Should I Avoid Certain Hairstyles or Treatments to Prevent Hair Fall?

Hair is an external facial feature that shapes our identity. No matter the style or length, it subtly expresses how you want others to perceive you. Whether it's tied up in a neat bun, left open in soft waves, or styled to make a statement, your hair reflects your mood, personality, the occasion and sometimes even your routine.

But there's a flip side we rarely talk about: our hairstyles or hair treatments can lead to more harm than good. If you have noticed more strands in your brush or shedding while washing, it might be linked to everyday styling habits that put stress on your scalp and roots. The truth is, hair fall isn't always about big health issues. At times, it may be about the little things we ignore, like a tight ponytail or frequently using a hot iron. These habits gradually weaken our hair from within.

Thankfully, there's a better way. With a few simple changes in how you care for and style your hair, you can hold onto your favourite looks without causing long-term damage. Continue reading to understand how.

How Styling and Treatments Can Affect Hair Health?

Our hair is more delicate than it appears. While experimenting with different styles and treatments is exciting, not every trend is scalp-friendly. The impact isn't always immediate, and hair damage builds slowly. Over time, repeated tension, heat, or harsh chemicals can wear down the hair shaft, weaken the roots, and interfere with the scalp's natural balance.

Let's break it down further:

• Tight hairstyles, such as ponytails, braids, or buns, can pull at the roots, leading to tension-related hair loss, also known as traction alopecia. The constant tug weakens follicles and, in some cases, may even cause permanent thinning.
• Heat styling tools like straighteners, curling irons, or even frequent blow-drying can strip the hair's moisture. This leaves strands dry, brittle, and prone to breakage, primarily when used without heat protection.
• Chemical treatments such as rebonding, smoothening, colouring, or perming can damage the protein structure of hair. These processes may make hair appear sleek at first, but they often leave it vulnerable from within.
• Product build-up from gels, sprays or heavy serums can clog your scalp's pores, making it harder for hair to grow freely. In the long run, this can affect both scalp health and hair density.

Which Hairstyles to Avoid to Stop Hair Fall?

How we style our hair matters the most, as it can prevent hair loss. Certain hairstyles, worn too often or too tightly, can place constant pressure on the roots and weaken the hair strands.

Here are a few you might want to avoid or wear less frequently:

• Tight Ponytails and High Buns: A sleek ponytail or a sharp topknot looks chic, but tying your hair up tightly every day can pull at the roots. Over time, this tension can lead to breakage, thinning along the hairline, or even small bald patches.
• Heavy Braids and Extensions: Adding weight to your natural hair with thick braids or hair extensions puts pressure on your roots. If worn for long stretches, they can strain the scalp and cause gradual hair loss.
• Cornrows and Tight Plaits: These styles look neat, but if plaited too tightly, they can irritate the scalp and stress the hair shaft, making your strands more prone to snapping.
• Slicked-back Styles with Gels: Forcing your hair into a slick, flat look with styling gels might seem like a quick fix. However, constant tension plus product build-up can damage follicles and slow down healthy hair growth.

Which Treatments to Avoid to Stop Hair Fall?

Hair care treatments promise instant shine, smoothness, or volume. But not all of them are kind to your scalp. Some can impact your hair health if done frequently or without aftercare.

Here are a few treatments you might want to rethink:

• Frequent Rebonding and Smoothening: These treatments offer a glass-hair effect, but the chemicals used can break down the natural structure of your hair. In the long run, this weakens the strands and makes them prone to breakage. Repeated sessions can also irritate the scalp and trigger hair fall.
• Regular Hair Colouring with Harsh Dyes: Hair colouring is fun, but ammonia-heavy or peroxide-rich dyes strip the hair of moisture. This leaves it dry, brittle, and more likely to shed. Lightening treatments also damage hair strands when done too often.
• Keratin Treatments (if not done mindfully): Often marketed as a fix for frizz, most keratin treatments contain formaldehyde or similar ingredients that can lead to hair thinning if used too frequently. It's important to know the formulation and make sure a trained professional does the treatment.
• Excessive Heat Styling and Blow-Drying: Daily use of hot irons, curlers, or powerful blow-dryers might give a styled finish, but at a cost. Heat can strip hair of natural oils, damage the cuticle, and weaken hair.
• Tight Hairstyles After Salon Treatments: Post-treatment hair may feel smoother and more manageable, but it's also more delicate. Pulling it into tight styles too soon can stretch the already-weakened strands, causing them to snap.

How to Prevent Hair Fall?

Knowing that a few styles and treatments can cause hair fall doesn't mean you have to completely give up on styles you love. With the help of a few mindful tweaks, hair damage prevention is possible.

• TBW recommends doing the following for thick and lustrous hair:

1. Loosen up your hairstyles: Give your hair regular breaks from tight ponytails, buns, and braids. Letting it down or opting for looser styles helps reduce unnecessary tension on the roots.
2. Space out treatments: Instead of back-to-back salon sessions allow time for your hair to recover. Go for gentler, nourishing treatments in between to keep your strands balanced.
3. Pick heat-free days: Let your hair dry naturally when you can. On days you must style it, use a heat protectant and opt for low-temperature settings to avoid frying your ends.
4. Massage your scalp regularly: Scalp health is the root of hair health. A weekly oil massage boosts blood circulation, strengthens the roots, and calms the mind.

• What's more? Incorporate natural and quality hair oils like The Rooting For You as part of your care ritual. This lightweight blend is made from organic rosemary, pumpkin seed, brahmi, vitamin E, jojoba, and five other potent Ayurvedic herbs.

It helps reduce breakage, nourishes the scalp, and strengthens the roots from within. It's made without fuss or side effects — only results you can truly see and feel.

FAQs

1. Which hairstyle causes the least hair loss?
   Loose hairstyles are your safest bet. Leaving your hair open, wearing a low ponytail, or a loose braid reduces tension on the scalp and prevents unnecessary stress on your roots.
2. How should I wear my hair to prevent hair loss?
   Avoid tight styles and rotate your hairstyle often. Use soft hair ties, avoid pulling your hair back every day, and give your scalp breaks between any styling. Keeping your hair hydrated and nourished also makes a big difference.
3. What is the healthiest style for your hair?
   A loose braid or bun with minimal tension is generally healthiest. These styles prevent tangling without pulling too much at the roots. To reduce friction, you can also protect your hair while sleeping with a silk scarf or pillowcase.