This year, the sweltering summer heat is lingering, and the monsoon's arrival remains elusive. With soaring heat, the anticipation for the much-awaited monsoon grows. However, with refreshing rain and lush greenery, monsoon comes with some challenges, particularly for our hair. The rainy season can lead to several hair problems, with hair fall being a common concern. So, let’s explore why it occurs and essential tips to care for hair during this damp and humid season.  Why do we lose hair during monsoon? According to a research study published by the World Trichology Society, people tend to experience approximately 30% more hair loss during the monsoon season than other times of the year. During this time, the atmosphere becomes more humid, causing the hair to absorb excess moisture. This makes the hair shaft swell, weakening its structure. Additionally, the scalp becomes more susceptible to fungal infections due to the accumulation of sweat and dirt.  These factors collectively contribute to increased hair fall during the rainy season. Furthermore, the change in weather conditions affects our hair growth cycle. The hair follicles may enter a resting phase, leading to excessive shedding. Moreover, the lack of proper care during this period exacerbates the issue, resulting in dull, lifeless, and fragile hair.  Read more: Which is the Best Country for Hair Transplant? How to care for hair during rainy season Keeping hair dry  As much as possible, one should try to keep hair dry during the rainy season. Try to use an umbrella or a raincoat with a hood to protect your hair from getting drenched. If your hair gets wet, make sure to dry it gently and completely as soon as you can. Cleaning hair regularly Frequent shampooing is essential during the monsoon to cleanse the scalp and hair from sweat, dirt, and excess oil. It would be better to opt for a mild, pH-balanced shampoo that suits an individual's hair type. Avoiding hot water is highly suggested, as it can strip hair of its natural oils, leading to dryness and frizz. Conditioning hair properly  Conditioning is a vital step in monsoon hair care. Experts suggest applying a good-quality conditioner from mid-length to the ends of the hair after shampooing. This helps to restore moisture and smooth down the cuticles, reducing frizz and breakage. Read more: What's Hair Transplant and What are the Most Popular Methods? Combing wisely  For a proper monsoon hair care routine, it would be great to use a wide-toothed comb to detangle gently. It ensures enough space between the teeth to prevent hair breakage.  One should avoid combing wet hair immediately to minimise breakage.  Also, refraining from sharing combs, especially during the monsoon, reduces the risk of fungal infections and helps to maintain healthier hair. Avoiding hairstyling when wet  Trying hairstyles with wet hair is highly discouraged, as it weakens the hair follicles and leads to increased breakage. Wet hair is more susceptible to damage, and the tension from combing can cause stress on the already fragile strands. It would be the best option to allow hair to dry naturally before styling it to maintain strong and healthy hair.

Who doesn’t dream of healthy, strong, and shiny hair? However, many of us experience untimely hair fall due to diverse reasons. For natural hair growth, it's important to keep the scalp healthy by maintaining a balanced diet and avoiding some foods. Here is a list of the best and worst foods and drinks for hair growth.  Best Foods for Healthy Hair Growth Eggs  Protein is known as the building block of hair. Lack of protein in hair may lead to hair fall. Biotin is the main source of the production of a hair protein namely keratin. If you have a biotin deficiency, you need to consume foods that contain more biotin. Essential protein and biotin can be consumed from eggs.  Spinach and Other Dark Leafy Greens Spinach and other dark leafy greens provide iron which is one of the basic minerals required for your hair cells. Research has shown that if you have a deficiency of iron in your body you may lose hair. If your body cannot run sufficient iron, oxygen and nutrients cannot be transported to the hair roots and follicles adequately which can ultimately hamper growth and make your strands weak. Read More: Collective Healing at Dhaka Flow: Festival of Yoga & Wellness Citrus Fruits  Citrus fruits give you the Dose of Vitamin C that your body requires for iron absorption. According to nutritionists, one lime each day is sufficient to get your daily dose of Vitamin C. You can take it as lemon juice with honey or refined sugar. You can take an orange which is also a good source of Vitamin C. Nuts and Seeds  Nuts and Seeds are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids that nourish the hair and support thickening. Your body cannot produce these healthy fats naturally, so you need to gain them from your diet. Almonds and walnuts are enriched with Omega-3 fatty acids. Likewise, you can take flax seeds as a mid-meal healthy snack to get essential fats to your hair. Carrots are Rich in Vitamin A Carrots are a good source of Vitamin A and the hair contains the fastest-growing tissues in the body. Vitamin A is required for the growth of every cell. Drinking carrot juice regularly can help with the quick growth of your hair. Vitamin A helps the scalp to produce natural sebum oil which keeps the roots of the hair healthy and boosts hair growth. Read More: PCOS Diet: Foods to eat & avoid for ovarian cyst conditions Almond Butter Almond butter has a huge range of nutrients like protein, healthy fats, and certain vitamins and they all have been linked to hair health. Almond is an excellent source of vitamin E that is extremely good for keeping your hair thick and glossy. From one tablespoon of almond butter you will get around 3.87 milligrams of Vitamin E and the recommended daily Vitamin E allowance is 15 milligrams. So you will be all set if you can eat more than one tablespoon per day.  Yogurt Do you know the misty thick, full, wavy hair of Greeks? Perhaps, it's due to the thick, protein-rich yogurt that Greeks and other cultures have been taking for hundreds of years because Greek yogurt contains vitamin B5, also known as pantothenic acid, and B vitamins. Pantothenic acid and Vitamins B can help you maintain healthy skin and hair. Read More: Why do Mosquitoes bite me so much? Oatmeal Oats contain iron, fiber, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids that revive hair growth, making it thick and healthy. You can take a bowl of oatmeal along with some chia seeds in the morning if you want to up the hair-boosting power. Oats are called nutritional powerhouse and they are considered a complete protein that can help promote beautiful and shiny locks.  Lentils Lentils are enriched with folic acid which helps your body produce red blood cells. Those red blood cells bring oxygen to your organs, including your skin and scalp help grow and strengthen your hair.  Read More: Best foods for expecting mothers Liver We have already mentioned that iron deficiency can lead to hair loss, especially in women. Organ meats- the liver has iron in abundance. Strawberries From a cup of strawberries, you can get more than a day's worth of vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed to form collagen, which is the main component of your hair. Brussels Sprouts Brussels sprouts have multiple nutritional benefits that make them exceptional food for your hair growth. A cup of Brussels sprouts meets your daily vitamin C requirements in maintaining healthy hair. Read More: How to Clean Baby Bottles Sweet potatoes Sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene and this compound is converted by the body into vitamin A, which is linked to hair health. Sweet peppers Sweet peppers have antioxidant-rich vitamin C, which may support hair growth. In fact, one yellow pepper provides up to 456% of the daily vitamin C needs of women and 380% for men.  Soybeans Studies have shown that compounds namely spermidine abundant in soybeans help hair growth.  Read More: Alzheimer's Disease: Symptoms, Causes, Preventions Meat Meat, especially red meat, is rich in nutrients that assist hair growth because the protein available in meat helps repair and strengthen hair follicles.  Fish Fatty fishes are excellent sources of nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids that may prevent scalp drying and promote hair growth. Deficiencies of omega-3 fatty acids may result in dull hair, dry scalp, or lifeless hair.