Hair Care for Health

What's your favorite shampoos and conditioners?

What styling products do you use?

What daily or weekly routines do you have to take care of your hair?

Do you avoid certain hair products that have certain ingredients in them? If so, what are those ingredients?

Are you trying to prevent or manage hair loss? If so, how are you dealing with that?

Are you dealing with thick, unruly, and/or dry-and-damaged hair? If so, how are you dealing with that?

For some, hair health also improves our mental health. In what ways can you see how your hair affects your mental health, or even just hygiene in general?

I have wavy hair that seems to be thinning, but is nonetheless seen as "thick" to many.

Since this pandemic, I've not really styled my hair as much (using a flat-iron, using certain products like leave-in conditioners). I started out using only anti-dandruff shampoo, since I thought it was strong enough to keep my scalp protected and cleaned. Little did I know that such shampoos weren't good for my kind of hair. I also wanted to avoid certain products that are known for causing hair to fall out, since mine seemed to be falling out in chunks, due to both stress and my shampoo type. So I switched shampoos, about a year after the advent of this pandemic.

I now wash my hair every time I shower. I will condition it at least twice a week, if not more.

I use Biolage products: Ultra Hydrasource Shampoo and HydraSource Conditioning Balm.

I'll occasionally use other products to style my hair, such as leave-in conditioners and oils and flat-iron protectants, but I rarely style my hair these days.

I've also not had a haircut in over 2 years! At least not a professional one. I let it grow, but then it kept tangling and falling out in huge chunks. So, I decided to cut my own hair. I followed some of the tips found online. It worked, sort of. It's not perfect, but it passes as a decent haircut. I'm fortunate to have brunette hair that is thick enough to keep wavy, in order to hide the flaws from my own haircut.

I do still use over-the-counter hair coloring products. Right now, I've been consistently using L'Oreal's Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Color + Shine System - 6.5 fl oz - 3 Soft Black hair coloring kit. I color my hair every two months or even three, depending on whether or not I plan on going walking that month, or if I have a medical appointment. I never shop in stores, nor do I hang out with people unless it's for a brief essential exchange of gifts or donations outside. I shield in place consistently - and have been for about 2 years now. So, I only color my hair when needed. Eventually, however, I want to improve my mental health by coloring my hair every month, to cover up those roots, and put on some cosmetics. If I can add in more outside walking (still with a mask on) as well as Zoom time with friends and family, then I'll have a reason to style my hair and put on cosmetics and jewelry. I miss doing those things for myself.

I plan on also adding in a mani-pedi every month, but I have to work that into my monthly routine. I have chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), so it's not easy for me to keep a routine when I have certain days where I'm bedbound. I'm homebound out of an abundance of caution for myself and others during this pandemic, but also because of my CFS/ME. Still, I try to do what I can to take care of things like my hair.

I was washing my hair every other day, which was too often. My hair is very coarse and curly, and too much washing takes out the natural oils and makes it very dry. Now I wash it about twice a week. I have to add a lot of conditioner each time I wash or it gets uncontrollably frizzy. I also add oil, such as argan or Moroccan oil, to tame the frizz.

My hair has been falling out a lot and thinning on top. I tried Rogaine for women, and it didn't help at all. Someone told me about Wild Growth, an herbal product you can get from Amazon, so I have been putting that on my scalp three times a week. I think it may be helping a bit.