Dry hair is a common problem among women and men of all ages. Of course, men do not pay much attention to the condition of their hair. However, for women, things are not the same and even the thought of hair problems terrifies them. To some extent, it is really important to worry about the condition of your hair, because in addition to affecting your appearance, in rare cases dry hair is also a symptom of a health problem. Let's take a closer look at this topic and see how this actually happens to hair.
Why does hair lose its elasticity? The condition of our hair is directly related to the condition of our scalp and when we have problems with it, hair problems inevitably follow. Hair becomes dry when the area around the roots of our hair fails to keep it hydrated. In this way, it cannot obtain the necessary natural oil for our hair. Let's see now what are the symptoms of this condition.
Most women are familiar with the symptoms of dry hair. However, if you are not one of them, you should learn to recognize the signs of dehydrated hair:
1 . Rough appearance. We've all seen advertisements of beautiful women flaunting their shiny hair. Well, here it's the opposite. The hair looks kind of lifeless and dull, even after washing. It's hard to even style it.
2 . Split ends. Look closely at the ends of your hair and see if they are split and break easily. This is the second symptom that indicates hair problems.
3 . Difficult to comb. If you are unable to comb your hair without effort, then most likely the hairs of the hair are tangled due to their coarse structure. This is another sign that suggests that you are dealing with dry hair.
4 . Itchy scalp. This is a sign of other problems, but dry hair also causes this symptom. The scalp feels dry and tight, and white flakes may appear, which often mislead us into thinking it is dandruff. It is important to correctly identify the origin of these flakes, because the correct treatment of the hair depends on this.
5 . Difficult to style. The lack of moisture in the hair makes it light and flyaway and it is difficult to give it any shape. If even after a good hairdresser your hairstyle looks shaggy and shapeless, then you should be sure that something is wrong with the health of your hair.
6 . Slow Growth If you notice that your hair is growing slower than before, you may have dry hair. A dehydrated scalp is often the reason why hair grows slower than usual. After learning to recognize the symptoms of dry hair, it's time to understand what mistakes we are making.
If we are sure that it is not a health problem, then this means that we are responsible for the deteriorating condition of our hair:
1 . Frequent washing. Regular washing of hair is one of the most common mistakes. As the saying goes, everything is good in moderation. This statement applies to water in full force. Water in combination with sulfates in shampoo aggressively remove natural oils from the hair. If this happens too often, there will certainly come a time when you will damage your hair. Even if you choose the right shampoo, you should wash your hair no more than 2-3 times a week and with cooler water. Hot water will further complicate the situation with the scalp.
2 . Overuse of hair dryers and straighteners. I'll take a little lyrical digression by telling you a recent incident. We were supposed to go to dinner at a restaurant with my husband, when he had been patiently waiting for 2 hours for me to style my hair. He entered the room and looked at me strangely as I was pulling my strands with a straightener. Then he joked that if he were in my hair's place, he would strangle me while I was sleeping. We had a good laugh and after 15 minutes he entered the room again and this time asked me when I would stop bothering with the hair on my scalp. Then I realized how right he was. He didn't realize it and was joking, but he was damn right. Hair dryers and straighteners are great gadgets without which modern life is unthinkable. Especially in winter, their use is not recommended but mandatory, because of the danger of frostbite of the head or more serious conditions such as meningitis. However, excessive drying and styling has a number of negative effects on our hair, and blow drying is one of them. High temperatures evaporate moisture too quickly and destroy the hair structure irreversibly. The consequences are dry and brittle hair that does not look aesthetically good. Be sure to use a heat protection spray before each procedure.
3 . Dye . Hair dye is a completely chemical product that dries out your hair. And don't get me wrong, I'm not against dyeing your hair. Just try to keep it to a minimum and don't let your moods dictate how often you use this beauty treatment.
4 . Improper nutrition. This is another factor that depends entirely on you. A balanced diet and sufficient water intake are of utmost importance for hair health. As they say, change starts from the inside out. Eat foods rich in vitamins A, C, D, E, biotin and omega-3. This will help your hair stay hydrated and fresh.
5 . Sun and beach . Oh, I really don't want to talk about this topic, but we have to be objective. The sun and especially UV rays in combination with salt water is not recommended for people with dry hair, because it can worsen the problem. To be honest, I prefer to have dry hair instead of missing a vacation at the sea, but this is my personal opinion. In this case, you can put on a swimming cap and apply a special serum to your hair to protect it from the sun.
However, there are things that are beyond your control, such as hormonal or other problems. In these cases, consult a doctor who will prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Relax, dear ladies, don't despair and let's try to fix the problem now:
1 . What shampoo should we choose? Choose a shampoo that, in addition to hydrating and nourishing, should also offer "sealing" moisture in the hair. Always read the label on the shampoo packaging and pay attention to the following ingredients:
1.1 Essential oils. Argan and coconut oil are known for naturally restoring moisture to hair. Jojoba oil would also do a great job.
1.2 Other moisturizing ingredients. In addition to natural oils, you should know that aloe vera, panthenol and glycerin also have the potential to restore dry hair. They are known for capturing moisture from the environment and retaining it in the hair and scalp. However, if your shampoo lacks this ingredient, you can always add a few drops of pure glycerin to the bottle. It is important to say here that if you use these ingredients, the room should not be too dry, because you can get the opposite effect and extract moisture from the hair. If you want to apply only panthenol or glycerin to your hair, always dilute it with water!!!
1.3 Hair protein. Keratin is a basic building block of every hair, so use shampoos that include it in their composition.
1.4 Sulfate-free. We already mentioned above that sulfates dry out hair, so choose a shampoo that does not contain this ingredient.
Some of the most popular brands are L'Oreal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil , Dove Nutritive Solutions Intensive Repair , OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo , Kerastase Nutritive Bain Satin .
2 . Hair conditioner should also include oils and other moisturizing ingredients and should be used after shampooing.
3 . Try restoring your hair with homemade creams. Make a hair mask with avocado, honey, and coconut oil. Apply to damp hair and wait 30-40 minutes. Then rinse with lukewarm water and a mild shampoo.
An egg and olive oil mask will also have a positive effect on hair moisture. Mix the ingredients and apply for 20-30 minutes. Then rinse with cool water, otherwise you may cook the egg inside your hair.
Banana with yogurt. This is a real elixir for your scalp. It nourishes and restores hair from the inside. These are just some of the suggestions and there are hundreds more homemade masks that you can try. There is no need to oil your hair every day. It is enough to perform this "ritual" once a week. If you follow these simple steps, you will have beautiful and full of life hair. Take care of it, and it will thank you a hundredfold.
