Hair is our crowning glory. A full head of beautiful shiny hair says that we are young, beautiful, and healthy. In fact many men report that they are notice a woman’s hair first, then everything else. Having great hair gives us the confidence we need to succeed. That’s why the phrase "having a bad hair day", means that you are really having an overall rotten day, and it started with your hair.
However, would it surprise you to learn that many people, both men and women, are taking care of the hair the wrong way? Improper hair care can contribute to dull, lifeless hair, and even hair loss, while proper hair care can give you beautiful hair, for life. Are you ready to learn the hair care mistakes that almost everyone makes?
Shampooing Like They Do On TV
Shampooing our hair seems like the easiest thing in the world. However, most of us shampoo our hair the way we see it done on shampoo commercials. We place a great big blob on the top of head, work it in, rinse and repeat. But do you know why shampoo commercials show people shampooing their hair this way? It’s so they can sell more shampoo.
There is actually no evidence that repeating a shampoo helps hair if you already wash your hair regularly, like most of us do. Additionally, the great big blob of shampoo on the top of our heads not only wastes shampoo, but does not get our as clean as it should.
The right way to shampoo our hair is to place the blob of shampoo under our hair, close to the roots. This is where the oils come from, so it’s the best place to start getting rid of them. Then, you work the shampoo up, rather than down. Since the layers of hair closest to the skin are the dirtiest parts of our hair, starting at the bottom and working up gets our hair cleaner than starting at the top and working down. It’s also a good idea to use only a nickel size blob of shampoo.
Treating Chemical Build Up With More Chemicals
It’s often been said that any shampoo will create buildup. This buildup weighs down your hair and makes it look dull and lifeless. Though they make chemical build up removers, you’re simply trying to remove chemical build up with more chemicals. This is very hard on your hair.
Instead of using chemicals, try a white vinegar rinse. Vinegar is a natural acid made up of acetic, citric, tartaric, and other acids. This combination of weak acids and other substances is the perfect way to break the bond that shampoo residue leaves on your hair. White vinegar will yield the best results due to its unique make up. Simply use it after the shampoo once a week. Work it into your hair and rinse it out.
It’s important to note that while white vinegar is safe for most hair types and treatments, there are a few exceptions. It’s always best to check with your hairdresser if you’ve had any kind of hair altering treatment done.
Toweling Off Your Hair
Even those of us who use a blow dryer often start by vigorously rubbing the towel over our wet hair. Though it seems harmless, this mistake can actually contribute to you losing your hair.
That’s because when your scalp is soaking wet, like when you just came out of the shower, the skin is in its weakest state. Just like pimples are easier to pop after being exposed to hot water, our hair too, is also more likely to come out if it is subject to rough treatment during this perilous time. The loosen scalp will give up the strands of hair. In some cases, this hole will close after the skin is fully dry. This means that this particular strand of hair will not grow back. While you might not notice at first, imagine if you lost 10 strands of hair each time you took a shower. Over time, you would start to notice.
The right way to treat wet hair is to gently pat it with the towel instead of rubbing it. Using two small towels instead of one large one will enable you to blot the hair dry without damaging it.
Brushing Wet Hair
It’s common to try to style your hair while it’s wet. However, rigorous brushing of wet hair causes a great deal of damage. Wet hair is delicate, like fine antique lace, and needs to be treated with care. Failure to do so can result is split ends, ripped hair, and the possibility of certain strands not growing back.
Instead of using your normal styling tools, use wet brushes and combs. Wet brushes and combs are styling tools that are specifically designed for wet hair. Their bristles are plastic and larger than normal brushes. These special bristles enable you to untangle and style your hair without causing damage to your hair. Of course, if you encounter an unusually big knot, it’s best to pick at it instead of forcing the brush or comb through.
Taking care of your hair is crucial to your appearance. However, most of the ways we were taught to care for our hair as children is actually dead wrong. Though dull lifeless hair or hair or hair loss can be due to genetics or aging, it can also be due to improper hair care earlier in our lives. The good news is that taking care of your hair properly now, can undo or prevent much of the future damage.
