Avoid Doing These 5 Common Things with Your Hair at Home
When you go online to read hair advice, you’re almost always being told what you should do to get and keep healthy, lustrous hair – not what you shouldn’t be doing. Below, you will learn more about five common at-home practices that are probably doing your hair more harm than good.
#1 – Not Drinking Enough Water
It may seem as if being dehydrated is the reason for everything. Whether it’s a headache, a muscle cramp, or even dull-looking skin, you’ve probably been told that you need to drink more water. This very same advice also applies to your hair. Healthy hair starts at the follicle and the scalp, so without water that cleans your pores and helps wash away dirt and excess oils, your follicles become clogged and your hair simply cannot grow as quickly or as healthily as it should. If you want healthier hair, make sure to drink plenty of water. Despite the common “eight glasses a day” rule, experts recommend that women drink 11.5 cups and men drink 15.5 cups a day.
#2 – Failing to Rinse Sweat from Your Hair
Sweating is incredibly good for you. During a workout, it’s a sign that your muscles are primed, and when it’s due to nothing more than heat, sweating keeps your body from overheating thanks to the cooling effects of evaporation. However, almost every part of your body sweats – including your scalp – and it’s important to remember that salt is a major component in sweat. This means that when you sweat during a workout or in the heat but fail to at least rinse your hair thoroughly afterward, all that salt stays in your pores and in your hair where it can cause follicle clogs and dry out your strands. To remedy this, if you’ve been sweating, rinse your hair as soon as you can.
#3 – Improper Shampooing
There are two important things to keep in mind with this one: the shampoo you use and the frequency at which you use it. To address the former, you should be sure to use a shampoo that contains natural, gentle ingredients that won’t strip your hair of its natural oils. At the very least, choose one that doesn’t contain ingredients like sulfates and parabens. To remedy the latter, it may be tough to go a day (or even two!) between shampoos at first, but it’s worth it. Exposing your hair to even natural shampoos less frequently can help it become healthier and stronger. On the days you don’t shampoo, try a simple warm-water rinse in the shower.
#4 – Moisturizing too Much
Believe it or not, it’s possible that you may be over-moisturizing your hair. Though it may sound comical considering the number of moisturizing shampoos on the market designed to nourish your hair, using too many of these products too frequently can have detrimental effects. Some can make your hair feel too soft and almost squishy, and they can even cause your hair to start falling out. Use a good moisturizing treatment no more than once or twice each week and be sure that you’re using a once-a-week strengthening mask, too.
#5 – Using Petroleum Products
Petroleum is a very common ingredient in many of today’s most popular shampoos and conditioners – especially those designed for African-American hair. Unfortunately, it’s as bad for your hair as it is popular. Petroleum clogs your pores and follicles, which effectively causes your hair to suffocate at the root. Even worse, it’s almost impossible to shampoo out completely without using shampoos with ingredients like sulfate, which has the exact opposite effect and strips your hair. For the best results, avoid purchasing or using any product that contains petroleum, and be sure to learn the names of petroleum-based ingredients so you know what you’re looking for.
By avoiding these things when you’re caring for your hair at home, it’s possible to help your hair grow longer, thicker, and healthier than ever before. Though they are common practices among many people – men and women alike – it is easy to get yourself out of these habits and start giving your hair the love and care it deserves.