Some people were born with gloriously thick hair, others have to work for it. That’s right, if you work at it, you too can have the lush, thick locks that you dream of. Or, at the very least, you can boost the thickness of your hair.

Healthy ways to boost your hair thickness

The following habits give you a boost in the thickness department and promote all-over hair health. A study on forming healthy habits suggests it takes 66 days to establish a habit, so why the better time to begin than now?

Brush before you wash: Brushing helps loosen dead skin cells and dirt for easier removal. It also disperses oil down the hair shaft to protect the hair and make cleaning easier.

Use warm water: Wet hair thoroughly before applying shampoo with warm water. This helps disperse the shampoo better. Avoid hot water because it has a softening effect on your scalp and your follicles, making it easier to inadvertently pull out hairs.

Shampoo scalp: Always rub shampoo into your scalp and let it work its way down the shaft. Rubbing the hair length vigorously aggravates the hair cuticles, which diminishes the shine and makes the hairs more vulnerable.

Rinse well: Rinse the shampoo out of your hair thoroughly. Shampoo residue dulls your hair and prevents conditioner from working to its full potential. For best results, do a cool water wash to close the hair cuticles after shampooing.

Use a conditioner: Every time you wash your hair you should follow the shampoo with a restorative conditioner. Conditioners prepare and protect the hair, adding plumpness and softness. Again, rinse well and finish with cool water.

Comb before drying: Wet hair is weak hair. A wide-toothed comb is the best way to protect your hair and detangle it at the same time. While you want to brush your hair from the top down when it’s dry, the opposite is true when it’s wet. Start at the ends and slowly work up to the roots, detangling a little as you go.

Dry carefully: Blow drying and heat is going to zap the moisture out of your hair. Try air-drying as much as possible. If you have to use a blow dryer, follow these tips:

♦ Set it to a cool setting

♦ Hold the nozzle at least 5 inches from your head

♦ Use a diffuser

If you’re going to towel dry, use a cotton t-shirt instead of a towel, it’s kinder to your fragile hair shafts. A blotting motion is also much better than rubbing.

Massage at night: Give your head a daily treat of a 3-4 minute massage. This has many benefits for your head, your hair and your all-over well-being.

Try some new recipes: Transform your hair from the inside out with foods that are designed to give your hair the vitamins and minerals it needs to grow thick and strong.

This Summer-in-a-Smoothie recipe is one of our favorites because it’s a wonderful way to start the day and it’s equally enjoyable at the end of the day as you relax and watch the sunset from your deck.

Use natural products: Check all the products you put on your hair to make sure your hair gets only the best. Whatever you do, stay away from harmful chemicals that may give you instant results but can damage your hair in the long run.

Final thoughts

If you weren’t lucky enough to be born with gloriously thick and healthy hair, you can develop habits that will boost your hair’s volume and give you the look that you want. You might even discover that some of your old hair routines were actually working against you. By changing those habits, and adding good ones, you can double the benefits.

Thick hair is healthy hair. Start by fueling your hair correctly from the inside by taking supplements and eating foods that promote hair strength. Changing your shower routine from beginning to end gives you an opportunity to baby your hair and pamper yourself.