How Over-Styling And Over-Processing Your Hair Can Cause Hair Loss L Gma

Our hair loss series examining why it happens and what we can do to stop it. Our own, dr jen ashton, has personal experience with this she's going to join us in just a moment, but first a look at what over styling and over processing can do to your hair, whether it's a flat twist a sew in or a twist out 45 year Old deshonda matthews wears her hair with style when your hair is beautiful, you feel beautiful, but her fashion forward, hairdos and about with anemia eventually took their toll, causing breakage on top her part to thin and her edges to creep back toward her skull. The bible talks about your hair is your glory and when your most beautiful accent piece is suffering, it really does a number on you on your psyche. Your self-esteem deshonda is not alone over styling over-processing and over-handling. Your hairline can put a strain on your hair, causing it to thin and break off over time, even pulling it out from the root. It happened to courtney on keeping up with the kardashians. Oh my god, i'm afraid for your life. Have you seen that? No? But i feel it it's a hole in my head. I swear it's from my ponytail courtney. You have to go to the hospital right now, colorist to the stars. Tracy cunningham sees many issues in hollywood, starting with over processing, including highlights and relaxers. If your chemicals are too harsh on your hair, you can also have hair loss, bleach and tones. That'S not great for your scalp there's also traction alopecia, hair loss caused by repeated pulling on your hair. It can happen from tight, ponytails, buns braids, even hair extensions when you're pulling it too hard. The hair actually starts pulling out the follicle if caught early, it can be reversed, but it can also cause permanent hair loss. Don'T pull too hard if you feel like your scalp is achy, don't do it? It'S not good for your scalp. It'S not good for your hair, follicle deshonda believed the braids were healthy for her hair they're, not protective styles at all. They'Re, actually, styles actually damaging our hair. Now she is on a 16 week, styling break no chemicals, no heat, no pressing, no curling. Just this. Just my natural hair, abc news chief medical correspondent, dr jennifer ashton, joins us now and uh dr jen. I know you're on a styling break as well. Tell us about your story, uh. You know what i've been dealing with this for the last three months. I related to absolutely everything that was in that tape piece. My hair was hair, breakage, thinning hair from multiple reasons. I had covered the styling damage the pulling every single day with the heat and alcohol-based products for television took a major toll. So really it was like a perfect storm of issues, but i was not a happy camper, yeah and and you're doing something about it. What should you do if uh you have what what we're calling traction alopecia, i mean prevention is critical and i can't emphasize this enough because it can take three to six months or more, to kind of resuscitate your hair, if you've determined that this is a problem. So what do you do to prevent it wearing low or looser ponytails or buns not pulling it tight, even though that is such a fashionable look right now taking breaks between that artificial hair hair use, whether it's extensions or clips or weaves, using low heat low temperature On the flat, irons and blow dryers and then absolutely use caution with rubber bands use the right kind of rubber band. That is not pulling hair out when you remove that rubber band. Oh yeah - and you see my ponytail here, which is applied very very carefully, but it has been a lifeline for me. Yeah, i'm a big ponytail person on the weekends and i i see the aftermath. It'S not good. What are some other tips for overall hair health? Well, another contributing factor for me was when i became vegan or pescetarian, and i wasn't getting enough protein in my diet, so start with what kind of foods you're eating and what is in your diet. You have to get enough protein. Any kind of multivitamin will be good for your hair, including a prenatal, and that goes for men. Also, you will not grow a uterus if you take a prenatal, vitamin, it's kind of a good combination for everything, not washing or styling your hair. Every single day, every hair stylist will tell you that's good for your hair and then really proceed with caution when you're talking about coloring highlighting bleach. You know i get that i was getting it every three months now, i'm trying to space it out a little more that does. You know, take a toll on your hair. I'M sorry! I was laughing because right over your shoulder is straight hand and when you told men that they wouldn't grow a uterus if they took a prenatal vitamin in his face. I was trying not to thank you, michael. That means you well hey there gma fans robin roberts. Here, thanks for checking out our youtube channel lots of great stuff here so go on click. The subscribe button right over right over here to get more of awesome videos and content from gma every day anytime. We thank you for watching and we'll see you in the morning on gma