In spite of the fact that they’ve been doing it all their life, many people do not realize that they are washing their hair the wrong way. So what does it matter? What difference does it make whether you wash your hair the right way or not? The difference is how your hair will behave post shampooing. If you extremely frizzy untamed hair, then making some much needed changes to your hair wash routine could help control the frizz.
First, here are the things that you must AVOID while washing your hair:
1. Unless you have an extremely oily scalp, never shampoo your hair twice in one go. Many people shampoo their hair two times thinking that they’re making their hair squeaky clean. But what they are actually doing is stripping their hair bare and making it more prone to damage and split ends.
2. We have all seen that image of a model with her hair piled up on top of her head, shampooing her hair and looking so happy about it. Well, if you’ve ever tried that, you know it’s not a good way to shampoo your hair. Especially if you have mid-length or long hair, all you’ll be doing is essentially tangling your hair up and leaving it with clumpy knots.
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3. Another thing you should try to avoid is washing your hair in hot water. While this might feel really good, the hot water will just make your hair frizzy. The hot water opens up your hair follicle and the humidity in the atmosphere is then absorbed by your hair and you end up with frizzy hair. Alternatively, you can shampoo your hair in hot water and then condition it and wash the conditioner off with cold water. This way you’ll be locking in the conditioner onto your hair.
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Now that you know what not to do, let’s look at what you MUST do when washing your hair.
1. Before you step into the shower, brush your hair with a wide toothed comb. This helps get rid of any knots that might be hiding. This is a crucial step because if you try to take out a knot on wet hair, you’ll end up breaking the hair as wet hair our more vulnerable to rough handling.
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2. Once in the shower, part your hair in the middle into two sections. This makes it easier to shampoo as you can shampoo one side and then the other.
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3. How much shampoo you need to use depends on the length, thickness, and texture of your hair. So figure out the right amount and try to be consistent with it. If you use more shampoo than needed, you’re just drying out your scalp.
4. Always work your way from your scalp to the tips. When shampooing the scalp, massage it with your fingers to improve blood circulation, which in turn will encourage hair growth.
5. Figure out your routine. Some people need to wash their hair everyday and some people wash it every other day. Find out how often you need to wash your hair. You can do this by paying attention to when your hair stops feeling clean and starts feeling greasy. If you shampoo your hair today and it starts feeling greasy by the day after tomorrow, then you need to shampoo it on alternate days to keep it in pristine condition. Each person is different. So find out your hair routine and stick to it.
6. Don’t overdo the conditioner. While it might seem like you’re conditioning your hair really well, too much conditioner will just weigh down your hair and make it greasy faster. So use only as much as needed for your hair and never apply the conditioner to your scalp. Apply conditioner through the length of your hair.
7. Know the right products to use for your hair. There are so many options to choose from that it is mind boggling. Do some research and find out products that are made to suit your hair type.
If you have any scalp issues like a dry scaly scalp or an overly oily scalp, then it is a good idea to consult a dermatologist. How healthy your scalp is will affect your hair growth and hair fall. So work on making your scalp healthy and clean. You may need to make some dietary changes to aid in this. Also, never comb or brush your hair when it is wet. If you have to, use a wide tooth comb and be extremely gentle. And try to let your hair dry naturally as much as possible instead of using a blow dryer. The lesser heat you use on your hair, the more grateful it will be to you.
