Hi there!
Today I am going to share my bit
of knowledge and experience about combating dry hair.
Oily hair is a drag, but dry hair is no picnic, either.
BUT HEY! WE NEVER GIVE UP!! ;P
Dry hair is dull hair, and it looks
the same after you wash it as it did before.
Everyone has bad hair days, but with
dry hair you may have those days more often.
Along
with dry hair, you may also have a
dandruff problem. Although it's more often a condition
associated with oily hair, people with dry hair get dandruff, too. I have very
long hair and they were fine until recently when they became extremely dry due
to some reason.
Then I started doing some research and
analysis for my hair through various sources.
This is what I realized; it is always important to listen to your
body first!
Observe
the way it reacts to internal and external changes. Your body will tell you
what
works best and worst for you!
For
example, you might be allergic to certain foods or drinks which would result in
skin rashes or acne or even hair fall. Also, if your body is unable to resist to
pollution or stress, etc, it may result in hair fall.
So, let’s first find out what are the possible causes of dry hair?
Dry hair can
result from external factors, such as exposure to harsh chemicals, or from
internal causes, such as an illness. These are the primary external factors
are:
1)
Harsh
shampoo
2)
Shampooing
too often
3)
Hair dye
4)
Hair
perms
5)
Chlorine
in swimming pools and hot tubs
6)
Overuse
of the blow dryer or curling iron
7)
Too much
exposure to sun and wind
8)
High
mineral content in local water supplies
9)
Pollution
Internal
factors, though, don't have quite such a quick fix and is advisable to consult
your physician.
Internal factors that cause dry hair include:
1)
Cancer
treatment
2)
Certain
medications
3)
Nutritional
deficiency
4)
Prolonged
illness
5)
Stress
What is the Remedy?
External factors are easy to remedy. You just
need to be careful about how you treat your hair, cutting back on activities that cause it to become dry.
1)
Switch
products and find out what suits you best and then make sure to stick to it.
2)
Always
wear a cap when swimming.
3)
Cover
your head when you're outside in the sun for prolonged periods.
4)
Be
careful with the shampoo. Shampooing too often is one of the most common causes
of dry hair. Many people believe that squeaky-clean hair is
healthy hair, so they wash it one or more times every day. But shampoos often
contain harsh cleaning agents that can strip away your hair's natural oils,
which help hold in moisture. On the other hand, a gentle shampoo will stimulate
the oil glands, so you probably should take good lather every two to three
days.
5) Be Kind to Your Hair. Dry
hair is the most fragile type of hair and is subject to breakage, so it must be
handled with care. When lathering, be gentle. Avoid any pulling or yanking on
your hair in any way, which strains the hair shafts. Don't scrub with your fingernails, which can not only break
the hair but irritate your scalp. Work up a lather using your fingertips,
instead. Gently rubbing your scalp with your fingertips will also
stimulate the oil glands.
6) Pour on the Conditioner.
Dry hair needs conditioning. Look for products that contain little or no
alcohol, which will dry out hair even more. Reading labels will help, but it
might be simpler just to take a whiff before you buy. Conditioners with little
or no fragrance tend to be low in alcohol or contain none at all. If your hair
is really dry, consider using an overnight conditioner, which you apply before
going to bed wearing a shower cap
and rinse off in the morning.
7) Use Hot Oil. Hot-oil
treatment works best to repair dry, damaged hair. You can take warm coconut or
olive oil and gently massage into the scalp. Wear a plastic bag or shower cap
over your hair while the hot oil is on for 30 minutes, then wash the hair
thoroughly with a gentle shampoo.
8) Hold the Heat. Using hot
combs, hot rollers, and blow-dryers can only lead to hair fall
and damaged hair. Hot rollers are the worst because they stretch the hair while
the heat shrinks it. If you must use artificial heat, keep your blow-dryer on a
low setting and avoid pulling or stretching the hair while drying.
9) Pace your hair treatments. If
you perm on Sunday, dye your hair on Monday, and put it in hot rollers on
Wednesday, your hair is destined to be dry and damaged. You don't have to abandon
styling practices, just keep in mind that it's important to space those
treatments out as much as possible.
10) Drink plenty of water and
eat healthy diet for great hair.
That’s all
about dealing with dry hair gals!!!
You
can read my next post for some of the effective and easy homemade hair masks
that
works amazing for dry and damaged hair!
~Love