Dry Hair Treatments That Help !
Author: Dr. Kristie When you look in the mirror, do you see brittle hair with split ends and a
lackluster appearance? If so, you may be suffering from dry hair. Dry hair can
be a challenge since it can be fragile and prone to breakage. You may need a dry
hair treatment to get your hair back into it's undamaged state. Here are some
simple dry hair care tips to give your dry, frizzy hair a moisture boost:
1.
Don't wash your hair every day. If you wash your hair every day, you'll deplete
the natural oils in your hair, resulting in hair becoming dull, dry, and frizzy.
Shampoo, at most, every other day.
2. Blow dry your hair as little as possible.
The heat from a blow dryer can aggravate dry, damaged hair and contribute to
formation of split ends. Heat causes expansion of the hair shaft followed by
contraction with cooling. This places a lot of excess stress on the hair,
resulting in breakage. Let you hair dry naturally and save the blow dryer for
days when you're in a real pinch for time and, then, only use it on a low
setting.
3. Don't comb or brush your hair when it's wet. Dry hair is quite
fragile when it's wet. Combing and brushing while the hair is damp can cause
breakage. Let your hair dry naturally before tugging on it with a comb or brush.
4. Use a mild shampoo without a lot of added ingredients. Choose an acidic
shampoo with a pH in the range of 4.5 to 6.5. You want to avoid shampoos that
are alkaline (with a pH above 6.5) since these can promote dryness. The
unfortunate fact is shampoos often contain harsh detergents which can completely
rob your hair of its natural oils. Many of the so called "additives" such as
natural botanicals that sound like they would help dry hair actually have the
opposite effect. The best approach is to choose the shampoo with the mildest
detergent you can find with added humectants like panthenol which can help to
hold water onto the hair shaft to reduce dryness. Don't count on protein
additives to restore or rebuild your hair. Hair is dead and can't be rebuilt.
5.
Follow up your shampoo with a conditioner. Again, don't count on a conditioner
to rebuild or restore your hair since the hair shaft is dead. Conditioners will
coat the hair shaft, thereby giving the hair a moist appearance and make it
easier to style.
6. Keep your hair covered when you're out in the elements. The
elements, particularly the sun, can wreck havoc on dry hair. Wear a large
brimmed hat or scarf to keep direct sunlight off of your hair, not to mention
your face. Don't count on "sun protectants" added to your shampoo. These are
usually washed down the drain when you rinse your hair.
7. When you swim, wear a
bathing cap. The chlorine in pools as well as sun exposure can create big
problems for dry, frizzy hair. Make sure your hair is well protected.
8. Be sure
you're eating a healthy diet. Two dietary deficiencies that can cause hair
breakage and dryness are a diet too low in protein and one that's too low in
fat. Keep a journal of what you eat for a week and use an online nutrition
calculator to make sure you're getting adequate quantities of both of these
important elements.
9. Do a twice weekly scalp massage. A gentle scalp massage
can help to stimulate oil production by the oil glands in the scalp. Be gentle.
You don't want to contribute to dry hair damage and breakage.
10. Use a hot oil
treatment once a week. One home remedy for dry hair is a natural hot oil pack.
Try heating a bowl of olive oil in the microwave until it's warm. Let it set for
a few minutes and then apply to hair from ends to just below the top of the
scalp. Leave on for 20-30 minutes and rinse. Shampoo with a mild formula
designed for dry hair.
11. Avoid using hair dyes and bleach. Bleach is a
particular problem for dry hair. One bleach job may be all your dry hair needs
to experience extensive breakage. Use a natural substance like henna to add some
highlights to your hair. Now that you know how to do dry hair treatments, you
can avoid spending money on dry hair cures that don't work.
Give these
suggestions a try and I'm sure you'll see a difference in the look and texture
of your dry hair.
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