Hair is made up of the protein keratin, but it is a dead thing. Only the parts closest to the roots are nourished by blood vessels. Despite that, keratin is strong enough to last on its own. However, it can sustain damage from a lot of factors.
Some of the causes of hair damage include:
- Chemical treatments – hair straightening, curling perms, bleaching, coloring, etc
- Unprotected sun exposure – like the rest of the body, the hair can bleach and dry out following sun exposure.
- Heat Styling – exposing hair to heat on a regular basis can damage it and dry it out.
- Too much shampooing – this dries out hair and strips it of its natural oils.
Hair Repair Home Remedies
There are a number of hair care home remedies, some include:
- Egg/Mayo Mask – Egg is a protein and adding to hair can help replenish its shine and softness. The vinegar in the mayonnaise can help too.
- Aloe Vera – this is a very hydrating plant and when applied to the hair can help with the dryness
- Olive Oil with Hot Towel – simulates a hot oil treatment and helps the oils penetrate the damaged hair. Essential oils can help too because they have smaller molecules than olive oil.
- Intermittent Washing – avoid frequent washing because both the shampoo and the water can dry out hair. Only wash when needed or every other or third day.
- Use non-lathering shampoo
- Condition – this will help to replenish the natural oils that hair lost during shampooing
- Do not sleep with wet hair as it can damage hair and leave it dry
- Use silk pillowcases or wear a silk shower cap to bed – this minimizes damage to hair form other beddings like cotton, which can be very rough.
- Do not brush hair when wet – let it air dry. If needed, just pass a wide toothed comb through it.
How to Repair Breakage and Damage
Damage can be dryness, split ends, breakage, falling hair, and so on. When these occur to hair, the best bet would be to cut it off and wait for healthy hair to grow back. However, since that is not for everyone, here are some tips on dealing with breakage and damage:
- Get a trim – at least 3/4 inch to 1 inch from the length every 6 weeks. This helps minimize split ends.
- Use the right styling products and avoid heat and chemical treatments while hair is recovering.
- Use hot oil treatments or leave on conditioners that help to seal the keratin layers.
