5 Essential Tips for Healthy Beautiful Hair
The scalp contains approximately 100,000 hair follicles, which protect the skull against UV light, heat loss as well as abrasions.
Having healthy, shiny hair is the goal for many people. Basic hair care starts with good nutrition, regular shampooing and regular trims. Following these simple steps will result in a healthier head of hair.
What Causes Damaged or Dull Hair?
It is quite easy to spot damaged hair because it loses its shine due to the hair cuticles breaking. Broken hair cuticles cause the hair fibers to sit unevenly and this results in hair appearing dull. There are several causes from simple day-to-day living that contribute to damaged hair.
- Strenuous brushing
- Unclean hair
- Frequent straightening or blow-drying
- UV rays breaking down keratin in the hair
- Color treatments
- Poor diet
- Air-conditioning/heating
Hair Care Tips to Get Healthy, Shiny Hair
Because hair is made up of the hair follicle, hair root, hair sheath and sebaceous glad, which are under the skin, it is important to look after the skin of the scalp as well as the hair itself.
Following these tips should result in a healthier and shinier head of hair:
A healthy diet will aid in maintaining a healthy head of hair. Eating foods that are good for hair such as fruits and vegetables, sunflower seeds, nuts and proteins (meat etc), and drinking plenty of water will nourish the hair. Dr. Katta from the Department of Dermatology at Houston Methodist Hospital, says nutritional deficiencies may impact hair structure and hair growth.
Washing hair regularly using good quality shampoos and conditioners will prevent a build up of dirt that can cause hair to become excessively oily or excessively dry. If you have oily hair, livening a polluted area or workout on the daily a daily shampoo is ok says Jeffrey J. Miller, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. If you have normal hair, washing every other day is ok. If you’re in a dry environment or your hair is dry, washing every few days is ok.
Avoiding air-conditioners or heating units is not always possible but by minimizing the time spent styling, blow drying or straightening hair and allowing the hair to dry naturally as often as possible will reduce hair stress. Conditioning hair products should be used when styling to minimize damage caused during styling.
Hats should be worn when out in the sun as this will help prevent some of the damage causes by UV rays.
Regular haircuts are also recommended, as this will prevent split ends from splitting further up the hair shaft.
Making homemade shampoo using vinegar will nourish the hair, as vinegar is good for both hair and scalp. Shampoo can be made at home by shaving off one ounce of soap from an unscented soap bar and simmering the soap shavings in 1 ½ cups of water and ½ cup of vinegar until the shavings dissolve. 1 teaspoon of essential oil can be stirred in to give the shampoo a pleasant scent.
Introducing some or all of these hair care tips on a regular basis should improve the health of the hair and prevent or repair much of the damage caused by day-to-day living that causes hair stress, resulting in a healthier head of hair.
