Needing a hair check?

If you fall victim of the following bad habits when it comes to your hair, it's time for a hair check!

1. Are you sleeping with damp hair?
2. Do you use rubber bands to tie up your hair?
3. Are you not washing your hair?
4. Going too long between haircuts?
5. Do you shower with hot water

We live in a fast passed world and we are always on the go I get that but we should either time manage on when we shower to allow time for the hair to dry naturally or simply give yourself 5 to 10 minutes to blow dry most or all of your hair before bed time. Sleeping with wet or damp hair will not only give you a not so fresh scent meaning the scent of mold kind of a wet dirty hair smell.. yuck!! but by doing this it is a good ground for bacteria or fungus to grow since you are providing a warm dark place for it. It would be more of a hassle if you had to visit your dermatologist and have prescribed a anti-fungal medication to treat it. I feel that now the best option would be to just give yourself that extra time to allow the hair to dry so you don't have to find yourself visiting the doc's office.

Tying your hair with rubber bands are meant for holding objects together not for your hair. Rubber bands will show no mercy when it comes to the protection of your hair. Rubber bands will not only cause breakage but once that does happen, split ends come along with it since its tearing the hair. The best type of elastic to use is something covered in fabric since the fabric will not hold a grip on the hair but will allow the hair to glide off  the tie gently. It is best to also, if possible, to tie loosely since it is possible that tight grips can cause damage to the hair.

Going long periods of time not washing the hair is not necessarily the best for your scalp. I understand the not wanting to do this since the day after look usually looks great and at times best but letting a day or two or three slide is okay just don't go over board with the time. Be sure to wash possibly every other day specially if using hair products or have oily scalp. If skipping too many days with product usage and having oily scalp or excessive dandruff or excessive sebum production in our scalp can cause our hair follicles to clog up and ultimately causing hair loss if severe, since its causing a blockage for oxygen flow to the scalp. Be sure to be kind to your scalp to not only be healthy but to look it.

Don't you just love taking those hot showers? well that is okay if you are getting your feathers plucked after... now let me tell you why it's not okay.

Hot showers dehydrate hair just like skin causing dry, brittle hair that is more prone for hair to snap and fall out. Heat opens up the hair cuticle so once your out of the shower if the cuticle is not closed it is now being exposed and possibly causing dryness to the hair. Hot showers can also wash out the protective keratin oils our scalp naturally produce that serve like a conditioning agent for the hair. Heat or steam will open up the hair shaft which is good if having a deep conditioning or oil treatment to allow penetration into the hair shaft. 

Save the hair by either a few seconds before stepping out of the shower rinse the hair with cool water to allow the hair cuticle to close or consider taking the temperature down to save your hair from unnecessary damage. 

If you are trying to let your hair grow that is great but don't forget that you also want it to look healthy long. Allowing too much time in between cuts only increases the chances for hair to split from exposure to the sun, hot tools, brushing roughly and etc. and will only create more damage where more length will be needed to be off in order to look healthy once again.  Hair grows uneven so taking all those things in consideration should ring alarm bells to make regular appointment with your hair professional. Since your goal is to have longer hair just set up around a two month period to set those appointments and be sure to let your stylist know your goal and have her/him dust off the ends to cut any split ends or unevenness and this will not jeopardize the process.