Keep Hair Healthy

Keeping your hair healthy requires patience and dedication. In addition to leading a well-balanced life, you must wash, condition, and style your hair with care. Invest in high quality products and tools that will protect rather than damage your hair. Take extra measures to protect your hair in order to maintain the health of your tresses.

Steps

Choosing the RIght Products and Tools

  1. Select nourishing products formulated for your hair type. Hair products are specially formulated for different types of hair—always purchase products that are formulated for your specific hair type. Read the label and ingredients list carefully. Look for products that contain natural ingredients, such as avocado oil, honey, and or coconut milk. Avoid products that contain sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, and isopropyl alcohol.[1]
  2. Purchase salon quality heat tools when possible. When you routinely use blow-dryers, straighteners, and curling irons, you increase your risk of damaging your healthy hair. When possible, it is always beneficial to invest in salon quality tools.
    • Opt for tools that lists its temperature in degrees instead of “High,” “Medium,” or “Low.” This feature will allow you to control the temperature.
    • Search for blow-dryers that include a heat distributing nozzle and or a diffuser attachment.[1]
  3. Invest in a high quality brush. Brushes detangle your tresses while distributing your scalp’s oils throughout your mane. When trying to maintain the health of your hair, a high-quality hairbrush is a worthwhile investment. Select a brush with natural bristles—a boar bristle round brush is ideal for all hair types.[2] Your brush should be firm enough to detangle your hair, yet gentle enough so that it does not pull too hard on your hair.[3]

Washing Your Hair with Care

  1. Wash your hair 2 to 3 times a week. Shampoo strips your scalp of its natural, nourishing oils. These oils are essential to the health of your locks. Decreasing the number of times you shampoo, will increase the presence of these natural oils. Apply a quarter sized amount of the product directly to your scalp 2 to 3 times per week. Massage the shampoo into a lather and rinse thoroughly.[3]
  2. Condition your hair frequently. Conditioners moisturize your hair. In addition to hydrating your locks, these products produce a shinier, healthier mane that is less prone to breakage and damage. While you should always follow a shampoo with a conditioner, the number of times you condition your hair each week depends upon your hair type.[4]
    • If you have bleached, color treated, or excessively dry hair, apply conditioner daily.
    • If your hair is medium to thick, use a light conditioner every day.
    • If you have fine hair, apply a pre-shampoo botanical oil treatment and then wash with a clarifying shampoo. You may also choose to apply conditioner from the middle to the end of the hair shaft.[4]
    • If your hair is excessively dry, skip the shampoo entirely and just condition it instead. This is known as “co-washing” or “no-pooing.” When co-washing, select a cleansing conditioner specifically formulated for no-pooing.[5]
  3. Deep condition your hair 4 to 8 times a month. Deep conditioners will improve the look and feel of dry or damaged hair. There are two types of deep conditioning treatments, a moisturizing treatment and a protein-based treatment.
    • Before stepping out of the shower, rinse your hair with hot water.
    • Squeeze out excess water.
    • Apply the product to your damp hair. Start at the ends of your hair and work your way up the shaft. Avoid applying the product to your scalp.
    • When your hair is saturated, cover your head with a plastic cap. Activate the product with a heated plastic cap, a blow-dryer set on low, or a hood dryer set on low. Apply heat for 10 to 30 minutes. Remove the cap and rinse your hair in cold water to close the cuticles.[6]
  4. Towel dry and detangle your hair. Avoid rubbing your wet hair with a towel at all costs—this leads to frizz and split ends. Instead, wrap a towel around your hair and squeeze the excess water from your locks.[3] When possible, leave the blow-dryer in the drawer and air dry your tresses. Use a wide tooth comb or your fingers to detangle your locks.[7]
    • Never use a brush to detangle your wet hair.

