How Your Adventurer Personality Is Affecting Your Hair

Do you have an adventurer personality and if so, does it mess with your hair? Whether you’re a jet setter, an outdoorsy girl, or an extreme sports enthusiast, having a highly active lifestyle does take its toll on the body. Here, delve into the science of how being a thrill-seeker can affect your locks and what you can do about it.

Ever heard of the phrase, “Magkakauban ako sayo” (“You’re making my hair turn gray”)? Turns out there’s some truth to it. When you have an adventurer personality, you often put yourself in situations that can give you that rush of adrenaline that you crave. Although it’s a great feeling, this rush is your body’s response to stress.

A study by Harvard researchers published in Nature Journal found that frequent, acute stress leads to graying hair due to the fast depletion of melanocyte cells, which is responsible for producing melanin. 

Did you know that performing extreme exercises too often can also lead to stress? Hair loss due to stress is typical but the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition notes that intense activities can also initiate this response in the body. Chronic stress can lead to a host of health problems, including premature hair loss, according to a 2021 study published in the National Institute on Aging. It found that stress puts hair follicles in an extended telogen phase, delaying hair regeneration.

Moreover, hairstyles that adventurers use are usually tighter and tend to tug at the scalp. At the end of a long day of cavorting, take off your ponytail and allow your hair to rest. Swap your elastics with silk scrunchies that won’t be so hard on your strands to minimize hair fall and breakage.

Are you a frequent flyer? The combination of good old travel stress, changing climates, airplane air, and even prolonged sun exposure can lead to scalp problems, such as dryness. If this happens, avoid showering with hot water and limit your bath time to 10 minutes. Carry a portable humidifier to add water to the air in your hotel room and ease your dry scalp.

To keep your hair moisturized, use Cream Silk Triple Keratin Rescue Ultimate Straight Ultra Treatment Wrap after washing with shampoo and conditioner. Leave it on for three minutes to allow the Triple Keratin Formula to penetrate each strand and repair your hair inside and out.

Frequent, excessive sweating from fun, outdoor activities can lead to folliculitis. This inflammation of the hair follicle can occur on your scalp or anywhere you have hair. It can look like acne breakouts along your hairline or the nape. It can feel itchy and irritated but refrain from scratching them to prevent further damage.

Sweating can also trigger excess oil production in the scalp, which encourages the growth of Malassezia yeast. This yeast produces oily dandruff, characterized by greasy and super itchy yellow flakes. If left untreated, the itching can lead to hair thinning and hair loss.

Prevent these issues by cleansing your scalp with a shampoo like Dove Botanical Silicone Free Shampoo for Damaged Hair Restore. It has a gentle, silicone-free formula with a botanical oil containing Pink Moroccan Rose.

There’s no need to abandon your adventurer personality for the sake of your hair. Just maintain a regular haircare routine that’s suited to your needs. Keep your scalp clean and your hair moisturized, and immediately treat any issues like dandruff, hair fall, and dryness. Go ahead and be you, but don’t forget about your locks.