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In Hair Care

6 Tips for Maintaining Your Healthy Hair

5 Mins Read

Just like the rest of your body, your hair needs to be maintained and well kept to stay healthy. Obviously vitamins are a great way to help keep your hair healthy and strong, but there are other things you can do to make sure you have a nice set of hair on your head. Hair washing techniques, hair products and natural remedies can all be utilized to maintain healthy hair.

How to Make Hair Grow Faster

There are a lot of ways to make your hair grow faster besides just loading up on vitamins. If you’re not satisfied with the rate your hair is growing at, don’t panic; consider some of these great tips to help your hair grow faster.

Stop loading up on chemicals: Throwing a bunch of chemicals at your hair to help it “look better” is doing more harm to your hair than you can imagine. Chemicals weaken your hair and slow growth. The same way throwing tons of preservatives into your food harms your body, constantly using chemicals on your hair causes harm to your hair.

Scalp massages:The great thing about scalp massages is not only will they help promote hair growth, but they’re also a great way of giving yourself a little treat! Scalp massages help to generate blood flow to the scalp and stimulate hair growth. Consider hot oil treatment as well with your scalp massages. Heating up some olive oil (rosemary oil works well as well) and using it as a part of your scalp massage will help provide your scalp with much needed nourishment.

Improve your overall health: Living a healthy lifestyle helps improve your immune system which helps stop your vitamins from diminishing. And when you’re healthier you feel better, which may encourage you to take better care of your hair.

Wash your hair: Make sure you’re keeping your hair clean to help reduce build up of residue, dead skin and dandruff. These menaces can congest hair follicles and stunt hair growth.

Choosing the Right Shampoo

Knowing what kind of shampoo works best for your hair is essential in maintaining healthy hair. There are several factors to consider when choosing the type of shampoo that works for you. Ingredients are probably at the forefront of things to consider when choosing your shampoo. Make sure you know what the ingredients in your products are and what they do. Stick to products that have natural ingredients and are not loaded with a bunch of chemicals that you can’t pronounce.

A lot of people make the mistake of assuming that just because a shampoo advertises the fact that they include certain vitamins, they are somehow superior. This is not true. Vitamins aren’t well absorbed through the scalp and you’re better off including vitamins in your regular diet. Vitamins taken in through food are much better absorbed than those in shampoo.

Another thing to consider when choosing your shampoo is your hair type. Is your hair curly, straight, limp or dry? The answer to this question will help you make the best decision for your shampoo.

Fine Hair: You will probably want to avoid creamy shampoos that were made for curlier hair. You’ll need something that will be gentle on your hair. And you may be able to skip on the conditioner as well. Generally, if you can manage to run a comb through your hair after washing it, conditioner isn’t necessary.

Curly Hair: As opposed to fine hair, you can go ahead and use creamy shampoo for your curls. Look for shampoo with natural oils such as coconut oils to help moisturize your hair. These creamier shampoos are usually moisturizing as well which is what you should be looking for.

Dry Hair: If your hair is dried out or damaged, stick to creamy shampoos instead of thinner or clear shampoos. Creamier shampoos will help detangle your damaged hair and help provide some moisture to combat the dryness.

Natural Dandruff Remedies

One of the most irritating things about trying to keep healthy hair is getting rid of dandruff. There are plenty of dandruff shampoos on the market and chemicals that promise to get rid of dandruff, but you may want to try out some of these natural dandruff remedies as a way of getting rid of dandruff and keeping your hair healthy at the same time.

Vinegar: One of the most popular and well known home remedies for getting rid of dandruff is washing your hair with vinegar. White wine vinegar seems to be the most popular option. You can use straight vinegar or make a mixture of water and vinegar.
Olive Oil: Similar to vinegar, washing your hair with olive oil is another great natural way to get rid of dandruff. The oil keeps your hair from drying up and flaking, thus preventing dandruff.

Lemon Juice: When life gives you lemons, use it to get rid of your dandruff. Use the juice from lemons to massage your scalp and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Not only will it fight dandruff, but it also gives your hair some shine!

