As the year winds down, it’s natural for us to take a minute and review the year in our minds. We think about our accomplishments at work. We think about all the projects we planned to complete and never even touched. We think about all the challenges our family and friends dealt with this year.

Well, while you’re busy analyzing the year, take a minute to think about your hair. Yes, I said “your hair”. As someone with thinning hair, it’s something that’s on my mind all the time anyway. But the thoughts I have are basically simple…”I sure wish I had thicker hair.” I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the damage I’ve done to my hair and how my styling actions might make my hair thin even more.

But, here we are in the middle of winter and it’s no wonder my thinning hair seems even a little more tattered lately. Here’s what most woman have been doing all year:

• Straightening – Very few people have straight hair. But most women seem to want it. If you’re the kind that likes straight, silky hair, then you’ve probably done some serious damage by straightening your hair all year.
• Dying – Oh, this is a big one. I’ve come to realize that my own color works for me. But how often do we insist upon a dye job? Let me tell you, you might be happy with the color but you’re not doing your thinning hair any favors by turning it brown and then blond and then red.
• Curling – I always laughed when I’d see a girlfriend of mind wear her curlers to bed. Doing so isn’t real great for your thin hair since you’re much more likely to pull on or tear your hair while you’re sleeping. But at least curlers don’t heat your hair to the breaking point like a curling iron does.
• Products – In an effort to look great, you might be dumping gobs and gobs of toxins onto your head. You have your mousse, your hair spray, your gels, and of course the shampoos and conditioners you use to clean it. Products can wreak havoc on your hair if you don’t choose medicated or at least specially formulated products.
• Weather – When the weather’s bad, most of us like to stay inside anyway. But if you have to head out in the rain and wind and sunlight, your hair is going to take a beating. And weather has an awful way of ruining your perfectly styled hair and revealing to the world that you have thinning hair challenges.
• Perms – Mostly, this is for those of you still stuck in the 80’s. Perms have kind of died out, but there are still women who get them on a regular basis. And the chemicals from a perm are not hair friendly.

Now imagine…you’ve been beating up on your hair (whether it’s perfect or thinning), for the last 12 months. And probably even longer. So now the question is…how are you going to take care of your hair in the coming year? Because it’s never too late to start treating your hair with some decency.

In our next post I’ll share some of the ideas I have for making sure you maintain the healthiest hair you can. In the meantime – take it easy. Give your hair a break. And enjoy your holidays.

	Look Good, Feel Great!
	Dale Lorna Denison P.S. For great styling tips for Women with Thinning Hair, check out my FREE Styling Guide –>