Why do I have dry hair?

Dry hair can be a real problem for the overall health of your scalp. Dry hair can lead to breakage, hair loss and skin complaints on the top of the head.

Dry hair is normally the result of the scalp not making enough oil to moisturise the hair – or your hair, for whatever reason, allowing moisture to escape.

Your hair relies on these natural oils to keep it lubricated. Without this moisture, there is no natural lubrication which means hair is not moisturised and loses its lustre.

Sometimes, hair doesn’t make enough oil, which leads to dry hair. (Likewise, roots in overdrive lead to oily and greasy hair.) As you age, your hair naturally makes less oil. Since the roots are under your skin, dry scalp goes along with dry hair. Dry scalp peels and sheds, leading to dandruff flakes on your shoulders.

On every strand of your hair are little tile likes structures called cuticles. These protect your hair from heat and sun damage. On healthy hair they lie compact, close to each other to retain moisture. On dry hair, these cuticles separate and peel losing the ability to hold on to moisture

So what is causing this to happen, and how can we correct it?

Some things that damage the hair according to WebMD:

• Over-washing or using a harsh shampoo strips away your hair’s natural oils
• Blow drying your hair too often — especially when you apply alcohol-based styling products first
• Using heated hair straighteners or curling irons
• Exposing your hair to lots of sun, wind, or dry air
• Applying chemical treatments, including dyes, perms, and relaxers

How can we improve dry hair?

• Wash your hair less often. You may be able to get away with washing once or twice a week instead of every day (many people can). As a bonus, when you shampoo less frequently, you won’t need to blow dry and heat-style it as much.
• Use a mild shampoo made specifically to help dry hair because it will have fewer drying detergents – like La Biosthetique Shampoo Dry Hair – Conditioning Cleansing for Dry Hair.
• Use hair products that don’t have alcohol because it is drying.
• Follow the shampoo with a moisturizing conditioner. It will keep cuticles lying flat so they hold in natural oils.
• Massage jojoba oil or coconut oil into your scalp to replenish moisture.