Healthy and shiny hair is a dream for most people. Besides looking beautiful, you avoid various scalp diseases, such as dandruff. That’s why you need to know how to take care of your hair properly.
How to Keep Your Hairstyles Clean and healthy
Some people may underestimate hair health because it doesn’t seem as important as body health.
In fact, not taking care of your hair can actually cause various scalp problems that are quite annoying.
Here are some ways to take care of your hair, from shampooing tips, choosing a comb, to the right intake of vitamins and minerals to keep your hair healthy.
1. Schedule shampooing according to hair type
Some people may feel that the way to maintain healthy hair is to wash it frequently to make it look cleaner.
In fact, the frequency of shampooing, whether it’s two or three times a week, should be based on hair type.
For example, owners of curly hair should not wash their hair too often so as not to over-dry the hair.
You may be able to wash your hair twice a week and should choose hair care products that are specially formulated for curly hair.
On the other hand, owners of oily hair are advised to wash their hair regularly so that it does not look floppy and the moisture level is well maintained.
2. Use shampoo and conditioner
When shampooing, make sure to choose shampoo and conditioner that suits your hair type.
The reason is, there are several types of hair that are not suitable with certain shampoos and make them more tangled, dry, and dirty.
For example, curly hair owners should choose hair care products that do not contain alcohol or sodium lauryl sulfate.
This is because both of these ingredients can make curly hair drier.
The use of conditioners is no less important for caring for hair. Conditioners contain important ingredients, such as silicones, as well as special moisturizers called emollients.
These ingredients coat the hair strands and fill in the damaged parts of the hair so that your hair is always protected.
3. Routinely cut the ends of your hair
Did you know that the habit of cutting hair, especially at the ends, is one of the effective ways to maintain healthy hair?
This way of taking care of your hair turns out to be quite important, especially when you have long hair. You see, the ends of the hair are the most prone to split ends and damage.
If you let the damaged ends grow, hair damage is inevitable.
Therefore, it is recommended that you trim the ends of your hair every 10-12 weeks.
4. Choosing a comb according to your hair type
Taking proper care of your hair is not just limited to choosing the right shampoo. Experts say that combing the hair is also part of hair care.
This is because using the wrong comb can invite problems on the scalp. Here are the types of hair combs and their functions that you need to know.
- Bristle brush. This type of comb has teeth that are loose, thin and blunt at the end.
- Bristle brushes are suitable for owners of long hair and easily tangled.
- Round brush. If you want your hair to look more voluminous, a round brush is the right choice. The reason is, the location of the teeth of this round-shaped comb can rotate to all sides. That way, it’s easier for you to roll your hair outward or inward to make your hair look thick.
- Wide-tooth comb. This type of comb has more tenuous teeth so it is suitable for use by owners of curly or curly hair, without worrying about tangling or entangling.
When combing your hair, use the sparse part of the comb first to untangle the tangled part of the hair. After that, use the tighter part of the comb.
5. Protects hair from the sun
Sun exposure is not only bad for the skin, but it can also damage the hair. This is because sunlight can make hair less moisturized.
As a result, hair becomes dry, dull, and lacking in nutrients. Therefore, here are some ways you can do to protect your hair from the sun.
- Use a special hair spray to protect hair color.
- Wear a hat, hair tie, or umbrella when going outside.
- Avoid using a hair dryer aka hair dryer so that it does not get drier.
- Protect your hair when swimming to reduce the impact of chlorine.
6. Use a hair mask
One way to take care of hair health that many people do is to use a hair mask. This hair treatment is considered quite effective, especially for long hair. This is because hair masks can make your hair softer and moisturize the scalp.
In addition, you can get hair masks at the store or use ingredients at home. The use of natural hair masks, such as banana masks and honey masks, is quite popular as a way to maintain healthy hair.
9. Reduce the use of hair styling tools
To keep your hair healthy, you should reduce the use of hair styling tools, such as a hairbrush, hair dryer, or curling iron.
The reason is, excessive heat exposure from hair styling tools can damage the hair cuticle and cause hair to become brittle, rough, and easily broken.
Quoting the American Academy of Dermatology Association, you are advised to use styling tools once every 1 week.
Also, make sure the distance between the styling tool and the hair is not too close, about 15 cm, and choose the lowest heat level so as not to damage the hair.
10. Avoid tying your hair too tightly
Apart from reducing the use of hair styling tools, another way to take care of your hair that you need to apply to keep it healthy is to not tie your hair too tightly.
This habit can make hair brittle and easily fall out. In fact, in some cases, this habit can trigger baldness.
If possible, use a hair tie made of soft fabric.
11. Practice healthy habits
Some of the ways to take care of your hair above will not work if you do not apply healthy habits when maintaining hair health.
Here are some things you need to pay attention to when taking care of your hair.
- Dry your hair at a low temperature and gradually as needed.
- Let the hair dry on its own.
- Massage the scalp frequently to promote blood circulation and hair growth.
- If you want to color your hair, choose a color three levels above your natural hair color.
Having healthy and shiny hair is not easy. However, with consistency and proper care, hair can grow strong and free from damage or loss.