Dubai: While many men and women search endlessly for hair nourishment products, the secret to well hydrated and moisturised hair is water.
“The best thing you can do for your hair is to wash it with shampoo every day,” Dr Mike Ryan, a Dubai trichologist known as Dubai’s Hair Doctor, said. “The link between water and hair is the hydrogen bonds within the hair, which contain a lot of water. A common misconception is that washing your hair frequently will dry it out, but what many people don’t know is that water keeps the hair moisturised. The more you wash your hair the moister it will become,” said Dr Ryan.
Using wheat-protein based hair treatments are also a good source of internally moisturising the hair’s cortex, as conditioners and most hair masks lie on the surface between cuticle layers of the hair, making it feel temporarily softer and easier to comb.
“Most conditioners and hair masks in the market don’t do anything to improve the health of the hair,” said Dr Nameer Abdul Majeed, Specialist Dermatologist at Aster Medical Centre. Such hair products are beneficial for people who have dry or coarse hair as it provides a coating over the hair, making it tangle-free and easier to manage.
Still, not all hair products fall under the same category. Hairsprays, gels, and styling products containing ethanol cause dryness and can irritate the scalp and leave a flaky dandruff-like substance, explained Dr Majeed.
“Styling products can dry your hair, so apply the product to the hair strand, not the scalp.”
Hair products
The overuse of hair styling equipment such as hair dryers, straighteners, and curlers is another common reason many suffer from dry and fractured hair. Such equipment produces large amounts of mechanical heat and their regular use damages the hair’s cuticles, resulting in breakage, fizziness, and split ends.
While it’s easier to blame the water for your hair troubles, identifying the true cause could save you the time and help you need to regain your hair’s healthy state.
To do just that, consider any genetic link, improve your food diet and nutritional intake, address any lingering health problems, and stop exposing your hair to mechanical heat and chemical products. Let your hair breathe!