Hey girlies! 2024 is our year for healthy hair! As a girl who’s been through the damage and the hair scares, I am so ready for the luscious, shiny hair. Keep reading for tips and tricks on achieving a healthy mane.
Discover your hair type
Did you know there is such a thing as ‘hair types?’ While of course there is straight hair, wavy hair, and curly hair, there are subgroups within these main categories. See the various hair types below:
Discovering your hair type allows you to know how to best take care of your hair, with the appropriate products and resources. Further, you can experiment with different hairstyles that compliment your type of hair.
Click here to discover your hair type.
Eating healthy!
Eating enough protein is key for your hair. In fact, your hair is primarily made up of protein. Aim to eat around 45 grams of protein daily, but protein intake depends on activity levels and the person. Examples of protein include lean meat, poultry, fish, beans, and low-fat dairy products.
Be sure to eat enough zinc as well! A deficiency of zinc can lead to hair shedding. To avoid this deficiency, consume lots of vegetables, fruits, leafy green vegetables, nuts, and a plentiful amount of water!
Consuming enough omega can definitely improve your scalp health. Examples of foods with omega in them are cold-water fish, flax seeds, yogurt, cottage cheese, salad, and cereal.
Wash your hair less often
I know, it’s weird! You would think washing your hair often keeps it clean and healthy, but shampooing your hair strips it of its natural oils. Further, shampoo that is not fully rinsed from your hair leads to unhealthy buildup that makes your hair appear dull and lifeless.
However, washing your hair a few times a week or month, depending on your hair type, is necessary to maintain oil balance. Using shampoos with clean ingredients (the fewer ingredients is typically better) is optimal for healthy hair.
Apply conditioner properly
Your natural oils at the top of the scalp naturally hydrate your hair, so avoid putting conditioner at the top of your hair. Instead, gently rub conditioner on the ends of your hair to hydrate the dry areas.
Avoid/Reduce Heat!
I am one of those girls who has used heat on her hair everyday, which isn’t great for your hair. Exposure to high heat can change the shape of your hair’s keratin strands, from ⍺-keratin to β-keratin. The hair becomes more brittle and easy to break.
When heat is applied, the natural oils of your hair are stripped, the water molecules evaporate, changing the hair’s protein structure. The outer parts of your hair follicles crack and are more prone to breakage. Your hair cuticles have shingles that overlap, similar to a roof. When damaged, the shingles rise up and tangle in each other.
Damaged hair often appears dull, frizzy, and your natural hair can lose its shape due to the heat damage. To prevent this damage, use heat protectants that work for your hair, reduce the amount of heat you put on your hair (2-3 times a week is optimal), and put heat on your hair when it is at least 50% dry.
Detangle hair before showering
Detangling hair prior to your shower will prevent you combing through tangles after the shower. When hair is wet, it is extremely fragile and can snap easier when it’s combed. So, taking care of the tangles before it’s wet is the right way to go.
Use a microfiber towel to dry your hair
For years, I used my regular towel and dried my hair with it. However, I read somewhere that using a microfiber towel can absorb excess moisture faster, eliminate frizz, and prevent damage to your cuticles. Using a regular towel and excessively rubbing your hair with the towel leads to weakened hair follicles.
Protecting your hair (when in the sun or swimming)
To avoid damaging your hair from the chlorine or UV rays, apply a leave-in conditioner or a hair mask before exposure. This minimizes the drying out of hair and long term damage.
Protect your hair at night
You spend half of your life asleep, and your hair is definitely impacted by it. To ensure it’s being taken care of at night, try to sleep on silk pillowcases to prevent breakage. Protective hairstyles such as loose braids or putting your hair up in a silk sleep cap will also keep your hair happy and healthy.
Get regular haircuts
Getting regular trims removes split/damaged ends that are unhealthy. If you have a short bob, aim to trim your hair every 3-7 weeks. If you have textured curly hair, try to cut it every 8-12 weeks, and at least every 12 weeks for long hair.
I hope you found some of these tips helpful and useful! I’m definitely going to be giving them a try these upcoming months and I hope you will too! Leave some of your recommendations in the comments <3
For more hair care tips and tricks, check out Girl Spring contributor Makayla’s Personal Self Care Tips For You and Your Natural Hair!
