Dry Hair Treatments: 9 Simple DIY Dry Hair Treatments

Dealing with dry hair is inevitable, between using products with harmful chemical ingredients, too hot styling tools, to coloring or exposure to extreme temperature.

Our hair goes through a lot! And all these ultimately strip it off of its essential natural oils and nutrients.

So, exactly what is dry hair? We say it is the type that is dull, brittle and usually difficult to manage.

Causes

1. Overdoing it

Dry hair can be a result of overdoing something ‘good’; from heat styling to over-shampooing to chemical treatments (dyeing, straightening, perming). Reducing the use of heat styling tools, shampooing at least two to three times in a week and possibly ditching the chemical-based products for organic or natural-based ingredients may alleviate this dryness.

2. Extreme temperatures

Cold, hot or windy weather causes our hair and scalp to lose moisture quickly, leaving it dry, brittle and lifeless.

3. Diet and nutrition

Healthy hair is a reflection of healthy nutrition. Eating the right diet composed of foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B5 and A are essential to make your tresses healthy and shiny.

4. Medications

Anti-depressants, antibiotics, acne medications, weight loss drugs among other medications are associated with not only dryness ness but brittleness it being unhealthy.

5. Health issues and dryness 

In some cases, this problem is associated with other underlying health problem as noted in Health line, if you are concerned about the causes kindly seek medical advice from your doctor. The health conditions associated with hair dryness include;

• Malnutrition: This is a condition that results from not eating adequate amounts of food, healthy food. This condition is one of the symptoms of malnutrition.
• Anorexia nervosa: an eating disorder that leads people to lose excess weight to unhealthy degrees. This is one of the common symptoms of anorexia nervosa.
• Hyperparathyroidism: an endocrine disorder that results from inadequate secretion of parathyroid hormones that are responsible for controlling the use and the release of calcium, usually characterized by dry hair.
• Hypothyroidism: insufficient production of hormones from the thyroid gland responsible for body functions related to protein and energy.
• Menkes kinky syndrome: This syndrome is a severe genetic disease. This disease causes irregular absorption of copper leading to irregularities in the structure of bones, hair, blood vessels and the nerve function.
• Genetics and age: genes are hereditary, similar to dryness including the scalp. As we age, the natural ability of our body to release natural and essential oils.

Best treatments: Simple DIY remedies and masks

There are numerous treatments that you can simply make from your kitchen, the best part is these treatments are cost-effective, made of natural ingredients and have the potential to give you the best results compared to high-end dry hair treatments. Livestrong and style craze highlight the following dry hair treatments to be the best for restoring, luster and life.

Hot oil scalp massages

Hot oils massages are the best for giving it a deep conditioning treatment as well as moisturize it. This type of treatment has existed for ages and is popular for preventing further damage and restoring already dried up hair.

Hot oil treatments are the best and most effective treatments and best of all, it’s cost-effective. An added advantage of hot oil treatments is the fact that you can custom blend essential oils to suit your preferences as well as hair type.

Hot oil dry hair treatment.

Essential oils: almond, olive, jojoba, coconut(you don’t necessarily need to use these specific oils you can substitute and personalize with other essential oils such as sandalwood, lavender, rosemary, geranium oils which are specifically perfect.

Take two tablespoons of each essential oil and mix them up, Heat the mixture to lukewarm (using a water bath) then gently massage into hair and scalp. Wrap it in a towel for 30minutes then wash it as usual.

Egg and water

Egg yolk is another amazing treatment and all you need is just two egg yolks

Separate the yolks from the whites, add some water at least three tablespoons and beat the mixture

Apply it and leave it for 30 minutes before rinsing. Use cool water to wash off the treatment to prevent the egg from cooking and also control the smell.

Avocado and egg hair mask

Mash avocado and mix it up with the egg, apply to wet hair, let it stay for 20 min.

This mask is perfect for restoring nutrients and vitamins.

In addition, it is rich in essential vitamins, minerals and fatty acids which are guaranteed to make your hair lustrous.

Avocado and banana mask

Avocado and banana mask can’t go unnoticed for their ability to seal moisture and improve elasticity making its stands stronger and softer.

All you need for this mask is one avocado and banana, mash them up, apply them and let it stay for 30 minutes before washing it off.

The best part about this mask treatment is the fact that avocado and banana are rich in natural oils that condition and nourishes the scalp and dry hair.

Honey mask

Honey based masks are perfect for sealing and binding moisture to your hair as well as conditioning it.

All you need is honey and some essential oils such as jojoba, coconut or olive oil.

Mix up the ingredients until you get a consistent formula, apply from hair roots, working your way to the ends or tips which are the driest and fragile part.  Leave the hair mask for 20-30 minutes then rinse it off.

Yogurt, egg and honey mask

Yogurt strengthens and adds shine to dry, brittle hair; while eggs are responsible for restoring fats and proteins as well as moisturize and remove unwanted oils without interfering with hair’s natural moisture.

All you need is two eggs a tablespoon of honey and two for yogurt

Mix the ingredients in a bowl, start by beating the egg then add yogurt and honey until they form a creamy, smooth paste. Apply the mixture and leave it for 20-30 minutes before rinsing it off with cool or cold water to avoid the egg from ‘cooking’.

According to Herbal Treatments for Healthy Hair by Greta Breed love as noted in Live strong, this mask is best for deep conditioning dry hair. It leaves manageable, smooth and soft:  this is due to the anti-oxidant in mayonnaise notes style craze.

All you need is a cup full of mayonnaise.  Wet it then apply it along with your strand, focusing more on the very or extremely sections. Let it stay while covered with a shower cap for 20-30 minutes then rinse it off with water and shampoo.

Apple cider vinegar(ACV)

An ACV treatment is perfect for removing product buildups.

All you need is two cups of water and two tablespoons of ACV. Mix them up, wash and condition your hair as usual and use the ACV and water solution as the final rinse.

An ACV rinse keeps it looking lustrous, smooth and clean.

What to do with dry hair

1. Dry hair shampoo is the way to go: chose formulas that are packed with nourishing agents, when washing it start from the root and work your way up to the ends of your shaft while lathering up the shampoo using your fingertips.
2. The magic of using cold water: instead of using hot or lukewarm, wash it using cold water -or at least do the final rinsing with cold water. Coldwater ensures that the ‘scales’ on the cuticles lay flat and tighten together along the hair shaft thus sealing in nutrition and moisture to give you the perfect shine, smoothness and healthy manes.
3. Deep conditioning: deep conditioning at least a week is very important; it tames the tangles and repairs your tresses. Conditioning is also perfect for rehydrating it and enriching it with optimum nutrients to make it look livelier.
4. Avoid over-detangling: detangle or brush it at most twice a day and after it is completely dry using a boar bristle brush but when wet, gentle detangle using a wide-toothed comb.
5. Over or under shampooing: refrain from shampooing it more than thrice on a weekly basis, over-shampooing strips off sebum which is essential for protecting and nourishing it
6. Your hair is a reflection of your health: Nourish the health of your hair inside out, consider your eating habits, concentrate on eating a balanced meal enriched with vitamins, proteins, mineral salts, and fatty acids and watch it gaining vibrancy.
7. If you must use heat styling tools, use a texturizing cream to protect from the heat, preferably use cold air and wild boar brush for styling.
8. Trim your split ends: the ends are the most sensitive part of your hair, trim them at two to three times in a month.