To prevent hair loss, wash and dry gently

To prevent hair loss, wash and dry gently

Many doctors recommend using baby shampoo if you are suffering from hair thinning or hair loss. Do not shampoo more than once a day -- preferably every other day. Most people don't realize that their hair can stay clean for two to three days.

When shampooing, lather gently, focusing on cleaning the scalp and allowing the shampoo to clean the hair itself as it is rinsed out with the water. Follow up with a moisturizing conditioner to keep your hair hydrated.

Blot your hair dry with a towel, rather than rubbing vigorously. Skip the blow-dryer, flatiron and other hairstyling tools whenever possible. If you don't have time to air-dry your hair, towel-dry it first and then use the blow-dryer for the shortest time possible, preferably less than five minutes. Although the low heat setting is preferred, 20 minutes on low heat actually does more damage than 5 minutes on high heat.

Don't twist up wet hair in a towel on top of your head or pull hair into a tight ponytail or use elastic hair bands -- these things will cause breakage. Also avoid using the chemicals in straightening or coloring hair products. If you need to dye your hair, consider henna or other natural hair dyes.