In pursuit of beautiful locks

As we expose our hair to multiple brush strokes, heat-based devices, chemical modifications, etc., here’s everything we need to know to prevent its long-term effect on our locks.

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HYDERABAD: With Valentine’s Day recently over and International Women’s Day quickly approaching, this time of the year is all about love, and that includes falling in love with your hair. No, this does not mean that you rely on expensive salon treatments to achieve a gorgeous mane.

A simple trip around the house will get you the ingredients you need to let your hair down (pun unintended) this season. As we expose our hair to multiple brush strokes, heat-based devices, chemical modifications, etc., here’s everything we need to know to prevent its long-term effect on our locks.

Our sweat glands are natural oils needed for hair health and over time, the sweat production decreases. Thus, we need external oil application to do the job of coating the hair shaft and what better than coconut-based hair oil for this. It is rich in straight chain, small size triglyceride molecules which penetrate deeper inside the hair strands and fill the internal cavities, making hair stronger from within.

In our quest for beautiful hair, we often do things that damage our hair. Damaged hair is fragile, so it tends to break. Hair breakage can leave us with frizzy, unhealthy-looking hair. If we continue to damage our hair, we may eventually see thinning hair.

From the high concentration of alcohol present in sprays that can dehydrate the hair-strands and irritate the scalp, to harsh chemicals in bleach and hair smoothening treatments that can injure and erode our hair cuticles, hair styling can be a risky game.

Stop taming your hair with heat
The continual reforming and rebuilding of the hair to achieve the desired look while perming and rebonding compromises the strength and moisture-retaining capacity of hair strands, precipitating dryness and luster loss

Prevent further damage

• Apply shampoo on the scalp. When you rinse the shampoo from your scalp, let it flow through the lengths of your hair and resist the temptation to rub it into your hair
• Pre-condition the hair with coconut-based hair oil. This seals the hair and prevents the damage caused by external assaults ranging from the simple act of shampooing to use of heat-based devices
• Use a conditioner after every wash
• Dry the hair with a towel. Air dry as much as possible. Limit the number of times you blow dry the hair and use the blow dryer on minimum energy settings
• Trimming your hair every six to eight weeks prevents split ends and damage, making ends stronger and leading to faster growth.
• If you perm, colour or relax your hair, add more time between touch-ups
• Avoid stroking the hair 100 times a day with a hairbrush. More strokes lead to more hair-splitting. Use a wide-tooth comb. Avoid pulling and tugging on your hair as you brush, comb, or style it

Foods for healthy hair

• Fish: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin B-12 and iron
• Dark green vegetables: High levels of vitamin A
• Legumes: Full of protein
• Whole grains, egg yolk and soy flour: These contain biotin
• Nuts: Good source of selenium
• Low fat dairy products: Good sources of calcium
• Focus on hair hydration for lustrous and healthy long hair
• Coconut-based hair oil stops the hair from absorbing water as well as losing moisture. This moisture balance effect helps to prevent frizzy and dry hair
• Aloe vera moisturises the hair and scalp. It soothes inflamed scalp that could be caused due to dandruff
• Egg yolk is rich in vitamins that may make hair more resistant to damage
• Bananas are rich in potassium, prevent hair breakage and help in hair growth

— Dr Jushya Bhatia Sarin, dermatologist