Whether we like it or not, we all judge a book by its cover and a person by their toupee (or their general appearance). Your hair plays a significant role in how others perceive you, especially when meeting you for the first time. First impressions matter and can be lasting, so you’ll want to make them count.
Appearing at a job interview or even a date with shabby hair, for example, will make you seem disinterested and unorganized. And while neat hair might not land you the job or that second date, it will leave a much better impression.
With this in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best tips that will keep your hair looking nice and healthy.
Cut It Regularly
You don’t need to make your barber your best friend, but you do need to visit them regularly whether you’re growing out your hair or not.
If you have dry, damaged hair, you should be visiting your barber at least once in 6 to 8 weeks to ensure that your hair stays strong and healthy. Cutting off split ends regularly will make your hair easier to control and manage.
If you have thin hair, cutting it won’t make it miraculously thicker, but it will allow you to have a hairstyle that suits you better.
Dietary Choices
There’s no denying how important a healthy diet is. Nutrition has a huge impact on your overall health, and it will affect your hair as well. If you want your hair to feel, look, and be healthy, you need to keep yourself healthy.
Primarily, you might want to increase your intake of proteins. Yes, they can help you build muscles in the gym, but seeing how your hair is made out of proteins called keratin, getting enough proteins will help you improve the quality of your hair.
Besides protein, getting plenty of vitamins, especially A and E, and staying properly hydrated can also help you have healthier hair.
Shampoo and Conditioner
Whether you have naturally oily hair, or it’s more on the dry side, you’ll want to shampoo it less frequently. Most cheaper shampoos contain sulfates that strip away the natural oils in your scalp. Those oils serve to protect the hair from outside influences and without them your hair will be brittle.
Even with a sulfate-free shampoo, however, you shouldn’t shampoo your hair more than 2 or 3 times a week.
What you should probably use more often than you currently do, is conditioner. A quality conditioner will moisturize your hair and keep it protected. Unlike shampoo, you can use conditioner every day.
Drying Habits
If you have short hair, you’re probably guilty of aggressively scrubbing your hair with a towel to dry it off. Avoid this at all costs.
Wet hair is much weaker and breaks easily when you dry it off this way. If you continue doing this, you’ll only damage your hair further and promote hair loss.
For the best effect, use a softer touch when drying your hair with a towel and work in the direction of your natural hair growth.
If you’re using a blowdryer, set it at a lower temperature to avoid heat damage.
The Scalp Is Important
Most hair problems start at the scalp, so this is where you’ll want to focus your attention.
If you have an oily scalp, you should avoid moisturizing products and go for shampoos and conditioners that are aimed more towards strengthening your hair.
For a dry scalp, try to avoid hot showers. Hot water rinses off the small amount of oil that’s on your scalp, causing your hair to become dry and brittle. Hydrating and moisturizing products are a must.
Get Treatment if It Starts Receding
By the age of 50, over 85% of men will have experienced a significant amount of hair thinning. To avoid having to opt for a buzz cut, you should get treatment as soon as you notice signs of hair receding.
New and popular treatments to remedy such concerns are laser caps, for example, from Illumiflow to regrow thinning hair.
Of course, always consult your doctor before you start any treatment, as hair loss might be a symptom of other medical conditions.
Going Natural Every Once in a While
Coloring, straightening, blow-drying, and more are all known for causing damage to hair. But many other things such as hair gels, hair masks, or other hair products can sometimes do more harm than good.
So every once in a while, let your hair down and give it a rest. Unless you have to apply medical treatments, shampoo and conditioner are often the only products you need.
Following these simple tips will help you to keep your hair healthy and looking good.
Give them a try and you’ll notice the results as time goes by.
