The hair shaft is made up of dead, keratinized skin particles. The living structure is the root: it is in it that 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 human skin, at the roots, there are sebaceous glands: they produce fat. This is a natural lubricant that coats the scales of the hair shaft, lubricating them so that they do not bristle, split, break, lie flat, are smooth and shiny.
If the hairline receives a sufficient amount of vitamins and the sebaceous glands function 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 out, become excessively electrified, lose their shine, elasticity andsometimes even to resemble straw.
You can restore damaged hair without even looking into the reasons that caused the negative changes. But if you identify and then eliminate unfavorable factors, you will achieve a long-term effect and a more pronounced result. Otherwise, the situation will return soon, 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, i. e. 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 scales have peeled off, opened or raised. As a result, the flexible elastic rod loses the water it needs and becomes less durable.
In turn, the cuticle is damaged when there is a deficiency of fatty lubricant. It can no longer hold and stick the scales, they fall off, the stem remains unprotected and the moisture it contains evaporates quickly.
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 deliver them to the entire hair shaft. Vitamins also help regulate the functioning of the sebaceous glands, that is, they provide a powerful protective film on the cuticle.
All vitamins and microelements are important for health, but if you want to take care of your hair first, check if you have a deficiency of vitamins A, B, C, D, E. Vitamin A (retinol) improves thecondition of the hair. scalp, vitamins of groups B normalize sebum production, accelerate the processes of cell division, C (ascorbic acid) and D are beneficial for hair follicles, E helps the body better absorb the listed vitamins. Also check if you have a deficiency of zinc, copper, iron, calcium, selenium, manganese, silicon, phosphorus, as they help 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 and 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 deficiency of microelements, since it is more 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 the moisture it needs. But a 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 around 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 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 of all normalizes the functioning of the most important organs.
Eating harmful foods
The amount of nutrients is minimal in fatty, fried and spicy foods, buns, baked goods, sweet sodas and alcohol. If you eat such foods or drink alcohol, the body will feel full, but will not receive microelements important for its 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 additional stress on the body. Even the supply of vitamins from outside 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 small capillaries that feed the hair roots may even become completely stuck 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 shampoos, conditioners or other products do not nourish the tissue enough, 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 over-hydrate it. If all the necessary fat comes from outside, it will disrupt the natural functioning of the sebaceous glands. The solution is simple: choose the products that suit you perfectly.
- Improper washing. Don't wash your hair too often, this will only remove the natural protective layer. Find your optimal hair washing frequency.
- Overheat. Curling irons, hot air hair dryers, straighteners, curling irons and other heat appliances 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 scorching sun. Minimize the use of thermal devices, take a break at least one week per month and apply thermal protection. If you are using a hairdryer, choose a cool air setting and direct the wind in the direction of hair growth, i. e. from roots to ends - this will smooth the cuticle.
- Aggressive procedures. Permanents, dyes, highlights, bleaching - such procedures destroy the hair structure. For example, compositions used in coloring lift the cuticle scales to eliminate the natural pigment. If you cannot refuse aggressive procedures, comb only the regrown ends, use good dyes, and then use intensive care specially designed for colored hair.
- Mechanical damage. You cannot comb wet hair, rub it with a towel, use a hard brush, for example, metal, constantly use tight rubber bands, hairpins or keep a towel on your head for a long time.
Diseases
The most serious effects on the condition of hair and scalp are anemia, hormonal changes and diseases of the digestive and circulatory systems. For example, if a person suffers from pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, vitamins and microelements contained in food will not be fully absorbed and will not enter the bloodstream, and therefore the hair follicles.
Always monitor your health, consult a doctor if necessary, have 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 provided only by the hair follicle. It is therefore important to take care of your health. It is also necessary to restore the cuticle: if you do not glue the scales together, then all the vitamins coming from the root will still not be retained inside.
Is it possible to restore hair?
The hair shaft consists of dead cells, they cannot be reanimated and their nutrition depends only on the roots. If hair loses the moisture it needs, it cannot be fully restored. It is believed that the 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 have a short haircut, so cosmetics come to the rescue. It has several missions:
- Accelerate hair growth. Even if you are not ready to part with the length, you will cut the ends more often, thereby gradually removing damaged strands completely.
- 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 continue to disperse. But if you constantly use good cosmetics, they will constantly stick to each other.
If you want to quickly get rid of damaged hair, you cannot do without good cosmetic products.
What cosmetic products 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 your hair wash should be below 5.
- Revitalizing balm. Do not neglect it, because it is this product that seals the raised scales, gives softness to the hair and helps retain moisture. For dry hair, the pH of the balm should be 4 or less. 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 conditioner will ensure easy combing, which is especially important for long, thick hairor purposes. , and a color protecting conditioner will help preserve the color and therefore reduce the frequency of recoloring. Usually, balms are applied only along the length, without affecting the roots, but there are products that act directly on the skin - it is written on the label. Whatever the effect, leave the balm to act for a few minutes then rinse it off.
- Masks. They cannot fill hair 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 the hair and 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 end up drying out the strands. And apply the masks correctly: anti-hair loss products are applied primarily to the scalp, and cosmetic masks are applied over the entire length, 5-10 cm from the roots.
- Lotions, oils. Such products do not need to be washed off, so they continuously act on the hair 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 constantly use cosmetics. But be careful that the oils don't weigh down your hair; don't apply too much or 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, these products enhance the effects of each other, so you will achieve the desired result faster than if you used only one thing.
Home Remedies
The best effect is provided by proven professional products 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, including from nettle, burdock root, hop cones, burdock, dandelion, chamomile, birch leaves, string, sage, calendula, St. John's wort, lemon balm, lime blossom. Use them after washing your hair or even every day. Prepare the decoctions immediately before use; do not store them, as the beneficial substances they contain are quickly destroyed.