s leading experts on hair loss. He is also the current President

of the Trichological Society

Here he offers five top tips for avoiding bad hair days

1 Food such as eggs, fish, bananas and spinach provide your hair with
rich nutrients that stimulate hair growth, strengthen hair cuticles
and give your hair that lustre we all crave. A poor diet that lacks
nutrients which result in dry, brittle, lifeless hair.  You hair grows
at a rate of half an inch every four to six weeks. If you change your
diet now, you can expect to see better results in 3-6 months.

2  Avoid stress – stress affects your hormones, which results in
poor-looking hair. An abundance of estrogen may help the growth and
retention of hair, while too much testosterone can have the opposite
effect.

3 Certain times of the month for women can be a problem – usually the
third week of a woman’s cycle will trigger estrogen production which
will in turn trigger increased oil production causing the hair to look
limp and lifeless and making it difficult to get it into its normal
style. A simple remedy is to shampoo twice rather than once.

4 Build-up of hair products – the ingredients in conditioners and
styling products cling to our hair and do not get washed out during
regular shampooing. It can make hair look straggly and limp. Find a
shampoo that is specifically made for ridding their hair of this
build-up.

5 Keratin is the protein that gives hair its structure. Humidity in
the air makes the bonds inside that protein break apart causing hairs
to swell up – making your hair frizzy. Even in winters months when the
air turns drier, your hair may still not co-operate. The cold air,
combined with dry heat in your home, can remove moisture from your
hair, and leave it full of static. The key is to keep your locks
trimmed and well-conditioned with high-quality products.

Dr Shahmalak is one of the UK’s leading hair transplant surgeons, performing

FUE (follicular unit extraction) and FUT (follicular unit transplantation) procedures at Crown Clinic.

His celebrity clients include Coronation Street star Jack P Shepherd, model Calum Best, Homes Under

The Hammer star Martin Roberts and the TV doctor Christian Jessen.