FROM THE INSIDE:

Do you have dry, brittle hair? Chances are, your diet is low in biotin, which leads to brittle hair as well as brittle nails. I have taken biotin supplements for the past twenty years, and strongly recommend this supplement for optimal hair health. Take 5,000 mcg daily. If you prefer to obtain biotin naturally from food, then incorporate eggs and nuts into your meal regimen each day.

If your hair complaint centers more around thin, dull, lifeless hair, or slow growing hair, I strongly advise increasing your protein consumption. As long as you don’t suffer from kidney disease, you should be able to safely boost your protein intake daily.

On a personal note, I had a dramatic experience with increased protein consumption and hair growth rates when I began competing in bodybuilding back in 2009. My hair has always grown rapidly, about 1/2 inch per month (average for most people is 1/4 to 1/2 inch per month). Then when I began competing, I more than doubled my protein intake, consuming 120 to 160 grams of protein daily. By coincidence, I had shaved the nape of my neck to thin out my very thick mane of hair at the same time. In eleven months, the shaved portion grew TEN INCHES. Talk about a boost in hair growth!

FROM THE OUTSIDE:

Stop washing your hair daily. When you wash your hair frequently, you strip your scalp of the natural oils which nourish and soften your hair. Trust me, your hair doesn’t get that dirty from sweat, dirt and pollutants in one day. I also strongly recommend the use of conditioner every time you shampoo. A good conditioner will nourish the hair and seal the cuticle to prevent damage from heat styling tools. Apply conditioner to your ends first, then work it up until you are almost at the scalp.

Rinse your hair with cold water after shampooing and conditioning it. Cold water smoothes the outer cuticle, sealing in moisture.

Are you desperately trying to grow your hair out, and just can’t seem to get past a certain length? Do you avoid getting trims in an effort to reach your hair growth goal sooner? The solution is to trim your hair. Why? Because regular trims rid your hair of the split ends which always have an insidious way of creeping up your strands and causing breakage.

If you really want to boost your hair health, consider applying a hair mask or oil every week. You can use a prepared hair treatment, or turn to coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, or mayonnaise to treat thirsty hair. I recommend applying your substance of choice on damp hair, leaving in for 15 minutes (you can wrap your hair in a special microfiber hair towel or use a plastic bag or hair cap). Wash hair thoroughly and condition.

Summer is approaching, which means that ponytail and man bun season will be in full effect. If you tend to use thin, elastic hair bands for your updos, consider switching to a soft, fabric headband which can easily do double duty as a ponytail or man bun wrap.