How to care for hair to keep it healthy and shiny

Healthy and shiny hair is a dream for most of the people. Besides looking beautiful, you also avoid various scalp diseases, such as dandruff. That's why you need to know how to properly care for your hair.

How to care for hair to stay healthy

Some people may underestimate maintaining healthy hair because it looks not as important as the health of the body. In fact, not caring for hair can actually cause various problems on the scalp which are quite annoying.

Here are some ways to take care of your hair, from washing tips, choosing a comb, to how to treat your hair in hot weather.

1. Schedule shampoo 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 done based on hair type.

For example, owners of curly or frizzy hair may need to pay attention to this one hair care. The reason is, the hair that has a denser curl pattern has a low level of moisture, aka dry.

This condition occurs because the natural oils that coat the scalp have difficulty passing through the hair, making it more dry. That is why, to reduce dryness of the hair, avoid washing your hair with shampoo too often.

You may be able to wash your hair twice a week and preferably 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 appear saucer and the humidity level is well preserved.

2. Use shampoo and conditioner

Shampooing or washing your hair without shampoo will certainly not be optimal in caring for your hair, right? Choosing a shampoo and conditioner that suits your hair type is quite important as a way to maintain healthy hair. How can?

Shampoo functions to clean the scalp from dirt, oil, and previously applied hair care products, such as lotions.

Even so, you should choose a shampoo according to your hair type. The reason is, there are several types of hair that do not match certain shampoos and make them more tangled, dry, and dirty.

For example, choosing shampoo to treat curly hair is different from other types of hair.

Owners of curly hair need to make sure your shampoo and other hair care products don't contain alcohol or sodium lauryl sulfate. Both of these ingredients can make curly hair drier.

Meanwhile, the use of conditioner is no less important for caring for hair. Conditioners contain essential ingredients, such as silicones, as well as special moisturizers called emollients.

These ingredients work to coat the hair strands and fill in the damaged hair, so that your hair is always protected.

3. Routinely cut the ends of the hair

Did you know that the habit of cutting hair, especially at the ends, is one effective way to maintain healthy hair?

How to care for hair on this one is quite important, especially when you have long hair. You see, the ends of the hair are the part that is most prone to split ends and damage.

If you let the damaged ends of your hair grow, hair damage is inevitable. You are also advised to cut the ends of your hair every 10-12 weeks.

If you are a person who often uses a flat iron, you should do this every 6 - 8 weeks. You can also get your hair done every three months at the salon if you can't cut your hair yourself.

4. Choose a comb according to hair type

Source: Holistic Habits

Taking care of your hair is not just about choosing the right shampoo. Experts also mention that combing is also part of how to maintain healthy hair.

This is because using the wrong comb can invite problems on the scalp. Therefore, it is important for you to choose the right comb based on hair type by recognizing what the side variants are based on their function.

Bristle brush

Bristle brush is one type of comb that is easily found on the market with the following characteristics:

• shaped like a brush, as well
• The comb teeth appear loosened, thin and blunt at the ends.

For owners of long hair that is easily tangled or unruly, bristle brush is the right solution to make it easier for you to straighten out messy hair.

Round brush

If you want more volume to your hair, round brush is the right choice. The reason is, the location of the round comb teeth can rotate to all sides. This way, it will be easier for you to roll your hair outward or inward to make your hair look thicker.

Even so, the density of the teeth round brush different. For owners of long, thick hair, it is best to choose this comb with a diameter of more than 1 inch (2.5 cm). This is intended to make it easier for you to maintain healthy hair.

Wide-tooth comb

Source: Etsy

As the name implies, this type of comb has looser teeth. Therefore, wide-tooth comb is the right choice as a way to maintain healthy curls.

The loose teeth of the comb make it easy for curly hair owners to straighten their hair without worrying about it tangling or getting tangled. In fact, this type of comb is also the most commonly used by people with normal, straight, and long hair.

How to comb hair

After successfully choosing a comb according to your hair type, the next step is to comb your hair the right way.

First, use the sparse part of the comb to untangle the tangles. After that, use the comb tighter.

Also, avoid brushing your hair when it's wet when caring for your hair. We recommend that you dry your hair with a soft towel and spray a special vitamin to protect the surface of the hair. When the hair is dry, comb the hair from root to tip.

5. Protect hair from the sun

Sunlight is not only bad for your skin, it can also damage your hair. After being exposed to sunlight, hair moisture decreases and it makes hair dry, dull, and lacks nutrients.

You really can't do anything about the changing weather or maybe just stay at home. Therefore, there are several ways you can do to maintain healthy hair by protecting it from the sun.

• Use a special hair spray to protect hair color.
• Wear a hat, hair clip, or umbrella when you go outside.
• Avoid using a hair dryer so it doesn't get dry.
• Protect hair while swimming to reduce the impact of chlorine.

6. Wear a hair mask

One way to maintain healthy hair that many people also do is to use a hair mask. This hair treatment is considered quite effective, especially for long hair.

There are a myriad of benefits of hair masks that are a pity to miss, ranging from softer hair to moisturizing the scalp. In addition, you can also get hair masks at the store or use ingredients that you have at home.

Therefore, the use of hair masks, such as banana masks and honey masks, is quite popular as a way to treat hair.

7. Fulfill your intake of vitamins and minerals

Apart from the hair care products used, the food and drinks consumed are also important when caring for hair. The following is a list of vitamins and minerals in foods that are nutritious for hair health.

Iron

Iron deficiency is one of the factors that cause hair loss, although it has not been found to date. You can get iron by eating meat or taking iron supplements.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids from fish and flaxseeds can be one way to maintain healthy hair. The reason is, omega-3 fatty acids function to care for cells and maintain the health of the scalp to avoid problems.

Vitamins A, B12, and B16

Vitamins A, B12, and B16 are three types of vitamins that can help increase melanocytes. Melanocyte levels in the body are important for maintaining and restoring hair color naturally.

These three vitamins can also nourish the hair and scalp. For example, vitamin A can help control the amount of sebum production in the scalp.

Meanwhile, vitamins B12 and B16 are two B complex vitamins that are recommended to prevent gray hair. Both of these vitamins also help treat hair color changes due to vitamin deficiency.

That is why, fulfilling these three vitamins is important in maintaining healthy hair. You can find it in foods such as:

• oranges and strawberries,
• green vegetable,
• soybeans, as well
• eggs, fish and red meat.

Not only that, don't forget to meet your fluid needs by drinking enough water. Water that enters the body can replace lost body fluids and hair will remain healthy.

8. Keeps hair moisturized

If you have short hair that expands easily, it will be more prone to drying out. Therefore, keeping hair moisturized is important when you are trying to maintain healthy hair.

The level of moisture in the hair is important to prevent dry scalp and hair damage. How to?

• Avoid shampooing every day.
• Not too often dye your hair or do similar treatments.
• Limit use hair dryer, flat iron, or high-temperature curling iron.
• Use a hat when it is windy and a hair cap when swimming.

9. Apply healthy habits

Some of the methods above will not work if you do not adopt healthy habits while maintaining healthy hair. Here are some things you need to pay attention to when caring for your hair.

• Dry your hair on a low temperature and gradually dry as needed
• Let the hair dry on its own
• Always change the area of ​​the hair that will be attached to the pins
• Massage the scalp as often as possible to improve blood circulation and hair growth
• If you want to dye your hair, choose a color three levels above your natural hair color

Actually, taking care of your hair also helps you to maintain a healthy body. If you have further questions, please consult a dermatologist or dermatologist.