7 healthy hair habits for men

If you want healthy and strong hair, you have to do something about it.  

But that's logical, isn't it? If you want a washboard stomach, you can't eat junk food all day long and sit on the couch - you have to get going to see the pounds tumble off.

The same goes for your lion's mane. So what hair habits should you adopt?
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A healthy diet

A healthy and balanced diet is good for you in many ways. People with healthy eating habits live longer and have a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. But a balanced diet can also be good for your hair.

Studies have shown that inadequate dietary iron and zinc intake may be bad for the health of your hair. In addition, it has been shown that people who increase their intake of these vitamins and nutrients can see an improvement in hair growth. Of course, this depends greatly on the type of hair loss you suffer from.

So what should you eat? Here is a list of foods high in zinc:

• Crabs
• Oysters
• Pork chops
• Oat flakes
• Cashews
• Chickpeas
• Peas

And here is a list of iron-rich foods:

• Spinach
• Poultry
• Seafood
• Lenses
• Kidney beans and white beans
• Nuts

Quit smoking

Fact: Smoking is bad for your health. It can cause cancer and other diseases and has a negative effect on almost every organ in your body.

If that's not enough to stop you from smoking: Researchers have discovered a link between smoking and hair loss.

Do you need more proof? The smoke produced by cigarettes is a pollutant that can damage hair. In addition, the consumption of cigarettes can cause the DNA of your hair follicles to change for the worse.

Good hair care products

It also depends on what you apply to your hair. There are shampoos that can thicken the hair and even stimulate hair growth, or products that are specially tailored to your hair type.

When it comes to hair products, you should avoid products that promise long-lasting hold (e.g. hair sprays and gels). They can lead to hair breakage, dry and brittle hair - especially if they are applied to wet hair.

Hot tools can also damage hair, especially curly hair. So if you want your hair to be at its best, you should avoid drying your hair at a high temperature with a hairdryer every day. If you frequently style your hair with heat, you should treat it with a heat protectant beforehand.

Opt for looser styles

You may like a man bun, but think twice before making it your favorite hairstyle, because hair loss is inevitable. The term for this type of hair loss is traction alopecia. The constant pulling can permanently damage the follicle, which can then lead to hair loss.

If you have longer hair and don't want to wear it in your face, you should use a headband or at least keep the elastic as loose as possible.

Protect your hair

The sun can not only damage your skin, but also your hair. The sun's UV rays can cause your strands to lose protein and weaken over time. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, this can damage the quality of your hair. Therefore, you should wear a hat or find another way to protect your hair.

Food supplements

The B vitamin biotin can promote healthy hair and growth. Research has shown that biotin supplementation can restore hair health in people with biotin deficiency. There are certain foods that naturally contain biotin, such as eggs and bananas.  

Plus, we all know that melatonin is a useful sleep aid. But did you know that there is research suggesting that melatonin, when applied topically, can also support hair health?

A research paper in the International Journal of Trichology investigated the link between topical melatonin and hair growth and found that melatonin can help treat androgenetic alopecia (commonly referred to as male pattern hair loss).

Treatments against hair loss

If you start to notice hair loss, the first thing you should do is talk to a specialist about possible treatment methods.

Finasteride is an oral prescription medication that is often used to treat hair loss in men. It prevents your body from converting testosterone into DHT, the hormone that many blame for hair loss. However, it also very often causes side effects, which is why we strongly advise against it.

Unlike finasteride, minoxidil is a topical treatment that is available in liquid and foam form (foam minoxidil). It is approved in Switzerland and you don't even need a prescription for it.

The method with the most promising effect is low level laser therapy. Free of side effects, it promotes cell activity and thus blood circulation in the scalp, which in turn can stop hair loss and make hair sprout again.

Each method works on its own, but they can be even more effective when used together.

Creating healthy hair habits

So if you want strong, healthy hair, you should adopt holistic hair habits and use holistic treatment methods tailored to your problem in the event of hair loss.

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