The hair shaft is made up of dead, keratinized skin particles. The living structure is the root: it is where cells divide, allowing hair to grow. The health of the curls, their appearance and often their density depend on the roots receiving the necessary nutrition. In human skin, in the root zone, there are sebaceous glands: they produce fat. It is a natural lubricant that envelops the scales of the hair shaft, lubricating them so that they do not bristle, crack, break, lie flat, remain smooth and shiny.
If the hair roots receive a sufficient amount of vitamins and the sebaceous glands work flawlessly, even long hair will have enough nutrition, will look healthy and beautiful. But if some internal processes are interrupted or there are external irritants, the strands begin to crack, break, become lifeless, dry out, become excessively electrified, lose their shine, elasticity and sometimes even look like straw.
You can restore damaged hair without even delving into the reasons that caused the negative changes. But if you identify and eliminate adverse 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 act 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 perfectly together, ensuring that the hair remains smooth and all the vitamins, nutrients and moisture are retained inside. Hair is considered damaged if the cuticle is partially destroyed, for example if some scales come loose, open or rise. As a result, the flexible elastic rod loses the necessary water and becomes less durable.
In turn, the cuticle becomes damaged if there is a deficiency of fatty lubricant. She can no longer hold and glue the scales, they fall off, the stem is left unprotected and the moisture contained in it quickly evaporates.
Let's look at the most common reasons that cause fatty lubricant deficiency and subsequent damage to the cuticle.
Lack of vitamins and microelements
When the roots receive the vitamins and microelements they need, they supply them to the entire hair shaft. Vitamins also help regulate the functioning of the sebaceous glands, that is, they provide a strong protective film over the cuticle.
All vitamins and microelements are important for health, but if you first want to take care of your hair, check if you are deficient in vitamins A, B, C, D, E. Vitamin A (retinol) improves the condition of the scalpscalp, group B vitamins normalize sebum production, accelerate cell division processes, C (ascorbic acid) and D are beneficial for hair follicles, and help the body absorb the listed vitamins. Also see if you have a deficiency of zinc, copper, iron, calcium, selenium, manganese, silicon, phosphorus, as they help your hair retain moisture and have a good effect on the state of the sebaceous glands.
Add 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 to your diet.
Take multivitamin complexes after illnesses, 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 microelement deficiency, as it is most important for the body to nourish the tissues on which life and health directly depend.
Lack of humidity
When the cuticle is damaged, the hair shaft loses necessary moisture. 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, it will negatively affect sebum production.
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, multiply 30 ml by your weight. Increase the 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. 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 it lacks 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, bread, baked goods, sweet soft drinks and alcohol. If you eat these 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 make up for vitamin deficiency. The fact is that these products contain elements that constrict blood vessels, negatively affect hormonal levels, increase blood pressure and exert extra stress on the body. Even the supply of external vitamins will not be able to neutralize the damage.
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 tiny capillaries that feed the hair roots can become completely stuck together and the follicles won't get the nutrition they need.
Inadequate care, aggressive hairdressing procedures
The cuticle can be damaged externally, for example if it is too dry, injured or exposed to very high temperatures. The following are considered harmful:
- Low quality cosmetics. Perhaps the shampoo, conditioner or other products do not nourish your hair sufficiently, contain fewer vitamins than your strands need, are not suitable for your hair type and, therefore, do not solve your curl problems. It's important not to dry out your hair, but it's also harmful to overhydrate it. If all the necessary fat comes from outside, it will disrupt the natural functioning of the sebaceous glands. The solution is simple - choose those products that are completely suitable for you.
- Incorrect washing. Don't wash your hair too often - this will only remove the natural protective layer. Find the ideal frequency for washing your hair.
- Overheating. Curling irons, hot air hair dryers, straighteners, flat irons and other thermal devices evaporate moisture from the surface of your hair. For the same reason, it is not recommended to wash your hair in hot water or walk without a hat in 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 cold air environment and direct the wind in the direction of hair growth, that is, from root to tip - this will soften the cuticle.
- Aggressive procedures. Perms, dyeing, highlighting, lightening - these procedures destroy the hair structure. For example, the compositions used in coloring lift the cuticle scales to remove the natural pigment. If you cannot refuse aggressive procedures, 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.
Illnesses
The most serious 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, the vitamins and microelements contained in food will not be completely absorbed and will not enter the bloodstream, and therefore into the hair follicles.
Always monitor your health, consult a doctor whenever necessary, have annual medical exams and avoid developing chronic diseases.
How to restore damaged hair
Because the hair shaft is made up of dead cells, it cannot receive nourishment on its own; it is supplied only by the hair follicle. That's why it's important to take care of her health. It is also necessary to restore the cuticle: if you do not glue the scales together, all the vitamins that come from the root will still not be retained inside.
Is it possible to restore hair?
The hair shaft is made up of dead cells, they cannot be revived and their nutrition depends only on the roots. If necessary moisture is lost from the hair, it cannot be fully returned. It is believed that damaged strands 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 cut their hair short, so cosmetics come to the rescue. She has several tasks:
- Accelerate hair growth. Even if you're not ready to part your length, you'll trim the ends more often to gradually remove damaged strands.
- Give the roots vitamins. The hair that grows back will be healthy.
- Glue the cuticle scales. This will be a temporary effect - the scales will still disperse. But if you constantly use good cosmetics, they will always stick.
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 is 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 the wash should be less than 5.
- Conditioning balm. Don't neglect it, as it is this product that seals the raised scales, makes the hair soft 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 the effect of the product is. A nourishing conditioner guarantees rapid growth of healthy hair, a protective conditioner will help if you often use heat styling tools and walk in the sun without a hat, a conditioner will ensure easy styling, which is especially important for long, thick or thin hair, and a color-protecting conditioner will help preserve the color and therefore reduce the frequency of new stains. Usually balms are applied only along 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 let the balm act for a few minutes and then rinse.
- Masks. They cannot fill the follicles and hair shafts with moisture, but they actively nourish them 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 your hair, overfeeding it, disturbing the natural mechanisms of regulation, nutrition and hydration. As a result, a dependence on masks can develop and, in some cases, even the opposite effect is possible: products that are supposed to moisturize will end up starting to dry out the hair. And apply masks correctly: anti-hair loss products are applied mainly to the scalp, and cosmetic masks are applied along the entire length, 5-10 cm from the roots.
- Lotions, oils. These products do not need to be washed, so they act continuously on the hair and restore it well. Oils and lotions are applied to damaged, dry or damp ends after each hair wash and effectively combat delamination of cuticle cells, that is, they help restore the hair structure. Many products have a cumulative effect, which increases if you constantly use cosmetics. But be careful that the oils don't weigh down your hair; do not apply too much, otherwise the strands will become oily.
It's good to use all products, not just one, and even better if you choose cosmetics from one line. Most of the time, these products enhance each other's effects, so you'll get the result you want faster than if you just use one thing.
Home remedies
The best effect is provided by proven professional products sold in pharmacies and specialized stores. But its effect can be supplemented with popular 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, flowerlinden. 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.