Understanding Common Hair Concerns: The Complete Guide
Caring for your hair is hard enough. However, there are many ways in which caring for your hair can be even more challenging with conditions from extra oily hair to thinning hair, among several others.
The best approach to support your hair is to understand its tendencies and how you can create a routine that takes them into account. This guide will help you understand the causes of various hair concerns and what you can do to address them.
C h a p t e r 1 :
How to Revive Damaged Hair
Breakage and split ends can leave the hair looking shorter, lifeless, and less voluminous. To maintain healthy, damage-free hair, you should be mindful of all the ways that your hair risks damage on a daily basis.
Are You Damaging Your Hair?
Unfortunately, many of us are putting our hair at risk of damage every day without even realizing it, leaving it dull and lifeless. Damaging hair is easier than you might think, especially if it is lacking in nutrients or hydration. All of the following can damage your hair:
Brushing dry hair, brushing too aggressively, or using the wrong brush for your hair.
Using products with harsh ingredients that dry out your hair and scalp
Styling your hair with heat styling tools
Rubbing your hair with a towel
Doing frequent chemical dye treatments
Washing your hair too often or not enough
How to Avoid Damage
Since so many common practices can damage our hair, it is important to rethink your routine and determine how you can avoid damage.
To avoid damaging your hair, you should:
Never brush dry hair
Use a wide-tooth comb or your fingers to detangle your hair if you have a thick or curly hair type
Protect your hair at night by tying it with a loose scrunchie or wearing a wrap
Use a silk pillowcase at night
Allow your hair to air dry after a shower
Use a heat protectant for your hair if you have to use heat styling tools.
Use hair care products with ingredients that strengthen your hair strands, like keratin.
Regularly condition or treat your hair to keep it moisturized and prevent dry, brittle hair
Limit chemical hair treatments
How To Fix Damaged Hair
Although preventative measures are the best way to address damaged hair, you still have options to fix your hair after the damage has already been done. If you maintain a consistent hair care routine that involves cleaning and hydrating your hair, then you may be surprised how well it can rejuvenate your hair. All that matters is choosing the right products.
Your hair is made largely of a protein called keratin. By including this protein in your hair care routine, you can strengthen and repair your hair by supporting its natural structure. WOW Activated Charcoal & Keratin Shampoo helps you make keratin a consistent part of your hair care routine.
The essential fats in Moroccan Argan oil can also help to seal up split ends while providing your hair with a lovely shine. Fortunately, with WOW Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner, you can double down with this restorative ingredient in your routine.
Once you choose the right shampoo and conditioner, you can turn to WOW 10-in-1 Hair Revitalizer Spray to rejuvenate your hair with essential nutrients, reduce frizz, limit split ends, protect against breakage, and strengthen your roots. The WOW Moroccan Argan Oil Hair Mask for Dry, Damaged Hair is formulated perfectly to repair your hair.
C h a p t e r 2 :
Preventing Dryness and Frizz
If you can’t get your hair to sit straight and are frustrated by floating, stray hairs, then you are struggling with frizz. Frizzy hair is a clear sign that your hair lacks vital moisture, but the proper routine can help you get it under control.
Causes of Dry and Frizzy Hair
Dry, frizzy hair can be caused by both environmental factors and aspects of an improper hair care routine. For example, dry winter or desert air can quickly pull any remaining moisture out of your hair. However, many of the causes of dry hair are in your control and are the result of problems with your hair care routine.
You can dry out your hair by:
Using heat styling tools
Blow drying your hair
Using products with harsh chemicals
Showering in hot water
Washing your hair too frequently
Not brushing your hair regularly
How to Manage Frizz
To keep dryness and frizz under control, you need to make moisturizing a key part of your hair care routine. The first way to keep your hair moisturized is to limit how often you wash your hair. If you have a thin, straight hair type, wash your hair no more than three to four times a week. Thicker or curlier hair types can go even longer between washes, up to a week or more. When you wash your hair, be sure to use lukewarm water, not hot water.
Washing too often strips the natural oils from your hair, leaving it dry and likely to end up frizzy. Make sure to brush your hair daily to work your natural oil from your scalp down through your hair strands.