Other Hair Growing Tips

One easy way to help your hair grow is putting down cigarettes if you’re a smoker. The smoke from cigarettes alone is enough to damage your hair, and all the chemicals you’re inhaling into your body aren’t helping at all. Another thing you can do to help out with hair growth is try to keep stress at a minimum. This will save you some headaches as well.

If you follow these tips and take our advice, you can help prevent hair loss and maintain healthy hair. Stick to natural products and avoid chemicals whenever possible. Your hair is a part of your body and health and should be treated as such. This state of mind will help you keep a healthy set of hair for a very long time.

In Hair Care

Choosing the Right Hair Dryer for You

6 Mins Read

You’re getting ready for a night out and you sit in front of your mirror. You switch on your hair dryer and it dies in your hand.

Nightmare.

You know that letting hair dry naturally is the more healthy choice. It means you have fewer cracks along your hair cuticles, which means less breakage.

But you don’t really want to go out with wet hair.

Ever found yourself in a situation like this?

You probably didn’t give a lot of thought to the replacement dryer. You just knew you needed one.

And with the huge number available, maybe you checked a few reviews and just bought the one in your budget.

But is it the right hair dryer for you?

Using the wrong dryer could even cause brittle hair.

Read on to discover what you should look out for in your new dryer.

The best hair dryer for thick/long hair

A high-wattage model is a brilliant choice if you have a lot of hair.

Why?

Because it has more wind power, it’ll cut down how long you need to use the dryer. So you don’t need as much heat. Low-wattage models give more heat and less wind so you expose your hair to more damage. It’s like baking your hair instead of drying it.

You don’t want to end up cooking your hair or destroying the natural water in the hair. That’ll leave you with easily breakable hair and frizzy ends.

Look for a hair dryer that has 1800 – 2000 watts. Some professional dryers will go up to 3600. The beauty of high-watt models is they also don’t burn out as fast. So they’re a more long term investment.

Or you can look for a titanium hair dryer. They keep the temperature steady by using titanium as a construction material. The dryer ends up being a lot hotter. So don’t use them on hair that is prone to damage. But they can really speed up drying your hair.

The other advantage is that titanium is lighter than ceramic. That’s a real issue if you’re drying your hair for more than 20 minutes.

The best dryers for frizzy hair

You could try an ionic hair dryer. This is truly space age technology. Water ions carry a positive charge. But ionic dryers use negative ions.

So an ionic dryer bursts the droplets of water onto your hair. That means it can’t soak in and cause frizz. You’ll get a sleek finish because the ions remove moisture and close the cuticle.

It also speeds up the drying time. So it makes the ionic dryer a great choice for straight hair too. If you’ve got a lot of money to spend, try a tourmaline dryer. Tourmaline is a semi-precious mineral and these dryers have a coating inside.

That gives even more negative ions for your buck. But don’t use an ionic hair dryer if you have flat or oily hair. Looks that need volume are also a bad match for ionic dryers.

If you want a bit of variety, look for a dryer that lets you flip between the two modes.

Dryers for fine or dry hair

Look for ceramic or porcelain dryers. Their internal parts are coated with these materials which keep the temperature more consistent. They also emit a softer heat.

Ceramic dryers also give off negative ions which will make drying quicker. If your hair is prone to frizz, the negative ions will help smooth it out.

Combine a ceramic dryer with a concentrator nozzle to battle frizz. Concentrating the heat means you won’t blow the hair about while drying.

A concentrator nozzle is also a brilliant way to add volume and lift at the crown if you have fine hair.

An infrared hair dryer penetrates the hair with longer energy wavelengths. That dries hair from the inside so it’s great for dry hair.

If you’d like longer, thicker hair then check out our 5 expert tips.

Need a dryer for curly hair?

Ceramic or porcelain dryers are also a good choice for curly hair. Blasting curls with heat can make them lose definition.

So you want a slow and steady heat to keep them intact.

