Dry Hair : Cause and Treatment
Hair thinning or hair loss can be a concern for many people, but especially for men. Knowing what dry hair means and whether it is a sign of hair loss can be a major concern for many men out there.
Many of you might ask Is dry hair a sign of hair loss? In short, yes, dry hair can be a sign of a hair loss problem, but that is not just a simple answer. Dry hair does not particularly lead to hair loss; neither does your hair being naturally more dry mean you will experience loss of hair. Having said that, your hair does tend to dry out before it falls out, no matter the cause of the hair falling out.
There are several reasons due to which someone can experience hair loss or dry hair. These include hairstyles and chemicals, hot hair styling tools, and certain medications. We would like to go over why dry hair can mean hair loss and some of the circumstances that can lead to it.
Causes of Dry Hair
Many reasons can attribute to your dry hair and affect the overall feel of your hair as a consequence. Take the note of following points to avoid making your hair dry.
1) Heated hair styling tools
It is one of the most common reasons. Heated hair styling tools such as hair straighteners, hairdryers, rollers, and even heat from the sun will dry your hair. It is advised to better avoid these heat-styling tools altogether and let your hair dry on its own with the air. As we talk about the sun, you must always have sun hats, caps, and the like as aides.
2) Hair Dyeing
The chemicals that are used in the process end up drying your hair to make your new hair color stick to it. Chemicals like ammonia and peroxide do several things on the protective layer of your hair that leave it dry and brittle. If you want to do it, you must use semi permanent dyes that are less aggressive.
3) Shampooing
Yes, every time you do shampoo, it will dry your hair. It is simply necessary to cleanse your scalp and hair of any dirt or filth. Your hair will dry out due to the shampoo removing its natural oils during the cleansing.
The good news is, that you do not have to shampoo it every day. You must limit washing your hair to only two times a week. Seriously, that is all you need. And remember to use a conditioner afterward.
In some cases, dry hair is the result of a basic health problem that affects your hair's ability to retain moisture.
Few health problems that causes dry hair are-
Anorexia nervosa:
Anorexia nervosa is a eating disorder in which people severely strict their diet which leads to malnutrition. Malnutrition causes deficiency of many important micronutrients necessary for body and hair follicles. It causes dry and brittle hair, as well as very serious problems.
Hypoparathyroidism:
When you have hypoparathyroidism, the parathyroid gland in your neck produces very little parathyroid hormone, which lowers the level of calcium in your blood. Calcium is a key nutrient for healthy hair, as well as bones, teeth, and other tissues.
Hypothyroidism:
With hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. Dry and curly hair is one of the first symptoms of this condition.
Menkes syndrome:
If you have Menkes syndrome, a rare genetic condition, your cells do not absorb enough copper. Low copper absorption affects the health of your hair, causing dryness.
Treating your dry hair
In many cases, you can simply treat dry hair through simple lifestyle changes. Here are a few methods that you can try:
- You must condition your hair every time you wash it.
- You should use a shampoo and conditioner that are meant for your hair type.
- You can use moisturizing styling products.
- You should avoid chemical hair treatments.
- Blow-dry your hair less frequently.
- You must avoid flat irons, curling irons, and electric rollers.
Dry hair is a sign of serious hair damage. If it is left untreated, your hair might become brittle, thus causing it to break or fray easily.
Medications: There are many treatments available, through which you can get back your hair. You can also check out our products recommended by dermatologists to grow and nourish our hair at Mars by GHC website.