5 Tips For Healthy Hair
Your hair endures daily stress, so it’s essential that you give it some TLC. There are various things you can do to maintain its health, from using specific shampoos and haircuts regularly, to switching shampoos altogether.
Foods rich in Vitamin B can help your hair remain thick and strong, so be sure to consume lots of berries, spinach and avocados!
1. Eat Healthy Foods
Diet is one of the key ways you can support healthy hair. Nutritious food plays a direct role in how it looks and feels; indeed, nutrition provides the basis for all aspects of skin and hair health.
Consuming an array of fruits and vegetables is an easy way to increase your intake of essential nutrients for healthy hair. Dark leafy veggies such as spinach are packed with Vitamin A, iron, beta carotene and folate as well as helping keep the scalp hydrated with moisture – perfect for keeping breakable locks from breaking or becoming dry and breaking out! Add spinach into a smoothie or salad as an added nutritional powerhouse!
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A, which promotes hair thickness by stimulating glands on your scalp to secrete oily sebum that hydrates and nourishes each strand. Other orange foods like carrots, pumpkin and cantaloupe also contain this vital nutrient.
Yogurt contains protein – essential for strong hair. In addition, yogurt also provides essential b vitamins, zinc and other essential nutrients that support strong locks. And with its probiotics supporting your digestive tract and hair follicles in turn.
Don’t opt for sugary yogurt parfaits; opt instead for unsweetened plain or low-fat yogurt that doesn’t pack in extra calories, such as unsweetened plain or low-fat varieties instead. Alcohol may interfere with absorption of key hair-health nutrients; too much red wine consumption could result in zinc deficiency which is essential to hair health.
2. Wash Your Hair Regularly
Many people believe they must wash their hair daily, be it due to social pressures or because it feels good to them. Unfortunately, too frequent washing of your locks may actually damage them in ways you didn’t intend. Overdoing it with shampooing could result in dull, lifeless locks which lead to breakage and split ends as well as an oily scalp with subsequent dandruff and itching issues.
According to your personal haircare routine, it is generally recommended that shampooing once or twice a week will keep your locks healthy. However, if you have dyed or processed your locks with chemicals such as bleach, perms, or relaxers then more frequent shampoos will likely be necessary to preserve color integrity while decreasing risks of dryness and damage.
Another significant factor when determining how often to wash your hair is its oil levels on your scalp. Some individuals produce more sebum than others and thus should clean their locks more often. It is also essential to take into account your activity level and any sweat that might accumulate throughout the day as factors.
Consider also your hair’s texture; thin, fine strands tend to accumulate grease quickly, so they may need to be washed more frequently than thicker, curlier locks.
Washing your hair regularly is also an effective way to clear away dead skin cells from your scalp, which helps prevent itchy dandruff. Use clarifying shampoo every few weeks to rid any buildup or odor. For best results, trim your locks every 3-6 weeks (in short or bobbed hair cases) or every 8-12 weeks if textured hair type.
3. Deep Condition Regularly
Deep conditioning takes this a step further by replenishing natural oils that coat each strand and providing intensive moisture therapy to repair dry or damaged hair, prevent breakage and split ends, improve texture and elasticity as well as support healthy hair growth. Regular deep conditioning sessions should be part of any healthy hair routine; especially for those with naturally curly or kinky locks.
There are various deep conditioners on the market, each featuring different ingredients and formulas. Most contain emollients, humectants and natural extracts to provide intense hydration for your locks. Heat can help penetrate deeper into the hair shaft than traditional deep conditioning methods do, delivering maximum hydration to each strand of hair. However, we advise using it only 2-3 times each week since overmoisturization can upset its delicate natural protein-moisture balance that your strands require for healthy locks!
Your hair type and porosity level will dictate whether or not you should deep condition more frequently; those with finer locks only need to deep condition once every week as any additional conditioning could weigh down their locks and cause build-up; for thicker locks, twice weekly may provide optimal hydration levels for their locks.
Make the most out of your conditioner purchase or make homemade masks tailored specifically to your hair type by mixing together ingredients such as mashed banana and honey for an at-home mask that will hydrate, prevent dandruff, add shine, and promote healthy hair growth.
4. Take Care of Your Scalp
Your scalp is at the core of having healthy locks. While it’s easy to take it for granted since it lies hidden underneath your locks, your scalp plays an essential role in how smooth, strong, and shiny your locks look. An unhealthy scalp can lead to conditions like dandruff, dryness, itching, flaking or any combination thereof which have adverse effects on both you and your locks.
If you experience any of the above symptoms, it is vital to seek medical advice as soon as possible. A visit to your physician will allow them to assess if there is an underlying issue which needs addressing or whether your symptoms could simply be due to diet, stress, or lifestyle habits. If the issue involves your scalp condition specifically, various treatments exist that could provide relief.
Maintain a healthy scalp by regularly shampooing away product and oil build-up using clarifying shampoo, and follow with moisturizing conditioner for added moisture. If your scalp suffers from itchy, flaky issues, look for one with either pyrithione zinc or piroctone olamine in it to combat dandruff issues.
An excellent way to show your scalp some extra love and care is by massaging it while shampooing and rinsing your hair, helping improve circulation, boost blood flow, and stimulate hair follicles. Applying a scalp tonic, serum or mask once in awhile may also provide extra nourishment – and consider switching up protective styles every month or so so your strands have time for rest from constant manipulation!
5. Get Regular Haircuts
Regular haircuts are essential to healthy hair. Your stylist will remove damaged or dead hair that can lead to split ends forming; left untreated, this could leave your locks dull and lifeless. To maintain vibrant locks, schedule regular visits from their stylist – every 6-8 weeks is best!
Regular haircuts can also help your hair appear fuller and thicker, as your stylist will be able to texturize the ends when cutting your locks – this makes your locks appear fuller and voluminous!
Of the many factors that contribute to healthy hair, many contribute to its wellbeing and you may never achieve super-sleek locks; but there are steps you can take to ensure it remains in the best possible condition. Aside from eating healthily and attending regular haircuts, heat styling tools and chemical treatments should also be avoided as much as possible; additionally be sure to use alcohol- and sulfate-free shampoos in order to keep the scalp nourished with moisture and clean!
Follow these tips, and you will soon be on your way to beautiful and healthy hair. Don’t delay in scheduling your next haircut; ask your stylist how frequently your next cut should occur for optimal results! They are more than willing to help find an optimal schedule based on your hair type!