Everyone desires to have thick and beautiful hair that shines like those shown in shampoo advertisements. Besides adding cosmetic value, healthy hair is a sign of a well-nourished you. Your hair quality and texture depend upon the food you eat. Fragile, devitalized hair can be a result of a deficient nutrient supply to the hair.
Being among the fastest growing cells of the body, hair requires a steady stream of nutrients including proteins, vitamins, and minerals to stay healthy and beautiful. In addition, external nourishment using the right products makes up an essential part of your hair care regimen. In our previous article, we talked about the hair care tips recommended by experts for beautiful hair. In this article we will discuss how some unique topical preparations, such as fortifying shampoos, serums, and lotions can strengthen your hair and improve the texture.
How can shampoos help?
The primary use of shampoo is to clean the scalp of dirt, sweat, and other greasy substances including previously applied oils, packs or sprays. Some shampoos also beautify the hair and soothe the irritated scalp skin, as seen in some scalp diseases. Nowadays, specialized fortifying shampoos are available which can be a perfect complement to your anti-hair fall therapy.
Fortifying shampoos can complement anti-hair loss treatment
Fortifying or pre-treatment shampoos double the penetration of anti-hair fall therapies such as Minoxidil (primary treatment) making the scalp ready. They are also enriched with vitamins which provide nourishment and hydration and promote hair growth. Further, they contain nicotinic acid derivatives which help increase blood supply to the scalp and prepare it for absorption of active ingredients in anti-hair loss therapy. Hence, if you are losing hair, such fortified shampoos would be an ideal adjunct to your anti-hair fall treatment.
Further, if you have a sensitive scalp with itchiness, redness or burning, there are international brands like Elution shampoo with unique B vitamins which stimulate hair growth and moisturize the hair. Zinc gluconate further soothes the scalp and protects against stress.
If dandruff and flaking are bothering you, you can choose a time-tested trusted shampoo brand called Selsun, which contains selenium sulfide. Selsun is available world over as several variants.
How frequently should you shampoo your hair?
Washing hair once every 2-3 days is usually fine. If the scalp feels itchy or oily, or there’s flaking due to dirt you may want to shampoo more often. Hence, there is no blanket recommendation. For best results, apply the shampoo twice a week by massaging for 2-3 minutes and rinsing thoroughly with water. Along with this, you may continue applying your anti-hair loss medicines as directed by your dermatologist. Combining shampoo with anti-hair loss treatment will preserve hair’s density effectively and restore their strength, volume, and vitality. To see visible results, continue using the shampoo normally for up to 6 weeks.
Do hair serums/lotions help prevent hair loss?
Nowadays, hair serums and lotions are commonly used to make hair smooth and lustrous. However, besides providing cosmetic benefits, they also impart a protective layer to the hair by repairing the hair shafts and preventing breakage.
Just like shampoos, some innovative hair lotions and serums also contain essential vitamins and are additionally enriched with unique ingredients such as tetrapeptide and creatinine. These ingredients strengthen the hair by stimulating blood supply to the hair follicles, thereby meeting the nutrient and oxygen demand of growing hair cells. These are non-greasy, easy to apply and leave a remarkable cosmetic appeal. For best results, use these formulations 3 times a week for two months.
While this article highlights the importance of shampoos and serums for healthy hair, do not forget to nourish your body from within with the right diet and nutritional supplements.