When you do wash your hair, always follow up with a strong hydrating conditioner. On top of conditioning regularly, you should incorporate other moisturizing treatments as well. Treatments like hot oil treatments and hair masks are excellent once- to twice-a-week additions to your routine to help you include more nutrients and hydration.
Another excellent way to get rid of frizz is through the help of leave-in treatments. They help keep your hair hydrated throughout the day to minimize dryness. You can also apply a few drops of hair oil to your strands to coat them and seal them in moisture.
What Products Can Help Moisturize Hair?
Hydrating and moisturizing your hair relies largely on choosing the right ingredients. To fill your hair care routine with the right products, you should use shampoos, conditioners, and hair treatments formulated with natural plant-based ingredients and without harsh chemicals.
To moisturize your hair, you should turn to oils like jojoba, avocado, castor, and coconut oil, among others. WOW Coconut & Avocado Natural Hair Conditioner maintains a strong formula with multiple hydrating oils, from coconut & avocado oil.
After your shower, turn to WOW 10-in-1 Apple Cider Vinegar Mist Tonic for an excellent leave-in treatment. Throughout the week, you can use a hair mask like WOW Coconut Milk Hair Mask and do an oil treatment with WOW 10-in-1 Hair Oil to powerfully moisturize your hair.
C h a p t e r 3 :
Treating and Preventing Dandruff
Dandruff is one of the biggest burdens in hair care, and it can be hard to get control. By tackling the root causes of dandruff and choosing your hair products carefully, you can get rid of flaking for good.
What Could Be Causing Your Dandruff
There are several factors that you may have to narrow down in order to find the most likely cause of your dandruff. The largest cause of dandruff is a dry scalp. Another common cause is Malassezia, which is a type of fungus that feeds on the scalp. Medical conditions like psoriasis, eczema, or just a sensitive scalp can also lead to flaking.
As with dry hair, there are plenty of ways that a flawed hair care routine can lead to a dry, dandruff-riddled scalp. Similar to dry hair, a dry scalp can result from washing your hair too often, too much oil build-up on the scalp, or harsh chemicals in your hair care products.
How Do I Stop Getting Dandruff?
To get rid of dandruff and dry scalp, it is important to take steps to reduce dryness and excessive oil build-up. There are two steps to doing this. The first step is maintaining a moisturized scalp. You can moisturize your scalp with both an effective conditioner and hair oils. Also, avoid prolonged sun exposure and excessive heat. The second step is maintaining a shampoo routine to clarify your scalp. A routine that prevents dryness and build-up on your scalp will give you the power necessary to minimize and prevent dandruff.
How to Choose Ingredients That Soothe Your Scalp
In general, you should be paying special attention to your scalp as part of your hair care routine. After all, a clean and healthy scalp means healthy hair.
You should choose ingredients that cleanse, clarify, and hydrate your scalp. To clarify your scalp, activated charcoal is one of the best ingredients, as it helps absorb all of the dirt, oil, and impurities from the surface of your scalp. For the powers of activated charcoal, try WOW Activated Charcoal & Keratin Shampoo.
Meanwhile, the acidity of apple cider vinegar can give it the power to combat the Malassezia fungus while also clarifying your scalp. WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo may be the best choice if the fungus is the cause of your dandruff.
To hydrate and moisturize your scalp, choose ingredients like tea tree oil, aloe vera, and green tea. For support in tackling dandruff, turn to WOW Green Tea & Tea Tree Shampoo and Conditioner.
C h a p t e r 4 :
How to Care for Oily, Greasy Hair
Oily hair not only has a dirty appearance, but it can also lead to the build-up of pollutants and affect the health of your hair and scalp. With the right approach, you can keep your hair clean and even limit how oily it gets.
What Causes Oily Hair?
Everyone’s hair produces a natural oil called sebum. On its own, sebum is not a problem and is actually essential to the health of your hair, as it lubricates your hair strands to keep them flexible and resistant to damage. However, too much of it can be a problem, giving the hair a greasy appearance and affecting the health of your scalp. If your hair gets oily within 24 hours of washing, you have exceptionally oily hair.
