We all want to keep a healthy head of hair. Mistreating our hair can cause it to become thinner, damage our roots and increase the chances of balding later on in life. If you want to protect those locks, now is the time to make a few changes to your haircare regime. Here are just a few methods:
Don’t wash every day
There’s a lot of debate from experts over how often you should wash your hair with some claiming every other day whilst others argue only once a week! What most experts can agree on is that washing every day is unhealthy for those tresses. Over-washing takes away natural oils causing hair to become dryer and more faded. It also dries out the scalp causing more nasty dandruff.
Take care when drying
The healthiest way to let hair dry is to let it dry in the air naturally. Of course, not all of us have the time to do this – especially during the working week. Hair-dryers are the most efficient method of drying your hair, but can do the most damage. The heat can dry out your hair and make it more brittle over time. You should always blow dry from above and not directly side on, and if you have a cool setting it’s best to use this. When it comes to using a towel, try not to scruff your hair too roughly as this can damage the roots. Gentle dabbing is far healthier for your hair.
Brush up your brushing habits
Combs are best used on wet hair. You should comb upwards from the tip to the root if you can – this reduces tugging and root damage. Brushing is better suited for dry hair. Most of us don’t clean our brushes regularly, although they ought to be washed every couple months. Hairbrushes collect oils and hair, making them a breeding ground for bacteria. When brushing and combing be careful with knots. You’re far better off wetting your hair first or using a detangling spray. Always try to pull apart the knot with your hands before tackling it with a comb or brush. Ripping the knot out will damage your hair.
Eat the right foods
Our hair needs lots of nutrients to keep it healthy. Biotin is one such nutrient found in eggs, almonds, avocados and salmon. Vitamin B12 meanwhile can slow down hair loss and greying – tangerines are a rich source of this vitamin. Sulphur is also very good for our hair, as well as our fingernails and skin, although few of us get it in our regular diets. You can ingest organic sulphur crystals to help with this nutrient boost. A great superfood for your hair meanwhile is almond butter, which contains practically everything your hair needs.
Give it a protein boost
There are many protein rich shampoos that can boost hair growth. However, another surprisingly common alternative – and some of you may be dubious about trying it – is to wash your hair with egg in order to provide a direct hit of protein. Whisk it up in a bowl, take it into the bath/shower with you and then use it as if you were using shampoo. The egg will wash out just like shampoo and leave your hair feeling and looking richer. I recommend doing this no more than once a fortnight as too much protein can make your hair tough and brittle.
Don’t overuse hair products
Overusing hair products, especially chemical based ones, can ruin your hair in the long run. This includes shampoo, conditioners, dyes, gels, mousses and waxes. Some are obviously bad for our hair – bleaching can ruin your roots for good after multiple usage. Others may take a little more time to cause damage. Many sprays will weigh down your hair and cause it to lose its natural buoyancy. Overusing oils could cause your hair to become permanently greasy as your scalp becomes used to having so much oil on it that it will overproduce natural oils to compensate. Also be careful of continuing to use chemical products after you’ve had an allergic reaction, even if it is the smallest of rashes. Reactive symptoms could become worse with regular use and cause permanent damage, either to your hair or your scalp. Hypoallergenic hair products protect against all allergies and are a good alternative in this scenario.