Dry Hair- Causes and Treatment

Dry hair is a common concern for both men and women. There are many external and internal factors that play a role. In this post, we will explore the possible causes and treatment.

Dry Scalp?

A dry scalp can happen when the glands near the hair follicles don’t produce enough sebum. Normally, sebum protects the hair, giving it a shiny and glossy appearance. If the scalp produces too little oil, the hair lacks a natural protective oily layer to shield it from environmental damage.

Reduced sebum can be caused by a number of things. Externally- frequent shampooing, harsh chemicals, dry and cold air. Internally- lack of proper nutrients, vitamins, even Hashimoto's and other health issues. When the scalp is dry and lacking sebum, it causes our hair to be dry, brittle, and split at the ends.

Dry Ends?

If the ends of your hair are splitting, stiff, appearing lighter than the rest of your hair, or breaking off, you need to address one of these causes of dry hair.

• Internal Factors: vitamin or mineral deficiency, improper nutrition, health problems, medication.

• External Factor: high heat or over-use of hot tools, cold air or lack of humidity, harsh chemical treatments like highlighting or perming, over-washing, or improper use of hair product.

"Dry" Diet

If we don’t give our bodies enough good-quality nutrients, it can lead to excessive scalp dryness and hair breakage. Essential fatty acids like Omega-3, proteins, and minerals such as zinc, copper, and calcium are vital for the scalp and hair.

Stress and a Weakened Immune System

Hair is one of the best indicators of our overall health. Since hair is not "vital" for our bodies to function, it is the last thing to receive nutrients. When under stress or a weakened immune system, our hair can become brittle, lifeless, and even start to fall out.

Aging

As we age and particularly as our hair starts to gray, the quality can become less manageable with a rougher hair texture.

Treating Dry Hair Internally

When it comes to dry brittle hair, we need to supplement for the vitamins and minerals that are lacking. In order to find out this information, I recommend an Epigenetic Hair Follicle Analysis. This is over 30 pages of information that can help track down what's missing or off kilter in the body.

Common Supplements for This Issue Include:

• OMEGA-3 and OMEGA-6

• Copper

• Zinc

• Iron

• Vitamin A

• Vitamin C

• Vitamin E

• Selenium

If your ends are dry and splitting due to a health problem or medication, it is best to figure out that root cause first and foremost. Treating our health issues will help our hair come back to life as it is reflected.

Treating Dry Hair Externally

Utilizing the proper hair products is essential. Is your hair lacking moisture or protein? Our hair is made of 95% keratin which is a protein. Protein requires moisture to hold onto.

Hair Oiling: When I suggest applying oil to the hair, I only recommend applying to the ends. I use 100% pure argan oil because the molecules of this oil are small enough to penetrate the hair shaft and absorb. Avoid oils like coconut oil where the molecules are larger and only coat the external hair shaft. Hair oiling is great to do in between wash days as our ends are losing moisture.

Keratin Complex Treatments: Please note that no two keratin treatments are the same. Not only are Keratin Complex treatments great for smoothing, but they are also healing to the hair and cumulative. The specific keratin in these treatments is bio-identical to the keratin in our own hair and our hair accepts it as its own. These treatments are great for protecting dry ends and healing over time.

Deep Conditioning Treatments: Allowing our hair a deep conditioning treatment once a week will also improve the quality of our hair. These treatments should be customized to your specific hair type and needs.

THINGS TO AVOID:

• Products enriched with chemicals

• Products high in alcohol (hairsprays, hair lacquer)

• Drying products (dry shampoos, root lifters)

• High heat styling

• Over-washing

• Extreme sunlight exposure

• At-Home hair color

• Overly salty or sugary foods

If you're finding it difficult to treat your dry hair, seeking a local Trichologist will be beneficial! Springfield Trichology Clinic is located in Springfield, IL. and we would love to customize a treatment plan for you.

Let us know if you plan to try any of our suggestions or have any questions about this post! Comment below what you think of this article or what you want us to post about next.

-Sam Stevens, Trichologist