A guide to a healthy mane: 8 hair care tips from a dermatologist
Modern hair growth tips would have you believe that popping a magic pill or slathering on endless hair care products is key to doubling the length of your tresses, but the reality is that only a healthy scalp can lay the basis for adequate, long-term hair growth.
Many of today's common hair care practices are harmful to hair follicles. Because of the different types of processing that people are doing now, the types of alopecia we are seeing are different from what we were seeing 20 years ago.
Modern hair growth tips would have you believe that popping a magic pill or slathering on endless hair care products are key to doubling the length of your tresses, but the reality is that only a healthy scalp can lay the basis for adequate, long-term hair growth.
For healthy hair, it is very important to have proper nutrition, gentle shampoos and conditioners, avoid too much of heat styling, and many more.
In this article, I am including all these hair care tips for your healthy, smooth, and shiny hair.
Eat enough proteins and intake more nutrition
The basic early recommendation is to ensure you're watching your diet, get enough iron, you're not anaemic, and that you have enough protein in your diet. Iron and protein are very important to the health of the hair.
The best protein foods you can add to your diet are eggs, spinach, fatty fish, avocadoes, seed, soybeans, etc.
Eggs are high in protein and biotin, two nutrients that may aid in hair growth. Biotin is required for the production of keratin, a hair protein, which is why biotin supplements are frequently marketed for hair growth.
Consuming more biotin has also been shown in studies to improve hair growth in people who are deficient in biotin. Spinach is also an excellent plant-based source of iron, which is required for hair growth.
Iron assists red blood cells in transporting oxygen throughout the body to fuel metabolism and aid in growth and repair. Furthermore, avocados are high in vitamin E, which may help with hair growth. One medium avocado (about 200 grams) provides 21 percent of your daily vitamin E requirements.
Switch to parabens free shampoos
Tiny painful boils on the scalp are a sign of bacterial and fungal infection caused by excessive sweat and dirt on the scalp. A SLS and paraben-free shampoo should be used while leaving the shampoo 1-2 minutes prior to rinsing.
Sulphate may be effective at removing oil and dirt, but it has also been linked to hair loss and thinning hair as it destroys hair follicles and inhibits hair growth.
Parabens have been linked to skin irritation in conditions such as dermatitis and rosacea, as well as allergic reactions in some young children. So, always use paraben-free shampoos to keep your hair moisturised.
Always use an Argan oil
Argan oil is packed with fatty acids and strong antioxidants, like vitamin E, that have proven beneficial for the hair and the scalp. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of argan oil protected skin from free radical damage caused by the sun.
This benefit may also extend to the hair, assisting in the prevention of drying and other damage caused by ultraviolet rays.
So, as a dermatologist I recommend you all the argan oil for healthy hair and also If you're used to applying oil, make sure to wash it off after 45 minutes because the oil can attract more fungus along with the sweat if left on for too long.
To remove sweat from the scalp, use a cold blow dryer.
Wash Oily hair more frequently
How many times should you wash your hair depend on the amount of oil your scalp produces.
- You may need to wash your scalp once a day if it's oily.
- If you have chemically treated hair, it may be drier, so wash it less frequently.
- As you grow older, your scalp produces less oil so you don't have to shampoo so often. But you might not be shampooing enough when you see flakes in the hair. This can lead to dandruff and other diseases of the scalp.
- Unless you use styling products, your shampoo should only be used to clean your scalp. It should not be used to wash the ends of your hair. The ends of your hair are the oldest and most fragile, and they require special care, such as added moisture.
Brush less to limit hair loss
Don't believe the myth about 100 brush strokes per day. Excessive brushing will cause hairs to fall out. Some hair loss is normal; most people lose 50 to 100 strands of hair per day.
These have stopped growing and have entered a resting stage. Use a brush with ball-tipped bristles to avoid losing more hair than usual.
Also, never brush wet hair; instead, use a comb. Curly hair is more prone to breaking and becoming dry and brittle. Using a pick gently rather than combing or brushing keeps curls looking better. Don't overuse flat irons and relaxers, which can cause hair damage.
Take a timeout from styling
The best thing you can do for better hair days is nothing at all. All of the tugging, combing, brushing, drying, and chemically treating of hair harms the shafts. Take a break from styling if your hair is damaged.
The new growth will be stable as the damaged hair grows out. You may also opt only to dry your roots and to keep the hair shaft and tips dry.
Breakage and frizz can also be caused by hair straightening and rebounding treatments. To achieve a groomed appearance, you can instead opt for a keratin treatment with a trained hairstylist.
Take care with tightly wound hair
Ponytails and braids are excellent ways to express your individuality. But they can break hair and damage the roots if they're too tight. You can even make your hair fall out with a tight style around the clock.
Every night, put your hair free! Give your hair a break after three months if you wear large extensions.
Protect hair when swimming
Wet and condition your hair before swimming to protect it from the harmful effects of chlorine. Even, after swimming, make sure to thoroughly shower with shampoo and deep conditioning to preserve the health of your hair.
Conclusion
If you don't take care of your hair, it will stop growing after a certain point. Gradually, you can find dandruff, hair loss, dryness, and dullness.
Ingrown hairs can be caused by not washing your hair for a long period of time. Furthermore, leaving the hair unwashed for an extended period of time attracts more particles.
So, by using chemical-free products designed for your specific hair type, eating well, avoiding heat styling, and following all of the above tips, you can say goodbye to bad hair days.
Edited by Saheli Sen Gupta
(Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of YourStory.)