A Five – Day De – Stress Regime For Hair
Like children, your hair will signal its distress the moment something is amiss. Most probably it will show unhappy signs of dryness, dullness, weaknesss and split ends. These signs also hint at unhealthy aspects in your diet, skin, self-esteem and fitness regimen. Give your hair a breather and adopt a healthier lifestyle to give it some instant beauty. Here is a five-day guide to make your hair happy.
Day One – Re-hydrate:
Constant exposure to pollution dries your hair out and makes it frizzy. The first step to healthy hair is to add some moisture. Dryness in hair occurs when the protective outer layer, known as the cuticle, lifts and allows the valuable moisture within the hair shaft to evaporate. When the surface of the hair feels rough and dry, this indicates that the cortex (the inner layer of the hair that forms the bulk of the hair shaft) is also dry. as the natural moisture has escaped. Like most of the body, hair and skin contains a high percentage of water. Since both are exposed to sun and wind, they are at an increased risk of drying out than any other parts of the body. Therefore, the water content needs to be maintained in order to ensure healthy hair.
Re-hydrating techniques: Wash hair with a shampoo and conditioning or use a deep conditioning treatment after your shampoo. Keep it wrapped in a warm towel for about 10 minutes before washing off the treatment. Hair is at its most fragile when wet, so gently squeeze out excess water and wrap hair in a towel. Do not rub dry, let it dry naturally.
Day Two – Banish Dullness:
Picture the scenario. You go out for dinner and are faced with a room full of people you don’t know. You are stressed and become conscious and uncomfortable. Sounds familiar? Social distress is only one kind. You face stress at your office, at home with your kids (or your husband and his family), even while driving in the city traffic. And there is a new type of stress – Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression linked to the changing seasons which mostly affects you during the hot, humid summer months. Which is almost all year round for Indians. All this stress and general wear and tear leads dull and sad hair. The hair cuticle lifts and the hair surface becomes rough, leading to loss of shine. Deposits of dust and dirt on the hair shaft causes dullness too. So for the second day, here is a simple but unorthodox solution – be happy. Meet a friend or a family member you can have a laugh with. It causes the brain to release endorphins, producing a natural high. Take a risk, try out newer things. Learning something also leads to a happier hairstyle. Follow these simple steps:
– Note down three things that make you feel good. they could be anything from trying out a new recipe to listening to music or simply going out and sitting in a park and reading a book. Do them at least once a week.
– Let hair dry naturally as often as possible to prevent damage caused by blow-drying and heat styling.
– If you use a conditioner, always remember to rinse it off using cool water – it closes cuticles and helps seal in the moisture.
Day Three – Curb a foodie weakness:
Do u have a weakness for chips or chocolate? Or do you like all those hot snacks? Whatever your favourite oily or sugary weakness, chuck it today. It is the most common reason for hair fall. Lack of the right nutrients results in the loss of elasticity of the hair and damage to the hair cuticles, which means that hair becomes brittle. When the cortex is inadequately protected, combing and in general, hairdressing procedures create friction, which makes the hair more and more fragile, so the hair continues to break. A healthy diet is important to get your hair back into shape. The reason is simple. Hair is protein. So more protein intake will mean stronger hair. Protein must be eaten at least at breakfast and lunch.
