It’s 2020! Why not start the new decade with a fresher
perspective on hair care? Our post for today is all about 20 of the best
healthy hair habits to banish hair loss and bad hair days. These habits are all
targeted to help you overcome various challenges in your hair care routines, so
let’s jump right into it!
1. Comb your hair gently before washing it in the shower.
Run a brush through your hair for at least a minute before
you step inside the shower. Doing so detangles your strands and keeps them
strong before being exposed to water.
Wet hair is weaker than dry hair. If you untangle knots
after showering, your tresses are highly prone to breakage and damage. Also, it’s
quite hard to remove knots on wet strands.
Bonus reasons to detangle hair before showering:
- Natural oils get distributed all over your scalp and down to your strands’ ends.
- Your hair will be smoother and immediately ready for styling after showering.
2. Tweak your brushing technique.
The traditional way of combing hair is by running the brush from
the roots all the way down to the tips. But doing so increases the risk of hair
breakage. Your strands get pulled from the hair follicles, especially if you’re
aggressively brushing your hair most of the time.
Start brushing your hair the right way by working a few
inches from the tips first, going up to the roots via small sections. Untangle
hair knots on your hair ends first and gradually work your way up until you
reach the roots. Doing so helps lessen the chances of hair strands being pulled
out from the hair follicles.
3. Let your hair breathe regularly.
Give your tresses a break from all the treatments,
hairstyles, accessories, styling tools, and products it encounters during the
entire week. Let your hair breathe during the weekends or on your off-days from
work.
You can let your hair breathe and chill out a little by:
- Letting your hair down
- Air-drying your tresses
- Not tying your hair up in buns, ponytails, or any other styles
- Not using heated styling tools and styling products such as hairsprays
- Treating your strands to a homemade mask or deep conditioning treatment
Do all these things weekly to help your hair rest and
recuperate from damage.
4. Get a deep-conditioning treatment every week.
Hydrate your strands back to life by incorporating a
deep-conditioning session every week. Doesn’t matter if your hair is naturally
blessed with moisture or not – a weekly deep conditioning treatment aids in
repairing unseen hair damages and brings a good dose of moisture for any hair
type.
5. Condition your hair the right way.
Yes, there’s a proper way to use conditioner on your hair!
Apply your conditioner to your hair ends first. Then, work the
conditioner upwards, concentrating on the mid-shaft of your strands. Lastly,
massage a bit of the conditioner to your scalp. Wait for one full minute for
your hair to absorb the nutrients, then wash off.
Most hair types and lengths will do with a nickel-sized drop
of conditioner. You’ll only need larger dollops if your hair is extensively thick
or long (lengths that go past your waist).
6. Wash your strands in cooler water.
Hot showers are definitely relaxing, but it can take a toll
on your hair’s health. Steamy showers can dry out the scalp, irritate the hair
follicles, and weaken the entire hair cuticle.
Shower in warm to hot water as you desire, then switch up
the water's temperature to a colder one as you rinse your hair. By doing so, the cuticles can
absorb and seal nutrients from your hair products. Cold water rinses also keep
your locks shiny, soft, and healthy.
7. Practice regular hair oiling.
Hair oiling does wonders to your tresses. It provides these
benefits:
- Keeps the scalp adequately moisturized
- Enriches the natural blood circulation on the scalp
- Improves hair texture and shine
- Strengthens tresses and stops hair loss
You can create homemade hair oil concoctions from natural ingredients, or you may opt for
individual essential oils. Oil your hair twice or thrice a week for best results.
8. Mind the ingredients in your hair care products.
Hair products contain various chemicals that may do more harm than good to your tresses. Examples of such chemicals
are:
- Sulfates – These common hair product substances can dry out hair and leave it frizzy in the long run.
- Parabens – A cosmetic product preservative that can cause hormonal disruptions, especially on women.
- Alcohols – They can strip off hair of its natural moisture, again leaving hair dry and frizzy.
Assess your current products by reading the ingredients
list. If it contains harmful chemicals, consider replacing them with gentler
ones. You can also switch to safer organic hair care products.
9. Add products with strengthening ingredients to your hair care arsenal.
Lots of hair care products claim to invigorate hair and
nourish it to strength and shine. It can be overwhelming to select products
that will work for your hair. But basically, look for shampoos and conditioners
containing the following powerful ingredients:
- Aloe vera
- Coconut oil
- Spirulina
- Argan oil
- Rosemary oil
All these ingredients strengthen weak strands and make hair
less prone to hair fall.
10. Shield your hair from the sun.
Leave-in sun protectants coat your scalp and hair with a
protective layer, shielding them from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Look for
water-resistant variants with an SPF of 30 and above for superior sun
protection.
11. Care for the scalp.
A clean scalp is a canvas for healthier and stronger hair.
Clear your scalp of issues such as dryness, flaking, and itching by using a
clarifying shampoo at least once a week. Such shampoos thoroughly cleanse the
scalp, removing stubborn dirt, grime, and product-build-up (aka the main source
of various scalp issues).
Micellar shampoos are also a good choice for thoroughly cleansing your scalp.
Pair up your shampoo with a nourishing conditioner to
hydrate the scalp and keep dryness at bay. Try using masks as well to further
nourish stubbornly dry hair.
Consult a doctor if your scalp issues continue despite
taking measures against it.
