5 Things to Avoid If You Want Healthy Hair
The average person has between 80,000 and 120,000 strands of hair on their head. That’s a lot of hair! And it’s not just there to look pretty: hair serves a number of functions as well.
Our hair can help protect us from aspects of our environment, regulate our temperature, and even help us detect new sensations. Seems pretty important, doesn’t it? It’s probably best that we do all we can to take care of it.
If you’ve been looking for tips on healthy hair, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together a list of five things to avoid to prevent damaged hair and get those gorgeous, flowing locks.
1. Conditioning Your Roots
While conditioning is certainly an important part of taking care of your hair, it’s going to work the best if you do it the right way. Hair conditioner should moisturize the middle and end parts of your hair, not the roots.
One of the keys to conditioning is that most hair conditioners are packed full of nutrients your hair needs. But these nutrients can weigh down your hair at the roots, and it’s actually the ends of your hair that need them the most. Your roots already receive natural moisture from the oil on your scalp; you don’t have to pack on more.
A few other tips for washing your hair: don’t skip your roots entirely. When it comes to shampooing, it’s a good idea to get in there and massage your scalp. This can help increase blood circulation and stimulate hair follicles, all of which promotes hair growth.
And for best conditioning results, make sure it’s evenly distributed through the middle and end parts of your hair. If you have time, let it sit there for a couple of minutes before rinsing it out.
2. Following a Poor Diet
Hair itself is made up of a protein called keratin, so it’s important that your diet incorporates enough protein consumption. A healthy hair diet is balanced with protein and other nutrients, like zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. If your diet is too low in protein, or you consume too few calories, your hair may stop growing altogether and you may experience temporary hair loss.
A balanced diet feeds all parts of your body, including your hair. Focus on lean proteins and healthy fats. Some great sources for these include poultry, fish, Greek yogurt, salmon, avocados, nuts, and eggs.
When it comes to zinc, nuts will be handy there, too. Also try to incorporate fruits and vegetables, especially dark leafy greens.
3. Skipping Your Trims
This is one you’ve probably heard before. Visiting your hairdresser regularly is crucial to support healthy hair. The recommended period between trims is about 6-8 weeks.
Even if you’re trying to grow out your hair, a hair appointment can keep your hair regrowth on the right track. Getting a regular trim can help stop damaged hair from getting even worse. Issues like split ends and frizz can see massive improvements from a quick trim.
By taking care of split ends, your hair will grow stronger and healthier over time as you continue to take care of it.
4. Washing With Hot Water
You might have heard that it’s a good idea to avoid too much heat on your hair when it comes to styling tools or blow-drying. But those aren’t the only times it’s important to keep an eye on heat levels.
Regardless of how lovely that hot, steamy shower feels, it can do a lot of damage to your hair. If the water in your shower is too hot, it can dry out and damage your hair. Your strands could become brittle and break more easily.
But you don’t want to go too far in the other direction, either. Water that’s too cold presents its own problems. The best is to find a happy medium of lukewarm water when it comes time to shampoo and condition your hair.
5. Choosing the Wrong Products
There are a lot of hair products on the market, and it’s always important to do your research. If you don’t, you might end up with harmful hair products that do much more damage than good. It’s crucial to find the right products for your hair and your situation.
Some of this could be seasonal. In the winter, for example, when the air is drier, it might be a good idea to invest in some hair products that focus on protecting your strands and help lock in moisture. This might not be as necessary in the summer, however.
Styling products can also pose a problem. Layering on various products can inadvertently clog your hair follicles, which prevents them from getting the oxygen they need to help your hair grow. As with most things, it’s best to use styling products only in moderation.
One way to help cut down on your use of styling products is to find the right shampoo and conditioner. The better the shampoo and conditioner for your hair and your hair concerns, the less likely you’ll need extra styling products to get your hair just the way you like. At the end of the day, it all comes down to knowing your hair.
Healthy Hair Within Reach
Now that you know what to avoid in order to promote healthy hair, you have everything you need to protect your stunning locks and support their growth.
Sometimes, though, the condition of our hair can feel out of our control. If you’ve found that your hair is thinning from a condition such as Telogen Effluvium, and you feel like there’s nothing you can do, don’t lose hope.
Check out our tablets today that can help decrease temporary hair loss and promote hair growth.