Too much heat can also damage naturally curly hair. Research shows that straight hair is much better at handling heat because it dissipates it differently.

So in addition, use a diffuser with your hair dryer. It’ll hold up your hair so you can build up the volume at the roots.

A diffuser also cuts down on the air flow, making the heat less fierce. That also helps with keeping the definition of your curls while avoiding as much damage.

It does take longer to dry your hair with a diffuser, but a porcelain dryer will still do the job.

Other bonus features that can help

You might wonder why you’d need a hair dryer with a cool button. But they’re great if you want to maintain your style because cooler air can seal the cuticle.

You can even switch to the cool setting when your hair is around 80% dry. That way you can dry your hair but avoid overheating it.

Look for adjustable heat settings, especially if you share your dryer with someone else.

And there’s no reason to use the highest temperature setting. Lower settings will still dry hair without damaging it as much. A cheap dryer might do the job. But they’re not designed to take care of your hair at the same time.

A professional level dryer will provide the accessories and settings that help you dry according to your hair type and style.

Ultimately, if you’re going to invest in a hair dryer then choose a model that won’t ruin your hair. You don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune. Just buy a model with the functions that your hair needs.

You should also invest in a routine that will care for your hair. Why not try these essential vitamins for hair growth? If you look after your hair and your dryer, then they will look after you.

In Hair Care

Vitamins for Hair Growth for Men

5 Mins Read

Having a nice, full head of hair may seem like an unreachable goal for men who suffer from hair loss. If you’ve struggled with thinning hair or fear that you may be genetically predisposed to hair loss, don’t give up, there are solutions to assist you in your quest for hair growth. You don’t have to resort to getting a hair transplant, go toupee shopping, or get an embarrassing comb over. Instead, consider these vitamins for hair growth for men.

Best Hair Growth Vitamins for Men

There are tons of different vitamins that can have a direct or indirect influence on hair growth. It’s important to note that healthy hair growth is only possible if you do not suffer from essential vitamin deficiencies. Now, another thing to keep in mind is that in some cases vitamins won’t be able to cure your hair loss condition – natural methods are rarely effective in treating genetic conditions, for example.

Vitamin A: This vitamin is essential to healthy sebum production (which is a natural skin moisturizer) and a vitamin A deficiency can cause dry scalp and dried out hair follicles. Both of these problems can lead to hair thinning, although that is rarely the case.

Now, vitamin A overdose can actually be very bad for your hair and health in general. Foods that contain beta carotene (which is converted into vitamin A when needed) are completely safe to consume, so eat as many sweet potatoes and leafy vegetables as you want without worrying about overdosing on vitamin A. When it comes to supplements, however, be careful – most multivitamins contain a lot of vitamin A and prolonged consumption can cause toxic amounts of vitamin A to build up in the body, inhibiting healthy hair growth.

Vitamin B: The next time you go shopping for shampoo or other hair care products look at the ingredients. I guarantee you there will be at least one B vitamin in there. There are tons of B vitamins including B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12. Now, an important thing to understand about vitamin B is this: it is not effective when applied directly to hair/scalp. This means that all of those expensive shampoos that claim to contain vitamin B for healthier hair are, simply put, worthless.

While vitamin B products applied externally are mostly worthless, taking oral supplements can have tremendous benefits. I’ve written an extensive article about vitamin B and hair health – check it out!

Vitamin C: This vitamin plays an important role in collagen synthesis and without collagen hair cannot exist. The best way to take in vitamin C is through natural food sources: citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, sweet peppers, guava, tomatoes and all kinds of berries. The effectiveness of vitamin C supplements is very difficult to determine properly and many nutritional experts believe that supplementation is nowhere near as effective as vitamin C obtained through diet.

Vitamin E: Again, just like most other nutrients, vitamin E has no direct impact on hair growth. However, since it is known to increase blood circulation to all areas of the body (including the scalp), it can help your hair absorb more essential nutrients and minerals. Good sources of vitamin E include kiwis, avocados, mangos and peanut butter. Since extremely high doses of vitamin E can be toxic and actually contribute to hair loss, you should consume any vitamin E supplements with care.

