Your hair is dehydrated? Don’t panic, it happens and there are solutions to fix it!
First of all, we are going to explain to you what dehydrated hair is and what the difference is with dry hair to help you correctly identify your problem.
You will know exactly how to recognize dehydrated hair!
We’ll also tell you what causes dehydration to help you know why your hair is dehydrated and how to prevent it from happening again in the future.
Finally, we will offer you 4 effective solutions to rehydrate your hair and maintain it over the long term so that it always remains well hydrated!
Dehydrated hair: what is it?
Dehydrated hair is hair that can no longer retain water and therefore regulate its hydration.
This phenomenon is explained as follows: the hair is largely made up of keratin, it is formed in the hair follicles, and in the scalp.
Keratin is a protein that does not dissolve in water, it plays a protective role. However, it happens that the cuticle, formed of keratin scales to protect the hair, is damaged.
In this case, it can no longer retain water, the hair is therefore dehydrated little by little. Once the scales open, the hair becomes porous, fluffy, duller, more fragile, and brittle.
What are the differences between dehydrated hair and dry hair?
Discover the characteristics of dehydrated hair and dry hair to be able to recognize the difference.
Dehydrated hair : (note that it often happens that dehydrated hair is also dry).
- Foamy appearance with frizz;
- Dull color ;
- Electric hair.
Dry hair: it lacks nutrition and no hydration because the scalp no longer produces enough sebum to protect the hair fiber.
- Dried and damaged appearance;
- Brittle and split ends ;
- The appearance of frizz also.
How to recognize dehydrated hair?
Here are some key points to recognize dehydrated hair:
- They are quite dull visually;
- They have a rough texture;
- They are brittle and forked;
- They tend to be electric;
- They are frothy with frizz.
Dehydrated hair: what causes?
Several factors can cause hair dehydration: here they are!
1. You lack hydration in general
Your body lacks water because you do not drink enough, and your hair suffers the consequences as much as the rest of your body.
2. Your hair type
It is common for curly hair to suffer from chronic dehydration.
Indeed, the sebum has more difficulty in distributing itself, and the scales of curly hair being open, they become more porous and the hydration is less well regulated.
3. Your hair is very exposed to external aggressions
Sun, wind, humidity, pollution, sea or swimming pool water, etc. All these exposures damage the hair and can dehydrate it in the long term…
4. You use chemicals
Pay attention to the composition of your hair products!
If they contain too many chemicals, they can damage and dry out your hair, leading to severe dehydration.
5. You overuse the heat on your hair
Hair dryer, straightener or curler, etc.: if you use these heating devices too often, you risk damaging your hair and dehydrating it.
6. Your hair is brushed too often
Sometimes during the night, your hair rubs against your pillowcase, or during the day on your clothes. It is also possible that you are using a poor-quality brush that damages your hair.
These are daily aggressions that damage the hair until it dehydrates it.
4 solutions to rehydrate dehydrated hair
1. Drink plenty of water
If you suffer from dehydrated hair, the first solution to test is to drink plenty of water to rehydrate your entire body.
For this, drink at least 1.5 liters of water a day.
2. Nourish your hair
To help your hair rehydrate, you will also need to nourish it so that the lipid barrier (which protects the hair) regenerates properly and the scales can once again be smooth and able to retain the hair’s moisture.
You have several options for this:
- Apply nourishing masks after your shampoo ( shea butter to nourish, aloe vera to rehydrate, etc.);
- Make an oil bath per week to leave on all night, mixing several oils such as avocado oil, coconut oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, etc. ;
- Apply floral waters or hydrolats in the form of sprays daily to help the hair rehydrate;
- Apply protein hair care in cases of intense dehydration.
3. Protect your hair from external aggressions
To avoid aggravating the situation, remember when you go out and therefore expose your hair to the sun, the wind, or even pollution, protect it with a protective treatment or a hat/scarf, etc.
Similarly, when you put them in the sea or swimming pool water, protect them or rinse them directly afterward with clear water.
If you use heated appliances such as a hair dryer, straightener, or curler, protect your hair with heat protection as well.
4. Adopt a less aggressive routine
In order for your hair to rehydrate properly and especially so that the problem does not arise again, you will need to change your hair routine.
- Opt for mild, sulfate-free, and paraben-free shampoos. Choose organic hair products or products with a very natural composition (vegetable oils, etc.). You can choose specific care for dehydrated hair rich in shea butter for example;
- We advise you for a time to limit chemical treatments such as coloring, bleaching, certain smoothing techniques, etc. ;
- Finally, wash your hair properly. First, detangle your hair, then apply the shampoo only to the scalp, gently massaging your scalp, and do not rub the lengths. Rinse with cold water to close the scales then let your hair dry in the open air. Be careful not to wash your hair too often, it could dehydrate it further.
Image Credit: Image by Freepik
