Keeping your hair healthy and strong can be a difficult task. Many of us have our hair regularly dyed and use lots of heat products which can cause damage, however there are a few things you can do to ensure your hair stays nice and strong without having to compromise on making your hair look exactly how you want it! Try to incorporate these few things into your hair routine and you should notice a big difference.
Use Less Heat Appliances
Heated hair appliances can cause significant amounts of damage to your hair. Hair dryers, straighteners and curlers can all have a negative impact on the health of our hair, so minimising the use is advised. When you can, try to leave your hair to dry naturally. You could also try different styling techniques that don’t require heat, such as overnight dressing gown curls which have taken the internet by storm this year!
Otherwise, make sure you use a very good heat protectant spray. Try to minimise the use of heat based products to once a week in order to reduce potential damage. Also, make sure that your hair is completely dry before styling with curlers or straighteners, otherwise it can really easily singe.
Only Wash Hair Once or Twice A Week
One of the easiest things you can do to improve the health of your hair is to only wash it twice a week. When you wash your hair, it is stripping the natural oils out of your hair, which help to keep the scalp healthy and the hair shiny and soft. When you only wash your hair once or twice a week, you are giving the natural oils a chance to do their thing, so your hair will fully benefit. Try to use natural products where possible!
Not only this, but when you wash your hair less, you use less products, so you will save money. You could invest that money you have saved into buying better quality shampoos, conditioners, serums and other hair products. To begin with, you might find your hair looks slightly greasy, however eventually your hair will get used to being washed less which will save you so much time in the future!
Use A Detangling Brush
Another extremely damaging thing for your hair is brushing with harsh hair brushes. Using just any brush can put strain on your hair, causing it to become weak or fall out. This is especially the case when your hair is wet, as that is the point when it is at its most vulnerable. So, it is important that you choose the right brush for your hair type and length.
Hair brushes that are designed to detangle your hair will be the best option as they are very gentle on any knots or tangles. Make sure that you start from the bottom of your hair and gently work your way up to the roots. This is a small change that could make a significant difference to the health of your hair!
Massage The Scalp Before Washing
Giving your scalp a quick massage before washing your hair can help to encourage healthy growth and thick hair, as the hair follicles are stretched. You don’t need to use any oils, just simply use your finger tips to massage your scalp for 5 to 10 minutes before you jump in the shower. You don’t have to only do it before you shower, but it might encourage the release of oils, so it’s good to do just before it will have a good wash!
Avoid Towel Drying
Towel drying hair when you get out of the shower is a common thing, however many people are unaware that it can be damaging. As mentioned before, when your hair is wet, it is at its weakest, so rubbing it with a coarse towel can encourage hair to snap or cause weaknesses. It is also bad to wrap your hair up into a towel on top of your head, as this will put strain on the hairs and cause tension, which can result in lasting damage.
Instead, very gently scrunch the hair with your towel to remove excess moisture. You could upgrade your towel to a microfibre version, which is a much finer fabric, meaning it causes less friction on the hair, causing less breakage, reducing frizz and also absorbing water much quicker. These aren’t necessarily very expensive, yet they work extremely well for some people as a healthier alternative to rubbing with a normal towel.
Increase Vitamin D Intake
Vitamin D has been known to play an important role in keeping hair healthy, particularly in helping the hair follicles to work properly. It is also responsible for helping to create new hair follicles, which creates the appearance of thick and healthy hair. Oily fish, red meat and egg yolks are all high in vitamin D, as well as some breakfast cereals that are fortified.
Vitamin D3 is the recommended form of vitamin D, as it is the most natural form that your body makes from sunlight. Salmon, mackerel, halibut, cod and sardines are all brilliant sources of vitamin D3. Understandably, it can be difficult for some people to consume enough vitamin D3 with specific diets, such as vegetarian or vegan, so vitamin D3 supplements are a more convenient option for many people.
Final Thoughts
It can be really simple to improve the health of our hair with a few simple changes to your routine. We put our hair under a great load of pressure, so spending some time and a bit of money looking after it is reasonable!