Summer Hair

Shiny locks are the sizzling season’s sexy, so keep them glowing in good health.

My hair has always been a victim of ennui. I’ve cut, curled, colored, fried, greased, and mussed it up with so much goop and glob as if it were an exotic gourmet dish that had once (or more than once), torn my kitchen apart. Not too bad, considering that the hair is dead to begin with. Yes, the six-figure strands that you toss, twirl and incarcerate with bands and barrettes are in fact, lifeless protein fibers.

But deceased as they come, tresses do spring up like weeds from beneath the scalp, where its living factory, comprised of feisty follicles, assiduously produces a garden of fine filaments we all love to rake.

So, before you pick another clip, comb, cream or some hair candy, keep this info deep-rooted: healthy hair depends on what you ingest, substances you apply and the inevitable hormonal changes.

Everything you do to your hair should be done in moderation — shampooing, brushing, hair treatments, even crash diets, which subtract the amount of protein in your body, and you can cause hair loss. One must not take hair for granted. Pick on something else when you’re bored.

Sun-proofed Hair

Caring for hair is like planning for your summer vacation. You’ll want and/or need the right stuff to sun-proof it so you can enjoy fuzzy weather without the broomhead. If you’ve just colored your or touched up your hair it is best that you do not expose it to sunlight, chlorine or salt water for 15 days, as new color will fade out quickly and your hair will eventually become dry and frizzy. What if the sun has already cooked your hair and scalp? Get scalp and hair-reconditioning treatments such as gloss to renew hair’s luster, collagen to revive its elasticity and volume, Powerdose to re-fortify it. Snipping off dry ends is also a must-do, as well as applying on your hair a “leave-on” conditioner. Since summer calls for UV protection, donning hats and scarves a la Bridget Jones can very well do the trick.

Diet Do

Yes, what you eat affects everything, including the state of your tresses. Here’s what you need a lot of in your diet to make your hair bright and shiny:

Water. Making up one-fourth of the weight of a single hair strand, water helps keep your hair silky and shiny. Ideally, you should drink between eight and 10 glasses of water daily. Moisture makes the hair supple. A key point is NOT to wait until you’re thirsty. If you’re thirsty, it means your body has already lost more water than it should have, and it’s urging you to replenish!

Protein. Protein is the builder of hair. It gives hair shafts more strength, and will reduce the likelihood of spoilage from snapping and splitting strands. You can get protein from fish, meat, milk, cheese, and cereals.

Vitamins. Vitamin A will give you a healthy scalp. You can get Vitamin A from vegetables, particularly carrots. Vitamin B and C are important for good circulation, hair growth and hair color. If you ensure that you have enough vitamins B and C, you’ll have strong, supple strands. You can get these vitamins from fruits vegetables, cereals, eggs, milk, and bread.

Minerals. Iron helps to carry oxygen to the hair. Without enough iron, hair and its follicles get starved of oxygen. This means that the goodness in the root of your hair is much less effective along the length of the strand. You can increase your iron intake by eating red meat and dark green vegetables, or by taking the right amount of iron supplements. Zinc like protein, also builds hair, which helps in preventing hair loss. Zinc is found highest in both meat and seafood. Copper is involved in the pigmentation of hair. You can optimize your natural color with a diet that is laced with copper. Who needs hair dye and fake color? Shellfish, liver, fresh vegetables, nuts, seeds and meat are all high in copper.

Lock Buster

- You love to sleep with wet hair. Well guess what? You WON’T lose your hair, but do expect a major headache plus a runny nose in the morning.

- Brushing your locks 100 times a day is your preoccupation. Just remember that you can damage the hair and end up with broken strands by excessive brushing.

- You’ve made shampooing an Olympic sport. Don’t over-shampoo. The heat and sun will already dry your hair. To much shampoo will make it even drier. You can wash your hair with a small amount of mild or gentle shampoo daily.

- Pathological conditioner? The proper way of slapping on conditioner to one’s hair sans the Fresh fries look is by starting an inch down from our scalp where you don’t need more oil — especially in warm weather. Comb conditioner through and massage into the ends. Keep on for several minutes with hair down, or simply wear it trendily twisted or pinned-up if you’re just too tied up.