10 super tips for thick, shiny and healthy hair

Your hair makes you feel young, or old. When you take care of your locks you take care of your looks too

blonde woman showing off her long healthy hair

Our hair defines our personality and even our mood. It can add or reduce years to our appearance, just like wrinkles do. So if you want to look and feel good, you must have healthy hair. And no, it does not mean you are vain! While a lucky few are born with good hair, most of us have to work hard for it. Here are some handy tips.

10  super tips for thick, shiny and healthy hair

1. Healthy diet is a must

Make sure your diet is healthy, or it will reflect on your hair. Get your daily dose of proteins, vitamins and minerals. Fish, nuts and greens are excellent for healthy hair.

2. Shampoo every other day

Shampoo your hair every alternate day, not daily. Daily shampooing could dry the scalp and hair of its natural oils. However, don’t let your hair get too dirty before you shampoo it, as this could cause your hair to fall. Shampooing it every alternate day, or, at the most, every two days should do the trick. Also, take a clue from the climate you live in. Humid weather requires frequent washing. But if you are mostly staying indoors and don’t sweat too much, you can wash your hair less frequently.

3. Protect your hair from UV radiation

Does your work or lifestyle take you out in the sun a lot? Wear a cap, and use a conditioner which has sun-block. UV radiation can cause untold damage to your hair.

4. Weekly oiling promotes healthy hair

Oil your hair at least once a week. Leave it on for about half-an-hour to an hour, and cleanse with shampoo. Once-a-month do a deep-conditioning treatment by steaming your oiled hair.

5. Treat your hair to egg protein

Egg is excellent for hair. It nourishes the hair and adds shine. After applying oil, whip up an egg and apply it to your hair once a week. Leave it on for an hour and then rinse. Don’t forget to rinse with cold water, not warm. You don’t want scrambled eggs in your hair.

6 Trim your hair at least once in 4-6 months

There is no “cure” for split ends. Once a hair is split, the end has to be cut off to avoid further splitting of the strand. Trimming regularly keeps split ends in check.

7. Condition your hair after every wash

After shampooing your hair, towel dry. Take a few drops of a conditioner in the palm of your hand, rub hands together, and apply the conditioner to the ends of your hair. Never apply it to the scalp. Once you’ve applied the conditioner, run through your hair with a wide-toothed comb so it gets evenly distributed. Wash off after 3 – 4 minutes.

8. Fab tip for frizzy hair

One great trick to tame frizzy hair is to apply two or three drops of oil to your hair, just after washing it, when your hair is still soaking wet. This tames the hair without giving it an oily appearance. This is an easy substitute to leave in conditioners and hair serums.

9. Hot water is a strict no-no

Never shampoo your hair with hot water. Rinsing with hot water washes away essential oils and moisture, leaving the scalp dehydrated and the hair frizzy and static. Use cold water or warm water instead.

10. Sleep on a satin pillowcase

If you have long hair, use a satin pillowcase to sleep. This helps the hair glide when you move in your sleep. Regular cotton pillowcases may latch on to your hair, causing breakage. Also, it’s best to tie hair up when sleeping.

Do’s & Don’ts for healthy hair

Drying

  • Hot air can be damaging to your hair, so when using a hair dryer use a cool setting.
  • Don’t leave the blow-dryer in one spot for more than a few seconds, keep it moving and hold it at a good distance from your hair.
  • To speed up the drying process, pat your hair dry with a towel and let the remaining moisture in your hair dry naturally.
  • Gently use your fingers to untangle any knots while your hair is drying.

Hair products

  • Hair styling products with alcohol dry out the hair; avoid their use.
  • Avoid using hair styling products directly on your scalp; they tend to clog the pores on your scalp.

Swimming

  • Before entering a pool, wet your hair so it soaks up the “top” water instead of chlorinated water.
  • When swimming, wear a cap to protect your hair from chlorinated water. If you choose not to, make sure you shampoo and condition your hair right after you are through with your swimming session.

An older version of this article first appeared in the November 2006 issue of Complete Wellbeing print edition

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