Patient handout · Hair Care

Healthy Hair Tips

How you wash and care for your hair and the products you use can go a long way in maintaining smooth, shiny hair. Follow these simple tips to maintain healthy hair.

Try To Not Scratch

Scratching the scalp for only 90 minutes can remove all of the protective cuticle off a hair shaft, leaving the hair shaft weakened and permanently damaged.

Don't Comb Wet Hair

Combing the hair should only be done when dry, if possible. Wet hair is more elastic than dry hair, meaning that vigorous combing of the moist fibers can stretch the shaft to breaking point.

Choose The Right Tools

The ideal comb should be made of flexible plastic and have smooth, rounded, coarse teeth to slip through your hair effortlessly.

A good brush should have smooth, ball-tipped, coarse, bendable bristles. It should not tear the hair but rather gently glide. Brushes used while blow-drying hair should have vents to prevent increased heat along with the brush, damaging hair.

Try to brush and manipulate your hair as little as possible to minimize breakage.

Hair clasps

If possible, avoid any hair clasps as hairpins or clips break some hair since they must hold the hair tightly to stay in place.

Never use rubber bands...you can groom the hair.an important

Hairpins should have a smooth, ball-tipped surface

Hair clasps should have a spongy rubber padding where they contact the hair. Loose-fitting clasps also minimize breakage.

Change your clasp placement and avoid pulling the hair tightly with clasps or braids

Know Your Hair Type

Curlier hair tends to break more readily than straight hair. For this reason, hair shaft architecture can determine how aggressively the hair can be groomed

Gently groom curlier hair with a wide-toothed comb or hair pick

Straight hair can be combed with minimal friction and hair shaft damage.

Haircuts Matter

Cut hair with sharp scissors - blunt blades will crush and damage the hair shaft. Crushing the end of the hair shaft predisposes you to developing split ends.

Pick Your Products Carefully

Hairstyling products are an essential way to improve the cosmetic appearance of the hair shaft but should always leave the hair shaft flexible. High hold stiff styling products can cause hair breakage when trying to restyle the hair by combing

Styling Techniques

In general, the less done to the hair, the healthier it will be. No hairstyle or procedure can reverse hair damage (contrary to what many salon owners may tell you). Hair is a textile. It works the best when new and degrades with age and use.

Hair Colouring and Bleaching

Hair colouring and bleaching are universally damaging to the hair shaft. Some argue that chemical processing adds body to the hair because the dyeing procedure allows the hair to stand away from the scalp with greater ease. The basic rules of hair dyeing are always to stay within your colour group, preferably dyeing the hair no more than three shades from the natural colour.

Hair relaxing

Hair relaxing weakens the hair shaft but can facilitate hair length in patients with kinky hair as there is often decreased hair breakage during combing. The relaxing procedure straightens the hair and makes it easier to groom.

Hair permanent waving

Hair permanent waving is also damaging. The curls should be as loose as possible, with the interval between procedures as long as possible. For patients with damaged hair, the perming solution should be weak and left in contact with the hair for as short a period as possible.

This handout is general education, not personal medical advice. If your symptoms are worsening, painful, or not improving, book an appointment or see your family physician.

Questions about what you've read?

Appointments available at Hillside Medical Clinic in Victoria and Kensington Medical Clinic in Burnaby.