9 Common Causes of Dry Hair ...

1. Excessive Washing

One of the common causes of dry hair that I can relate to is shampooing your hair too much. I have oily roots so I used to wash my hair every day. I was also shampooing all of my hair from root to tip and not just the scalp which needed it the most. If you currently wash your hair daily, try to cut back to every other day. It might feel weird at first, but it’ll help preserve the natural oils thus making your hair less prone to dryness.

2. Blow Drying Too Often

Another cause of dry hair is blow drying your hair too often. Frequently using a heat tool that blows hot hair towards your sensitive scalp and hair is sure to cause a dry scalp or dry hair. If you’re shampooing your hair and blow drying a lot, it’s certainly a recipe for disaster! Air dry your hair when you can and when you do use the blow dryer, use lower heat and speed settings to avoid damage.

3. Dry Air

If you live in a dry climate like I do, we’re often left to add moisturizing products into our hair care regimen in order to make up for the lack of moisture in the air. With winter coming up, the dry air heaters can also be an issue. Protect your hair from the elements by wearing a hat and use a weekly deep conditioner to hydrate your hair.

4. Hot Tools

In addition to blow drying, if you curl or straighten your hair pretty often, it can make dry hair worse. Whenever use a heat tool, use a heat protectant on your hair beforehand to create a protective barrier. Avoid excessive use of heat tools and wear your hair au naturel for a change! You can still wear your hair in different styles, just go easy on the styling tools so your hair gets a break from the damaging heat. You can opt to use heatless styling tools like rollers, also.

5. Malnutrition

When we think of malnutrition, we typically think of extreme cases where a person is severely lacking nutrition. However, according the NY Times malnutrition can occur in varying degrees with many cases being mild with relatively few symptoms. Malnutrition can occur as a result of a poor, unbalanced diet, problems with digestion or certain medical conditions. Dry hair can be caused as a result of any of the above reasons. Eat a well-balanced diet and talk to your doctor about supplements if necessary.

6. Alcohol

Drinking alcohol might not affect your hair, but using hair products that contain alcohol can definitely contribute to dry hair. Some hair products are hard to find in alcohol-free formulas such as hairspray and gel, so it might be time to ask yourself whether it’s necessary or not. Limiting the number of hair care products you use isn’t a bad idea either. This way, you won’t risk stripping your natural oils and you’ll have less product build-up.

7. Cotton Pillows

This cause of dry hair isn’t backed by science or anything, but many hair care experts agree that satin pillowcases are the way to go. Cotton pillowcases have been blamed for “drinking up” your hair and skin’s moisture, and cotton has also been known to cause hair breakage. If you can’t afford a satin pillowcase, look for a head scarf or bonnet to cover your hair while you sleep.

8. Chemical Processing

Dying, highlighting, relaxing or getting keratin treatments might make our hair look better, but too much can be damaging! Limit the number of chemicals treatments and processing you do to your hair as well as the frequency. This will not only save you money, but it will also save your hair from drying, damaging and breakage.

9. Naturally Dry

Some hair types just happen to be drier than others. It doesn’t mean that you have to live the rest of your life that way, it’s just another cause of dry hair. Some hair types can feel or look dry because of the shape or thickness of the hair or due to the amount of sebum. Either way, apply a leave-in conditioner or hair mask to help seal in moisture and help hair feel softer and smoother.

As mentioned previously, there are certain medical conditions that contribute to dry hair such as a thyroid conditions, which need to be addressed by a medical professional. If you identify with any of the above causes of dry hair, try using a more natural approach to hair care by using nourishing products and avoid using too many styling tools. Remember that eating a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water is also important to the health of your hair.

Sources: webmd.com, health.nytimes.com, farbotanicals.com, timesunion.com, health.nytimes.com, shopping.yahoo.com