Healthy Hair Tips

We all like to ensure we lead a healthy lifestyle. Eating right, exercising and generally living a healthy lifestyle is something we all like to pursue. A healthy lifestyle will ensure our bodies and minds function well and our hair is no exception.

Our hair is not something that simply exists independent of our bodies, it is connected to us and although it is not technically living once it grows out,  it can still be ‘healthy’. Our hair goes through a lot over time and failing to maintain healthy hair can result in unmanageable, poor quality hair or in extreme cases hair loss.  

Just to get an idea of how much our hair goes through we thought we would share this quote we recently found on the Marie Claire website: “According to a recent Unilever study, hair that is about shoulder length (around 9 inches long) has, after two years, gone through 411 washes, 6,171 brushes, and 10 bleaches, and had approximately 19,122 split ends and 36,206 breaks”. Following on from that  startling fact we thought we’d share with our readers some top hair tips to maintain healthy hair.

• When it comes to healthy hair it’s not all about what is done directly to the hair itself, what you eat can make a big difference to your hair’s health. Certain foods contain minerals and nutrients that help provide a healthier base from which the hair can grow. Omega-3, which is found in salmon and walnuts, is great for hair. Eggs and Spinach are also packed with key minerals for a healthy head.

• Hair dryers, as essential as they are, can be a real problem when maintaining healthy hair. Most hair dryers we use in our homes these days are very powerful and while they have the power to give us brilliant styles they can burn and over dry hair when used incorrectly. Treat damp hair with a heat protection spray before drying and remove the nozzle to diffuse the heat so it isn't so direct.

• Washing your hair every day may seem like a good way to maintain healthy hair, but it is not. Of course you should wash your hair frequently but shampooing every day drys both the hair and the scalp. Ideally you should aim for two to three times a week.

• Match your hair care routine to your hair type. Different people have different hair complexions and these require a different approach suited to the type of hair. Pick a combination of products for your hair be it dry, greasy, fine, curly, coloured, natural etc. There will be a product available for each and every type of hair so research a little and stick to what suits you.