Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor.
Dry Hair
Dry hair tends to be thin and rough. It is susceptible to tangles, damage, breakage and split ends. We suggest a few remedies you can try at home for managing dry hair.
The primary aim is to replenish the oil and the moisture in the hair. That is why the emphasis is on the conditioning aspect of hair care. Strong cleansing routines and dry toning exercises and massaging of the scalp promote dryness and flakiness of the scalp.
The use of strong-action shampoo is prohibited for dry hair. Often a generous oil application and massage is recommended before washing the hair. Frequent shampooing is harmful for dry hair.
For the moisture-dry hair, a moisturiser application is required.
Home remedy for dry hair: The Gentle Cleanser
1. Beat an egg in a cup of skimmed milk. When the foam becomes consistent, rub it into the scalp. Leave it on for 5 minutes. Rinse the hair thoroughly with water. Carry out this routine twice a week .
2. Take a cup of coconut milk and add two tablespoons of gram flour or one teaspoon of shikakai. Apply on your scalp and hair and massage gently. Rinse it out after five minutes. Follow this recipe at least once a week.
Another dry hair home remedy: The Protein Conditioner
Beat one tablespoon of castor oil, one tablespoon of glycerine, a teaspoon of cider vinegar and a teaspoon of protein, plus a tablespoon of mild herbal shampoo. Apply it on scalp and leave it on for 20 minutes. Rinse with clear water.
A Special Massage Oil/Toner
Get a bottle of castor oil or coconut oil. Add a teaspoon of lavender essential oil in it. Heat a little and massage it gently in your scalp at night. Rinse or shampoo it out in the morning. Follow this routine atleast twice a week.
Other tips on home basd treament of dry hair
1. First assess whether your scalp and hair are moisture dry or oil-dry.
2. Condition your hair as often as you wash it.
3. Never comb, brush or massage vigorously if the hair is extremely dry.
Before any kind of routine care is followed, be familiar with the needs of your scalp and hair.
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1. Shampoo with care. "It's in vogue these days to shampoo every day, but shampooing doesn't only wash away dirt, it washes out the hair's protective oils," says Thomas Goodman, Jr., M.D., a dermatologist from Memphis, Tennessee, and assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Center for Health Sciences. If you've dried your hair out from too much lather, give your hair a needed break—try washing less often. And use only a mild shampoo, one labeled "for dry or damaged hair."
2. Use a conditioner. When hair becomes dry, the outer layers, called cuticles, peel off from the central shaft. Conditioners glue the cuticles back to the shaft, add lubricant to the hair, and prevent static electricity (which creates frizz). Pick a conditioner that works well for you and use it after every shampoo, says Dr. Goodman.
3. Go heavy on the mayo. "Mayonnaise makes an excellent conditioner," says Steven Docherty, senior art director at New York City's Vidal Sassoon Salon. He advises you to leave the oily white goo in your hair for anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour before washing it out.
4. Snip off those frayed ends. Dry hair tends to suffer most at the ends. The answer? Snip 'em off, says Anja Vaisanen, a hair stylist at New York City's stylish Suga Salon. Once every six weeks or so should keep those frayed ends under control.
5. Design your hair without heat. Heat is what makes the desert a desert; it also contributes to dried-out hair. Two of the most intense sources of heat are curling irons and electric curlers, says Joanne Harris, a hairdresser in Los Angeles whose clients include many Hollywood stars. She suggests you rediscover those (unheated) plastic cylinder rollers from years gone by. For straightening, wrap slightly moist hair under and around rollers (like a page boy hairdo) for about 10 minutes. For curling or adding wave, try using sponge rollers overnight or sleeping with moist braids.
6. Protect your hair from the elements. "Whipping wind can fray your hair just like a piece of fabric," says Docherty. Sun, too, takes a mighty toll. Solution: Wear a hat, both on breezy, balmy summer days, and gusty, frosty winter days.
