Over 85% of women in the UK have damaged hair according to new research.

The poll of 1,300 women across the UK, reveals that over 88% of women are damaging their hair on a daily basis in their pursuit of perfect hair, and as a result, bad hair days are becoming a national epidemic.

The poll was conducted by the damage experts at Dove Hair Therapy to get to the root of UK women’s bad hair days. The results reveal that one in eight are suffering from some type of everyday hair damage symptom, thanks to their everyday styling and care habits.

The most common types of hair damage for UK women are: Split ends (57%)
Frizz (43%)
Hair Breakage (35%)
Dull hair (33%)
Static (30%)

According to the experts the problem is caused by a combination of mechanical, chemical and environmental damage with pollution, brushing, heat damage and colouring all adding up to hair that is below par. The most common causes of UK hair damage are:

Excessive hair washing – 45% of brits wash their hair every day
Crazy colouring – 61% colour their hair every 2-3 months (including highlighting, lowlighting and all over colour)
Serious straighteners – 29% reach for the straightening irons every day
Brazen blow drying - 35% blow dry hair every single day

The research revealed that where you live can even have an effect on your hair!

Scots are the worst victims of bad hair days, with 91% describing themselves as having damaged hair compared to just 75% of Londoners, perhaps because Scottish women colour their hair twice as often as other regions

Women in the North East highlight their hair the most, with nearly half (46%) adding peroxide every 2-3months

Women in the East of England cause their hair the most damage by perming, with one in ten going curly every 2-3 months

Northern Ireland has the highest number of women brushing their hair daily (93%), swimming in chlorine without a hat every 2-3 months (37%), and over one third (39%) of women blow drying hair every day

Londoners are the biggest users of chemical hair straightening treatments – very damaging to hair.

Women in the South East wash their hair more than any other region