Executive Summary: Managing thinning hair requires a holistic approach, as diets high in processed sugars, refined carbohydrates, and red meat can promote systemic inflammation that impacts the scalp environment. By reducing daily styling stress and adopting a clean hair care routine featuring nutrient-dense botanical blends like the Kazani® Intensive Hair & Scalp Serum, you can comfortably nourish the scalp tissue, support cosmetic density, and protect fragile strands from breakage.
Hair thinning puts the hair in a very vulnerable state, which is why it is important to take extra care of it to prevent the problem from worsening. There are certain lifestyle habits that should be avoided if you are experiencing hair thinning in order to keep hair as healthy as possible while in this condition.
Hair Care
There are numerous hair-related habits to break if you are experiencing hair thinning. To start, if you regularly color or treat your hair, you will want to stop those treatments as they can cause damage to the hair.2
Additionally, you should avoid harsh hair products while the hair is in this state. Products such as the Kazani Beauty Intensive Hair & Scalp Serum help bring life nourishment back into the hair when it is in the damaged state. This is the best hair and scalp serum as it revitalizes the hair and is made for all hair types. It is extremely important to cut out products that can lead to irritation and use products that can hydrate the hair during this time.
Hair Styles
Also, tight hairstyles like updos or ponytails can lead to more breakage of the hair, so it is better to avoid these hairstyles when dealing with hair thinning..2 Another thing to avoid would be using styling products and poor-quality hair brushes while it is in this state because it can lead to breakage as well.2
Dietary Habits
Aside from hair, there are also dietary habits that can be changed while dealing with hair thinning. According to doctors and dermatologists, it is recommended to avoid “three particular kinds of processed foods: sugary foods with refined carbs, red meat, and large sea fish.” 3
Starting with sugary foods, according to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Yoham Harth, sugary foods and refined carbs can increase inflammation and increase insulin levels, which damages blood vessels and reduces the amount of oxygen and micronutrients reaching the hair follicles.3 He also recommends to avoid foods with “preservatives, artificial flavors, and food colors, as they increase free radicals in our scalp, causing damage to hair follicles and reducing hair reduction.” 3
As for red meat, Dr. Harth says that “eating high amounts of red meat and fried food is shown to increase inflammation and promote the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and that this male hormone is related to androgenetic hair loss. And, red meats have also been shown to worsen the risk of heart disease by raising your cholesterol and clogging your arteries.” 3 Finally large fish with high mercury levels could also be associated with hair loss.3 Fish such as mackerel, swordfish, and tuna can be replaced with fish low in mercury such as cod and salmon.3
Another food that, when ingested in high amounts, could contribute to hair loss are simple carbohydrates. According to a 2016 study, it was suggested that “eating simple carbohydrates increases sebum production, an oily substance that the glands attached to hair follicles release. While sebum is beneficial for hair health, excess amounts can lead to inflammation that is harmful to hair health.” 4 It is important to note that these are just potential links to increased hair thinning, and it could be worth a shot to avoid some of these foods in your diet. However, it is still valuable to consult with your doctor about your diet and see if there could be more specificity about the foods that could contribute to hair thinning.
Stress
Lastly, there are some lifestyle changes that can be made to prevent an increase in hair shedding, related to stress. Stress, especially chronic stress, causes an increase in hormones such as cortisol, which can lead to “a condition like telogen effluvium, in which your hair can fall out, and the hair follicles enter a long “resting” phase where new hair doesn’t grow.” 1 Although oftentimes stress is out of our control, there are certain changes that can be made to help relax and regulate those hormones such as cortisol. Daily meditation and relaxation exercises can help the body regulate cortisol, as well as staying active.
Although hair thinning is not ideal, it is important to take care of your hair in this state and prevent it from worsening. Following these tips while dealing with this problem will help maintain your hair as best as possible while treating it and waiting for improvements. It is always recommended to speak with your doctor about any concerns you may have about your hair, especially if you are dealing with hair thinning. These are just recommendations, but consulting with your primary care doctor can help you get the right treatment to bring your hair back to its healthiest state. It is best to take care of your hair and to do things to prevent it from worsening while waiting for a full recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which hair care treatments and styling habits worsen hair thinning?
