There are almost 1 million hair salons in the US, which speaks volumes about how important hair care is to Americans. Everyone wants a head full of luscious, lustrous locks, but for some, it may be difficult to achieve.

If you're someone who struggles with brittle and sad-looking strands, your worries are over. In this article, we are going to share with you 7 essential ways to keep your hair healthy.

1. Wash and Condition Your Hair

This might seem like an obvious hair care tip, but many people aren't doing it correctly. When shampooing your hair, make sure to massage your scalp since it can get rid of the dirt and oils there. That should be the main thing you focus on when washing your hair, not the ends.

You should also take care to use the right amount of shampoo. Using an excessive amount can strip your locks of the natural oils on them, which is what gives them their shininess.

Not only should you shampoo your hair, but you need to use conditioner as well. Conditioner will restore the moisture lost from the shampoo. Since the ends of your hair are the oldest and most brittle, focus on massaging the conditioner into these parts, not the top.

How often you wash your hair depends on a few factors; your hair type, skin type, and activity levels. A few times a week should be enough for most people.

2. Avoid Extremely Hot Showers

A hot, steamy shower may sound fantastic, especially if it's freezing outside. But it doesn't do any favors for your hair.

When you use extremely hot water, all it does is dry you out. Not only will it dry out your hair, but it'll dry out the skin all over your body as well. And if you have dyed hair, it'll strip the color much quicker.

We're not saying you should take a cold shower, but the lower you can turn the dial, the better. Both your hair and your skin will be in much better condition if you make this small adjustment.

3. Get Regular Trims

You may look at other people and get jealous of their long hair, so you've decided that's an end goal for yourself. You leave your hair untouched. The best way to get long hair is to stop cutting it, right?

In reality, the best way to grow out your hair is to get it regularly trimmed. As time goes by, the ends can become quite unhealthy and split. This can work against the length you're trying to get.

Not only can trims promote better growth, but it can also make your hair feel smoother and look shinier. For the best results, get short hair trimmed every 1 to 2 months and longer hair trimmed every 1.5 to 3 months.

4. Improve Your Overall Health

If your overall health isn't so good, it'll be reflected in how your hair looks. To get a good sheen to it, you'll need to make sure you have plenty of vitamins and nutrients, as they'll help your hair growing healthy and strong.

To help things along, you can take a multivitamin every day. This can help you feel more energetic as well.

Take a good look at your diet and make some changes if you find yourself binging on junk food and not getting enough greens. Some good things to focus on are protein and iron. Foods that have these include fish, soybeans, vegetables, peas, milk, and lentils.

Also, make sure you drink plenty of water. Not only will this improve your hair, but it'll transform your skin too.

5. Don't Play with Your Hair

We get it. You're bored, so you twirl some strands around your finger, or you start checking out your split ends and picking at them. But all of this can be harmful to your locks since it causes unnecessary traction.

Also, it may be nice to put your hair up in a tight and high ponytail, but you shouldn't do it too often. This can cause thinning in the future, which will detract from the fullness of your hair.

The bottom line is, don't touch your hair! But this may be easier said than done.

6. Only Brush Your Hair Once a Day

Brushing your hair can also cause unnecessary friction on your hair strands. Ideally, you should only brush your hair once a day, but realistically, that's probably not going to happen.

If you need to brush throughout the day, make sure to use a plastic brush instead of a bristle one. Also, make sure to be gentle.

Don't yank and hack away at your hair. Instead, take small chunks and run your brush through them. If there are any tangles, place your hand right above it and work at it slowly and gently.

7. Use Heat Treatment Correctly

The best way to keep your hair healthy is to avoid drying it or using any heat tools (such as a hair curler or straightener). However, that's not always possible. You don't have hours to wait for it to air dry and you can't turn up to work with dripping hair either.

It's possible to use heat treatment on your hair and not have it become dry and brittle. But it requires some research, preparation, and care.

For example, instead of straightening your hair in big chunks, you should work with smaller sections. Plus, you need to put the straightener on the right temperature setting so you don't hold it on the sections for too long. 5 seconds should be the maximum.

Keep Your Hair Healthy and Beautiful

With our essential hair care tips, you should be able to keep your hair healthy, strong, and beautiful. Of course, nothing comes easily, so don't get frustrated. With time and practice, you'll be able to carry out these hair care tips with ease and barely any time spent!

Take a look at our other blog articles for some great reads, and be sure to share this one with your friends!