Oily hair is caused by overactive glands in your scalp that produce too much sebum. Often, these overactive glands are the result of genetics, but there are a variety of daily factors that can lead to oily hair or make it worse. For example, irritation and dryness can cause your hair to increase oil production. Some of the other factors include:
A dry scalp
Harsh products that irritate the scalp
Showering in hot water
Wearing hats
Hormonal changes
Having a thinner hair type
Humid weather
Handle Your Oily Hair Properly
For clean and healthy hair, it is important to keep your scalp’s oil production under control and limit the build-up of oil in your hair. Fortunately, you do have some control in limiting the factors that speed up oil production. Some effective ways to get rid of greasy hair include:
Brushing your hair less often
Cleaning your hairbrush of styling products and oils
Keeping your hands out of your hair
Avoid products with silicone
Limit the use of styling tools
Using a dry shampoo to absorb oil between washes
Building a Routine for Oily Hair
The most important part of caring for oily hair is finding the right balance for washing it. Washing oily hair too often can dry out the hair and scalp, causing it to produce more oil to compensate. However, going too often without washing your hair can lead to excessive oil and dirt build-up.
Typically, oily hair types can expect to wash their hair between three to four times a week. Still, everyone’s hair is different, so pay attention to how your hair responds to your washing routine and adjust it from there. Since oily hair does lead to more build-up, you should turn to a more powerful clarifying shampoo to cut through it, like WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo.
Oily hair types also need to be wary of overusing conditioner, which can make the hair appear even oilier. Generally, conditioning once to twice a week is enough. When you condition, avoid using a heavy conditioner. Heavy products can weigh down your hair and make it appear oilier. Instead, choose products with lighter moisturizing ingredients, like jojoba oil or argan oil. An excellent example is WOW Moroccan Argan Oil Conditioner.
For additional support, turn to products designed for oily hair, like the WOW Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Mask. After all, oily hair deserves moisture and nutrition from hair masks and oils too.
C h a p t e r 5 :
Managing Gray Hair
We are all going to find gray hair eventually. As we age and manage stress, gray hair is pretty much inevitable. Many people grow uncomfortable with having gray hair, but embracing it will allow you to keep it healthy and rock your hair confidently.
Why Do You Have Gray Hair?
Gray hair is associated with aging, but you can start to see gray hairs pop up as early as your 20s. When you have gray hair, it is not the result of colored hair turning gray. Gray hairs come out of the scalp already without their color. Loss of your hair’s natural color is due to your hair follicles producing less color as you age.
Gray hair is largely genetic, which is why some people start losing the color in their hair sooner than others, as your body starts producing less melanin. However, there are multiple other factors that can affect your body’s melanin production and increase the chances of gray hair. These factors include stress, autoimmune diseases, thyroid disease, vitamin B-12 deficiency, smoking, and harsh hair products or dyes.
Since gray hair is already gray coming from the scalp, there is no way to turn it back to its original color. However, you can still keep your gray hair healthy and lively so you can walk out the door with confidence.
A Healthy Routine for Gray Hair
Gray hair does not have to be synonymous with unhealthy hair. By embracing your gray hair and taking proper steps to care for it, you can enjoy soft, voluminous, lively hair. In doing so, you maintain your self-confidence.
Gray hair can appear yellow if you do not care for it properly, so you need to use an effective clarifying shampoo two to three times a week, depending on your hair type, to keep it free from pollutants and oil build-up. Using a toner, like WOW Coconut Micellar Water, after washing can also help to lock in your hair’s shine. Protecting your hair against sun damage with a hat also helps to prevent yellowing.
If you have gray hair, you also need to worry about your hair’s texture, as aging can also lead to brittle, malnourished hair. Using a conditioner helps to keep your hair moisturized, flexible, and resilient. Other treatments like hot oil treatments and hair masks are also great for restoring necessary nutrients and hydration to your hair strands and scalp. Getting your hair cut frequently also helps to minimize damage, like split ends, while allowing you to enjoy your preferred style for a confidence boost.
It is also important to nourish your hair from the inside out. To keep your hair healthy, obtain a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, proteins, and whole grains. A balanced diet will provide you with the vitamins, nutrients, and fatty acids you need to maintain smooth and shiny hair.
