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5 Dermatologist approved effective ways to make your hair smooth and shiny
Dr Saloni Vora-Gala, Consultant Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatologist, Dr. Sheth’s Skin and Hair Clinic is here to guide you through all the ways you can make your hair look smooth and shiny. Check it out
Tired of your dull, unruly, tangled hair? The heat, humidity and excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays in summer lead to faster loss of hair protein which makes your hair frizzy, lustreless, easily susceptible to breakage and tangling. The ever-increasing pollution adds to the damage. Here are 5 simple but effective ways to gain back the shine and smoothness:
Use a gentle shampoo with luke-warm to cold water while washing hair
Hot water strips away your hair shaft’s natural oils exposing them to loss of protein and environmental damage. Rinsing with cold or lukewarm water protects your hair well. Concentrate your shampoo more over the scalp and lesser over the hair length; over-exposure to cleansers can be damaging to hair. Use a microfibre towel post-wash to prevent friction and tangling.
Hair conditioners save the day!
Conditioners provide strength, nourishment and protection to hair, thus, preventing loss of proteins and structural damage caused by ultraviolet rays, pollution, humidity and heat styling. They are of different types containing moisturizing factors like hyaluronic acid, silicone, nourishing factors like amino acids depending on what kind of hair they are meant to treat. Cream-based conditioners work best for curly, frizzy, long, dry, chemically treated or coloured hair, whereas serum or spray ones help short, thin, oily hair. 
Deep conditioning once or twice a week
Deep conditioning with thicker cream masks once or twice a week, 20 to 60 mins before rinsing, provide that extra nourishment to hair. Coconut oil is also an excellent hair conditioner with maximum shaft penetration ability amongst all oils. Oil your hair for 60 mins before rinsing twice a week to strengthen the hair shaft. However, avoid using hair oils if you are prone to dandruff. Professional hair spas once every 3 to 4 weeks do the same job with an added benefit of a relaxing spa-like experience and improved blood circulation over scalp.
Your food decides your hair quality
Green leafy vegetables, walnuts, chia seeds, fruits and good amount of proteins in the form of lentils, sprouts, eggs, chicken or fish build a healthy hair structure, preventing oxidative damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays or pollution.
Keep your hair away from styling products and heating devices
Excessive heat styling with curling or straightening irons and blow dryers lead to denaturing of hair proteins which damage the hair shaft. Frequent use of styling products like gels and waxes lead to a build-up of these particles over hair. Use styling methods wisely; the lesser the better. Wise routine hair care is the key to healthy, shiny, smooth hair in any season.
Authored by: Dr Saloni Vora-Gala, Consultant Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatologist, Dr Sheth’s Skin and Hair Clinic
