Hair is considered an important aspect for good-looking and influential people.
Everyone cares about our hair.
But, few people only take actionable steps to maintain it!
According to hair expert Dr.Alan Bauman, nearly 50 million men suffer from hair problems in the US.
It is crazy, right?
Well, Today we will explore the hair care that every man and woman should know to deal with hair problems and structuring their hair care routine.
We people are just believing the words of the people having lustrous hair.
In reality, you have to know about certain basic factors before caring for your hair.
Because everyone in this world has different types of hair.
Hence following the routine and using the hair products that the actors and actresses use does not work for you.
So, do the hair care according to your hair type!
While researching to write this article, I noticed some mistakes that we people are regularly doing to our hair.
And I came with better solutions and tips to care for your hair.
Let's dive right in:
Washing your hair too often
Washing is one of the most important factors you should follow cautiously.
For an average person, washing your hair 2 to 3 times a week is considered a good practice.
If you ask me, " can I leave my hair without washing?"
The answer is no!
Sebum is a mixture of oils that are secreted in your scalp.
When you stop washing your hair, sebum covers your whole scalp and leads to clogging your pores.
Washing your hair too often could lead to severe hair problems.
Again this depends on the type of hair you have, and certain things you have to know about your hair type which is covered down below.
You have to know about the common mistakes and health factors of maintaining smooth hair at first before entering into the hair type.
If you're a person playing a sport or regularly hitting the gym, then you should consider washing your hair daily or after doing those sweaty activities.
Don't shampoo your hair daily! as it will remove all the natural oils from your scalp.
And also this method of washing your hair should be chosen carefully by the people according to their hair type, texture, length, and the amount of oil production in their sebaceous glands.
Generally, people with fine hair should think twice before washing their hair daily.
I too have fine hair, so what I do is, after some intense workout sessions in the morning, I'll wash my hair with a mild shampoo three days a week alternatively. And on other days, I'll simply rinse my hair only in the water.
And this could help those people with fine hair.
Normal and oily hair people have no problems with washing their hair daily.
So go ahead without any confusion folks!
Important: Before and after taking a bath in a swimming pool or sea, wet your hair with the normal tap water as it will protect your scalp from those chlorinated and salty water.
Genetics
Speaking about hair care is incomplete without genetics.
Genetics plays a key role in determining the health, texture, thickness, density, length, color, and type of your hair.
We could not do anything if your hair is majorly determined by your genetics.
Only hair transplant and some sort of hair treatments could give you hair but not naturally!
Don't worry, we'll try to give our best from our side.
Dry your hair naturally
We people tend to take the easier option first.
In case of having lustrous and healthy hair, we should try to dry our hair naturally in the sunlight instead of burning our hair in the blow dryer.
Again, a blow dryer is not dangerous, but it should be used carefully according to our needs.
If you are using a blow dryer regularly, then you are doing harm to your hair instead of good.
If you have an important occasion, then you can use blow dryers to dry your wet hair after bathing.
Using blow dryers to dry your hair could cause damage to your scalp.
Air drying and towel drying are some of the alternatives to prevent damage to your scalp due to excessive heat.
In case you're using your towel to dry your wet hair, then pat dry your hair instead of rubbing your hair with the towel vigorously like you erase a letter written in pencil with the eraser.
If you tend to rub your hair vigorously like an eraser, then your hair will be erased from your head forever 😄
Oiling your hair
Applying oil to your hair is important because oil hydrates and provides enough moisture to your scalp and makes your hair even shinier.
You can also apply oil before 1 hour from taking a bath, as it will also help to nourish your hair and prevent overdrying of your scalp.
In my opinion, you can use coconut, almond, castor, or tea tree oil in your hair scalp.
And you should try to massage your scalp after applying oil, as it will increase the blood circulation in your head.
An oil massage also helps to relax the muscles and provides nourished and healthy hair.
Use Cold Water to shower
I know, we people enjoy our hot tub bath.
The moment when we pour the hot water in our head and the hot water slowly gets down to the whole body is divine!
But if you're serious about healthily maintaining your hair, then you have to switch to the cold water bath.
Try to use lukewarm water or tap water to wash your hair.
As you know, pouring hot water into your head will strip the natural oils (sebum) present in your scalp and make your scalp prone to frizz and dryness.
Types of hair and its maintenance
These are the four types of hair that are determined by your genetics.
Straight hair
This type of hair is found easily, as straight hair people do not have any natural curls.
Basically, the straight hair lacks some volume and continuously falls flat.
According to hair care specialists, people having this type of hair should avoid washing their hair too much.
Because this type of hair will be fine in nature.
So, overwashing your hair could lead to drying your scalp.
Ultimately it will lead to serious hair problems.
Wash your hair on alternate days.
People with this hair type, try to use dry shampoo as it will not dry out their scalp completely.
Wavy hair
People having this type of hair could be figured out by a wave-like structure in their hair naturally.
Wavy hair needs more hydration, so try to use oil in your head.
Not only oil helps to keep your hair hydrated and fresh but also it reduces your body temperature which is one of the major reasons for hair problems.
