Home Remedies for Healthier Hair

Woman worrying about her greasy hair — Photo: Depositphotos

It's no secret that healthy, shiny, and lustrous hair is a woman's greatest beauty asset. However, hair can only be beautiful when it is kept in good condition. There is even considerable merit to the argument that the condition of your hair and scalp is a clear indicator of your general well-being.

Many factors such as physical or emotional stress can cause dull and lifeless hair, and hair problems are also frequently caused by repeated exposure to chemicals, heat from styling appliances, and stressful styling practices. Even a person's age and health, his or her nutritional habits, hormone levels, and seasonal and climatic conditions generally influence hair growth.

There are lots of hair problems that people deal with, and an equal number of home remedies for these conditions, which often vary by region. I feel it is important to clearly state that the majority of the evidence proposed to support the claims that these home remedies work is anecdotal and even more often based on old wives' tales. However, there is sometimes a grain of truth to be found in folklore, so many people prefer to try whatever they feel may help, but certainly won't harm.

Oily/Dry Hair

The root is the main source of nutrition for the entire strand of hair. A tiny tube-like pit in the skin, called the follicle, holds the root of the hair. The papilla that forms the base of the follicle nourishes the root through blood vessels and nerves. Sebaceous glands are also attached to the hair follicle to nourish and protect the shaft by secreting oils.

Healthy hair gets its shine also from a thin coating of sebum. If the sebaceous gland becomes overactive and produces too much sebum, the result is greasy hair. Frequent washing does not affect sebaceous secretions, and it will not make greasy hair greasier or dry hair more dry.

Home Remedies for Oily/Dry Hair:

Massaging the scalp with the tips of the fingers until it starts to tingle with the heat stimulates the sebaceous glands and enables blood circulation, making the hair grow healthy. This is generally thought to help the hair gain a balance in oil production and is believed to help both oily and dry hair issues.

Massaging the scalp with the tips of the fingers — Photo: Chokja/Getty Images via Canva

For oily hair, use an astringent "after rinse" made from green tea and the juice of one lemon in 1 quart (32 ounces) of water. Allow the mixture to cool and pour it through the hair over the scalp after the hair has been shampooed, conditioned, and rinsed thoroughly.

Dry hair can be combatted using a deep-conditioning treatment with warm olive oil. Use the lightest olive oil you can find to avoid an overly pungent aroma afterward. Let the oil sit on the hair for 30 minutes, then shampoo and condition it as normal.

Hair loss

Some loss of hair is normal. One of the more commonly cited causes of the loss of hair is inadequate nutrition - mainly lack of protein, vitamin A and B in the individual’s diet. The hair grows normally after the liberal intake of these vitamins. These nutrient-rich foods are eggs, nuts, soybeans, mangoes, liver, dark green leafy vegetables, carrots, dried apricots, whole grain cereals, peas, etc.

Hair loss may also be caused by a variety of other conditions such as pregnancy, anemia, thyroid disorders, stress, typhoid, influenza, and heredity. It makes the hair follicle weak and results in hair fall. An unclean scalp can also cause hair loss. It weakens the hair roots and may result in blocking the pores with collected dirt.

Alfalfa juice combined with spinach or coriander if taken daily will help the hair to grow fast. The juices of carrot, green coriander, lettuce, amaranth in different combinations are also considered beneficial. The combination of these juices is rich in elements that are particularly beneficial for hair growth.

Certain drugs, including contraceptive pills and chemotherapy, can affect the growth and thickness of hair. Vitamin B6 with magnesium will assist to some extent in counteracting the negative effects of these pills. Always consult with your doctor if you suddenly lose hair.

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