The Right Way To Wash Your Hair

The onset of Summer can leave your hair greasy and damaged. As the sun beats down on top of us, the first place to start sweating is the top of our head, leading to greasy roots. The best way to deal with this problem is to shampoo your hair correctly. Lovely, shiny and healthy hair will never go out of fashion. Styling comes later but basic hair care like washing and conditioning your hair are the first steps to hair care. Washing your hair does not take more than 15 minutes but these 15 minutes, if utilized properly, in every two or three days can make a world of difference to the health of your hair. Shampooing and conditioning your hair is not a big deal but it has to be done in the right way in order to make sure that the hair is washed properly without strain. Dr.Saumya Shetty Hegde, Dermatologist at Roots Skin Clinics, Chembur, talks about the Do’s and Don’ts of Shampooing.

Choose the right Shampoo for your hair

There are many kinds and types of shampoos in the market, and therefore it is important that you select the right shampoo for your hair. Here is a basic guide to selecting the right kind of shampoo for your hair.

Step 1: Identify your hair type

Hair can have different textures such as thin, thick, curly, and wavy. Also, there are three types of hair: thick, medium and fine. The first step is to identify the type of hair you have. You can do it yourself by examining your hair in the mirror. Consult a hair stylist to know what kind of hair you have.

Step 2:  Know your scalp type

The type of scalp you have goes a long way in determining the nature of your hair. The scalp can be oily, normal or too dry. If you feel that your hair needs shampooing every other day then you have an oily scalp, and if you can go without shampooing for about a week then you have a dry scalp.

Step 3: Find the right Shampoo

When going in search of the right shampoo always remember that shampoo is for the scalp and the conditioner is for the hair, and choose accordingly.

Dos :

•               Comb your hair gently before shampooing

•               Use lukewarm water for washing your hair

•               Wet your hair before using the shampoo

•               The amount of shampoo you use will depend on the length of your hair. Take a one-rupee coin size shampoo on your palm.

•               Mix the shampoo with a little water and apply to your hair

•               Start with the base of the scalp and work it to the top and then  towards the tips of the hair

•               Massage gently with your fingertips

•               If the instructions on the shampoo bottle say thatyou have to leave it in the hair for a few minutes then do so. For example, some dandruff shampoos recommend leaving them on the hair for three minutes.

•               Wash gently with lukewarm water

•               Apply conditioner to the hair shaft and not the scalp

•               Leave the conditioner on for some time

•               Wash with water

•               Dry hair by patting it gently with an absorbent towel

•               Wait for hair to dry a bit before combing damp hair

•               Start combing from the tips of the hair and detangle as you go up,to reduce breakage

Don’ts:

•               Don’t shampoo tangled hair

•               Don’t use hot water to wash your hair

•               Don’t leave shampoo for long on the tips of the hair as this will dry out your hair

•               Do not scratch the scalp or rub it too vigorously

•               Do not dry hair by rubbing it

•               Don’t comb wet hair

•               Don’t apply shampoo twice unless you have oiled your hair. Too much shampoo will dry out the scalp.