Fresh garlic: Garlic has incredible healing, antibacterial and antifungal properties. Allicin, an active ingredient found in fresh garlic, can increase nutrient delivery to the skin (which includes your scalp and hair follicles). Many nutritional experts advise people to consume at least 2-3 clovers of fresh garlic daily. Just remember that processed or cooked garlic loses many of its core properties.

As you can see, vitamins are not only good for your immune system health, but can also have a very positive effect on your overall wellbeing, and that includes healthy hair growth. Just remember:

Vitamin A overdose can cause hair loss, but it is nearly impossible to overdose on this nutrient if you get it from food instead of supplements.
Vitamin B is one of the most important vitamins for hair growth.
Vitamin C works best when obtained through diet.
Vitamin E overdose is toxic and can cause hair loss. With that said, it is essential to healthy skin/hair growth.
Eating fresh (unprocessed and uncooked) garlic on a daily basis can cure many skin conditions and improve scalp/hair health.
External hair care products (shampoos, conditioners, etc) that contain vitamins are not going to do much good for your hair. Almost all essential vitamins and minerals have to be taken orally for maximum effect.

Lastly, you have to understand that vitamins alone will not prevent hair loss. A combination of a healthy diet, reducing stress, exercise, and proper hair care all should be used in the fight against hair loss.

In Hair Care

Castor Oil for Healthier Hair

7 Mins Read

Hair oils are incredibly popular these days and castor oil specifically is one of the most commonly used oils right now. Many people believe castor oil to have countless benefits such as increased hair growth, thicker and stronger hair, and that it can even make your hair darker.

In this article, I’m going to take a closer look at castor oil benefits and try to find out whether it can really help with hair growth and thickness. Continue reading or jump straight to the sections about hair growth, hair darkening and other castor oil benefits or how to apply castor oil.

What is Castor Oil?

Castor oil is a very thick vegetable oil that is extracted from castor beans (which are not real beans, actually) that are part of a plant that grows in India, China and parts of Brazil. This oil is used in a variety of industries and is known for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and laxative effects. That’s right, I said laxative, as in it can cause digestive problems, diarrhea and nausea in some individuals (but only when used in very large amounts or ingested). Castor oil has a very low molecular mass which allows it to penetrate deep into the skin.

The American Cancer Society notes that castor oil should never be used by women who are pregnant of suffer from chronic digestive problems. Under normal conditions castor oil is considered to be completely safe and should not cause any issues.

Castor Oil for Hair

Castor oil, just like many other oils, is often used as a leave in scalp and hair treatment. Just like with coconut oil, not all types of hair and scalp like castor oil and the only way to find out whether it will work well for you is to give it a shot. Let’s look at some of the benefits of using castor oil for hair.

Castor oil for hair growth: While many articles online claim that using this oil regularly can help to speed up normal hair growth and even spur new hair growth, there is no scientific evidence whatsoever showing that castor oil has a direct influence on how fast hair grows. This doesn’t mean that using castor oil to help with hair regrowth is pointless, though.

Now, a lot of times slow hair growth happens due to issues with the scalp or the fact that hair strands grow weak and break off early. Another common factor is improper use of hair care products or bad hair care in general. Since castor oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, applying it to your scalp can help treat dandruff, flaky scalp, dryness, and itchiness. There are no guarantees that it will work for you though, but it is definitely worth trying, especially with so many people reporting amazing results when using castor oil.

Another (indirect) reason why using castor can help with hair growth is improved blood circulation in the scalp due to stimulation with fingers when applying the oil. It is well known that scalp massages are good for hair health and the process of applying castor oil (or any oil for that matter) to the scalp is like a mini-massage.

