Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Scalp and Longer Hair

If you want to help prevent your hair from falling out, and if you want it to stay long and young-looking, there are certain things you should and shouldn’t do. It is vital to take care of both your hair and your scalp.

Let’s talk about some of the most important things you can do on a regular basis in order to keep your hair healthy for a lifetime:

Avoid Pulling and Tugging at Your Hair

Stress to the hair cuticle can contribute to cellular damage and hair loss. Therefore, we recommend doing the following:

• Use a moisturizing conditioner and a wide-tooth comb when eliminating tangles.
• Style your hair gently using a comb or a brush.
• Do not rub the scalp and hair abrasively.
• Dry your hair using a cold or medium setting on your hairdryer.
• Be gentle whenever you’re undoing your ponytail or removing barrettes.
• Avoid tight hairstyles if you can.

Exfoliate Regularly for Healthy Hair Follicles

Exfoliating is healthy for the skin all over your body, including your scalp. Regularly exfoliating your scalp’s dead skin cells will clear your hair follicles and allow the hair to continue growing in a healthy way.

To exfoliate your scalp, brush your hair regularly using a natural bristle brush. Regular brushing with a soft brush helps to redistribute the scalp oils, promote blood circulation, and remove dead skin cells.

Add Zinc to Your Diet

Zinc deficiency contributes to hair shedding. To ensure you’re consuming enough zinc, it helps to add nuts to your diet, like pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, and cashews. Eating plenty of leafy green vegetables, fruits, and drinking filtered water will help to increase and maintain your body’s zinc levels.

Get Enough Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Whether via your diet or by taking supplements, be sure to consume plenty of omega-3 fatty acids for your hair and your scalp. These special compounds stimulate your sebaceous glands and hair follicles for shiny, healthy hair.

You’ll find this ingredient in cold-water fish, including cod, tuna, herring, salmon, and sardines. Cereal, salad, cottage cheese, and yogurt are also good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Massage Your Scalp

In a study to determine whether scalp massage does anything for hair growth, nine healthy men received a 4- to 5-minute scalp massage once a week for 24 consecutive weeks. At the end of the experiment, all of their hair counts remained the same, but each participant’s hair thickness increased. The researchers associated this increase with the increased blood flow from the weekly massage.

Hair Growth Expert in Kansas City, MO, and West Des Moines

Here at Darling Hair Restoration, we make sure to understand the condition of your hair and scalp thoroughly before making any recommendations regarding treatment. Our own Dr. Scott Darling will conduct an evaluation and discuss your preferences, and he will explain all of your options for getting your hair back to how you want it to look.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Darling, you may call (816) 792-3400 or fill out our appointment request form online. We look forward to serving you!