The Best Treatment For Dry Hair

Dry hair looks like unwashed straw. It grows thicker nearer the scalp and thins out towards the ends, thus causing split ends.This hair is caused by heat and the elements, so the first step is prevention: Avoid using overly hot dryers and heat-styling implements and wear a hat or scarf if you’re going to be exposed to sun or wind for long periods (at the beach or skiing, for instance). Don’t wash your hair every day – unless you have an oily scalp.

Silky, shiny hair is a sign of good health. But everybody is not blessed with healthy hair. Every person has a different hair type such as normal, oily or dry. Very few people have normal hair type. Oily hair tend to become sticky quickly. Dry hair can be identified by their rough and dull appearance. They look lifeless with frizziness and split ends. They are difficult to brush or comb. They are susceptible to damage, tangles and breakage.

Treatment for Dry Hair

    * Heat is really what often causes and exacerbates dry hair, which isn’t really surprising – heat causes moisture to evaporate.  Up in the sky above you, there might be a tiny rain cloud that formed from the moisture baked out of your hair.  Probably not, but you get the idea.  There isn’t much you can do to change the weather where you live, unless you move.  But you can reduce the heat inflicted upon your hair in other ways. Here are some tips for healthy hair.
          o Lay off the blow-dryer and irons for a while!  Find a good towel and air-dry instead, if you have the time.  If you need to use a blow-drier, try adjusting to a lower heat setting and reduce the length of time you blow-dry.
          o If you’re out in the dry heat, think about wearing a hat.  Or if you want to sunbathe, use a conditioner that contains sunscreen.
    * Don’t wash your hair too much.  The vast majority of people wash too frequently and apply too much shampoo.  Shampooing your hair less will help relieve dry hair.  Even cutting down to a wash every other day will show improvement in dry hair.
    * Use hair care products that are friendlier to dry hair. Here’s what to look for in these dry hair treatments.
          o Look for shampoos and conditioners that contain humectants, which attract moisture to your hair and help to keep it there.  Often these products contain proteins too, which strengthen your hair.  If you’re hair is getting weighed down and unflattering, you may be using too much conditioner.
          o Low pH shampoos are better for dry hair, since they don’t cause the cuticles to lift.  The cuticle is the outermost protective layer in a strand of hair, and is built like a bunch of scales.   When those scales lift and separate, hair can dry out badly.
          o Speaking of cuticles, using a product with acidifiers can help heal dry hair as well.  Acidifiers help to flatten and fix those lifted, separated cuticle scales.
    * Sebum is not just a fantastic word; the scalp’s secretion of sebum is one of our body’s natural defenses against dry hair.  So what to do when your scalp is oily but your hair is dry?  You need a specific dry hair treatment for this situation.
          o Use those shampoos and conditioners designed to add moisture to your hair, but massage them only into your hair away from the scalp, not the hair where it contacts and interacts with your scalp.  Over washing a scalp can compel the body to secret more sebum anyway, and the hair is what’s dry, so focus on the hair!
          o Find a sebum-like oil that will penetrate cuticles.  Jojoba (another fantastic word) behaves very much like sebum for your hair, so occasionally apply a couple drops of 100% jojoba oil spread through your hair away from the scalp (it doesn’t take much jojoba to notice some improvement in dry hair).
    * Unlike essential oils, most non-essential oils coat the hair, rather than being absorbed into it.  While this may trap whatever moisture your hair is currently holding, it won’t add new moisture and can build up to act as a shield to new moisture that could enter from the conditioner you use.  Applying this kind of oil to hair is similar to putting petroleum jelly on dry, cracked knuckles – those knuckles need moisture treatment too, not just a shield.
    * Also beware of what heat does to oil.  Don’t use a blow-dryer or irons right after treating your hair with oil – you’re just cooking your hair at that point.  Unfortunately the sun can affect your oiled hair in the same way.
    * Chemical hair treatments like perming, relaxing and coloring are foes to humectants and consequently dry out your hair.  If dry hair is a concern, you shouldn’t color, perm or use relaxer until you’ve nurtured your hair back to health.
    * Another weapon we have against dry hair is proper nutrition, so drink plenty of water.  Also be sure that your diet contains the proper essential fatty acids.  We forget that hair health is a reflection of nutrition as well.  It often surprises people that malnutrition causes dry hair, but it’s right up there with other culprits like over washing, heat and chemical damage.

Some Other Treatment for Dry Hair

If you have dry hair, then you should be very watchful about the hair care. You immediately need to seek the treatment for dry hair; else they will get damaged and break easily. You may also suffer from severe hair loss. Here are some effective solutions to treat your dry hair.

    * Don’t more frequently wash you hair. Most people tend to wash hair too frequently and apply shampoos and conditioners. Most shampoos and hair cleaning products consist of harsh chemicals. These chemicals reduce the moisture content of your hair and make them dry.
    * You should use the hair care products that are free from chemicals. Shampoos and conditioners containing humectants are recommended. Humectants attract moisture to the hair and keep them moist. Generally, these products contain proteins, which strengthen the hair. Low pH shampoos are excellent for the hair, as they don’t make the cuticles to lift.
    * Heat is very harmful for dry hair. If you have to spend a lot of time in sunlight, then use a good hair sunscreen. While going outdoor or traveling, protect your hair with a hat or headscarf. Dry your hair naturally whenever possible. Avoid using blow-dryer or hair dryer as much as possible.
    * Avoid use of shampoo for every washing. Instead, rinse them with water only. Don’t use mousse, but use a thickening lotion.
    * Brush your hair frequently using a bristle brush, so that the natural oil spreads in the hair shafts.
    * You can apply a spray-on shine-conditioning product for a short-term use. It offers instant sheen and a healthy-looking appearance.
    * Chemical treatments such as coloring, perming or relaxing make the hair dry and rough. Hence, try to avoid these treatments on your hair.
    * Proper nutrition is very essential for the health of hair. Drink plenty of water everyday, which helps retain the moisture in your hair. Have a balanced and healthy diet, containing abundant proteins and essential fatty acids.