Dealing with Dry Hair

We all have bad hair days every once in a while. But when your hair is perpetually dry, you tend to experience even worse hair days than the average person. This is because dry hair brings with it a host of problems; from tangling, to split ends, to dandruff.  Here are a few recommendations to help make your hair less dry and more manageable.

Drink lots of water

In most cases, people have dry hair because their bodies are simply not getting the required daily fluid. Your skin and hair are the first to suffer from lack of water because when your body loses some of its water content, it starts drawing water from those parts of the body that need it less and redistributes to the essential organs like the heart, lungs, liver, etc. So, make sure you drink adequate amounts of water every day and avoid substituting water with other liquids such as juices or coffee.  Colas and coffee speed up the loss of water from your body and will have negative effects on your skin and hair. There is no substitute to plain water.

Oil your hair

In addition to being properly hydrated, your hair also needs to be enriched with natural oils. This will soften your hair and provide it with the nourishment it requires. Olive oil is considered to be the best oil to achieve healthy hair. Apply some olive oil to your hair daily, to make it easier to comb and style. If you do not have access to olive oil, you could use coconut oil as an alternative.

Shampoo less often

When your hair is dry, it means it is running low on a lot of essentials including nutrients. Hence you cannot afford to lose nutrients from your hair as they will take some time to replenish.  Some shampoos are full of chemicals like acids and detergents. While they do a very good job ridding your hair of dirt and grime, they also tend to strip away the natural protective layer of oil that covers your hair. People with oily hair may not care so much about this as the lost oil layer is replaced soon. But people with dry hair cannot replace the oil layer so quickly, which leaves the hair dry and tangled. So, avoid shampooing your hair too often if it is prone to dryness. Shampooing your hair twice a week is enough to keep it clean. Also, be cautious of the brand of shampoo you use. Opt for mild shampoos made of natural ingredients like Aloe Vera.

Condition your hair

Shampooing your hair alone is never enough. It needs to be supplemented with further treatments, and conditioner is arguably the most important after-shower care you could give your hair. A conditioner forms a kind of protective layer over the hair and seals in its moisture. This goes a long way towards preventing your hair from breaking or developing split ends. Again, opt for a conditioner with natural ingredients. It doesn’t have to be expensive. You could also keep a bottle of leave-in conditioner on hand for when your hair feels dry or tangled during the day. Just apply a small amount to your hair to smoothen out the tangles.

From: Indiaparenting.com

By Akaomachi B.