Castor oil for hair darkening: Some people say that using castor oil can make hair darker. While there is no scientific evidence of this, I have actually seen this happen (although the effect was very small and temporary) so there’s definitely something to it. Most experts believe that since castor oil is extremely thick, it actually coats the hair and makes it look slightly thicker and darker than usual. This effect is temporary, because natural hair color is not changed. So, if you have blond or light colored hair, keep this in mind when using castor oil. And again remember that the darkening effect is very, very mild and might not really be noticeable at all in some cases.

Castor oil for thicker eyebrows/eyelashes:
This oil is commonly used to make eyelashes appear thicker and grow longer. While I don’t believe that it can actually make eyebrows/eyelashes grow faster or longer, it can definitely add some (temporary) thickness and make them look darker and “fuller”. Some beauty experts say that castor oil used on eyebrows kills off bacteria that hinders hair growth and can actually help increase length and stop shedding.

Do note that castor oil should not be allowed to get into your eyes! Use very little oil and apply it carefully.

Castor oil for hair shedding and itchy scalp: Some people say that castor oil stops hair shedding and can cure various conditions that cause itchy scalp and dry, flaky skin. Others have tried using castor oil but had to stop due to increased shedding. This just goes to show that everyone’s scalp is different and there’s no way to tell exactly how your hair/scalp is going to react to castor oil without giving it a try.

How to Use Castor Oil On Hair

The process of applying castor oil to scalp/hair is very simple. Do remember that most people use it as a leave in treatment for scalp and hair strands. Castor oil is rarely applied to hair length/ends. Here are some tips to get your started:

Castor oil is very thick. Applying it undiluted can be problematic – you should either get your scalp/hair wet before using the oil or mix (50/50) castor oil together with a different oil such as coconut, avocado or almond. This will make it easier to spread the oil out nicely and should help to prevent buildup.
Castor oil doesn’t smell nice. Add a few drops of rosemary, peppermint or a similar essential oil to help with the smell.
Use very little oil. When applying castor oil to your scalp you should avoid overuse to prevent having to deal with greasy hair afterwards. Plus, if you put too much of it on your head, it can be very difficult to wash out!
Spread it evenly. While many people like to use a dropper bottle to drop oil directly onto the scalp, I prefer using my fingers instead. Put your castor oil mix into a small bowl, dip your fingers in the oil and then apply it gently to your scalp. This may not seem like a big deal, but it does help to reduce problems with greasy/oily hair post-treatment.
Warm it up. If the oil feels extremely thick you can warm it up a little to make it more fluid. Don’t microwave it though – fill up a bowl with hot water, then add a smaller bowl with some castor oil into it and wait 2-4 minutes.
Shampoo or conditioner? If you find that your regular shampoo just doesn’t get all of the oil out of your head, try using a conditioner instead (and skip the shampoo). Apply some conditioner to your head/hair, wait for 10-20 minutes and then wash it out.
How long? Leave the oil in for at least 30 minutes and then wash it out. Some people like to leave castor oil in overnight which is also fine. I don’t think that going any longer than 2-3 hours has any added benefit, but choose whatever method is the most convenient for you.
How often? Just 1-2 treatments per week should be enough to see good results. Give it about four weeks and if you aren’t seeing an improvement in how your scalp/hair feels – try something different.

As you can see, castor oil is a superb scalp treatment that you should try at least once, especially if you have problems with itching, dry scalp and shedding. Just remember this:

Dilute the oil using coconut, almond or some other oil. Use very little oil.
Add several drops of your favorite essential oil (rosemary, peppermint) to make it smell better.
Warm it up a little (don’t microwave!).
Apply it evenly to your scalp and leave in for at least 30 minutes.
If shampooing doesn’t get it all out try using a simple, cone-free conditioner instead.

That’s it! Let us know how it goes and feel free to ask questions in the comments below.

In Hair Care

How to Stimulate Hair Growth After Chemo?

5 Mins Read

As if having cancer wasn’t bad enough in and of itself, having it treated with chemotherapy comes with its own set of challenges. The side effects can be debilitating and include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, fatigue, fever, mouth sores, pain, constipation, and easy bruising. On top of all those, you’ll probably lose all your hair as well, which can be the most psychologically difficult one of all. The reason for this is that chemotherapy kills the cancer cells, but it also does a good deal of damage to healthy cells as well, including your hair follicles. If you’re in this situation, you’re probably very interested in finding out how to stimulate hair growth after chemo. That will be the focus of this article.

