Hair is dead, keratinized skin particles. The living structure is the root: it is in it that the cells divide, which allows the hair to grow. The health of the curls, their appearance and often their density depend on whether the root receives the necessary nutrition. In the human skin, in the area of the roots, there are sebaceous glands: they produce fat. It is a natural lubricant that envelops the scales of the hair, oiling them so that they do not bristle, split, break, lay flat, smooth and shiny.
If the hair root receives enough vitamins and the sebaceous glands work smoothly, then even long hair will have enough nutrition, it will look healthy and beautiful. But if some internal processes are disturbed or there are external irritants, the strands begin to separate, break, become lifeless, dry, become overly electrified, lose their shine, elasticity and sometimes even resemble straw.
You can restore damaged hair without even delving into the reasons that provoked the negative changes. But if you identify and then eliminate unfavorable factors, you will get a long-term effect and a more pronounced result. Otherwise, the situation will soon return, which means that you will have to take action again.
Causes of hair damage
From the outside, the hair shaft is protected by a layer of small scales, that is, the cuticle. These scales fit tightly to each other, due to which the hair remains smooth and all vitamins, nutrients and moisture are retained inside. Hair is considered damaged if the cuticle is even partially destroyed, for example, if some of the scales have peeled off, opened or raised. As a result, the flexible elastic rod loses the necessary water and becomes less durable.
In turn, the cuticle is damaged if there is a deficiency of sebum. She can no longer hold and glue the scales, they fall off, the rod remains unprotected and the moisture contained in it quickly evaporates.
Let's look at the most common reasons that cause a deficiency of sebum and subsequent damage to the cuticle.
Lack of vitamins and trace elements
When the roots receive the necessary vitamins and trace elements, they deliver them to the entire hair shaft. Vitamins also help to regulate the work of the sebaceous glands, that is, they provide a strong protective film on the cuticle.
All vitamins and trace elements are important for health, but if you want to take care of your hair first, then see if you are deficient in vitamins A, B, C, D, E. Vitamin A (retinol) improves the condition of the scalp, vitamins of groupB normalizes the production of sebum, accelerates the processes of cell division, C (ascorbic acid) and D are useful for hair follicles, E helps the body to better absorb the listed vitamins. Also see if you are deficient in zinc, copper, iron, calcium, selenium, manganese, silicon, phosphorus, as they help the hair retain moisture and have a good effect on the condition of the sebaceous glands.
Add to your diet fish oil, beef liver, meat (white, red), fatty fish, carrots, broccoli, herbs, sea buckthorn, peppers, citrus fruits, nuts, beans, buckwheat, oatmeal, eggs, milk, vegetable oils.
Take multivitamin complexes after illness, as well as at the end of winter and spring, when the amount of useful elements in food is reduced. Hair is one of the first structures to suffer from a micronutrient deficiency, since it is more important for the body to nourish the tissues on which life and health directly depend.
Lack of moisture
When the cuticle is damaged, the hair loses the moisture it needs. But the deficiency can also occur for other reasons, for example, if there is not enough water in the body itself. If you do not drink the prescribed amount per day, it will negatively affect the production of sebum.
The recommendation is simple: drink about 2 liters of clean water every day - this is a universal amount. And if you want to calculate your personal rate, then multiply 30 ml by your weight. Increase your dose if you exercise or sweat a lot. You need to drink water: the body perceives soups and juices as food, and coffee even causes dehydration. If plain water is not tasty, add mint, lemon or cucumber to it. Drink before meals, do not forget to drink a glass on an empty stomach immediately after waking up.
With a lack of moisture, the body behaves as if there is a lack of vitamins, i. e. is. first normalizes the work of the most important organs.
Eating junk food
The amount of nutrients is minimal in fatty, fried, spicy foods, rolls, baked goods, sugary sodas and alcohol. If you eat such foods or drink alcohol, the body will feel full, but it will not receive trace elements important for functioning. But don't think that you can eat junk food and drink multivitamin complexes to compensate for vitamin deficiency. The fact is that these products contain elements that constrict blood vessels, negatively affect hormone levels, increase blood pressure and further burden the body. Even the supply of vitamins from the outside will not be able to neutralize the damage.
Sometimes you can afford to eat something greasy or spicy, but you shouldn't get carried away.
Smoking
Tobacco contains harmful substances in large quantities. It also constricts the blood vessels, so the small capillaries that feed the hair roots can even completely stick together and the follicles will not receive the necessary nutrition.
Improper care, aggressive hairdressing procedures
The cuticle can be damaged from the outside, for example, if it is overdried, injured or exposed to too high temperatures. The following are considered harmful:
- Poor quality cosmetics. Perhaps the shampoo, conditioner or other products do not nourish the tissues enough, contain less vitamins than your strands need, are not suitable for your hair type and therefore do not solve your problems with curls. It is important not to dry your hair, but it is also harmful to moisturize it too much. If all the necessary fat comes from the outside, it will disrupt the natural functioning of the sebaceous glands. The solution is simple - choose the products that are completely suitable for you.
- Improper washing. Don't wash your hair too often - this will only wash away the natural protective layer. Find your optimal hair washing frequency.
