We all want smooth, lustrous hair that’s voluminous and doesn’t fall. However, exposure to sun, pollution, unclean water, poor hair grooming habits, heat styling and chemical treatments, among other things like poor diet, insufficient water intake, and hormonal imbalances can lead to frizzy, dry, and dull hair that tangles easily. These may also cause one to develop split ends that may further lead to hair loss - all signs of damaged hair. But with a little bit of tender love and care every now and then, coupled with the use of some natural remedies, one will be able to not only manage damaged hair problems but also get rid of them entirely. Read on to find out how!
However, before we get into it, let us look at what exactly happens when hair gets damaged.
What is damaged hair?
The hair shaft is typically made of three layers - the first one, i.e. the innermost layer known as the medulla, the second one containing the keratin fibers and melanin called the cortex, and the third and outer layer comprising the dead and overlapping cells known as the cuticle. Your hair gets damaged when the outer hair cuticles get affected, causing it to expose the hair cortex within, ruining the hair’s structural integrity in its entirety.
When you have healthy hair, its cuticles are flat and uniform, which further secures the moisture and safeguards the innermost layers to maintain its natural smoothness and lustre. If you use a lot of harsh products to chemically treat your hair, or expose it to too much pollution and sunlight, your hair cuticles will likely separate, altering its texture and structure entirely. Consequently, your hair will look unmanageable, dry, frizzy and damaged.
Natural Remedies for Damaged Hair
If you are tired of your damaged hair, we have 7 easy natural remedies to treat and manage it at home. So what are we waiting for? Let’s look at some of the hair care tips for damaged hair.
Egg Yolks
There’s a lot of anecdotal evidence, which suggests that egg yolks play an important role in repairing and naturally treating damaged hair. Thoroughly whisk eggs in a bowl and apply the whisked yolk to your scalp and dry hair. After keeping it like that for 30 minutes to an hour, wash it off with cool water and shampoo. Eggs are also the best natural conditioner for your dry hair. If you don’t feel like applying eggs to your hair, apply hair products that have them as an ingredient. Not only do they make your hair soft but also aid in hair growth.
Coconut Oil
When it comes to hair problems, coconut oil comes to the rescue in ways more than one. Since childhood we were told to apply coconut oil from time to time to get strong, shiny, long hair. Massaging your scalp with coconut oil tends to heal the damage caused to the hair thanks to the lauric acid that it contains, which is rich in proteins. This causes the oil to penetrate deep into the hair shaft and prevents the cuticle from getting damaged. That is how we get smooth, healthy and shiny hair.
Aloe Vera
This succulent plant is the one-stop solution to all your hair problems. As an ingredient passed down by the generations, aloe vera plays a vital role in fighting dandruff, dryness, hair loss, and more. It acts as the perfect hair fall solution, conditioner and moisturiser all in one. The gel that you get from a freshly-cut aloe vera plant is known for its antifungal and antibacterial properties, which helps in clearing conditions like scalp itching, dry scalps, or even brittle hair- all signs of damaged hair.
Amla
Indian gooseberry, as it is also known, is used extensively in Ayurveda for treating hair damage. The juice of the fruit adds nourishment to the hair and aids in hair growth whereas dried amla powder prevents premature greying of hair. You can try using Wellbeing Nutrition’s ACV+ as it has a powerful blend of amla with other spices. Just dilute it in water and rinse your hair with it and you will be surprised with the results!
Olive Oil
This is one of the most commonly recommended home remedies for damaged hair. If you are someone who has chemically treated hair, a head massage daily using this oil will do wonders for your hair. It helps hydrate the scalp, reduce dandruff, add lustre to dry hair, and lessen the rigid split ends. Research has shown that virgin olive oil is rich in vitamin E that helps nurture hair at its roots and prevent breakage and dryness.
Henna
Applying henna to your hair is another way to nourish and condition your damaged hair. When mixed with water and applied, henna adds lustre and nourishment to your hair. By penetrating into the hair shaft, henna secures the hair protein, keratin. Furthermore, it helps in strengthening the hair cuticles, thickening the hair strands, preventing them from breaking.
Avoid brushing your hair too much
Avoid brushing your hair too much as it could lead to breakage and hair fall. It is ideal to use a wooden comb as that would massage the scalp and evenly distribute the natural oils throughout your scalp and even enhance circulation, promoting better hair growth.
Additionally, consume a diet rich in fibrous fruits and vegetables, sleep better, exercise regularly and keep yourself hydrated as they all contribute to improving the overall health of your hair. You can also wash the scalp with diluted Apple Cider Vinegar.
While there are plenty of supplements that will repair damaged hair, you can try out Wellbeing Nutrition's Healthy Hair Melts, which are formulated using a natural form of Biotin. This promises to work wonders on the keratin structure of all types of hair. It also contains fo-ti extract, saw palmetto, bamboo extract, and zinc, which improves the overall wellbeing of your hair and scalp.
References:
- Healthy Hair: What Is it?, Rodney D.Sinclair, Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings, (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X15526559)
- Naturally Occurring Hair Growth Peptide: Water-Soluble Chicken Egg Yolk Peptides Stimulate Hair Growth Through Induction of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Production, Toshio Nakamura, Haruo Yamamura,
Kyungho Park, Caroline Pereira. (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324049365_Naturally_Occurring_Hair_Growth_Peptide_Water-Soluble_Chicken_Egg_Yolk_Peptides_Stimulate_Hair_Growth_Through_Induction_of_Vascular_Endothelial_Growth_Factor_Production) - Rele AS, Mohile RB. Effect of mineral oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil on prevention of hair damage. Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2003 Mar-Apr;54(2):175-192. (https://europepmc.org/article/med/12715094)
- Medicinal and cosmetological importance of Aloe vera, M. Imran Qadir, International Journal of Natural Therapy, (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233818204_Medicinal_and_cosmetological_importance_of_Aloe_vera)
- Plants used for hair growth promotion: A review
Rathi, Vaishali; Rathi, Jagdish; Tamizharasi, S; Pathak, Anupam.Pharmacognosy Reviews; Bangalore Vol. 2, Iss. 3, (Jan 2008): 185-187.(https://www.proquest.com/openview/59fd1b204b96965653291aeb6fe4081b/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=226460) - Development and efficacy evaluation of hair care formulations containing vegetable oils and silicone, Marcella Gabarra Almeida Leite,
Patricia Maria Berardo Gonçalves Maia Campos, International Journal of Phytocosmetics and Natural Ingredients, DOI:10.15171/ijpni.2018.09, (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332582347_Development_and_efficacy_evaluation_of_hair_care_formulations_containing_vegetable_oils_and_silicone) - Henna hair coloring and/or conditioning compositions, (https://patents.google.com/patent/US4183366A/en)
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