How to Maintain Healthy Hair from home

Most of us are more than familiar with the basics and essentials of haircare, and for the majority of people, this means nothing more than regular washing with shampoo and conditioner. While these fundamental steps are fine for removing excess oils and keeping your hair soft and clean, many people need something a little extra in order to maintain that fresh-from-the-salon shine, and to strengthen their hair and keep it in tip-top condition.
In this article, we’re going to look at some simple, straightforward tips and tricks for keeping your hair looking and feeling healthier than ever… and all from the comfort of your own home!

Seasonal Changes

One of the first things to keep in mind is that, just like with our skin, our hair changes from one season to the next. Interestingly, our hair is at its strongest and most durable during the summer months – or more specifically, from the late spring through the autumn.

This is because during the warmer parts of the year, we shed less hair, and our hair follicles become more robust in order to keep as much of our mane as possible. Why? Nobody’s entirely sure – it’s most likely a vestigial evolutionary trait that we share with many other mammals. No matter the reason, it’s important to remember this – it means our hair often needs a bit more attention and love once the mercury starts plummeting, and we spend more time indoors.

This seasonal difference should be kept in mind when thinking about your hair health, often in ways which are commonly overlooked. For example, many hair experts have noted that women tend to shed more hair approximately four months after starting, stopping, or changing their oral contraceptive birth control. As such, it’s recommended (if practical) to avoid making any such changes during the autumn season, due to the fact that this can lead to more shedding than is usual.

Healthy Eating for Beautiful Hair

We all know that we are what we eat, as the old saying goes. The same is as true for your hair as it is for any other parts of your body, and there are plenty of hair-friendly foods, vitamins, minerals, and supplements you can take to ensure an even glossier, healthier head of hair.
 
The key family of vitamins for hair health is the B vitamins, including B6, B12, folic acid, niacin, biotin, and pantothenic acid, all of which are available at any good pharmacist or supermarket, and all of which will strengthen your hair follicles. If you don’t fancy filling up on supplements, you can get your daily dose of B vitamins via a nutrient-rich diet, and by eating foods such as brown rice, leafy green vegetables, fatty fish like salmon, chicken, strawberries, and superfoods like quinoa.
 

Selenium, zinc, and iron are all essential for repairing damaged hair and keeping those hair follicles nice and strong, which will help avoid hair loss or excess shedding. Foods such as red meat, shellfish (especially oysters), garlic, beans and lentils will all help you keep your intake of these essential minerals high. On top of this, omega-3 fatty acids will help with overall hair health and damage repair, which you can obtain through a diet rich in oily fish and dairy products, or nuts and seeds for those following a vegan lifestyle.

Using Food Topically for Hair and Scalp Health

Your hair won’t just benefit from the great foods that you eat – you can also use a range of healthy ingredients topically, and create homemade hair masks and treatments from them, too.

There’s been a real trend in recent years for making natural, organic, and food-based hair treatments, with avocado oil, coconut oil, eggs, apple cider vinegar, and even beer being cited as fantastic hair-healthy products for regular use!

Tips for Daily Hair Health

Let’s now take a look at a handful of tips which you should be keeping in mind on a daily basis, in order to keep your mane looking soft, healthy, shiny, and beautiful.

Think About Your Hair Ties

Let’s be honest – do you ever think about what you’re tying your hair with, or do you do the same as most people, and just grab the first hair tie you see on your bedroom cabinet? Hair ties, especially tight rubber bands, can do a lot of damage to your hair. This is because they introduce excess tension in your hair, which can ultimately loosen the hair follicle and cause shedding. If you have especially fine or fragile hair the results can be damaging and dramatic, and as such, this is something you’ll definitely have to bear in mind.

Many stylists are now recommending doing away with hair ties altogether, and are advising their clients to replace them with clips or pins instead. If that’s not practical, see if you can get hold of more gentler scrunchies. This is especially important when tying back wet hair, as your hair will shrink as it dries, often causing the hair to snap if it is tied too tightly or if there is too much tension.

Drying Your Hair

When it comes to styling your hair, allowing it to dry naturally or
air drying is always the healthiest option. While this is easiest in
the summertime, it might be more tricky in the colder seasons, and we’d
recommend using your hair drier on a gentler, less intense setting.

Scrub that Scalp!

They say that scalp care is the new skincare… and we couldn’t agree more! The skin on the top of your head needs real care and attention if you’re serious about your hair looking its best, and a scalp scrub – applied just once or twice per month to avoid sebum overproduction – is a great way to keep it in the best possible condition. Scrubbing the scalp opens the pores, allowing hair to grow stronger and healthier. What’s more, it removes dead skin cells and exfoliates the area, resulting in more robust hair, a lower likelihood of dandruff, and the kind of luxury treatment we all deserve once in a while!

Get into the Hair Mask Habit

If you aren’t already using a hair mask regularly, it’s high time you got into the habit of doing so. Topical hair masks are like spa treatments for your mane, and they can bring dry and dull hair back to life, often with instantly noticeable effect. There’s a huge array of masks out there on the market, so be sure to seek out a quality product which is designed for your specific hair type, or hair health concern.

Homemade Hair Care for Beautiful Results

There you have it – a handful of helpful hints and tips for maintaining a stunning mane all year round, without needing to constantly head to the salon. With these pieces of professionally-inspired advice, you’ll not only save yourself time and money… you’ll also avoid unnecessary hair loss, and will be able to keep a beautiful head of healthy hair that you won’t be able to resist showing off at every opportunity!

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