Dry Hair Treatment ... For Dummies!
Dry hair is due to a lack of moisture and more importantly humectants and lipids (essential fatty acids). Signs of dried hair are dullness, dry or rough feeling, split ends, frizziness, and it is difficult to comb or brush.
Causes of Dry Hair
• Environmental damage - sun, heat, outside chemicals.
• Mechanical damage - blow drying, curling irons, hot rollers.
• Chemical damage - perms, color, bleach.
• Some people have hair that is naturally dry; there is no natural wet.
In each case lipids are lost from the hair. These lipids are humectants which attract and hold moisture into the hair. They must be replaced.
The key is to increase the hair’s ability to attract and retain moisture.
Solutions for Dry Hair
• If you spend a lot of time in the strong sunlight, use a hair sunscreen or protect your hair with a headscarf or hat.
• Allow your hair to air dry wherever possible. When you must use your hairdryer, blow drying hair should be done correctly - use it on a cooler temperature and aim it down the hair shaft.
• Be careful not to over wash dry hair. It's very easy to strip away the natural oils if you wash it too often.
• Use a moisturizing shampoo. Condition after every shampoo.
• Rinse with water alone on off days.
• Do not use mousse on dry hair, use a thickening lotion instead.
• Use safflower oil or olive oil. Both are wonderful conditioners for dry hair:
Home remedies for dry hair
Safflower oil
1. Place a couple of drops of safflower oil in your palms and rub them together;
2. Take your dry hair and massage the small amount of oil to the ends first and work toward the scalp;
3. Leave this in your hair. Here is another dry hair remedy:
Olive oil
1. Warm up half a cup of olive oil;
2. Massage it through the hair;
3. Wrap your hair in plastic, and then in a warm towel;
4. Leave for 30 minutes;
5. Wash out using a shampoo suited for dry hair.
