How to Strengthen Your Hair
Guest Post collaboration with Ashley Nielsen and KittyDeschanel.comWe all want beautiful, full hair. After all, who doesn't spend time every morning doing their hair to ensure not a strand is out of place before leaving the house? Unfortunately, getting strong, healthy hair that’s easy to manage takes work. Everyone has different hair and the products and methods that work for your friends may not work for you.
While genes play a role in hair type and texture, it doesn’t mean you can’t make small changes to your beauty routine to improve the health of your hair. Here are a few ways you can strengthen your hair.
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9 Ways to Strengthen Your Hair
1. Change Your HairstyleWearing your hair the same way every day can damage it. For example, if you wear your ponytail in the same spot, you weaken your hair in one area, especially if you’re using tight elastics. In addition, tight hairstyles, including ponytails and braids, can stress your hair by pulling it in one direction over a long period of time.
To prevent straining your hair, switch off your styles. For example, you can wear your pony in one spot one day and another spot the next, or wear your hair down to prevent damage.
2. Take Vitamins
Ideally, we would all get the vitamins we need from our diet. However, most people aren’t getting enough vitamins for their overall health and wellness, let alone their hair health. Your hair needs vitamins and minerals to be strong. A few important vitamins for hair growth and strength are:
Ideally, we would all get the vitamins we need from our diet. However, most people aren’t getting enough vitamins for their overall health and wellness, let alone their hair health. Your hair needs vitamins and minerals to be strong. A few important vitamins for hair growth and strength are:
- Vitamin A
- B vitamins
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Iron
- Zinc
- Biotin (be careful with this one if you are prone to acne)
3. Wash Your Hair Less Frequently
Many people shower every morning so they can start their hair and makeup with a fresh canvas. While showering daily is fine, you may not want to wash your hair daily. Of course, you don’t want oil and dirt built up on your scalp, but shampoos can strip your hair’s natural oils, resulting in dry, frizzy hair.
If your hair isn’t oily, you can wash your hair only two to three times a week instead of daily. Washing your hair less often might make you feel like your scalp is dirty at first, but eventually, your hair won’t feel like it needs to be washed as frequently. You can still wet your hair and may even find that you prefer it days after your last shampoo.
Many of us use too much shampoo when washing your hair. You only need a small amount of shampoo, about the size of a quarter, to clean your hair and scalp. If you’re using more than that, you’re wasting money on your hair products because you’re using too much.
Many people shower every morning so they can start their hair and makeup with a fresh canvas. While showering daily is fine, you may not want to wash your hair daily. Of course, you don’t want oil and dirt built up on your scalp, but shampoos can strip your hair’s natural oils, resulting in dry, frizzy hair.
If your hair isn’t oily, you can wash your hair only two to three times a week instead of daily. Washing your hair less often might make you feel like your scalp is dirty at first, but eventually, your hair won’t feel like it needs to be washed as frequently. You can still wet your hair and may even find that you prefer it days after your last shampoo.
Many of us use too much shampoo when washing your hair. You only need a small amount of shampoo, about the size of a quarter, to clean your hair and scalp. If you’re using more than that, you’re wasting money on your hair products because you’re using too much.
4. Increase Your Protein Consumption
Protein is the building block of hair, so getting enough protein in your diet is key to having strong, healthy hair. If you’re not getting enough protein, you might find that your hair is thinning, or you’re experiencing hair loss.
Protein is the building block of hair, so getting enough protein in your diet is key to having strong, healthy hair. If you’re not getting enough protein, you might find that your hair is thinning, or you’re experiencing hair loss.
Luckily, hair loss from protein deficiency is temporary, as long as you start getting the nutrients you need. If you notice your hair is looking dull or damaged, try adding more protein to your diet in the form of eggs, fish, nuts, seeds, or beans.
5. Use Less Heat
If you have naturally wavy or curly hair, you might use a straightener to make it more manageable throughout the day. However, using high heat on your hair without heat protection can lead to split ends and damage. Blow dryers, hair straighteners, and curlers may make your stands look glorious for a few hours a day, but they can severely damage your strands, especially if you already have fine hair.
Of course, we’re not telling you to stop using these styling tools altogether, but there are ways you can prevent heat damage that results in frizzy, unmanageable hair.
Always use a heat protection product before you use any type of heated styling tool. These are designed to minimize damage to your hair caused by extreme heat.
Start to use your hair dryer a few inches away from your hair and move it quickly throughout your hair instead of focusing on one spot.
Put your styling tools on lower heat. While lower heat may result in more time spent on your hair, your hair will be much stronger for it.
If you have naturally wavy or curly hair, you might use a straightener to make it more manageable throughout the day. However, using high heat on your hair without heat protection can lead to split ends and damage. Blow dryers, hair straighteners, and curlers may make your stands look glorious for a few hours a day, but they can severely damage your strands, especially if you already have fine hair.
Of course, we’re not telling you to stop using these styling tools altogether, but there are ways you can prevent heat damage that results in frizzy, unmanageable hair.
