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About Dry Hair
by Carole Vansickle
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Overview
Dry hair is difficult to style and an unattractive accessory regardless of the occasion. If you have dry hair, you are probably aware of the myriad problems that accompany it, such as split ends and raggedy haircuts. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to restore dry hair to its natural health.
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Causes
Dry hair can be caused by a variety of factors. In the winter, everyone's hair gets a little drier due to the cold, dry air. You can also dry out your hair with products like bleaches or through excessive heat styling. Some people just naturally have dry, brittle hair, but almost any cause of dry hair can be eliminated once it is identified.
Dry hair is often caused by too much heat styling.
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Significance
Were dry hair not such a major styling inconvenience, few people would likely care about having it. However, dry hair cannot hold a soft, pretty curl, and it often frizzes. Even worse, you cannot enjoy many high-fashion haircuts with dry hair, because the hair simply cannot hold a shape. Dry hair often indicates other problems, too, such as vitamin deficiencies.
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Identification
If you are not sure you have dry hair, take a close look in the mirror. Run a clean brush through your hair. If more than one or two strands of hair appear in the brush, you likely have dry hair that is breaking off. Also, watch closely when you are styling your hair. If you have trouble getting the ends of your hair to lie evenly, or if you cannot direct your hair using light heat like a curling iron, you may have dry hair. Excessive split ends are also a strong indication that you have dry hair.
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Prevention/Solution
Dry hair can be caused by a variety of factors, but you do not have to suffer through it forever. You can treat dry hair with deep-conditioning treatments, which coat the hair and give it more strength and volume. Also, try not to bleach or straighten your hair more often than every 6 weeks. Avoid heat styling whenever possible. If you have extremely fine, dry hair, you can certainly condition your hair each day, but you may want to try shampooing only every 2 to 4 days. Shampoo strips hair of vital nutrients and exacerbates dry hair.
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Misconceptions
Many people think that dry hair is just something that they are born with. However, although it is true that some people's hair is naturally drier than others', if you are having trouble with breakage or split ends, your hair is drier than it should be. By taking a daily vitamin to ensure that you are getting your daily nutritional requirements, and treating your hair with restorative conditioners and using a greater degree of care when styling, you can get rid of dry hai,r regardless of your genes.
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Warning
If you cannot repair your dry hair with vitamins and conditioning treatments, and you do not color your hair, some other health issue may be at work. Consult your doctor to determine if there is a larger problem to be treated. Checking on anomalies like this can save your life, so do not delay your consultation.
