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As if periods weren’t a big enough struggle it turns out our monthly gift could be wreaking havoc on our locks as well as our mood swings. As crazy as it sounds our periods could be affecting our hair throughout the entire month and turning a good hair day into a really bad one. From the beginning to the end of your cycle this is exactly how your period affects your hair.
Week One
Your monthly cycle starts on the first day of your period (YAY) and as your oestrogen levels are lower you’ll find that your hair and scalp feel a bit drier. Some women can also experience a drop in iron levels which is key for promoting healthy hair growth so if this is you it’s worth talking to your GP about getting some supplements.
Hair products you’ll need: Stock up on a moisturising mask, some natural hair oils and a good heat protection spray incase you need to style your hair. Dry hair is way more prone to damage though so you might want to stick to heatless looks this week.
Week Two
This is the absolute best week of your cycle because not only has your period finished but your oestrogen levels will pick back up and even out your sebum production. This means shiny, manageable hair that’s not too greasy. YES! This is also where the term ‘pregnancy hair’ comes from as your oestrogen levels are higher during pregnancy giving you 9 months of supermodel worthy waves.
Hair products you’ll need: It’s worth skipping anything that’s too clarifying this week or that contains sulphates or alcohol as you don’t want to mess up the good oil balance. Instead go for a natural shampoo and top up the shine with a serum or balm.
Week Three
This is when your ovaries release an egg! Whoop! And it’s called the ovulation period. During this time you’re supposed to look and smell your most attractive as you’re fertile so your body is putting out all the stops. Your estrogen levels will increase even more this week which helps to promote hair growth and prevent shedding so your locks will feel super thick.
Hair products you’ll need: A good hairbrush and some silkening mist to keep your locks smooth and tangle free.
Week Four
This is when your hormones are on full blown crazy mode and you feel your most emotionally unstable. Don’t deny it, we’ve all cried at adverts on TV during Week 4. Progesterone and oestrogen levels will increase again this week and along with a spike in testosterone will trigger a spike in sebum production. This means really oily hair that’s super greasy and weighed down. It’s also the reason for those pesky breakouts too, urghh.
Hair products you’ll need: Dry shampoo for sure and a clarifying shampoo to keep your hair as clean and fresh as possible. You might want to exfoliate your scalp too as all this excess oil could lead to dandruff.
Track your bad hair days
There are so many apps out there for tracking your periods and it’s also a really good way to track your bad hair days too. The app Clue has a dedicated section for you to import how your hair is looking each day. It gives you four options including good, bad, oily or dry so you’ll know when it’s time to top up your dry shampoo supply. You’ll have to import your data like height, weight, age and your last period but the more you use it the most detailed the information will be. After a few months you’ll be able to look back and see the pattern in when your hair was a little more greasy or unruly. So fascinating right? And it’s free!