- Overheating. Irons, hot air dryers, straighteners, flat irons and other thermal devices evaporate moisture from the surface of the hair. For the same reason, it is not recommended to wash your hair with hot water or walk without a hat under the hot sun. Minimize the use of heat appliances, take a break from them at least one week a month and apply heat protection. If you use a hair dryer, choose a cool air setting and direct the wind in the direction of hair growth, that is, from the roots to the ends - this will smooth the cuticle.
- Aggressive procedures. Curling, dyeing, highlighting, bleaching - such procedures destroy the structure of the hair. For example, the compositions used in coloring lift the scales of the cuticles to wash away the natural pigment. If you cannot refuse aggressive procedures, then dye only the restored ends, use good dyes, and then use intensive care designed specifically for dyed hair.
- Mechanical damage. You can not comb wet hair, rub it with a towel, use a hard brush, for example a metal one, constantly use tight elastic bands, hairpins or keep a towel on your head for a long time.
Diseases
Anemia, hormonal changes, diseases of the digestive and circulatory systems have the most serious impact on the condition of the hair and scalp. For example, if a person has pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, then the vitamins and trace elements contained in food will not be fully absorbed and will not enter the bloodstream and, therefore, the hair follicles.
Always monitor your health, visit a doctor if necessary, undergo an annual medical examination and do not develop chronic diseases.
How to restore damaged hair
Since the hair shaft is made up of dead cells, it cannot obtain nourishment on its own; Therefore, it is important to take care of her health. You also need to restore the cuticle: if you do not glue the scales together, then all the vitamins that come from the root will still not be retained inside.
Is hair restoration possible at all?
The hair shaft is dead cells, they cannot be revived and their nutrition depends only on the roots. If the necessary moisture is lost from the hair, it cannot be fully restored. It is believed that the damaged strands should be cut off and then only the hair follicles should be worked on so that the growing strands are healthy and strong.
But not everyone is ready to cut their hair short, so cosmetics come to the rescue. It has several tasks:
- Acceleration of hair growth. Even if you are not ready to part with the length, you will cut the ends more often, so gradually you will completely remove the damaged strands.
- Give vitamins to the roots. The hair that grows back will be healthy.
- Glue the scales on the cuticles. This will be a temporary effect - the flakes will still spread. But if you constantly use good cosmetics, they will constantly stick together.
If you want to quickly get rid of damaged hair, you can't do without good cosmetics.
What cosmetics should I use?
- Shampoo. Look for products designed to restore damaged curls - this action is usually written on the packaging. It is good if the composition contains oils, glycerin, panthenol. Choose a shampoo according to your hair type and pH level. If you have dry hair, the acidity level of the hair conditioner should be below 5.
- Conditioner conditioner. Don't neglect it, because it is this product that seals raised scales, gives hair smoothness and helps retain moisture. For dry hair, the pH of the conditioner should be 4 or lower. If the acidity level is not indicated, see what effect the product has. Nourishing conditioner ensures rapid growth of healthy hair, protective conditioner will help you if you often use thermal styling tools and walk in the sun without a hat, conditioner will provide easy combing, which is especially important for long, thick or thin hair, and conditionerfor color protection will help to preserve the color and therefore reduce the frequency of re-staining. Usually, conditioners are applied only along the length, without affecting the roots, but there are products that act directly on the skin - this is what it says on the label. Regardless of the effect, you should leave the conditioner on for a few minutes and only then rinse it off.
- Masks. They cannot fill the hair follicles and stems with moisture, but they actively nourish and fill them with useful substances. But don't use masks too often - 2-3 times a week is enough. Otherwise, they will only weigh down the hair, overfeed it, disrupting the natural mechanisms of regulation, nutrition and hydration. As a result, dependence on masks can develop, and in some cases, even the opposite effect is possible: products that are supposed to moisturize will eventually begin to dry the strands. And apply the masks correctly: anti-hair loss products are applied primarily to the scalp, and cosmetic masks are applied along the entire length, 5-10 cm from the roots.
- Lotions, oils. Such products do not need to be washed off, so they act on the hair continuously and restore it well. Oils and lotions are applied to damaged dry or wet ends after each hair wash and effectively fight the exfoliation of cuticle cells, i. e. is. help to restore the structure of the hair. Many products have a cumulative effect, which increases if you use cosmetics constantly. But make sure the oils don't weigh your hair down; don't apply too much or the strands will look greasy.
It is good to use all products, not just one, and it is even better to choose cosmetics from one line. Most often, such products mutually enhance their effects, so you will get the desired result faster than if you use only one thing.
Home remedies
The best effect is provided by proven professional products that are sold in pharmacies and specialized stores. But their effect can be supplemented with the help of folk masks: egg, honey, fruit, yogurt, kefir, henna.
Herbal decoctions have proven themselves well, especially from nettle, burdock root, hop cones, burdock, dandelion, chamomile, birch leaves, string, sage, calendula, St. John's wort, lemon balm, linden blossom. Use them after washing your hair or even every day. Prepare the decoctions immediately before use; do not store them, as the useful substances they contain are quickly destroyed.