Hair care is an important aspect of caring for yourself during your teenage years. Hair care shows that you take care of yourself, and it is part of having a clean, neat appearance. Healthy hair, made of Keratin, shines because the outer layer, called the cuticle, is in good condition: smooth, with tightly overlapping scales. No matter the length of your hair, or how it looks, you can take good care of it.
Caring for different types of hair
You have probably noticed that teenagers that you hang out with have different types of hair. Some teens have dry hair, while others have oily hair. Straight hair requires different care from curly hair. No matter what type of hair you have, it is important to take care of it properly. And proper care depends in large part on what type of hair you have:
Dry hair: Those with dry hair should be wary of washing their hair everyday. If it is only a little dry, a moisturizing shampoo used once daily could be quite helpful in making your hair less brittle. However, if your hair is very dry, washing everyday could damage it. Try washing it only every other day instead.
Oily hair: Oily hair is quite common during the teen years. If you are active, your hair may be extra oily. Washing your hair twice daily can help. However, if you decide to wash your hair twice a day because of an active lifestyle, use a mild shampoo instead of one that removes oil. These shampoos are fine for once-daily use on oily hair, but can be harsh if used more than once per day.
Combination hair: Combination hair can be hard for teenagers to care for. The reason is that this is hair that is oily on top, but often dry at the ends. Oil-removing shampoo can be too harsh, but the moisturizing shampoo can make the top even oilier. A mild shampoo can help, and there are shampoos now that are designed specifically for combination hair.
General teen hair care tips
There are some general things to keep in mind as you care for your hair throughout your teenage years. Not the least, is to realize that your hair type can change as you progress through your teen years, and your hair care methods should adapt to your current hair type, as well as to hair care needs based on your activity level and environmental factors, as well as your specific hairstyle.
Also, remember that wet hair is vulnerable. No matter what kind of hair you have, it can be more easily damaged when it is wet. So, it is important to treat it gently. Drying your hair with a blow dryer can be especially damaging to your hair. There are protecting serums and leave-in conditioners that you can purchase to put on your hair while it is still wet. These can help you protect your hair from the dry heat of the blow dryer, allowing you to have smoother, shinier hair. Remember that curly hair is more vulnerable than straight hair, and that oily hair is more vulnerable than dry. Some teens with dry, curly hair can actually get away with not washing their hair for a week at a time if they are not particularly active.
Hair Care Main source material:
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“Taking Care of Your Hair,” KidsHealth.org. [Online.]