How to Color Your Hair Properly
If you are not a fan of how you look with gray hair, there is no shame in coloring your hair, but it is crucial that you do it correctly. If you are not careful about the coloring process, you could leave your hair and scalp damaged, which can harm the natural color and even growth of new hair.
To color your hair properly, be sure to color your hair when wet so that the cuticle is open and better able to absorb the color. Keep in mind that hair colors can contain harsh chemicals that make your hair more brittle. After coloring your hair, wait at least four months before doing another treatment in order to protect your roots and strands.
To maintain vibrant color in your hair, limit your shampooing to as little as possible. Use a clarifying shampoo only once to twice per week. For longer-lasting color, try the WOW Hair Mask for Color-Treated Hair to strengthen and protect your hair.
C h a p t e r 6 :
How to Handle Thinning Hair and Hair Loss
Hair loss happens to all of us. In some cases, it is completely normal, but in others, it may be a reason for concern. Knowing when thinning hair is a problem helps you to address it quickly for a healthy head of hair.
What Is Hair Fall?
A few stray hairs in your hairbrush don’t mean that you are dealing with a major problem. Hair fall is a natural part of the hair growth cycle. As part of this cycle, you can expect anywhere from 50 to 100 hairs to fall out each day. Unless you notice any major changes to your scalp, your hair is likely healthy.
However, too much hair fall can be a sign of a problem. If you are pulling out handfuls of hair in the shower, notice thinning patches of hair on your scalp, or experience a receding hairline, then you may have an underlying issue.
What Leads to Hair Loss?
Hair loss can affect anyone for a variety of reasons. The most common and irreversible cause of hair loss is genetics. Some people may start to lose their hair in their 20s, while others maintain a full head of hair throughout their whole life. Whether or not you lose your hair and when depends largely on your family history.
Still, there are several other factors that can cause or worsen hair loss, like:
Frequent chemical treatments, like hair dyeing
Overwashing your hair and stripping out the natural oils
Damage from heat styling tools
A poor diet or vitamin deficiency
Medications or supplements
Stress
Radiation therapy
Hairstyles that pull on or damage the hair follicles
Medical conditions like psoriasis
How to Care for Thinning Hair
If you notice thinning hair, your first step is to act quickly. Hair loss can get progressively worse over time, so starting a treatment plan right away is vital to keep your head of hair full and healthy.
First, based on the causes of hair loss, it should go without saying that you need to be careful about your choice of products. Never use products that contain sulfates or parabens, as these can dry out your hair and irritate your scalp, especially if you have a sensitive scalp. At worst, harsh chemicals in hair care products can directly lead to hair loss. To care for your hair, use products formulated with natural ingredients that provide your hair and scalp with vitamins and other nutrients.
A proper routine for thinning hair should include shampooing around three to four times a week, or less, depending on your hair type, conditioning after washes, using a hair oil treatment before washes, and applying a hair mask at least two times a week. On top of that, incorporate a daily scalp massage with a scalp massaging tool. A scalp massage may stimulate circulation to the scalp and help support the hair follicles, which could potentially promote hair growth. It is also a great way to relieve stress.
When working to care for thinning hair, the key is consistency. Be sure to follow your routine thoroughly and avoid skipping days to set yourself up for the best success. Remember, restoring the health of your hair follicles can take time, so you can’t expect results overnight. Patience and consistency are vital.
Products to Prevent Hair Loss
After establishing a hair care routine to protect against hair loss, choose the right products to complete it. Several natural ingredients have the potential to promote your hair growth without risking damage or irritation.
A strong example is coconut oil, which may promote growth while supporting healthy hair. Aloe vera may also have the ability to promote hair growth, so you should consider adding this powerful natural plant to your routine. Aloe vera gel can be applied directly to your hair to nourish the hair and potentially promote growth.
One of the most popular ingredients for promoting hair growth is onion black seed oil. This potent oil nourishes the scalp, hair follicles, and hair strands to create the best circumstances for hair growth.
To see the potential benefits of onion black seed oil for yourself, try WOW Onion Black Seed Oil Rapid Repair Bundle, complete with hair oil, shampoo, conditioner, a hair mask, and more.