A: When hair is in a thinning state, it becomes highly vulnerable, making it critical to eliminate damaging hair care habits immediately. Regularly coloring, chemically treating, or using harsh chemical products can cause severe structural damage and localized scalp irritation. Additionally, mechanical stress from tight hairstyles—such as updos and ponytails—directly triggers increased strand breakage. Using poor-quality hairbrushes or heavy styling products can further damage vulnerable fibers, which is why transitioning to clean, hydrating products like the Kazani® Intensive Hair & Scalp Serum is highly recommended to safely restore life and nourishment across all hair types.
Q: Why do sugary foods and refined carbohydrates accelerate hair loss?
A: According to dermatological experts, ingesting processed sugary foods and refined carbohydrates can trigger systemic inflammation and spike insulin levels within the body. This biochemical reaction damages delicate blood vessels and restricts the critical supply of oxygen and essential micronutrients from reaching your hair follicles. Furthermore, foods containing artificial flavors, preservatives, and food colorings increase harmful free radicals across the scalp, directly damaging the hair follicles and severely reducing healthy hair production. Simple carbohydrates have also been linked to excess sebum production, which causes localized follicle inflammation that disrupts healthy growth.
Q: How do red meat and high-mercury sea fish impact androgenic hair thinning?
A: Clinical insights demonstrate that eating high amounts of red meat and fried foods increases inflammation and actively promotes the metabolic conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This specific male androgen hormone is directly related to androgenetic hair loss and hair follicle miniaturization. Additionally, consuming large sea fish that contain high mercury levels—such as mackerel, swordfish, and tuna—is closely associated with increased hair shedding. Replacing these with low-mercury, nutrient-dense alternatives like cod and salmon safely supports the hair root apparatus.
Q: What is the biological relationship between chronic stress and hair shedding?
A: Chronic psychological or physical stress triggers an overproduction of systemic hormones, particularly cortisol, which can induce a clinical hair shedding condition known as telogen effluvium. Under this condition, a significant number of your active hair follicles are forced prematurely into a prolonged “resting” phase, causing active strands to fall out and preventing new hair from growing. While stress can sometimes feel out of your control, incorporating daily meditation, structured relaxation exercises, and consistent physical activity helps the body naturally regulate cortisol levels to keep your hair follicles in their active growth phase.
Notes
1 Cherney, Kristeen. “12 Ways to Stop Hair Thinning.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 19 Mar. 2024, www.healthline.com/health/thinning-hair. Accessed 24 July 2024.
2 Hines, Sophie, and Elena Chabo. “Experts Reveal the Mistakes You Should Avoid If You Have Thinning Hair.” Good Housekeeping, 3 May 2022, www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/beauty/hair/a569476/hair-loss-thinning-hair-mistakes-to-avoid/. Accessed 25 July 2024.
3 Matozzo, Marissa. “The 3 ‘worst’ Foods to Avoid If You’re Suffering from Hair Loss, According to Doctors.” Yahoo!, 15 Nov. 2023, www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/experts-share-4-foods-avoid-123039027.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABYI4jtimqz2Rv8pr4RZJMAIrpBSoYZgzSgDOvsBbO_SXNCzcE8sgFWNrOVvCyauuk3tUy2GW-2y3Fc6–ctfydR-Jp9gGRzznmCnVCfniwJix4ssozhXclN563_a0VjBZDYzWPFVuW5XxNbFYG7XldyM2WRF1SfF5skSmN63Y76. Accessed 25 July 2024.
4 West, Mary. “Can Foods Cause Hair Loss?” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 29 Nov. 2021, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/foods-that-cause-hair-loss#which-foods. Accessed 25 July 2024.
