5 Everyday Things You're Doing that's Damaging Your Hair

Yep, that's me. I've been growing that mane for quite a while now. People often ask me why I have such long hair. Well, it's a story that parents of young children really need to read, because you can scar a kid for life with one bad haircut.

When I was around seven, my mother and I went on our yearly summer getaway to her home state of Missouri. I'd while away the lazy summer days swimming and playing with the farm animals.

By that point in life, my little blonde curls had grown to about my shoulders. I was seven years old and I wasn't really concerned about what my hair looked like. Heck, for all I can remember it could have been a bush.

Enter my Aunt Shirley. She's the family hairstylist. Time for a perm? Call Aunt Shirley. Need a haircut? Call Aunt Shirley. Need a wash and a set? Yep, you got it. Call Aunt Shirley.

Well, my mother and aunt got to talking one day about my curls. The decision was made that my dead ends needed to be trimmed because I was looking kind of frizzy.

Apparently they didn't realize I had curly hair. I mean, frizz is a given if you don't know what you're doing.

So one day my aunt cut my hair off. I don't mean a trim, I don't mean a couple of inches. I mean to-my-ears off.

For the entire time it took for it to grow out again, I was convinced everyone thought I was a boy. I vowed I would never have short hair again. And I haven't.

Unfortunately, like my mother and aunt, most women think that damaged ends are a part of life, and the only way to get rid of them is to cut them off.

Now, I'm not going to disagree too much on that point. Once your hair is damaged to the point of breakage, there's not a whole lot you can do.

Nobody wants to look like they stuck their finger in a light socket, so trimming your dead ends is the only remedy.

But if you're not taking proper care of your hair to begin with, your hair will be damaged and break, and before you know it you're stuck in a never-ending grow/cut cycle.

Damaged hair begins long before your ends start splitting. Dead ends are caused by not only what you put on your hair, but also what you put in your body.

Do any of these scenarios sound like you?

A dry, itchy scalp can be downright miserable, but did you know it can cause actual damage to your hair?

If your scalp is dry, it means your natural oils aren't making their way down the hair shaft to properly moisturize your ends to prevent breakage.

Do you shampoo your hair everyday? Frequent shampooing, especially with sulfate-laden shampoos, strips your hair of your natural oils.

You're probably thinking, "isn't that what shampoo is supposed to do, remove the oily buildup?"

The answer, surprisingly, is no. Your hair and scalp need those oils to stay healthy. Without it, your hair will become dry and damaged, not to mention an ugly, frizzy mess.

So if you're addicted to washing your hair, please, just put that shampoo bottle down and step away from the shower.

Trust me, there are healthier ways to get a clean head of hair.

If you're not eating colorful vegetables, uncured meats, and healthy oils everyday, you're likely vitamin and mineral deficient and your hair is suffering because of it.

Healthy hair needs biotin, zinc, vitamins A, B, E, and C, and folic acid, all of which are found in a diet rich in fresh produce, nuts, and meats.

Good-for-you oils like olive, coconut, and fish oil are just what your hair needs to keep it shiny and manageable. Without these, your hair will be dull and lifeless.

Be sure to cook with coconut or olive oils and eat plenty of fish. If that's not an option for you or you're concerned you're not getting enough, omega-3 or fish oil supplements are worth considering.

Everyone knows water is essential for proper body function, right?

Notice I said water. Just because you're drinking something wet doesn't mean it will prevent dehydration.

Coffee, tea, and sodas won't flush toxins out of your body. Don't count on them to keep you hydrated either. Caffeine actually dehydrates your body.

When you're not drinking enough water, your hair and scalp suffer. Your scalp and hair become dry, and your hair loses its shine and becomes brittle. If you're avoiding water on a regular basis, your hair will become straw-like and break off.

So skip the diet coke and drink water instead. Not only will your hair be healthier, but you'll feel better, too.

It's a no-brainer that heated hairstyling tools cause hair damage. The excessive heat zaps moisture and fries your hair, which gives you flyaways and frizz.

The best thing for your hair is to let it dry naturally. There are times, though, when that's not an option. I mean, it just doesn't look professional for you to show up to work with a drippy head.

Luckily, there are healthy blow dryers out there. Cool, ionic hair dryers are the best ones to use if you just can't wait for your hair to dry on its own.

Unfortunately, there's not a better alternative for flat irons or curling irons. Both of these appliances damage your hair to the point of breakage.

But don't lose hope. Once you stop using high heat appliances, your hair will become smooth and silky because you don't have any fried ends!

Is your only criteria for hair products a good smell, cleaning ability, and softness? If it is, sorry, you're guaranteed to have damaged hair.

I touched on sulfates a little bit in Number 1, but it's worth repeating. 90 percent of shampoos on the market today contain sulfates. Chances are if you go into your shower right now and read the label, you'll find some sort of sulfate listed.

The problem with sulfates is they only trick you into thinking your hair is clean and healthy.

Have you washed your hair with a new shampoo and thought, "wow, this is great, my hair is squeaky clean!" 

Well, sulfates just stripped your hair of dirt, grime, and every bit of natural oil your poor scalp was trying to produce.

After a few weeks of using that shampoo, your hair started to feel oily and icky, and you switched to another brand because your hair had "gotten used to it."

Your hair didn't get used to the shampoo. Your hair was trying to compensate for all that stripping and it went into overdrive oil production mode.

There's a lot of products on the market that claim they can seal and treat dead ends.

The unfortunate reality is if you're hair is breaking off, there's more going on than just what's on the surface.

A healthy diet, combined with a sensible and chemical free hair care routine, is what you need to keep your hair undamaged and looking marvelous.