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Got healthcare on the brain? When you’re not feeling well, you go to your family doctor. If they find a problem, you get referred to a specialist. It seems like there’s a specialist for every part of the body - have a foot problem? Go see a podiatrist. Need that mole checked out? Better call the dermatologist.
But there’s no medical school program for being a hair doctor - if there was, John Stamos’s Uncle Jesse character likely would have had a very different career path (John Stamos has great skin too, as we’ve previously discussed in celebrity skincare routines of famous men).
“A thick healthy head of hair” is something you hear all the time, yet what does it really mean to have healthy hair?
And can your shampoo affect the health of your hair? Think about it, mate - nothing goes on your hair more regularly than shampoo.
What is the best shampoo for healthy hair? We’re going to figure out the best daily shampoo for men right here, right now!
What makes men’s hair healthy?
When we say healthy hair, we don’t mean hair that rarely gets a cold, mate. Healthy hair has the following properties:
- Minimum breakage - healthy hair is strong with a smooth shaft covered in closed cuticles. It doesn’t have a ton of split ends, which is what happens when the individual hair shafts get split and frayed at the cut end.
- Bouncy - hair’s elasticity, meaning its ability to hold a style and also snap back into shape, is a great indicator of hair health. Unhealthy hair will hang limp and lifeless.
- Detangles easily - hairs with smooth closed cuticles don’t get knotted up nearly as easily as roughed up damaged hairs. Those roughed-up cuticles are something like the hooks on velcro, hooking onto each other and making big messy clumps that cause more damage just to untangle.
- Bright and shiny - when you have bright and shiny hair, mate, you don’t need a bright and shiny convertible. A smooth healthy cuticle reflects the light, making hair shine, whereas a damaged rough cuticle looks dull.
- Little daily hair loss - losing a few hairs every day is normal. In fact, we can lose around a hundred hairs a day on average without a problem. But if you’re noticing more and more hairs in the drain and on your pillowcase, your hair might be less than healthy.
What is bad for men’s hair?
So what is causing all this damage to men’s hair and making it look unhealthy? Unfortunately, there are plenty of suspects:
- Bleach and hair color
- Heated styling tools and hair dryers turned to hot
- Too much sun or swimming (summertime requires special tips for reducing seasonal hair loss)
- Malnutrition/vitamin deficiency
- Harsh chemicals and additives in certain hair products and shampoos
About that last one . . .
What shampoos should men not use?
To keep your hair healthy and strong, the best daily shampoo for men is one without harsh artificial ingredients. There are a few specific ingredients you need to avoid that are extremely common in shampoos, especially ones you buy at the drugstore:
- Parabens - a preservative used to keep cosmetics from spoiling, parabens are not just potentially damaging to your hair and skin, they may be damaging to your health.
- Formaldehyde - another preservative frequently used in cosmetics, you’re probably more familiar with its other preservative use - preserving dead bodies. Shouldn’t be too shocking to hear that formaldehyde can be extremely dry and damaging!
- Alcohol - limit your alcohol all around for hair health. That means no benders and no alcohol in the shampoo!
- Silicone - ever the great illusionist, silicone in shampoo makes hair look healthy temporarily, but regular use of silicone shampoos can damage hair and create buildup, making hair look dull and lifeless.
It’s much better to use a shampoo made with gentle all-natural ingredients. Ours strengthens and hydrates the hair, leaving damaged hair stronger and softer. It also smells great without artificial scents!
Can all men use the same shampoo?
You probably grew up using the same all-in-one shampoo and conditioner from the drugstore that your dad used, which his dad used before him, and his dad before him, ad infinitum. Time to break the generational curse!
Even with good all-natural shampoos, you want to try to find one specific to the needs of your hair. If you’re having a problem with excess oil in your hair, you’re not going to want a moisturizing shampoo.
You’ll want a top-notch shampoo formulated for men's oily hair to make sure you’re gently getting rid of all that grease while keeping strands healthy.
If you feel like you’re having trouble with damage to your hair, you might want to try a thickening shampoo for thinning or damaged hair. Use one with all-natural ingredients that won’t cause more damage or weigh hair down.
Well buddy, looks like you’ve got some shampoo choices before you. Choose wisely, we know you can do it!