Always use a heat protection product before you use any type of heated styling tool. These are designed to minimize damage to your hair caused by extreme heat.
Start to use your hair dryer a few inches away from your hair and move it quickly throughout your hair instead of focusing on one spot.
Put your styling tools on lower heat. While lower heat may result in more time spent on your hair, your hair will be much stronger for it.
6. Remember Your Scalp Needs Care
Scalp care is important for strong hair. If you have a healthy scalp, your hair will grow in health. However, your hair might be thin and brittle if your scalp is unhealthy. Luckily, there are tons of ways to improve your scalp health. Remember those vitamins we were talking about earlier? Not only can vitamins benefit your hair, but they’re good for your skin, especially scalp skin.
Dry scalps can easily be moisturized with hair oils before or after a shower, or you can dry a deep conditioning mask to help prevent hair and scalp dryness.
Scalp care is important for strong hair. If you have a healthy scalp, your hair will grow in health. However, your hair might be thin and brittle if your scalp is unhealthy. Luckily, there are tons of ways to improve your scalp health. Remember those vitamins we were talking about earlier? Not only can vitamins benefit your hair, but they’re good for your skin, especially scalp skin.
Dry scalps can easily be moisturized with hair oils before or after a shower, or you can dry a deep conditioning mask to help prevent hair and scalp dryness.
7. Maintain Regular Haircuts
When you’re growing your hair out, it can seem counterintuitive to have it trimmed. However, trimming your hair regularly can help you avoid split ends that can prevent healthy hair growth. Not trimming split ends will allow them to work their way up the strands and can cause more damage and frizz, so it’s always best to get rid of them as soon as possible.
Depending on your hair type, you might need to have your hair trimmed once every few months or more frequently. Next time you go for a haircut, talk to your stylist to determine how often you should come back for trims to keep your hair healthy and strong.
When you’re growing your hair out, it can seem counterintuitive to have it trimmed. However, trimming your hair regularly can help you avoid split ends that can prevent healthy hair growth. Not trimming split ends will allow them to work their way up the strands and can cause more damage and frizz, so it’s always best to get rid of them as soon as possible.
Depending on your hair type, you might need to have your hair trimmed once every few months or more frequently. Next time you go for a haircut, talk to your stylist to determine how often you should come back for trims to keep your hair healthy and strong.
8. Brush Carefully
Many women make the mistake of brushing their hair as soon as they get out of the shower to get rid of tangles. However, brushing your hair when wet can result in breakage because your hair is more sensitive when wet. Instead, let your hair dry before brushing it.
Depending on your hair type, you might need a wide-tooth comb to remove tangles. Many tools are available for brushing, combing, and styling your hair, depending on your hair type. For example, individuals with curly hair shouldn’t brush their hair too frequently as it can result in breakage and damage.
Additionally, you shouldn’t brush your hair too often. While you may think your hair feels softer when you brush it more frequently, brushing your hair can pull strands from your scalp or break them in the middle, so there’s no reason to continuously brush your hair throughout the day.
Many women make the mistake of brushing their hair as soon as they get out of the shower to get rid of tangles. However, brushing your hair when wet can result in breakage because your hair is more sensitive when wet. Instead, let your hair dry before brushing it.
Depending on your hair type, you might need a wide-tooth comb to remove tangles. Many tools are available for brushing, combing, and styling your hair, depending on your hair type. For example, individuals with curly hair shouldn’t brush their hair too frequently as it can result in breakage and damage.
Additionally, you shouldn’t brush your hair too often. While you may think your hair feels softer when you brush it more frequently, brushing your hair can pull strands from your scalp or break them in the middle, so there’s no reason to continuously brush your hair throughout the day.
9. Don’t Use Towels
If you like to use a towel to dry your hair after a shower, you may be doing more harm than good. Wrapping your hair up in a towel pulls at the strands, which can cause some to break. Meanwhile, towel drying can result in breakage and frizz because they aren’t designed for hair. Instead, consider getting a hair towel or using a cotton t-shirt that can prevent you from pulling at your strands.
If you like to use a towel to dry your hair after a shower, you may be doing more harm than good. Wrapping your hair up in a towel pulls at the strands, which can cause some to break. Meanwhile, towel drying can result in breakage and frizz because they aren’t designed for hair. Instead, consider getting a hair towel or using a cotton t-shirt that can prevent you from pulling at your strands.
Final Thoughts
Finding the right products to strengthen your hair can require some trial and error, but taking the time to improve your hair and scalp health can go a long way to ensuring strong hair.
Finding the right products to strengthen your hair can require some trial and error, but taking the time to improve your hair and scalp health can go a long way to ensuring strong hair.
Meet our guest author, Ashley Nielsen, who has beautiful hair thanks to following these 9 tips for strengthening hair
Ashley Nielsen earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration Marketing at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a contributing writer at 365businesstips.com where she shares knowledge about general business, marketing, lifestyle, or financial tips. During her free time she enjoys being outside, staying active, reading a book, or diving deep into her favorite music.