General Hair Care

One of the first things other people notice about you is your hair. In order to make the best impression on friends and family as well as strangers, you will want to keep your hair in the best possible condition. The only way to do this is to be informed of the best techniques for proper general hair care, as well as what to avoid to prevent hair loss or damage.

Choosing the Right Shampoo and Conditioner

One of the easiest steps to take in general hair care that will allow you to sport a head full of beautiful lustrous hair is to choose the right products.

Shampoos and conditioners come in a variety of types, brands and prices and with so many to choose from it can seem impossible to know what will work best for your hair and provide you with the best look and health possible. Following these tips when choosing your shampoo, conditioner and other daily products will help you keep your hair healthy and reduce the occurrence of hair loss.

The best way to choose shampoo is to base your choice on the ingredients. Unfortunately, the manufacturers often boast of botanicals or vitamins that really do nothing for your hair’s health. Instead of trusting the labels, look for shampoos and conditioners that contain the following ingredients:

• Dimethicone—this ingredient is one that provides softness and manageability by coating the hair.
• Guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride—look for this ingredient to achieve maximum volume and smoothness.
• Ammonium lauryl sulfate—this is the agent necessary for a shampoo to actually clean the hair and having clean hair is one of the best ways to keep your hair healthy.

Aside from these three main ingredients, other additives are usually included to improve the scent, feel or lathering of shampoo. These added ingredients do not boost the health of your hair and their harshness can sometimes lead to hair follicle damage. By avoiding unnecessary ingredients in your shampoo you can reduce the risks of hair loss.

Keeping your Diet in Mind

By regulating your diet to include healthy foods, such as vegetables, fruits, grains and healthy lean meats, as well as getting the recommended amount of water per day, you can increase your hair’s health and avoid excessive hair shedding. Similarly, limiting your intake of fats such as greasy fried foods and sweets can ultimately lead to better hair health. By doing both and possibly even adding a daily multi-vitamin, you will be able to promote optimal hair health.

Daily Hair Dos and Don’ts

While it is very important to pay attention to your diet as well as what types of shampoos and conditioners you use on your hair, there are also some common hair care mishaps that you will want to avoid:

• Avoid heat—using hot products such as straighteners, blow dryers and curling irons can make your hair look great for a time, but can ultimately do long-term damage. By applying too much heat to your hair, you can dry it out, cause split ends and even cause more shedding than normal. To avoid these results, you can find alternative methods to heat, such as drying with cool air, as well as using curling rods that do not require heating.

• Don’t apply chemicals—to avoid excessive damage to your hair, it is important to avoid any harmful chemicals, such as dyes and permanents (including straighteners or curls). These chemical solutions can lead to dryness, breakage and the loss of hair.

• Brush properly—while it may seem that brushing your hair is very straightforward, if done incorrectly it can damage your hair and lead to excess hair loss. It is best to brush your hair when it is dry, and to always brush gently. If you must brush your hair when it is wet, you should use a wide-tooth comb instead of a brush and if you have any tangles, it is important to use a detangler to avoid pulling out hair strands as you brush.

• Avoid tight hair styles—while there are many hair styles that look lovely when done tightly, such as braids or tight ponytails, these can ultimately be harmful to your hair’s health. Tight styles put too much pressure on weak hair follicles and can lead to premature shedding and hair loss.

Going the Extra Mile

Along with the daily preventative measures to keeping your hair in optimal health, you can also do a few other things to make sure your hair is in the best condition possible. One way to go the extra mile for your hair is to use a deep conditioning treatment once a week. This treatment will improve the look of healthy hair and also keep your hair in healthy condition. Weekly deep conditioning can deliver nutrients needed for proper hair health, keep hair strand dryness at bay and strengthen hair strands to prevent breakage.

Another way to reduce unwanted hair loss is by scheduling a hair cut or trim every six weeks. By keeping hair properly groomed you can reduce the risk of split ends, breakage and excess hair weight, all of which can lead to premature hair loss.

Achieving healthy, full hair is easy once you understand proper general hair care techniques. By taking care of your hair the right way today; you can reduce the risks of hair loss tomorrow.