5 Secrets for Healthy Hair

1. Get Your Fatty Acids Take one to three 250-milligram capsules of borage oil, evening primrose oil, or flaxseed oil one to three times a day. All are rich in omega-3 fatty acids like gamma-linolenic acid, great for keeping hair (and nails) moisturized, says Kathleen W. Wilson, M.D., an internist at the Ochsner Health Center in New Orleans and author of When You Think You Are Falling Apart.http://www.readersdigest.ca/health/beauty/10-secrets-healthy-hair

2. Try Citrus Fruit

For soft, natural highlights, squeeze some lemon juice on your hair before heading into the sun. Or use shampoos and styling products that contain citrus fruits, suggests celebrity hairstylist Federico of Beverly Hills. Citrus adds subtle streaks to your hair without adding damage.

3. Monitor Hair Loss

Check the drain after each shower for the amount of hair. The typical person loses from 50 to 200 hairs a day (out of 80,000 to 120,000 hairs on the head). So it's normal to have a very small clump of hair left on the drain after washing. But if that amount starts increasing, see your doctor. It could mean your scalp has an infection, or that baldness is beginning to set in, or in rarer circumstances, that you have a nutritional deficiency.

4. Apply a Homemade Mask

Mash a ripe avocado (pit removed) with one egg, then apply to wet hair. Avocados are rich in vitamins, essential fatty acids and minerals that will help restore lustre to your hair, says Stephen Sanna, expert colourist at the Pierre Michel Salon in New York City. Leave on for at least 20 minutes, then rinse several times. Repeat once a week for damaged hair and once a month for healthy hair.

5. Use Perfume

Mix a few drops of your favourite fragrance into your hair gel before applying. You'll wind up with hair that not only looks, but smells, great, says Susie Galvez, author of Hello Beautiful: 365 Ways to Be Even More Beautiful.

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