If your hair is dull, frayed, or damaged from the use of dyes and chemicals, you can start right now to get healthier hair. Using healthy washing and styling habits, avoiding harsh hair treatments, and eating a nourishing diet will have your hair looking healthy again in no time.
Change your washing routine. Do you wash your hair every single day? This can really dry it out, since you’re washing away the oils your scalp produces to keep your hair shiny and healthy. Washing every day can also lead to oily hair, since stripping your hair of its oils causes your oil glands to go into overdrive. Try this routine instead:
- Wash your hair just three or four times a week. Giving your hair a break in between washings will restore its balance. It might be a little oily for the first week or so, but your hair will soon look more healthy and vibrant than ever.
- Rinse out your conditioner with cold water. Hot water is hard on your hair and can lead to split ends and frizz. Rinsing out your conditioner with cold water seals the cuticle, resulting in shiny, bouncy hair.
Handle your hair gently. Think of your hair like your best silk dress. After hand washing it, would you ball it up and wring it out? No, that would destroy its shape and fibers. Your hair is similarly fragile and needs to be treated with care to stay healthy.
- After washing your hair, gently pat it dry with a towel instead of wringing it out. Let it finish air drying.
- Use a comb instead of a brush. Forcing a brush through tangled hair can cause it to rip and break. Use a wide-toothed comb to gently work through the tangles from bottom to top to prevent breakage.
Make an aloe hair mask. This will help your hair to look shiny; it also improves hair health. Use it twice weekly.
- Grab an aloe leaf and peel off the outer, to reach the transparent gel.
- Apply the aloe gel all over your hair,
- Leave in for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Wash the aloe out with water.
Eat nutrients that nourish your hair. A well-balanced diet with plenty of protein, vitamin B, iron, and omega-3s helps your hair stay as thick and healthy as possible.
- Vitamin B keeps hair thick and strong. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and nuts to get enough vitamin B.
- Eat beef, chicken, pork, fish and leafy greens like kale and spinach to get iron and protein.
- Salmon, walnuts, and avocados are excellent sources of omega-3s, which help your hair stay shiny and healthy.
- You can supplement your diet with vitamins designed to make hair stronger. Try prenatal vitamins, which contain a mix of ingredients that lead to great hair, nails, and skin.
Protect your hair from the elements. Just as you would protect your skin from sun, wind, and cold temperatures, you need to protect your hair as well. If you don’t, it will dry out and become brittle over time.
- When the sun is strong, wear a hat or scarf over your hair to protect it from getting too fried.
- You should also protect your hair from chemicals. Don’t expose your hair to chlorine too often. When you go swimming, wear a swim cap.
Get your hair trimmed often. This is an important step for keeping your hair healthy. You should get a trim every 6 weeks, or as soon as your ends begin to split. Keeping your hair trimmed will make sure the ends don’t split very far up the shaft. Your hair will be less likely to break, and it will look healthy and full of life. [www.wikihow.com]