There are so many things that could go wrong with the hair, and dryness is one. While that’s not the most terrible thing that could happen to the hair, it can cause significant damage far greater than what you may imagine. So whenever you notice symptoms of dryness in your hair, the best thing is to tend to it immediately.
There are so many ways to correct dryness in your hair. But hydration is at the core of it all. It involves the addition of moisture to the hair to remove frizz and dryness that could make the hair dry and cause breakage. So if your hair is dry and you want to know how to hydrate and repair it, this article is for you.
Here, we’ll discuss several ways you can hydrate your hair, all of which you can combine to get the wholesome result of fully moisturized hair. But first, let’s discuss hair hydration and why the hair needs it.
What is Hair Hydration?
In simple terms, hydration refers to how the inner layers of the hair, which includes the cortex, the cuticles, and the medulla, absorb and retain enough moisture that prevents it from being dry. It also involves the provision and supply of enough water to hair roots such that the hair grown out appears moisturized and oiled. The hair needs this moisture to remain strong and healthy.
So when it’s not getting enough of it, it becomes dry. And when the hair gets dry, the inner layers of the hair lose their proper functioning. The cuticle especially loses its ability to seal water in oil without the water leaving the hair when it gets in.
Why Does Hair Need Hydration?
Whether your hair is straight, curly, wavy, or loose, it needs hydration for several reasons, which include the following:
To prevent dryness
As we’ve established in the introductory part of this article, dryness poses a significant threat to hair life. And a way to numb this threat is to keep the hair hydrated as often as possible.
To prevent split ends
This occurs when the end of your hair becomes frayed and brittle. It’s often caused by a lack of enough moisture in the hair. So when the hair is hydrated, split ends are prevented.
To maintain hair shine.
One way to keep the hair attractive is to keep it shiny. And to keep the hair shiny, it has to be moisturized as much as it is hydrated.
To improve elasticity
Hair elasticity refers to how long your hair can stretch before going back to its normal state. It’s a good indication of hair strength and health.
To enhance malleability
When your hair is malleable, you can try out whatever styling pattern you want. Apart from this, it becomes easily manageable without the help of your stylist. And one way to achieve this is to keep it hydrated.
Now that you know what hair hydration is and the importance of hydrating your hair, the next thing is to learn ways to hydrate and repair your dry hair.
How to Hydrate and Repair Dry Hair
The following are effective ways to hydrate and repair your dry hair:
1. Choose Correct Products
Instead of riding on products that’ll cause more harm than good, like chemically processed ones, you should choose the correct products that’ll be good for your hair. These products should contain hydrating and moisturizing ingredients to prevent or repair dryness. While this can be difficult to determine, you can use your stylist’s recommendations to pick those that aren’t expensive but still effective.
As an alternative, you can try homemade remedies that are cheaper and will offer similar effects to those products. For example, you can try using natural oils like argan oil, olive oil, and avocado oil, amongst many others. And if you must buy the products, ensure they have these oils as part of the ingredients.
2. Use Hydrating Shampoo
While you’ll find out elsewhere that using shampoo may be harmful, there’s a slight truth. But shampoos are only harmful when they are excessively used. So if the purpose of usage is to prevent dryness and hydrate the hair, you should choose hydrating shampoo.
A hydrating shampoo will supply humectant that’ll perfectly lock moisture in the hair to keep it hydrated for the time it lasts. Another thing it locks in your hair is nutrients that are derived from the ingredients that make up the shampoo.
3. Avoid Heat Application
When you apply heat to your hair, thinking you’re blow-drying or styling it, you may be cooking it without knowing. That’s because most heat tools are fixed at a high degree that may be too hot for the hair. And when this happens, the moisture in the hair gets depleted until there’s nothing left.
Even if you shampoo and condition the hair correctly, heat styling the hair will make it counterproductive because the more moisture is added, the more the heat tools sap out of the hair. So the best way to keep the hair hydrated is to stay away from heat tools.
4. Use Leave-in Hair Conditioner
Conditioning your hair is a way to keep it hydrated. But when you’re choosing your conditioner or applying it, you have to leave it in. Then, after some time, you can decide to wash it off. The longer you leave the conditioner, the more you allow the hair to create more moisture to keep it hydrated. You can use natural oils as conditioners or buy those your stylist recommends.
How Often Should You Hydrate Your Hair
You have to practice these steps once a week if you’re hoping to treat dryness. But if it’s to prevent dryness, you can practice the steps once every two weeks. Whatever your hair condition is, ensure you give your hair proper hydration to prevent dryness. And when you do this, ensure you dry your hair naturally.
In Conclusion
Your hair can’t do without hydration, and it’s a safety hack to maintain its shine and good health, improve malleability and elasticity, and prevent dryness. So make the right choice for your hair.