The hair shaft is dead, keratinized skin particles. The living structure is the root: it is in it that the cells divide, allowing 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 root zone, there are sebaceous glands: they produce fat. This is a natural lubricant that envelops the scales of the hair shaft, lubricates them so that they do not bristle, split, break, lie flat, are smooth and shiny.
If the hair root receives a sufficient amount of vitamins, and the sebaceous glands work without failures, then even long hair will have enough nutrition, it will look healthy and beautiful. But if some internal processes are disrupted or there are external irritants, the strands begin to split, 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 you will have to take action again.
Causes of hair damage
On 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 risen. As a result, the flexible elastic rod loses the water it needs and becomes less durable.
In turn, the cuticle is damaged if there is a deficiency of fatty lubricant. 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 fatty lubricant and subsequent damage to the cuticle.
Lack of vitamins and microelements
When the roots receive the vitamins and microelements they need, they provide them to the entire hair shaft. Vitamins also help regulate the functioning of the sebaceous glands, that is, they provide a strong protective film on the cuticle.
All vitamins and microelements are important for health, but if you first want to take care of your hair, then see if you have a deficiency of vitamins A, B, C, D, E. Vitamin A (retinol) improves the condition of the scalp, vitaminsgroups B normalize sebum production, accelerate cell division processes, C (ascorbic acid) and D are beneficial for hair follicles, E helps the body better absorbthe listed vitamins. Also see if you have a deficiency of 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 fish oil, beef liver, meat (white, red), fatty fish, carrots, broccoli, herbs, sea buckthorn, bell peppers, citrus fruits, nuts, beans, buckwheat, oatmeal, eggs, milk, vegetable oils to your diet.
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 that suffers from a deficiency of microelements, 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 shaft loses the moisture it needs. But deficiency can 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, this 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 norm, 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 doesn't taste good, add mint, lemon or cucumber to it. Drink before meals, be sure to drink a glass on an empty stomach as soon as you wake up.
When there is a lack of moisture, the body behaves as if there is a lack of vitamins, that is, it first normalizes the functioning of the most important organs.
Eating harmful foods
The amount of nutrients is minimal in fatty, fried, spicy foods, buns, baked goods, sweet soda, and alcohol. If you eat such foods or drink alcohol, the body will feel full, but will not receive microelements important for functioning. But don’t think that you can eat unhealthy foods and drink multivitamin complexes to compensate for vitamin deficiencies. The fact is that these products contain elements that constrict blood vessels, negatively affect hormonal levels, increase blood pressure, and put extra stress on the body. Even the supply of vitamins from outside will not be able to neutralize the harm.
Sometimes you can allow yourself to eat something fatty or spicy, but you shouldn’t get carried away.
Smoking
Tobacco contains harmful substances in large quantities. It also constricts blood vessels, so the small capillaries that feed the hair roots may even completely stick together, and the follicles will not receive the nutrition they need.
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 shampoo, conditioner or other products do not nourish the tissues enough, contain fewer 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 out your hair, but it is also harmful to moisturize it too much. If all the necessary fat comes from outside, this will disrupt the natural functioning of the sebaceous glands. The solution is simple - choose the products that are completely suitable for you.
- Incorrect washing. Don't wash your hair too often - this will only wash away the natural protective layer. Find your optimal frequency of washing your hair.
- Overheat. Curling irons, hot air hair dryers, straightening irons, curling 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. Reduce the use of thermal devices to a minimum, take a break from them at least one week a month, and apply thermal protection. If you use a hairdryer, choose a cool air setting and direct the wind in the direction of hair growth, that is, from roots to ends - this will smooth the cuticle.
- Aggressive procedures. Perms, dyeing, highlighting, bleaching - such procedures destroy the hair structure. For example, the compositions used in coloring lift the cuticle scales to wash out the natural pigment. If you cannot refuse aggressive procedures, then dye only the regrown ends, use good dyes, and then use intensive care designed specifically for colored hair.
- Mechanical damage. You cannot 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
The most severe effects on the condition of hair and scalp are anemia, hormonal changes, diseases of the digestive and circulatory systems. For example, if a person has pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, then the vitamins and microelements contained in food will not be completely absorbed and will not enter the bloodstream, and therefore, to the hair follicles.
Always monitor your health, visit a doctor as needed, 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 receive nutrition on its own; it is supplied only by the hair follicle. So 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 it possible to restore hair at all?
The hair shaft is dead cells, they cannot be revived, and their nutrition depends only on the roots. If the moisture it needs is lost from the hair, it cannot be completely returned. It is believed that damaged locks need to be cut, and then work only with the hair follicles so that the growing strands are healthy and strong.
But not everyone is ready to have a short haircut, so cosmetics come to the rescue. She has several tasks:
- Accelerate hair growth. Even if you are not ready to part with the length, you will cut off the ends more often, so you will gradually completely remove the damaged strands.
- Give vitamins to the roots. The hair that grows back will be healthy.
- Glue the cuticle scales together. This will be a temporary effect - the scales will still disperse. But if you constantly use good cosmetics, they will constantly stick together.
If you want to quickly get rid of damaged hair, you cannot 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’s good if the composition contains oils, glycerin, panthenol. Choose a shampoo based on your hair type and pH level. If you have dry hair, the acidity level of your hair wash should be below 5.
- Conditioner balm. Don't neglect it, because it is this product that seals the raised scales, gives smoothness to the hair, and helps retain moisture. For dry hair, the pH of the balm should be 4 or lower. If the acidity level is not indicated, see what effect the product has. A nourishing conditioner ensures rapid growth of healthy hair, a protective conditioner will help if you often use thermal styling tools and walk in the sun without a hat, a conditioning conditioner will ensure easy combing, which is especially important for long, thick or thin hair, and a color-protective conditioner will help preserve color and therefore reducefrequency of re-staining. Usually, balms are applied only to the length, without affecting the roots, but there are products that act directly on the skin - this is written on the label. Regardless of the effect, you need to leave the balm on for a few minutes and only then rinse it off.
- Masks. They cannot fill the hair follicles and shafts with moisture, but they actively nourish them and fill them with useful substances. But do not 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, a dependence on masks may develop, and in some cases, even the opposite effect is possible: products that are supposed to moisturize will eventually begin to dry out the strands. And apply masks correctly: anti-hair loss products are applied primarily to the scalp, and cosmetic masks are applied to the entire length, 5-10 cm away 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 combat the delamination of cuticle cells, that is, they help restore the hair structure. Many products have a cumulative effect, which increases if you use cosmetics constantly. But make sure that the oils do not weigh down your hair; do not apply too much, otherwise the strands will look greasy.
It’s good if you use all the products, not just one, and even better if you choose cosmetics from one line. Most often, such products enhance each other's 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 specialty 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 decoctions immediately before use; do not store them, as the beneficial substances they contain are quickly destroyed.