Some people with wavy hair should wash their hair at least 3 times a week as their hair tends to be greasy.
We people are used to style our hair with a comb right?
But, styling your wavy hair with your fingers will create a difference!
Even though I do not have wavy hair, I used to style my hair with my fingers.
Not only in terms of style, combing with your fingers reduces the risk of dandruff, lice, and other problems which are caused by the comb, which serves as the main source of spreading these problems.
Curly hair
Nowadays, This type of hair is common for people. This could be easily identified as they have curls.
People should cautiously choose their hair products which should add moisture instead of drying your hair.
Curly hair is very brittle and dry, so try to use a wide-tooth comb.
Curly hair tends to be more frizzy, so handle your hair with more care.
Here is a tip for you guys: Try to apply oil to your head before going to bed.
Try to minimize the use of styling products as much as possible and deep condition your hair with a good conditioner.
Coily hair
This hair type is relative to the curl type, but this hair type is super dry and very fragile in nature.
This is one of the hair types, which needs to be taken care of at the highest level.
According to experts, washing oily hair is less needed.
Because of this extremely dry condition, using a blow dryer and other styling products which cause the dryness should be avoided at all cost.
Don't ever detangle your hair with fine-toothed brushes, instead try to do it with your fingers.
Try to nourish your hair with rich conditioners and you should be aware of choosing the right hairstyle.
Washing your hair 1 to 2 times is more than enough for the coily hair.
Hair Products
If you're a person using hair styling products, blow dryers, and hair straighteners at a regular pace, you should forget about having healthy and gorgeous hair.
In terms of caring for your hair, I'll give you some of the toxic ingredients that you should check in the ingredient section of the hair products:
- Parabens
- Triclosan
- Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives
- Polyethylene Glycol aka PEGs
- Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) / Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)
- Phthalates
- Dimethicone
- Triethanolamine
If you're a person seeking healthy hair, then you should avoid using hair products containing these harmful chemicals.
These are some of the common ingredients found in hair products, and if you search for some more toxic chemicals on the internet, you'll get to know about those cheap ingredients used in your hair products destroying your hair.
Diet
Diet plays a major role in your hair growth and health.
Focusing on your diet is very much important in this day and age.
People are getting used to a sedentary lifestyle. As a result, their overall body health is quite weak.
Your hair is made up of some kinds of proteins.
So the food you consume regularly determines the health of your hair.
The lack of nutrients could lead to hair loss and other hair problems.
To combat these hair problems, I have listed some of the foods to improve your hair growth and make your hair even more voluminous hair:
- Eggs
- Berries
- Spinach
- Fish
- Sweet Potatoes
- Avocados
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Sweet Peppers
- Oysters
- Shrimp
- Beans
- Soybeans
- Meat
These foods are loaded with tons of nutrients which enhances your hair growth and helps to reduce hair problems.
The lack of nutrients like vitamin A, C, D, E and zinc, iron, and biotin is one of the reasons for various hair problems.
If you're lacking the nutrients listed above, then start consuming these foods regularly.
Some of these foods may not be available in your country, you can manage to consume the foods which are readily available in your region.
Protip: Try to consume the fruits and vegetables which are grown in your region, as they will be suitable for your body very well and helps to fight hair problems.
On Speaking about diet for the health of the hair, foods that cause hair problems also should be listed, and here it is:
- Carbonated Drinks
- Refined Carbs
- Sugar
- Alcohol
These are some of the drinks that contribute more to hair problems.
And the important thing you have to keep in mind to maintain your hair care is avoiding junk foods.
We people are so addicted to eating those greasy burgers and sandwiches. It will fill your tummy with a yummy taste, but it is bad for your health!
When you consume junk foods, the sebum will become greasy, and thus your hair also looks more greasy than ever!
If you're conscious about your hair care, then you should try to minimize and finally throw out the thought of eating junk foods from your healthy lifestyle.
Sleep deprivation
This is one such example that shows the importance of sleep.
Nowadays, we people are struggling to sleep, right?
Sleep plays a key role to achieve optimal hair health.
Poor sleep routines lead to an increase in the cortisol level (stress hormone) which ultimately leads to hair problems.
When you're sleeping, a hormone is produced in your pineal glands which is called Melatonin.
This hormone plays an important role in the growth cycle of your hair.
But sleeping is underrated in this day and age. The technology seems to be very distracting and because of the blue light emission from your smartphone, your circadian rhythm will totally collapse and lead to sleep deprivation.
Today, most of us are addicted to our mobile and we are simply scrolling through our social media in the midnights!
If you have some free time, check out my detailed article about smartphone addiction, and surely it will help you to take control of your mobile which ultimately enhances your sleep quality: The Untapped Secrets of Smartphone Addiction And Tips to avoid it!
Conclusion
Many interesting facts and details about hair care were given. But the choice is yours!
Decide what you have to do to improve the health of your elegant hair.
You must lose over 50 percent of your scalp hairs before it is noticed by you!
So please note the points from this article and try to write in sticky notes and stick it in your mirror, as it will constantly remind you about the health of your hair.
And I'd like to hear from you.
Which is the most important factor for healthy hair?
Let me know in the comment section below.