Trimming, Styling, and Protecting Your Hair

  1. Schedule regular trims. Trim your hair every 6 to 8 weeks to rid your locks of damaged ends and prevent split ends from re-splitting. Regular trims will not cause your hair to grow faster, but it will allow you to easily maintain your hair’s length. When you maintain a consistent hair trimming schedule, it will only be necessary to cut approximately ½ an inch off your tresses each time.[8]
  2. Use hair dyes and hair products sparingly. In order to keep your hair healthy, you must limit your use of harsh chemicals and products. Hair dyes damage your hair and over applying products will weigh your locks down.[3]
    • If possible, it is best to simply avoid dying your hair. If you choose to dye your locks, only dye your hair when it absolutely needs it.
    • Over time, hair products build up on your scalp. Using too many products will weigh down your already heavy locks, causing them to look lifeless and flat. To keep your tresses full and bouncy, only use a marginal amount of products.[7]
  3. Apply a heat protectant before drying, straightening, or curling your hair. Before exposing your hair to the heat of your blow dryer, straightener, or curling iron, always apply a heat protectant. Heat protectants coat the follicle and seal in moisture. They prevent an array of damage, such as split ends and fried hair.[9] When applying the heat protectant, always follow the instructions provided on the product.[10]
    • For fine or straight hair, use a heat protectant spray or lightweight gel.
    • For curly or thick hair, apply a heat protectant serum or oil.[11]
  4. Avoid tight hairstyles and elastic bands. Ponytails, tight braids, and top-knots are adorable and stylish but they are damaging to your hair. These styles place tension on your roots, damaging the follicles. The elastic bands used to secure these looks also cause split ends and breakage. When possible, wear your hair down. If you prefer to pull it up and back, opt for a low chignon, low ponytail, or loose braid.[3]
  5. Opt for a protective or low manipulation hairstyle. African American hair is extremely fragile. In an effort to prevent damage and breakage, wear your hair in a protective or low manipulation hairstyle.
    • In protective hairstyles, the ends are intentionally tucked away to protect them from the elements. With the ends protected, your hair should retain its length.[12] Some protective hairstyles include buns, braids, flat twists, pompadours, and extensions.[13]
    • The concept of low manipulation hairstyles was created in response to the major problems associated with protective hairstyles: tangling, dryness, and breakage. Low manipulation styles are easy to create, maintain, and take out. There are two basic low manipulation hairstyles:
      • Wash-and-gos are low maintenance. Simply wash, condition, and style your hair.
      • Twist/Braid outs provide additional volume to your natural hair. Moisturize your hair and separate it into 1 inch sections. Twist or braid each section. Once dry, undo and separate the twists or braids to add volume. Moisture, seal, and restyle your hair as needed.[12]
  6. Protect your hair at night. Your hair is susceptible to damage throughout the night.
    • Begin your bedtime routine by brushing your hair from root to tip several times. This will detangle your locks and spread your scalp’s natural oils throughout your hair.
    • If you prefer to wear your hair up at night, trade your elastic band for a scrunchie. Before bed, twist your hair into a top-knot and secure the high bun with a scrunchie.
    • Upgrade to a silk pillowcase to prevent split ends. If you can not afford a silk pillowcase, wrap your hair in a silk scarf.[14]
    • Consider using a sleeping cap. Waking up with tangled tresses is never fun. Protect your hair at night with a sleeping cap. Sleeping caps constrain your hair—when your hair moves less at night, you wake up with fewer snarls.[15]

Leading a Healthy and Balanced Life

  1. Eat a well-balanced diet. The quality of your diet defines the quality of your hair’s health. To promote scalp health and hair growth, consume foods rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K.[7]
    • In addition to promoting hair growth, omega-3 fatty acids also leave your mane shiny and full. Salmon and avocados are an excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids.[16]
    • Greek yogurt, milk, and eggs are excellent sources of protein and vitamins B and D.[16]
    • Mangos, kale, spinach, sweet potatoes, avocados, and apples are excellent sources of vitamins A, C, E, and K.[17]
  2. Drink the recommended amount of water for your height and weight. Since each strand of hair is composed of 25% water, staying hydrated is essential to your mane’s health.[18] Medical professionals recommend drinking between ½ to 1 ounce of water per pound each day.[19] Failure to consistently meet this recommendation could result in brittle, frizzy hair.[18]
    • For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you would need to drink between 75 to 150 ounces of water per day.
  3. Get a good night’s sleep. Like a well-balanced diet, a good night’s sleep is essential for your body to function. When you deprive yourself of sleep, your health—including the health of your hair—suffers. In an effort to conserve energy, your body will stop completing functions it deems unnecessary, such as hair growth. To keep your body functioning properly, and your hair growing, aim to sleep between 6 to 10 hours each night.[20]

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.discovergoodnutrition.com/2013/11/heat-styling/
  2. ↑ http://www.prevention.com/beauty/hair/everything-you-need-know-about-hair-brushes
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 http://www.beautyandtips.com/hairtips/10-tips-on-how-to-maintain-long-hair-healthy-and-shiny/
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.beautylish.com/a/vcywy/over-conditioning-your-hair
  5. ↑ http://www.matrix.com/stylist-advice/haircare-hair-color-and-hairstyle-blog/6-co-washing-tips-for-natural-and-relaxed-african-american-hair
  6. ↑ http://blackgirllonghair.com/2011/12/how-often-should-you-deep-condition/2/
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 http://www.haircaremagic.com/2015/08/08/10-tips-on-how-to-maintain-long-hair-healthy-and-shiny/
  8. ↑ http://www.allure.com/hair-ideas/2013/secrets-to-gorgeous-long-hair#slide=1
  9. ↑ http://stylecaster.com/beauty-high/heat-protectant-spray/
  10. ↑ http://moknowshair.com/heatprotectants/
  11. ↑ http://www.folica.com/hair-101/tips-and-how-tos/use-heat-protectants/
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 http://www.curlynikki.com/2014/05/the-myth-of-protective-hairstyles-for.html
  13. ↑ http://www.buzzfeed.com/essencegant/15-protective-styles-when-cornrows-just-wont-do#.mrZLzA4Aa
  14. ↑ http://stylecaster.com/beauty-high/protect-hair-while-sleeping/
  15. ↑ http://www.hairfinder.com/hairquestions/protect_hair_sleep.htm
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 http://www.webmd.com/beauty/hair-nails/ss/slideshow-foods-healthy-hair
  17. ↑ http://www.diethealthclub.com/food-source-for-essential-vitamins.html
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 http://durablehealth.net/drinking-water/benefits-of-drinking-water-weight-loss-skin-hair-hurt/
  19. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/diet/water-for-weight-loss-diet?page=2
  20. ↑ http://www.hairboutique.com/blogs_p/index.php/2009/05/07/healthy-hair-needs-good-nights-sleep/

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