12. Swap your cotton pillowcase for a silk satin one.
Cotton pillowcases may take the prize for being comfy, but
your hair won’t agree with it. Sleeping on cotton increases friction between
the hair and the pillowcase, making your tresses rough and frizzy in the long
run.
To counter this, use a silk satin pillowcase instead. Silk
satin pillowcases are gentler to the scalp and hair cuticles. There’s less friction
between hair and silk satin, so these pillowcases protect against roughed-up
frizzy hair.
13. Invest in solid ceramic heated styling tools.
If you style your hair often using heated tools, it’s a
sound idea to invest in a solid all-ceramic tool.
Solid ceramic curling irons or hair straighteners distribute
heat evenly compared to other ceramic-coated or non-ceramic styling tools. Styles
are locked-in right away because of this even heat distribution. You don’t need
to run your hair too much on the tool, saving your tresses from damage caused
by excessive heat.
While you’re at it, also look for a solid ceramic tool with
ionic technology. This helps add moisture to your hair even as you style ii
using heat.
14. Protect your hair as you heat-style.
Heat protectant sprays are your best bet when you frequently
style your hair with heated straighteners or curling irons. Spray one all over
your hair to hydrate your strands and prime them for the heated styling
session. These sprays also help minimize the damage that could result from
frequently using hot styling tools.
15. Get your hair trimmed at least every two months.
Hair strands can break at the ends, causing the infamous split
ends issue. Tresses that are laden with split ends are also prone to general breakage
and hair fall.
To address this problem, have your hair trimmed regularly. Trims
will ensure that your strands don’t break off easily at the ends and roots. An
added bonus: It keeps your hairstyle from going out of control as well!
Ladies with shorter crops must go to their stylists for a
trim every 4-6 weeks as part of their short hair maintenance routine. But for gals with longer locks, getting a
trim every two months is recommended.
16. Mind your nutrition.
Whatever you eat reflects on your hair. Nutrient imbalances
and too much junk food can lead to dull, lifeless, and hair fall-prone strands.
Make sure to eat as healthily as you can every day. You
should take note of the nutrient value of foods that you consume, especially if
you follow certain diet trends such as vegan,
vegetarian,
or ketogenic
diets. Two important hair nutrients – protein and iron – may be lacking on your
diet if you don’t track the foods you eat.
Talk to your doctor and dietician if you have specific nutrient imbalances causing hair problems and generalized poor health. Good
nutrition will salvage your entire body – and your hair – from several problems
in the long run.
17. Practice sound hair sleeping habits.
Aside from using a satin pillowcase we mentioned earlier,
here are a few more tips to protect your hair as you sleep:
- Sleep with your long hair braided loosely or tied in a loose topknot.
- If you shower before bedtime, completely dry your hair first before you sleep.
- Use silk scrunchies to braid or tie your hair before sleeping.
- Apply a nourishing overnight treatment or essentialoil on your hair.
All these sleeping-time hair habits will give you
beautifully manageable and stronger hair in the morning.
18. Shampoo your hair sparingly.
Washing your hair too often isn’t necessary to keep your hair
fresh and clean. Shampooing three times a week - or even less often if you’ve
got dry scalp and hair – is enough.
Excessive shampooing strips the scalp and strands of
much-needed moisture from natural hair oils. Washing your hair sparingly allows
natural oils to be distributed throughout the scalp and strands, giving your
tresses natural moisture.
Don’t worry about dirt and grime building up on your hair.
Washing your hair every other day or three times a week won’t make your hair
excessively greasy or dirty. If you’re concerned, though, you can use a dry
shampoo during your no-hair-washing days.
19. Wear hats outdoors.
Wide-brimmed hats can protect your hair from the harsh sun
and pollution you may encounter outdoors. You can wear hats especially if you’re
heading to the beach on a sun-shiny day.
Guys, you may also wear hats to shield your hair from the
sun. A common hair care myth is that wearing hats can cause hair fall, but this isn’t
true. Hats can even protect your thinning hair from further falling out by
keeping it away from the sunlight and other harsh elements.
20. Relax and don’t stress out!
Major stress can cause lots of problems for your health and
your hair. Stress is often the cause of lifeless, dull, and hair fall-prone
hair. In fact, a hair fall condition called telogen effluvium happens as a result of life-altering events such as
pregnancy, childbirth, and major surgeries.
Stress does nothing but wreak further havoc on your
already-damaged hair and scalp. So, keep the stress at bay by following these
tips:
- Practice deep-breathing exercises regularly. Do them especially when you encounter anxiety-inducing thoughts.
- Get a much-need quiet “me-time”. Sip a cup of tea, relax your mind, and find an enjoyable relaxing activity to take off stress out of your head.
- Try guided meditation to soothe your mind before starting the day and after wrapping up your busy work week. There are countless guided meditations and classes available online.
- Practice reciting positive affirmations daily. There are specific affirmations for hair that you may try to boost your tresses’ health.
Capping It Off
There you have it, 20 healthy hair habits you can
incorporate into your daily routines. Start the new year with invigorated
tresses and say goodbye to bad hair days with our hair care tips for this year
2020!
Happy New Year everyone from hairlossbald.com! Wishing you
better and brighter days ahead for this year. Stay with us for more hair care
tips and hair loss solutions all year long!
Happy new year! :) Great tips as usual. Thanks for starting 2020 by encouraging us to better take care of our hair :D
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