4 WAYS AIR POLLUTION AFFECTS YOUR HAIR HEALTH

From cancer to skin conditions, people suffer serious problems from contact with air pollution, including scalp and hair health. Learn how to protect your hair and scalp from air pollution and much more.

When researching hair loss, here has been a significant focus on lifestyle choices that damage hair health when in fact another serious threat is air pollution, something we all come into contact with on a day-to-day basis. As more air pollutants enter the airstream, they have become a major challenge because of the number of people dying from exposure to these poisons.

Air pollution has for some time posed serious threats to both the planet and those who live on it. WHO estimates that more than 4.2 million global citizens die annually from air pollution and affect nine-out-of-ten who live in heavily-populated areas. From cancer to skin conditions, people suffer serious problems from contact with air pollution, including scalp and hair health.

What Causes Air Pollution?

Air pollution comes from sources such as fossil fuels, vehicle exhaust emissions, agriculture, construction, industrial manufacturing, and energy usage in the home and on the road. When burning fossil fuels such as gas, coal, or CO2, it releases chemicals and gases directly into the air. The direct consequences harm the earth and affect global warming and weather patterns. 

When the air is dirty from pollution, it affects a person’s body in a number of ways, from smog and greenhouse gases to air pollutants and allergens. These types of air pollutants affect the body internally and externally and leave behind severe health consequences. Most especially since the hair strands are on the outside of the skin and body, it can distress cell and hair follicle health.

New data by a South Korean cosmetics company recently released their research at the 28th European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress in Madrid. Their findings suggest that when hair follicle cells come into contact with air pollutants, it results in hair loss as it attacks the proteins that hair is made of. While this research is unsubstantiated in the scientific community, the research may prove to be invaluable to companies looking for a baldness cure.

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Smog And Hair Follicle Health

Smog is one of the most dominant air pollutions in the world as it results when fossil fuels combust upon contact with sunlight. Within the smog is tiny particles of soot that moves in the air. Contributors to smog and soot include power plants, factories, and vehicles. These tiny particles in smog infiltrate the bloodstream and affect cell health, thereby causing hair follicles to shed old hairs and stop producing new ones naturally.

The skin can also be damaged from smog and soot as the hair is in direct contact with it. The hair on the skin is designed as the first-line-of-defense to catch harmful particles before it infiltrates the body, so it is susceptible to damage anytime you are outdoors. While they will hang on hair strands, smog and soot can also clog the hair follicles and prevent healthy cell regeneration. These things are essential for scalp and follicle health.

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Greenhouse Gases And Scalp Irritations

Greenhouse gases (GHG) are defined as electromagnetic wave energy that absorbs and releases particulate matter into the atmospheric surface. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, hydrofluorocarbons, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and water vapor. The more often the exposure, the higher the hazards.

Research shows that particulate matter from greenhouse gases can cause dandruff, itching, hair follicle pain, scalp irritation, and oily scalps that are most often associated with hair loss and balding. Hair directly in contact with air pollution also shows signs of strand breakage, dryness, and early hair loss like the signs of male pattern baldness.

Air Pollutants And Hair Health

Air pollutants like lead and mercury cause serious health risks to those exposed to them. Common medical complaints include blood disorders and skin conditions that will directly affect scalp and hair health. Scientists also caution that exposure to air pollution often mimics symptoms of androgenic alopecia, which could affect known treatments.

Air pollutants will also affect full mind-and-body health from what we breathe to the food we eat. Once consumed, it affects the body, including the harmful effects of contaminated nutrients and the lack of autoimmune responses. If you are asking, “Why am I losing my hair,” it could simply be what you are exposing it to in the environment.

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Allergens And Hair Loss

 Allergens such as pollen, mold, or dust can cause allergic reactions in the body causing health-related responses such as hair loss. Anything, from food that causes an auto-immune response to the plants in your yard that cause skin irritation can be symptomatic of air-borne allergens when the body comes into contact with them and cause an allergy.

As most people who have allergies have year-round symptoms, hair loss becomes problematic living in an environment that triggers a reaction. Bosley advises clients with hair loss to visit https://www.bosleypro.com/ and https://www.bosley.com/ to learn about treatment options like shampoo for thinning hair or Bosley hair restoration.

How To Protect Your Hair And Scalp From Air Pollution

 What you do to protect your hair strands is different than what you do to protect your head, although both are susceptible to damage from air pollution because it is the area of the body exposed to it most often. As the particulate matter in the air is as small as 2.5 PM, it is easy to get caught in hair strands and penetrate the scalp and hair follicles. So, how do you protect yourself?

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The first and most obvious is to wear a head covering such as a loose-fitting hat or a scarf. Is wearing a hat good for your hair? Experts agree that hats and hair covers are fine as long as it is not tight and does not cause tension on the scalp. Most critically, hats and scarves protect your hair from any type of components blowing around in the air, including harmful air pollution.

Next, you will want to ensure you are consuming macro and micronutrients daily to promote hair growth. If you’re not eating a balanced diet, your hair is going to appear dry and lifeless. Not only will the elements in air pollution cause harm externally, but you also won’t be getting the nutrients to help your hair withstand its effects as it damages your scalp and hair follicles.

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You will also want to hydrate your hair as air pollution like soot and dirt absorbs the moisture on your hair and causes it to dry out faster than usual. The dirt and soot can also clog your hair follicles and cause strands to shed unnaturally. You can use Bosley Rejuvenating Scalp Scrub to remove the effects of air pollution to ensure your hair follicles are able to function normally.

How Bosley Hair Products Help Prevent Air Pollution Damage

When air pollution is at its worst, your hair is going to suffer both in texture and appearance, so you need a Bosley shampoo and conditioner to counteract the potential damage of direct exposure. You need a vigorous shampoo to cleanse your hair and restore nourishment. You should also use our conditioner to restore strength and bring the life back to your hair strands.

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You should also be cognizant of your hairstyling routine as you can greatly damage your hair and make it more susceptible to drying, breaking, and fracturing. The damage caused by air pollution will increase the number of dead ends you have, making it shed faster than those that are healthy. You should also decrease the use of heating tools that get hotter than 415 degrees.

Does Pollution Cause Dandruff?

Air pollution can cause dandruff as the pollution that the air is circulating causes allergic reactions, skin conditions, irritation, and inflammation. When these elements are present, you will see signs of dandruff as your scalp develops bumps and eventually sheds the dead skin.

Does Air Pollution Cause Baldness?

There is much damage that shows dirt and soot are harmful to hair follicles, but does it cause baldness? When your hair cells come into contact with air pollution, it causes the proteins that stimulate growth to become less active, although it does not contribute directly to baldness. Most likely, you already have an issue with genetics or hormones that are causing hair strands to shed.

Of course, the most simplistic way to protect your hair from air pollution is to be proactive, most especially if you live and work in a highly polluted area. You can also do things like wear a hair covering, read product labels, and use Bosley hair products to defend or revive hair health. Not only will you avoid the effects of air pollution, but your hair strands will look healthy.