There are 100,000 strands of hair on your head, according to Nemours, and each one needs proper care, along with your scalp. Your body naturally maintains the proper amount of hair on your head through a cycle of growing, resting, falling out and being replaced. Treat your hair gently and keep it clean to keep your hair looking healthy.
Healthy Hair
When your hair is healthy, the layers of the cuticle lie flat and reflect light. This results in shiny hair. However, if your hair is damaged, the scales of the cuticle separate and allow heat, sun, chlorine and other hazards in. Hair can become dry, dull looking and prone to breakage.
Common Conditions
Proper care of the hair and scalp can help you avoid common conditions; however you might still encounter problems. These conditions include dandruff, ringworm, alopecia and lice. Dandruff is flakes of dead skin, a condition that isn't contagious or dangerous. It's different than dry scalp, and recent studies suggest it might be caused by a fungus, according to Nemours. Dandruff flakes can be reduced by using over-the-counter shampoos containing salicylic acid, zinc, tars or selenium sulfide. Ringworm of the scalp is a fungal infection common in toddlers and school-aged children. It causes round patches of scaly skin where the hair has broken off and brittle or fragile hair that pulls out easily. It is treated with prescription medication to fight the infection. Lice are tiny insects that live on your scalp. They are caught through close personal contact or by sharing belongings such as hairbrushes with someone who is infected. Both over-the-counter and prescription medications can be used to combat a lice infestation. While it's common for people to lose some hair, alopecia occurs when hair falls out at a rate that your body can't replace. This can lead to baldness or bald patches. The condition might be temporary, but a doctor's input might be necessary if changing your hairstyle doesn't fix the problem.
Hair Products
Using proper hair products is key to adequate hair and scalp care. There are certain products or treatments, such as perms, relaxers and dyes, which contain chemicals such as lye, acid and coal tar that can severely damage your hair, according to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. People who wash their hair daily should use a mild shampoo, especially if you have fine, fragile or combination hair -- hair that is oily at the scalp and dry on the ends. Shampoos that are made for oily hair can be too harsh for daily use for these people. If you do have oily hair, choose a conditioner made specifically for that condition to keep your hair looking healthy and oil-free.
Washing Your Hair
How frequently you wash your hair should depend on what type of hair you have. If you have oily hair, it's fine to wash your hair once a day (or more frequently if you are active). You hair should remain healthy if you treat it gently when it's wet. However, if you have dry hair, you do not need to wash it as frequently. In fact, you could go as long as a week between shampoos without harming your hair, according to Nemours. Curly and dry hairs are more fragile than straight and oily hair.
Styling
Styling you hair every day with hot tools, such as straightening irons or curlers, can also damage your hair. Even a hot blow dryer can cause your hair to stretch and break, as well as dry out. To use styling tools with minimum damage to your hair, follow the instructions for the tool carefully, do not use them on wet hair or high settings and give your hair a break from being styled every once in a while.
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