By Rachel Jacoby Zoldan for TheHealthy.com
Experts offer solutions to habits that actually can hurt the health of your hair and nails, from eating the wrong foods to sun exposure.
Eating the wrong foods
“Your diet provides the building blocks for the proper functioning of your body and when you don’t give it the proper nutrients, it means that your hair and nails won’t grow or be able to protect themselves the way that they should,” says Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research and assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai in New York City. For example, iron deficiency can lead to hair thinning, he says. Add these foods to your diet for healthy and gorgeous hair and nails.
Regularly wearing updos and ponytails
“Consistently putting your hair in an updo or ponytail can cause breakage,” says Zingarino. If you must sport a ponytail when you exercise, try a scrunchy made of a softer material, which will minimize breakage,” says Zingarino. Silk scrunchies, such as the ones from Slip, will help prevent dents and breakage as well.
Brushing wet hair
Step away from the hairbrush when you step out of the shower. The tight pull of a brush, regardless of bristle type, can overstretch the already weak and elastic hair strands and cause breakage. To minimize damage, brush your hair when it’s dry, before you even step foot in the shower, then give it a quick comb through after washing with a Wet Brush, which is specifically designed to minimize breakage to soaked strands.
Cleaning the house
Whenever you’re tidying up any room in your home, make sure to protect your hands and nails. “Household cleaners dry out your nails and cause them to become brittle and break easily,” says Shelly Hill, a manicurist based in both Los Angeles and Denver. “Prevent any nail damage by wearing gloves, your number one line of defense—if you’re wearing polish, they will help keep it from chipping.” Here are some simple ways to strengthen your nails.
There are more tips from Rachel at:
https://www.thehealthy.com/beauty/hair/everday-habits-that-are-wrecking-your-hair-and-nails/