Hair Growth Timetable

If you don’t do anything after your treatment ends, you should begin to have a soft fuzz appearing with two or three weeks. A month after completing treatment, real hair should start to grow at its normal rate. This varies from person to person, but generally speaking, hair growing from your scalp tends to grow at a rate of about .3 to .4 mm/day, which translates into about 6 inches (15.24 cm) per year, or half an inch per month. On that schedule, two months after treatment you ought to have about an inch of real hair.

The Importance of Overall Health

In terms of getting back a health head of full hair, the most important thing you can do is keep yourself as health as possible. As noted in previous articles, this includes paying attention to hydration (drinking 8 glasses of water each day, 8 ounces each), getting plenty of aerobic and strength exercise each week, and maintaining a well-balanced, nutritional diet.

Nutrition for Healthy Hair

In terms of a really hair-supportive diet, you want to focus on making sure you get enough iron, protein, biotin and zinc in your diet. Your top 10 hair-growing foods that are the healthiest sources for those nutrients include the following: Salmon (rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D), walnuts (rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E), oysters (rich in both zinc and protein), sweet potatoes (rich in beta carotene that is turned into vitamin A), eggs (rich in zinc, selenium, sulfur and iron), spinach (rich in iron, beta carotene, folate and vitamin C), lentils (rich in protein, iron, zinc and biotin), Greek yogurt (rich in protein, vitamin B5 and vitamin D), blueberries (rich in vitamin C and antioxidants), and poultry (rich in protein, zinc, iron and B vitamins). Most importantly, remember that there are foods that actually serve to fuel the growth of cancer cells, including getting too much protein from soy, and foods with lots of added sugars. Basically, you want to strictly avoid anything that fall under the umbrella of “junk food.” Your hair, and the rest of your body, will thank you!

Additional Strategies for Hair Growth

You want to treat your newly developing hair very gently. Dyeing it, straightening it or curling it can cause damage that makes your hair grow back more slowly that you want, so avoid those. You may find that your hair grows back substantially different than it was before, such as more curly. It’s only natural that you might want to get your old look back, but avoid any rough heat treatments until your has come back all the way to make sure it’s as strong as it can be before you start making changes.

Consider Minoxidil

You can also consider a special treatment for your hair such as Minoxidil, which is sold under such brand names as Rogaine, Avacor and Regaine. The Food and Drug Administration has approved minoxidil as a hair-growth treatment, and the Mayo Clinic also endorses its use among those undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer. Interestingly enough, this medicine was first developed to treat high blood pressure as was administered in pill form. An unfortunate side effect was excessive hair growth. This prompted scientists to come up with a topical form of treatment specifically for hair growth. What it actually does is enlarge small arteries in the body, increasing blood flow, which is essential to supply hair with what nourishes it. It also widens hair follicles, which allows for a thicker strand of hair, and lengthens the important anagen growth phase of hair. Minoxidil can increase hair density by as much as 10-12%.

Scalp Hypothermia

This one needs more research, and it’s one that you would use during your chemotherapy treatments rather than after. The idea is that by applying cold packs to the scalp during chemotherapy, you reduce the flow of blood and decrease the amount of damaging chemotherapy drugs that destroy your hair follicles. However, if there is or might be cancer cells in your scalp, then you’re also reducing the effectiveness of the chemotherapy to kill all the cancer cells in your body.

Perhaps the thing you will need most when it comes to growing your hair back after cancer treatments is a healthy dose of patience. Growing hair takes time, and there’s no magic treatment that will get your hair back in a short amount of time. If you want to know how to stimulate hair growth after chemo, the tips and strategies I’ve provided in this article will have you well on your way to the full head of hair you enjoyed before your chemotherapy treatments.