Top tips for boosting hair health
We all want silky, shiny hair like the models have in shampoo commercials.
Yet, achieving beautiful silky strands takes a little more effort than simply washing and conditioning your tresses.
To delve deeper into the topic, we spoke to Eva Proudman, chairman of The Institute of Trichologists and hair expert at Absolute Collagen, for her top tips on caring for your locks.
Wash hair regularly
Firstly, Eva insisted the idea that hair can "self-clean" is a myth.
"You can't wash your hair too much. I would recommend washing your hair daily or every other day, to keep the hair and scalp clean. Scalp health can easily fall down our list of priorities, but our scalp is skin, just like our face, and therefore, requires regular cleansing," she shared. "Using a scalp brush in the shower is also incredibly beneficial. From exfoliating away any dead skin cells and product build-up to stimulating blood circulation, it will help to boost your hair's health and keep it squeaky clean."
Give your hair some TLC at night
In addition to minimising the use of hairdryers and heated styling tools, the hair expert advises on investing in satin pillowcases and scrunchies.
"Sometimes the smallest steps can make a huge difference. Using silk pillowcases instead of traditional cotton can help to prevent breakage. This is because the smoother, silky surface has very little friction, meaning it is less likely to tug when tossing and turning in the night," commented Eva. "Your hair will also thank you for using silk or satin scrunchies instead of tight elastic hairbands. Silk scrunchies are designed to be anti-breakage as they're a lot softer on the hair. They also tend to not soak up as many natural oils as other hair accessories."
Eat well
Your body is a temple and what you put into it has a huge impact on your hair.
"Eating a balanced, nutritional diet, with sufficient vitamins and minerals is key for supporting hair health. Vitamin B, D, and E all contribute to not only our overall health but the quality of our hair and skin. Vitamin C can also aid the body's production of collagen and helps in the absorption of iron," she said. "Foods such as oily fish, berries, leafy greens, nuts, avocados, and eggs are all great for your hair."
Collagen supplements
Not only are collagen supplements great for skin and overall health, but they can do wonders when it comes to improving hair.
"Our hair is predominantly made of the protein keratin, which is built up using amino acids the body typically gathers from our diet. When we ingest collagen, our body breaks it down into amino acids which help to form new proteins and compounds to create new hair," stated Eva, noting that she recommends Absolute Collagen's products, which provide the highest concentration of hydrolysed liquid collagen in a small daily dose.
Other options to check out include Bioglan's Beauty Collagen Powder, Higher Nature's Aeterna Gold Collagen Beauty Drink Powder, and The Beauty Chef's Glow Advanced Inner Beauty Powder - all of which can be added to water or smoothies.
