Having healthy looking hair is something most every woman strives for on a daily basis. Being a mom can make it an even more difficult goal, as we don’t always have time for a deep conditioning session, let alone a day at the salon – for lack of time and money. So what can you do at home to help? LOTS! You hair is supposed to grown a quarter to a half inch every month, and in order to keep it looking healthy it also needs to be strong. There are steps to take both from the inside and out, that can help you have that perfected coiffed do!

The Basics:

There are a few keys techniques to stick to that will give your hair the best chance to look great:

• Never sleep with your hair in a ponytail! This creates tons of breakage around the ponytail holder (which means if you ball up your hair and put a band around it, you will end up with breakage all over the place) which is a huge cause of the frizz out! If you can try to sleep with your hair totally loose (unless it is incredibly long – like past your shoulder blades – then you should braid it). If that bothers you, try for a loose braid with a ribbon around the end instead of an elastic band, or a put all of your hair in a kerchief. It also helps to sleep on a satin pillowcase, as it reduces friction.
• When you towel dry your hair, don’t “scrub” the water out with the towel by rubbing quickly but instead go for a squeeze in various spots to allow the towel to absorb the water from your hair.
• Never brush wet hair but rather comb it with a wide tooth comb. You should also brush out your hair before you wash, to remove the knots that might already be there.
• If you use conditioner, be sure that you rinse it out completely – as any left behind can make your hair look weighed down or even give the appearance of dandruff.
• Keeping your hair trimmed actually promotes healthy growth.

Better Hair from the Inside:

You can also increase the luster of your hair by taking care of your body from the inside.

• Make sure to take your multivitamins every single day. See if your current vitamin has biotin in it.
• Watch what you eat! A healthy diet with promote the growth of thicker, stronger hair from healthier follicle (the cells that produce your hair). Some important foods to include in your healthy hair regiment – Salmon, beans, eggs, whole grains, spinach, and carrots (sounds like a yummy salad to me!)
• Also avoid the craze diets – eating only grapefruits is not good for you or your hair! These sorts of diets deplete your body of the necessary nutrients, and as you hair is low on the totem pole of body functions, it will be one of the first to loose those vital building blocks.
• Drink plenty of water! Water makes everything in your body healthier, including your hair.

 There are more reasons to keep a healthy head of hair, as well as an eye on your hair cycles, than just to be fashionable and look good. Unhealthy hair can actually be a sign of other conditions. So if you sudden notice that your brush is full of hair much quicker or your drain is clogged up faster, you may want to contact your PCP (primary care provider) as hair loss, excessive dryness and other drastic changes in hair are all symptoms of a number of different ailments, but most prominently thyroid issues.