A hair loss specialist has revealed that certain everyday foods could be secretly damaging your locks, leading to poor growth and excessive shedding.
In fact, a number of common food choices may be contributing to hair problems, with sugar among the worst culprits.
According to Dr. Gizem Seymenglu - a London-based hair loss and aesthetics specialist with Longevita Hair Transplant - sugary foods are some of the biggest dietary offenders when it comes to hair loss.
She said: "Eating a lot of sugar can trigger chronic inflammation in the body, which can damage the hair follicles. Additionally, you can end up developing insulin resistance, which can potentially lead to type 2 diabetes, a condition also linked to hair loss, likely due to reduced blood flow to the scalp."
Sugary foods can damage the hair
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The expert further cautioned against excessive consumption of trans fats, which are found in processed and packaged foods. She said: "One of the worst fats that you can have in your diet is trans fat because it raises the level of bad cholesterol in the body. And while it can lead to far more serious health issues, like heart disease and stroke, you may also experience hair loss because of their consumption.
"The reason for this is that trans fats can clog the pores of your scalp. And in doing so, they can block your follicles from getting the nutrients they need, preventing healthy growth."
Moreover, ultra-processed foods can be harmful to your hair because they lack important nutrients.
The doctor said: "As ultra-processed foods go, potato chips, chicken nuggets, cereal, candies, sodas, and energy drinks typically fall into this category. There is a great deal of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats in these foods, and even worse, they lack the healthy nutrients our bodies actually need.
"They're low in protein, and your hair needs a protein called keratin for strength. They're also low in vitamins and minerals like zinc and calcium, which your hair also needs. If you don't have enough of these in your diet, your hair will become weaker, and it'll fall out more easily."
Another food item that the expert warned people to watch out for is some large sea fish that contain high levels of mercury.
"Fish like tuna, swordfish and king mackerel contain high levels of mercury, which is a toxic substance that can cause excessive hair loss," Dr. Gizem warned.
Too much alcohol isn't good for your hair either, according to the specialist, who said: "Excessive drinking can leave your hair dry and prone to breakage because alcohol is a diuretic, which can quite easily cause dehydration.
"Then there is the double whammy that occurs when the body's nutrition is impacted because excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to deficiencies in important nutrients like vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and iron."
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The doctor recommended limiting alcohol
PEXELSFinally, watch out for eating too many foods high in vitamin A. The expert said: "There is no doubt that vitamin A is important for overall health, but when you eat too much of vitamin A-rich foods like liver or take excessive amounts of vitamin A through supplements, you can develop hypervitaminosis A or vitamin A toxicity. This can speed up your hair growth cycle and cause shedding."
Moderation is best when it comes to diet, as an excess of anything is bad and can negatively affect more than just your hair.
The specialist recommended a balanced approach to nutrition to protect hair health, suggesting that what we eat plays a crucial role in maintaining strong, healthy locks.
