Every season or region around the globe has its reasons to protect your hair from the elements. In general, winter brings cold, dry air and wind that can cause breakage and damage to the cuticle of the hair shaft. Summer brings heat and sun which dries hair out and wreaks havoc with colors as well. Activities such as swimming (pool or ocean), exercise (sweat) or even walking or working in the sun or cold can give our hair a dull, dry, broken appearance. Your scalp is also more exposed as we get it wet or sweat and areas such as our part, thinning or balding patches are even more exposed. Here are hints to keep the hair you have looking its best and hints as to how to grow more hair that is shinier, fuller and healthier.

Eating more protein is one avenue to happier hair. Hair is made of protein, so if we eat too little, we tend to have excess shedding as the follicles don’t have enough nutrients to pull from to make a full hair shaft. We should make sure to get at least 46 grams a day of this macronutrient through eggs, meat, poultry, beans, nuts or even a vitamin supplement that has targeted ingredients such as biotin that stimulates hair growth. Four our skin (scalp) we need fatty oils, rich in omega-3 from salmon and avocados. These boost circulation and this gets the nutrients to the hair follicles faster.

Your scalp could also use a little extra attention during sun months or the drying cold of winter. Dandruff and dryness can be eliminated if we condition each time we shampoo. Make sure to massage it into the roots as well! We should be using a shampoo with zinc (good for colds, great for hair) as it has a hydrating effect on the scalp as well as the hair shaft. Once a month we can use a deep conditioner or mask to replace moisture that cold, wind, chlorine or intense sun has drained from the hair shafts. Apply a mask to damp hair from the middle or the length of hair out to the ends. Leave the mask on for around 15 minutes so it has time to thoroughly coat the cuticle with moisture and rebuild weakened strands. This is great in any weather for the “frizzies” as well! Split ends make your hair LOOK damaged, so once you have a fresh haircut that takes most of them away…recommended for every two months unless you keep seeing repeat weather or styling-tool damage in which case every six weeks would be ideal. There are split-end “sealers” out there that contain polymers to temporarily fuse those split tips together again.

Regarding thinning spots or balding patches, shampoos that claim to thicken hair or fill in balding patches usually just weigh your hair down and clog the scalp’s pores. Actually there is no treatment out there that will fill in a bald spot if the follicles there are already completely dead. However, the best chance to get the thickest hair growing in every possible spot on your scalp is by using a laser hair comb (or laser hair brush). Bald spots caused by chemicals, over styling, allergic reactions, medications, stress or diet conditions however, may have living follicles which can be coaxed back into commission. Laser hair therapy is the best male or female hair loss treatment on the market. It is simple to use (every other day for 15-20 minutes), lightweight (like a hairbrush) has an ergonomic handle, contains up to 32 pulsing red (cool) lasers in a curved easy-to-clean surface that fits your head shape and targets just the follicles to increase the blood flow and stimulate quicker, healthier growth (in the best brand). The Nutreve Personal Hair Therapy Laser has all this plus rechargeable batteries, no cord, a wonderful guarantee and warranty plus a hands-free stand so you can multitask! That’s something to celebrate in ALL seasons!