Hair loss can be distressing and can impact your self esteem.
But one doctor has revealed how your morning routine could actually be making the issue worse.
Most people will reach for a cup of coffee or tea first thing, and while it might give you a boost of energy, it could be damaging your hair.
Ingredients in black tea and coffee can put a strain on your iron levels which could result in hair loss.
Dr Sara Kayat explained that losing around 100 to 150 strands of hair a day is normal but that some people can lose more down to stress.
Most of the time the hair loss will stop once your stress levels ease, but that can be easier said than done.
With that in mind, Dr Kayat, who is working with Viviscal said you should avoid consuming caffeine – which could be causing your hair to fall out.
She explained: “Did you know the tannins in black tea can block the absorption of iron, which may increase the risk of iron deficiency and in turn result in hair loss?
“If you are a black tea drinker – try and minimise your in-take, or even better – stick with green tea, as an alternative.”
Coffee contains around 4.6 per cent tannin, while tea has around 11.2 per cent tannin.
Tannins are molecules that stick to proteins and are found in tree wood and bark, unripe fruits and the leaves of plants.
Dr Kayat said that it’s not just an iron deficiency that can be damaging to your hair, but that people with lactose intolerances can also suffer.
While most people with lactose intolerance aren’t downing pints of milk, Dr Kayat said if you have an intolerance you should try and avoid products that might give you a flare up in order to prevent hair damage and loss.
“Being lactose intolerance is very common and, for those with sensitivities to it, eating foods containing dairy can exacerbate skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and dandruff, which may affect the health of the scalp and therefore affect hair health.
“A healthy scalp is so important as follicles that are affected by infection, dandruff, oil and debris may affect the growth of hair.
“Signs that your scalp may not be healthy include itchiness, flakiness or dandruff, redness, oiliness and spots or bumps.
“Often simple changes to your usual hair care regime can be enough to remedy this but, if not, you should be reviewed by a doctor”, she said.
Dr Kayat said that you should also make sure you steer clear of any hair products that include alcohol as these can damage your hair and dry out the scalp.
She said: “Always read the ingredient list before choosing a hairspray – and try to avoid styling hair with hairsprays when it isn’t necessary.
“Repeated use of hairspray between washing your hair may cause a build-up and create layers of dandruff-like particles that flake off.
“If you are styling your hair with hairspray, try to wash hair regularly to avoid build-up of styling products and scalp irritations.”
How you handle your stress levels can also impact hair loss and said if you don’t seek help them it could mean you experience further hair loss down the line.
“I also recommend stress management techniques you can do at home including yoga, meditation, deep breathing, journaling and spending time outdoors”, Dr Kayat added.
