Growing up, I always had such frizzy hair – no matter what products I used.
When I decided to write this blog post I wanted to focus on the things I wish I’d have
known when I was younger. Simple, basic tips to keep your hair healthy and
strong. Before we get to that, there’s something I wanted to discuss with you.
A Note On Topical Products And Supplements
These days, people are hyper focused on products that can be used to make
your hair better. I’m totally down for that, and I happen to make some great
products for your hair – but there are some super important things to ask yourself
before you turn to topical products and supplements to make your hair more
healthy.
Find The Source Of Any Underlying Issues
I guess I have what you’d call aging hair or even hormonal hair. My hair has
thinned a lot in recent years. I attributed my hair thinning and breakage to my
hypothyroidism, but it was recently brought to my attention that I’m iron deficient.
When I started looking into vitamin deficiencies, I was surprised to find out that
there are several different types of vitamin deficiencies that can cause hair
thinning – iron, vitamin B, and vitamin D to name a few.
I wanted to lightly touch on this subject before diving into basic hair tips. I had
spent a crazy amount of money on hair care products (before I started making
them) to try and get my hair to grow back. If I’d have known that dealing with diet,
figuring out which supplements I’m deficient in and taking those
supplements would likely be the real solution, I could’ve saved myself a lot of money and time.
I’m no doctor, of course. It doesn’t hurt to get tested for vitamin deficiencies,
either way your body will thank you for knowing what you need.
Easy Tips For Healthier Hair
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, here are some simple things you can
do to help stop breakage and have healthy hair.
1. Stop using heavy towels to dry your hair!
Microfiber hair wraps are where it’s at! Heavy bath towels can pull at your hair
causing breakage. If you don’t have a microfiber towel or hair wrap, a
lightweight cotton t-shirt works great too.
2. Don’t use a regular brush when your hair is wet.
Instead, use a wide tooth comb as it’s less likely to grab and tangle your hair
causing breakage. Also, always start at the tips of your hair to comb through
the knots instead of starting at your roots.
3. Use a silk pillowcase.
Regular pillow cases can cause breakage and dry out your hair through the
night depending on how much you’re rolling around. When you use a silk
pillow case, your hair doesn’t stick to it.
4. Limit heat styling tools!
I’m sure we’ve all heard this one at some point, right? When I first heard this, I
immediately stopped blow drying my hair. I started letting it air dry, but it turns
out that’s not always great either!
If you’re trying to limit the use of heat styling tools, try allowing your hair to get
75% dry and blow dry the rest of the way. The extra weight of partially wet
strands can pull and cause breakage to otherwise healthy hair. I personally
only use heat styling tools after washing/drying which is every 3 or 4 days.
And of course, be sure to use a heat protectant.
5. Pay attention to the ingredients in your hair care products.
Avoid the use of products containing sulfates and parabens as they have
been linked to certain health issues. Try to stick with products that use more
natural ingredients in a responsible way.
Some “chemicals” are an absolute necessity (such as preservatives in water based formulations), but if you know what you’re avoiding and why, it’ll be easier for you to find the products that are right for you.
Please keep in mind that not all chemicals are toxic – even water has a
chemical compound! Also bear in mind that just because an ingredient is
considered natural doesn’t mean it’s safe for use (i.e poison ivy is natural!) or
necessarily the right ingredient for you.
6. Know your body!
This really isn’t just for your hair, obviously. Like I was saying above, figuring
out what foods, vitamins/minerals your body needs will do a lot of good for
more than just your hair.
When we have issues such as unhealthy hair, super
dry skin, etc. we have to dig deeper than what’s on the surface and find the
root cause.
Oftentimes our body is trying to tell us something and it’s usually a
problem that can be solved by taking better care of our overall health.
And, to add-on to #5, the more you know about your body the easier it is to figure out
what will work best for you.
If you have allergies or sensitivities to certain
foods/ingredients, then paying attention to ingredients and avoiding the
culprits as best you can will make a difference.
I hope you’ve found this to be helpful! Be sure to check out my current Hair
Care inventory at www.essentialwellnessbodycare.com/hair
-Bekah
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