10 Tips to Maintain Healthy Age-Proof Hair

As we age, the reproduction and repair of cells slow. As a result, we often experience slower growth of both hair and nails. To maintain healthy hair, there are a few things to do that will encourage the repair of the cells and develop new and healthy cells to replace the damaged ones. Follow these suggestions to maintain healthy hair at any age!

Keep Your Hair Strong and Healthy!

1. Wash Hair Less Frequently
   

   Every time hair is washed, it is weakened until it can dry again. The washing and drying of hair cause strands to rub together and against towels, weakening the individual strands of hair and causes breakage. Hair also becomes dry and brittle when it is washed too often, as it removes the proactive oil from the scalp and the hair, leaving it prone to damages. Wash hair once or twice each week to maintain the strength and health of the hair.

2. Avoid Heated Tools
   

   

   Heated styling tools such as the hairdryer, or blow dryer, curling irons, and hair straighteners cause damage to the hair. The addition of heat to the hair can not only lead to burns and damage, but the heat itself weakens the hair shaft and damages the protective oils. Allowing the hair to air dry naturally without excessive toweling or using a hairdryer will help protect the hair's health.
   
   Styling the hair by hand after it has dried completely is the safest method for the hair. When heated tools must be used, it is important to use a protective spray before applying heat to the hair. This will help to protect the hair from the heat and seal in the moisture.

3. Use Gentle Products
   

   Gentle hair products will have fewer harmful ingredients. They strip less of the protective oil and, with moisturizing ingredients, can add softness to the hair. Some hair products will contain harsher chemicals to keep the build-up down and, in some cases, to maintain the color or other treatments that are used on the hair.
   
   Many treatments are harsh and can damage hair, including perms, coloring, lighteners, and straightening products. Avoiding as many of these as possible, and gentle shampoos used with hydrating conditioners are healthy for the hair.
   
   Here's one of our favorite shampoo and conditioner sets available on Amazon!

4. Consume Appropriate Vitamins and Nutrients

   

   Ensuring that you have the right amount of the necessary vitamins and nutrients can help the cells grow into hair to be replaced quickly, encouraging healthy and long hair. It is essential to have enough calcium and vitamin D every day, which works with vitamin C to help the body absorb and use each of them. Vitamin E is also necessary for the health of the cells that form hair. Some of the best foods to get these vitamins and improve your hair health include eggs, avocadoes, nuts, beans, and berries.

5. Avoid Lightening Products

   When coloring the hair, there are many products to choose from. Many are not damaging to hair, but often, products created to lighten the hair weaken the strands and can cause breakage and other damages. Bleaches are some of the leading causes of dry and damaged hair. They strip the protective layers and thin the hair as it strips the color.

6. Brush Hair Daily

   

   Brushing hair every day can help to maintain healthy hair and encourage hair growth. It spreads the protective oil from the scalp throughout the hair, and it protects the entire length of the hair from pollutants in the environment and heat.

   Brushing also stimulates the hair follicles and keeps them clear from build-up, allowing hair to grow easily. It helps hair to remain untangled and keeps it from knotting together, which leads to breakage. Using a gentle bristle brush with no plastic ends or harsh materials to brush hair twice daily will encourage hair to remain healthy and promote faster growth.

7. Cut Hair Frequently

   All hair will become weaker at the ends, and damage will occur. As ends become dry and split, they can continue to split further up the hair as time passes, and the whole head of hair will appear damaged, dry, and often frizzy. Cutting hair regularly every 6-8 weeks can remove the damaged portions of the hair before they spread or worsen, leaving the remainder of the hair healthy and encouraging healthy growth.

8. Change Your Pillowcase

   Friction against the pillowcase during sleep can cause hair to break and fall out. By changing to a satin or a silk pillowcase, friction can be reduced, and the hair remains stronger and less damaged during the night.

9. Avoid Elastics with Metal Connectors

   Elastic hair binders can hold the hair back in situations where it could be damaged if left down. However, many have a metal or plastic connector holding the elastic into its shape. Those can get caught in the hair, pulling the hair from the root or breaking it off partway down. Avoiding these can help to protect the health of hair and keep it growing long.

10. Watch the Water Temperature

    Use warm but not hot water. Rinse in cool water. Warm water rinses the hair and washes away the dirt and any buildup. Hot water, however, opens the pores and allows for debris to enter the pores and disrupt natural oil production. Using cool or cold water to rinse will help seal the pores around the hair, keeping it healthy and protected from damage.

As we age, the hair becomes drier and is at higher risk of falling out and damage. By eating the right foods and vitamins, brushing daily, washing it less, and keeping gentle products, the damages can be decreased, and hair remains healthy longer.

Let us know in the comments below - How do you keep your hair strong and healthy?