Healthy Hair Tips

While genetics play a key role, your diet, weather, pollution, and overall approach to hair care are critical to maintaining your crowning glory. Find out how these healthy hair tips diet and proper care routines can keep your mane a head above the rest.

Nourish your hair

Healthy hair starts from the inside. Eating healthy and drinking the proper amount of water each day will give your hair follicles the nutrients it needs to thrive.

Take a daily vitamin.

Vitamins are an easy way for us to get the nutrients we are lacking. Taking a vitamin made for hair growth can be an easy add-on to your daily routine.

Easy with the heat

Too much heat can lead to hair damage and leave hair dry, brittle, broken, and split. Heat can be good but only when used in moderation. Some tips to follow are to use low to medium heat, prepare your hair during shampooing to make sure it is well hydrated. You’re a heat protectant product to help prevent damage.

WASHING YOUR HAIR

A pretty common misconception is that natural hair should not be washed often. This, my friend, is the ultimate LIE!!!! For hair to thrive, it needs a clean, healthy environment. A scalp that is dirty and has product buildup is not sanitary. Hair cannot grow when pores are clogged.

Using a creamy moisturizing shampoo at least once every two weeks on loose hair will help get rid of the buildup. Washing braiding styles between seeing your hairstylist is also recommended. How often you wash your hair is up to you, but developing and sticking to your own hair washing regimen is essential.

Do not scrub hard 

Some people love excellent scrubbing when washing their hair. Still, it is essential to remember that too much scratching can cause damage to the scalp. Pressing the pads of your fingertips against your scalp and rubbing with a bit of pressure is really all that is need for a great cleanse.

Use a sulfate-free shampoo.

Stay away from shampoos containing sulfates that help to strip the hair of its natural moisture. Instead, reach for a moisturizing shampoo to gently cleanse while moisturizing the hair.

Deep condition your hair

Naturally, coiled hair needs all the help it can get in the moisture department because moisture can not make its way to hair ends quickly. It is super important to always follow up with an excellent deep conditioner to infuse moisture into the hair as a final step in your wash routine.

Do not OVER condition.

Wearing a shower cap under your bonnet to bed may seem like a great idea, but is it unnecessary?

Leaving your deep conditioner in overnight can cause damage to your strands. Too much water being absorbed into the hair cuticle can cause it to become more fragile and less elastic over time. Sleeping with a deep conditioner on the hair puts you at risk of damage in the form of hydration fatigue because there is too much moisture penetrating the hair shaft. There’s no need to leave your deep conditioner on for longer than the time recommended in the directions.

Detangle from end to root

Tender Love and Care are needed when taking care of curly and kinky hair. When detangling the hair, start from the very ends, then slowly and gently work your way up to the roots to cut down on breakage.

Moisturize & then seal

After washing and conditioning continuing your hair care process by applying product to your hair while it’s still damp, this is the most effective way to retain moisture. I personally love the LOC method. Use a leave-in conditioner of your choice, top it with oil (i.e., olive or coconut oil), then apply a hair cream to help seal in moisture. Then style your hair to keep your hair healthy, soft, and manageable. If you are not sure what brand to start with, you can try the Cantu leave-in conditioner. 

I used this as my leave-in and cream for a while, and it provided significant moisture. I just warn against mixing it with other products as it can leave residue in your hair. 

Get regular trims

Have you ever seen a woman with beautiful thick hair, and as you follow her hair from the scalp to the ends, you notice that her ends are almost see-through? That is because her hair is damaged. If you can clearly see through the density of your hair, it may be time for a trim.

Hair that is see-through at the ends may have some sort of underlying damage caused by heat damage, chemicals, etc. Some may find cutting their hair counteractive to growth, but trimming your hair eliminates broken and split ends that could lead to more damage. Remembering to trim about once every season (spring, summer, fall, and winter – or as needed) will keep the hair at its healthiest.

Wear protective styles

Tucking your hair away in styles that require little to no manipulation for a few days or a few months will help you retain length.

Nightly protection

Keep hair moisturized and less prone to breakage by wrapping it up with a satin or silk scarf or bonnet at night. You can also use a silk pillowcase.

Massage your scalp

A soothing scalp massage every few nights will help stimulate the hair follicles and help with blood flow to the scalp to encourage healthy growth.

Finally….

Ditch the stress!

This is easier said than done, but the best thing you can do for your hair is simply to relax.

Stress can push hair follicles into a “resting” phase to not produce new hair strands. Over time, hair can fall out more quickly, even if you’re just washing, combing, or touching it.

Once again, the health of your hair is essential. Focus on your health, and before you realize it, the length will come!