DOCTORS have revealed five mistakes Brits are making which thin out their hair.
Certified dermatologists Dr Muneeb Shah and Dr LJ Maxfield shared a YouTube video warning people about the issues – and revealing how to combat them.
Dr Shah starts by explaining: "One of the things with hair, once you start loosing your hair or you cause damage to the scalp which damages the hair follicles, a lot of times you don't get those follicles back.
"So avoiding these mistakes can actually be paramount to avoiding hair loss and permanent damage to your scalp."
The doctors start by explaining the first mistake – under washing or over washing your hair.
Both stress that the amount people should wash their hair is individual to them.
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For example, those with hair prone to oiliness could need to wash it more to avoid grease on their pillow – which could cause acne.
But Dr Shah says: "If you're noticing a lot of breakage, it could be from over-washing."
Dr Maxfield adds: "If you're over washing you're hair you might be someone with a dry, itchy scalp.
"You might have just very fragile, brittle hair or voluminous, frizzy hair."
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People should choose a routine that works for them – and avoids unnecessary hair loss.
The second mistake people make is being too rough on your scalp and the solution is simple: "Be gentle."
Dr Shah adds: "What you really want to do is look for gentle ingredients.
"You want to look for products that are fragrance-free, that are pH balanced, that have minimalist ingredients.
"That are going to get the job done by removing dirt debris, hair care build-up. But at the same time are not going to over-irritate the scalp."
He said: "Treat your hair and scalp like you treat your face. It's really simple."
The third mistake is treating the wrong condition.
The doctors stress that it is important to treat the specific condition that causes issues for you.
For example, while some dandruff products may work for you in the short term, they may not treat the root cause of your problem – so do your research or talk to a pro to find the best fit.
The fourth issue is a hairstyle that is too tight.
Dr Maxfield said: "What happens is, people who wear their hair in tight styles, ponytails, pulled back scrunchies even, or braids…
"It pulls the hair up from the shaft – and this progressive pulling and traction eventually to scarring alopecia, or hair loss that is permanent or irreversible.
"So people will think that they have just a receding hairline and they don't put two and two together.
"But really over a period of years or decades that hairline is permanently being moved back just purely from the traction and tension on the hair shaft."
Dr Shah adds: "It is permanently damaging your scalp having tight hairstyles like that.
"I tell this to people and they're like 'there's no way that's the reason this is happening'.
"But from a physiologic standpoint it absolutely is the cause of a hair loss.
"Loose hairstyles make a big difference.
"Don't have too much tugging on the scalp. It can permanently and irreversibly damage the hair."
The final mistake shared by the pair is using too much heat on the hair.
They say an easy way to solve the issue is turning down heat settings on your hair dryer and straightener.
Another fix is using a diffuser attachment on your hair dryer to help spread the heat out more evenly – rather than having one hot burst.
The pros also recommend rough drying using a towel before going in with a hair dryer – or using a heat protector spray.
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It comes after a hair stylist revealed how you're brushing your locks all wrong.
And a hairdresser has shared her advice for keeping your hair healthy when in the sun.
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