Health Tip: Teach Your Kids Healthy Hair Habits

-- Kids should learn healthy ways to take care of their hair at an early age, the American Academy of Dermatology says.

The group offers this advice:

• Wet hair and scalp with warm water before using shampoo.
• Use only a quarter-size drop of shampoo.
• Massage the shampoo gently into the scalp.
• Rinse all of the suds from the hair with warm water.
• Cover hair with a towel to absorb water. But don't rub wet hair, which can damage it.
• Comb out damp hair gently with a wide-tooth comb.
• Make braids and ponytails loose, and use covered rubber bands.
• Select styles that don't require heat and chemical treatment.
• If using heat on hair, use the lower setting.
• Chemicals in relaxers, dyes and other hairstyling products may damage the hair. So try to maximize the time between treatments.
• When outdoors, wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect hair from the sun.