LOVE is in the hAIR!

When is the last time you showed your hair some love?

Whether you are fighting dry hair during the winter months, or frizz during the summer, it is always good to reevaluate your beauty regimen to make sure you are giving your hair everything it needs to be thick, healthy and beautiful all year ‘round. 

In honor of Valentine's Day, here are four easy ways to show your hair a little extra TLC. 

• Feed Your Hungry Hair – It may seem unrelated, but what you eat, or don’t eat, has a huge impact on the health of our hair. A diet rich in whole foods, especially protein, is essential to achieving and maintaining healthy hair, while on the flipside, caloric, iron and protein deficiencies are among the most common nutritional triggers for unhealthy hair and hair loss. So if you want to show your hair you care, put down the box of chocolates and replace it with one of the many, healthy hair foods, like salmon, which is loaded with omega-3 fatty acid, dark green vegetables for vitamins A and C, and nuts, which are a terrific source of zinc, which can prevent hair shedding. 
• Avoid Over-Styling – Salon perms, Brazilian blowouts, frequent color treatments and even that super hot blow dryer or that flat iron used over and over again at home can degrade the proteins that make up your hair and its protective cuticle. Turn down the heat or say ‘no’ to the compulsive flat ironing in order to protect your hair from thermal damage. Products like Pantene Thermal Protection and Shine Spray can be helpful in decreasing friction and improving shine. Harsh chemicals are another risk to your hair. 
• Treat Your Scalp – Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp! But unfortunately, too many women forget to give their scalp the attention it needs. Daily shampooing and conditioning may help keep your hair healthy, but sometimes the scalp needs a little specialized attention. Whether your scalp is dry, itchy, flaky, or oily, it is easier than you may think to get a beautiful healthy scalp. Love your scalp like you love the skin of your face, and take care of it the same way. 
• Give Your Hair a Boost – Sleep habits, smoking, medications, and alcohol consumption can all affect the health of your hair. With so many factors at play with the health of our hair, including our genetic risks and inherited hair qualities, it is good to remember to give your hair a little extra TLC from time to time. For many looking to give their at-risk hair a little boost, “LOVE” is spelled “L-A-S-E-R.” Originally getting the nod from the FDA as a side effect-free way to treat hair loss, low level laser "brushes," "hoods" and "caps" are now being used by more women to simply improve hair quality by helping hair follicles create thicker, fuller, shinier and healthier hair. 

Just remember, your hair can be your crowning glory, or an endless nightmare—it is up to you! Isn’t it time you showed your hair some love?