How to prevent hair damage? Things you should avoid!

My cousin had lovely and shining hair which reached well below her back and I was always a great admirer of her enviable hair. ‘What is the secret of your long and thick tresses? I asked her eagerly. ‘I do not follow any new hair fashion trends and I always use natural products’ she told me. She was sensible in not being lured by the different hair trends which come and go.

Long tresses are the dream of every girl but not all are blessed with it. Sustained and continuous care is very important to retain the health of your hair and to instigate its growth. Like skin care, there should be regular hair care regimen. With the modern fashion of coloring, straightening and other hair fashion trends, the damage inflicted on your hair is extensive and sometimes permanent.

What are the fashion trends which keep changing?

• Perming
• Ironing
• Blow drying
• Coloring
• Straightening

There is lots of damage you unknowingly do to your hair which can be easily avoided. Shall we have a look at them!

Oil is a lubricant, nothing more!

Oil is just a lubricant and does not prompt fast hair growth. Let us assume you are watering a plant. Too much of water can make the root weak and makes it easy for you to pluck it out. When the water is just enough, the root of the plant is firm and strong. This was an example cited by a trichologist to my friend and I think the logic of what the doctor told was correct. Your hair needs only lubrication and if you apply excess oil you only weaken the roots. Too much of oil also attracts dust and grime to it.

Handle your hair gently

When you are in a hurry to go for work, you do not have the patience to handle your hair gently. You should always use the broad side of your comb to take out the knots. When you feel a knot, gently undo it with your fingers and not with your comb as you might break your hair. After taking the knots gently comb your hair the full length and do not tug or pull your hair with the smaller side of your comb. You will literally hear your hair breaking if you do so.

Let your hair dry on its own

Do not comb your hair when it is wet as this too makes your hair break. Do you blow dry regularly? It tends to dry out your hair and it becomes very brittle. If you have to start early for work, it is better if you have your bath early so that you do not have to rely on blow dryer to dry your dripping wet hair. Do not wrap your hair in the towel for too long and also do not rub the towel in the hair to take off the extra wetness.

Fashion trends ruin hair.

Do not color your hair unnecessarily. Straightening, perming, curling all needs harsh chemicals and in the long run, your hair tends to feel like straw. How then do the film stars look good with all the coloring and straightening? They take extra care and spend thousands of dollars on hair care which you and I can never afford.

Stick to a brand

Do not keep changing your shampoos and conditioners and get carried away by the ads you see. When a shampoo works for you, stick to that brand and do not change it. You should always use a mild shampoo if you are going to wash your hair daily. When you use conditioners, do not apply it on the scalp, but on the hair alone.

Backcombing and over washing hair are all bad.

Back combing can make your hair into a messy knot and you lose hair in trying to untangle the knots. Over washing can take away the natural oils that coat your hair. It is always best to wash your hair twice a week and at the most three times a week. Do not go for hair weaves and hair extensions as it can cause permanent damage to your hair roots.

Sun care

Do you think that your skin alone needs sun protection? Going out in the blazing sun without protection can harm your hair also. You can wear a hat when you go out in the sun. Shampoos which promise to have SPF protection are not good enough as once you wash it off, the protective shield disappears. A leave in conditioner with sun protection will do fine for you.

When you want to try out the new hair styles and the latest fashion trends, you pull and stretch your hair in the worst possible way. Take a string of thread and try pulling and stretching it. What happens to the thread? It snaps, doesn’t it? This is what happens to your hair when you treat it roughly. You should always be gentle to your hair and not damage it by your overzealous eagerness to try out new things to make your hair grow long and thick.