How do you ensure you maximise your hair growth potential in spring 2022? How is that going to be any different? We sure will spend more time outdoors than before, so protecting your hair against UV rays is key.
Taking magnesium supplements to help strengthening your nervous system to deal with the change to our routines yet again – can help you avoid telogen effluvium (or stress-related hair loss).
Your body needs extra support as it is or has been under an immense amount of pressure in the last 12+ months - you need to give it the love and attention – and in some cases a blood check and a medical treatment – it needs. Let’s dive into our spring hair growth advice for 2022.
Hair-proof your pantry
Yes, healthy hair starts from within. Take a look in your pantry. Are the residents of your pantry good for your hair growth?
Examples of beneficial items to have are:
- linseed or flaxseed – make sure you consume them in a crushed form though, to help release helpful anti-inflammatory omega 3 oils beneficial for your scalp health.
- lentils and chickpeas – great source of easily digestible proteins that your body can break into amino acids that your hair follicle needs to grow healthy hair
- nutritional yeast – excellent source of vitamin B12, though to get your daily recommended amount you might need to add a few spoonfuls to your meal.
- nuts & seeds – nuts are packed with nutrients like vitamin E, B vitamins, zinc and essential fatty acids, all of which may promote hair growth. It’s an easy addition to your salad, main dishes, smoothies and desserts. Pick your favourite and experiment!
- canned spinach – rich in iron, vitamin A and C the latter is especially important for collagen production. Having a can of spinach at hand when you want to whip up a quick healthy stew, soup or a curry can be a handy addition to your hair-proofed pantry.
Do a blood check
This is especially important if you are observing a change in your hair, for example hair thinning, increased hair fall, dullness – may indicate a deficiency in certain nutrients but also be a sign of an underlying condition, such as underachieve thyroid or anemia.
Schedule a health check and speak to a specialist about these concerns before it becomes a pressing and more urgent issue.
Change your pillow(case)
Pillow accommodates bacteria, a study by Manchester university revealed that the average pillow aged 1.5 to 20 years contained around 1 million fungal spores. So do wash your pillow 1-2 times a year, and your protective cover every month – all ahead of the sweaty summer days.
Replacing your pillow could be a good idea if it’s covered in questionable stains and no longer holds its shape. It is also advisable to sleep on a silk pillowcase as it reduces hair frizz and tangle as the hair glides smoothly across silky surface. It will also keep you cool at night during warmer days ahead.
Do product audit
Investigate your hair care shelf: are any products out of date? And if they are still within their expiry date, once a product has been opened its shelf life usually lasts 6-24 months, known as “PAO” – period after opening.
Maybe you’ve gone through a shopping spree being confounded and stuck at home last year – whatever the reason, make sure you are only using the products’ PAO remains valid and safe for your hair.
As you might be throwing some stuff away as a result of this exercise, make sure that the new products you’re buying don’t contain harsh sulfates and silicones to prevent your hair from drying. You might to spend an extra hour researching a new shampoo or conditioner – but your hair will thank you for that.
Get a hat
Seriously. It’s likely you’ll be drawn to outdoors even more than in any other spring and summers. So – your hair needs UV protection as hair is susceptible to photo aging (aging induced by sunlight) that can lead to dullness, brittlness and split ends.
Invest in a hat that you enjoy wearing to protect your beautiful strands from the UV rays. (Bonus: a hat will protect the skin on your face, too.)
Get a trim or a pair of very sharp scissors
Winter might have been harsh on your hair with the woollen jumpers and hats rubbing on your hair and central heating taking all the moisture out of your your living room/office/bedroom air where you probably spent most of your time – causing the cuticles to stand up and often break.
So take a good look at your ends. Are they split but you don’t want to lose the length? Get a pair of dedicated scissors that you only use for cutting hair and perform a search & destroy treatment. Saves money and also can be quite meditative and therapeutic. Or does your hair style needs an upgrade? Book an appointment with your hairstylist and get a hair cut that wouldn't require daily upkeep and styling.
If you're considering dyeing your hair, make sure the hair dyes don't contain harmful ingredients that can hamper your hair growth.
Wash your hair brush
If you’re using your hair brush every day but don’t wash it often enough, it accumulates dust and grease on its bristles. This can result in your hair becoming greaser sooner and also remove the lustre and shine - too.
Give your hair brush a spring clean:
- clear out any hair stuck in between the bristles
- clear out any dust stuck to the bristles – a toothpick here can be helpful
- get a bowl of warm (not hot) soapy water and rinse your brush a few times
- change the water and repeat step #3 if necessary
- leave your hair brush upright to dry
Clean your hairdryer filter
Your hair dryer has probably seen less action in the last 12 months. Frankly, we say that being stuck at home was good for your hair, if you ended up styling it less. While we advise to minimise the use of heat-styling tools in general, if you use a hairdryer you need to clean out the filter regularly.
A blocked filter can also shorten the lifespan of your dryer and lead to over-heating and damage to the hair. You can wash the filter in a warm soapy water or according to the manufacturer instructions – but make sure to let it dry completely before re-attaching it.
Organise your hair accessories
You hair accessories, whether it’s a hair band or a bejewelled hair clip, should excite you. Few things that can disappoint you more than a drawer full of sad overstretched bands resting on a layer of hair pins that have lost their protective tips.
Even a simple rubber hair band should bring you joy – it will simply enable you to love your hair more. Make your hair accessory box something you’re excited to dig in. Throw or give away items that no longer spark joy. And organise the remaining ones!
Have you got any spring proofing tips for your hair? Share in comments!
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