Oh, what a difference great hair makes.
Not to mention the things a great mane can do for your self-confidence.
Still, with great hair comes great responsibility.
Here are some popular hair care practices that might be sabotaging your chances at a gorgeous head of hair.
“Haircuts preserve the integrity of the hair and maintain a fast growth period.
Using too much conditioner
Silky soft strands are the Holy Grail of beautiful hair.
That’s why many of us love to lather up on conditioner like it’s going out ofstyle.
The more conditioner, the softer the hair, right?
“Doing so will add proteins and nutrients for the hair,” she said.
Underneath the surface, they might be doing more harm than good.
Your best bet is to do your research and find a reputable hairdresser who specializes in extensions.
This can help ensure you find the extensions that work best for your particular hair bang out.
“Certain brushes can pull the hair,” De Leon said.
But beware of too-tight hairstyles, no matter how sleek they look.
“Opt for a looser lower ponytail toward the nape of the neck.”
The same goes for too-tight braids.
Everson suggests going for a looser braid look to let your hair breath.
Rubber bands and elastics can also break the hair.
This can lead to increased susceptibility to damage as well.”
Dr. Bhanusali recommends one to two dry shampoo uses per week as a general rule of thumb.
“Wet hair is much more vulnerable and susceptible to breakage,” De Leon said.
“If you must comb wet hair,” she notes, “use a wide-toothed comb.”
Ironing damp hair
We’re pretty obsessed with our flat iron.
And we must admit, when we first heard there was such thing as a wet-to-dry iron (a.k.a.
But Richardson says ironing frizzy hair is actually counterproductive.
“[Ironing] is not making your hair look less frizzy or damaged,” she said.
“It is burning damaged pieces off which is causing more breakage.”
The same goes for blow-drying your hair with too much heat.
“The higher heat intensity only breaks and fries the hair.
Using a lower temperature will not only protect the hair but you’ll get the same results.”
If you’re of the latter group, you may have considered keratin to achieve this look.
However, Donaldson says this is a common misconception.
“Keratin treatments are not the replacement for relaxing or straightening hair,” he explained.
They also are not for all hair types and repetitive use can be damaging."
Pulling your hair back?
Just finished blowing your hair out?
Give it a little hairspray.
Yikes, think about that the next time you want to reach for that can o' spray.
But if you’re committed to healthy hair, Robertson suggests leaving this practice to the pros.
Sounds like a win-win to us.
Dove celebrity stylist Cynthia Alvarez explained why this is the case when speaking toGlamour.
But there’s more to it than just being gentle.
As it happens, there’s even a technique you should be following when cleansing your scalp.
In reality, your scalp willoverproduceoil when scrubbed too hard.
Swear off the vicious cycle and leave scalp massages to the experts.
After all, shampoo is the most important part, right?
Does this mean what we think it means?
Conditioner mayseemoptional, but it’s not.
Some think that conditioner reduces their hair’s natural volume and choose not to use it for that reason.
But as long as you’renot rubbing conditioner directly into your roots, that won’t be a problem.
That’s why you need a conditioner."
Conditioner is your friend, not foe.
Over-washing your hair
How often do you wash your hair?
Celebrity hairstylist Tonya Le toldInsiderthat it all depends on on factors like your oil production and hair texture.
Yes, there is a rightandwrong way to suds up.
For starters, you might be loading up your hair with too muchshampoo.
Instead of filling your palm with shampoo, start with just a dollop.
you’ve got the option to always add more if it’s crucial that you.
And don’t forget to rinse well, the stylist added.
It’s the perfect solution … or is it?
Celebrity hairstylist Monae Everett toldHuffPostthat towel-drying is actually one of the worst things women can do to their hair.
And if you squeeze your hair with the towel, watch out.
All hope is not lost though.
We all know which option we’re most likely to choose but that decision can harm your hair.
Hairstylist Olga Gilbert toldReader’s Digestthat you might wake up with unintended results.
But this problem is purely aesthetic.
What’s a girl to do?
you could safely heat-dry your hair with a few extra steps, according to experts.
Celebrity hairstylist Cynthia Alvarez said you’re able to also use a heat-protection serum.
The most important step, however, is making sure your hair tools aren’t piping hot.
This applies even when your hair isdry.
However, celebrity hairstylist Nunzio Saviano toldShapethat shampooing only creates more knots.
So, if you started with tangles, shampooing is only going to compound the issue.
make a run at remember to brush before, especially if your hair tangles easily.
How you move your brush through your hair also makes a big difference to the health of your locks.
“Over time, this can add up to a lot of breakage.”
However, this doesn’t mean you should neglect your roots.
