Hair Care at Home

Just like skin, you have to take care of your scalp and hair to keep them healthy. Here are a few simple tips you can follow at home.

1. Keep scalp clean and healthy

This is the most important step. There is a lot of buildup on our scalp – we have our secretions like sebum (oil), sweat, dead skin cells, dandruff, then dust, pollution, chemicals. Add to it products like hair sprays, gels, waxes, some solutions like minoxidil. These make our scalp unhealthy and prone to dandruff, itching and infections. Use shampoos based on your hair and scalp type. Use an anti-dandruff shampoo once/twice a week if you have dandruff issues. Wash your hair as per the requirement. If you wash daily, use a gentle, sulphate-free, paraben-free shampoo. Dilute the shampoo in water before massaging it gently in your scalp. Excess amount of shampoos dry your hair and scalp. Do not use soaps for washing the scalp.

2. Use a Conditioner

Conditioners help to replenish hair’s moisture after some of it is stripped from shampooing. Conditioner refortifies the cuticle, or the outer lining, with a protective coating, allowing the hair to keep growing and not break easily. When the hair is exposed to the outside world, the cuticle gets damaged until it ultimately breaks; the conditioner fills in those injuries and coats the hair to assist the cuticle. You can use deep conditioning masks at home once a week. You can also try DIY masks of banana, olive oil, egg yolk etc. depending on the hair and scalp type.

3. Use Hair oil

Massaging hair oil improves the blood circulation to the scalp. It also relieves stress, one of the important causes of hair loss. Oils help to nourish the hair strands. If you have dandruff or oily hair, you can skip or apply oil an hour before shampoo. Beware of excessive amounts – excessive hair oils can cause folliculitis and acne eruptions by clogging your pores. Also you will have to use an extra amount of shampoo to wash of the oil – that defeats the purpose of oiling!

4. Minimise heating and styling

Hair loss can also occur because of bad Hair Care practices like using heating tools, straightening, perming, coloring frequently. They really damage the cuticle and the roots leading to breakage and split ends. If at all you have to use a hair dryer, wait atleast for 30 minutes for hair to semi dry before using the dryer. Also, use a heat protecting serum before using heating tools which allows for gradual and uniform heating of hair fibre. Try not to brush your hair when it is wet. Brushing wet hair is the biggest cause of hair breakage.

5. Have a healthy balanced diet

Healthy hair starts with a healthy, well-balanced diet. Even when you’re eating the right things, it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough iron. Iron helps to carry oxygen to your hair follicles . If you don’t have enough of this crucial nutrient, it could weaken the follicles and make it easier for your hair to fall out. Include foods like green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, pumpkin seeds, shellfish, lean meats etc.

Eating a diet that is rich in Vitamins A, B, C, and E is crucial for hair health and strength. Vitamin C helps the roots to absorb more iron. Vitamin A is needed to produce sebum, the natural oil created by your hair to keep it shiny and strong. Vitamin E helps to secure the roots and keep them strong. Vitamin B with Biotin promotes healthy hair growth (egg yolk, almonds, nuts, cauliflower, mushroom, cheese, spinach, red meat, sweet potato).

Include healthy proteins. Stay hydrated. You can also take hair, nail and skin vitamins and supplements to promote healthy hair.

6. Include yoga and exercise

Yoga and exercise help to enhance blood circulation to the scalp as well as reduce stress and anxiety levels in the mind – some of the main causes of hair fall. These natural methods also improve oxygen consumption by the cells of the scalp and supply necessary nutrients to the scalp.