HABIT OVERHAUL

To start with an easy one, drink! Inadequate hydration causes dry skin, and so our goal here is hydration.

Now for the fun part, take a look at what you’re eating. A healthy diet can go a long way toward healthy hair and scalp. Lots of fruit, raw veggies—especially the green, leafy kind—and foods rich in biotin (think egg yolk, fish, seeds, nuts, sweet potatoes, or taken via supplement), omega-3 fatty acids, and protein. Chicken, beans, chickpeas, dark chocolate, and sesame seeds are also good due to their zinc content. Selenium, vitamins E and C, and vitamin B complex are also important.

Be kind to your hair. Let it air-dry if you can, and if you must use a blow-dryer, try the lowest setting. Don’t rub hair vigorously after washing; pat gently with a towel instead.

This may be a hard pill to swallow for some, but another helpful intervention is not washing the hair every day. Twice a week is recommended in order to maintain the scalp’s natural balance of oils. (After hair is washed, the body generates sebum [oil] to restore the balance, but this makes hair oilier.) When washing hair, wet it with lukewarm water and, using the fingertips, massage shampoo into scalp. Let it sit for a minute or two before rinsing with cold water; cold water closes pores and hair follicles on the scalp, which prevents dirt from entering.