7. Don't swim bare headed. "Chlorine is one of the most destructive things to hair," says Docherty. So make a rubber cap part of your regular swim attire. For extra protection, he says, first rub a little olive oil into your hair.
8. Have a beer. "Beer is a wonderful setting lotion. It gives a crisp, healthy, shiny look, even to dry hair," says Docherty. The trick is to spray the brew onto your hair using a pump bottle after you've shampooed and towel-dried, but before you blow-dry or style. And don't worry about smelling like a lush—the odor of the beer quickly disappears, says Docherty.
9. Consider a trip to the beauty parlor. Our experts agree that a professional moisturizing treatment can work wonders for your dried-out head of hair. "A real good steam treatment with oils and creams lasts about an hour, and afterward you can really tell the difference,"
Oily Hair
You wash and style your hair every morning, but within a few short hours, it looks stringy and dirty. You, like millions of others, have oily hair.
But don't get mad at those glands for doing their job. Oil protects your hair shafts from breaking, keeps your scalp in good condition, and gives your hair that nice, healthy-looking sheen. Unfortunately, sometimes it's overzealous.
So why does the dipstick measure too much oil? Several factors can be responsible, including:
· Heredity: If your dad had oily hair, chances are you will, too.
· Hormonal fluctuations: In adult women, it may come with the menstrual cycle or using birth control pills. In teens, it's just part of the ever-embarrassing teenaged experience -- oily hair, zits, the works. When the hormones simmer down, the problem usually evens out.
· Bulking up: Excessive oil is a side effect of using androgenic hormones to increase body mass.
· Hair texture: Fine hair is often oilier than coarse hair because it takes up less room on the scalp. This means people with fine hair are usually crowned with lots more of it than people with coarse hair. And the more hair there is, the more oil because each follicle is supplied with two to three oil glands.
Diet's Not to Blame
Take notice that diet is not one of the oil-producing culprits listed. That's because diet doesn't play much of a role in the development of oily hair, contrary to what many people believe. Eating French fries won't send the grease directly to your scalp unless you rub your French fries through your hair.
The good news is that oily hair can be managed successfully with home remedies, including things you'll find in your very own kitchen. Go to the next page to read about home remedies for oily hair.
Home Remedy Treatments for Oily Hair
Although oily hair might be troublesome, it is relatively easy to control with the following home remedies. Follow these simple steps, and you'll be on the way to the hair you've always wanted.
1. Shampoo often. Don't worry about overdoing it. If you have oily hair, shampooing every day is a good idea.
2. Use a "no-nonsense" shampoo. Often, shampoos have all kinds of additives and conditioners in them. People with oily hair need a good solvent-type shampoo, one that will cut the grease. To give your shampoo a boost, you can even add a few drops of dishwashing liquid. If you don't like the idea of putting dishwashing liquid on your head, there are plenty of commercial shampoos that will cut through the excess oil, including old standbys such as Prell and Suave and any number of generic and store-brand shampoos. Normal hair needs a shampoo with a pH (which refers to its acid/base balance) between 4.5 and 6.7, but oily hair requires a more alkaline (or base) product. Look for shampoos with a pH higher than 6.7 -- or, simply, those labeled for use on oily hair.
3. Rinse thoroughly. Whatever shampoo you use, be sure you rinse thoroughly. Soap residue will only collect dirt and oil more quickly.
4. Forget conditioners. Conditioners coat the hair, something oily hair doesn't need. Apply a small amount of conditioner only to the ends if they've become dried out.
5. Don't brush your hair too much. Forget 100 strokes. Every time you drag that brush through your hair, you're pulling oil out of the scalp and distributing it throughout your hair.
6. Try an acidic rinse. One way to decrease the oil is to rinse with diluted vinegar or lemon juice after shampooing. Add two tablespoons white vinegar to one cup water, or mix the juice of one lemon (strained) with one cup water. Rinse the mixture through your hair, then rinse your hair with warm water.
Home Remedies from the Cupboard
1. Alcohol. Any kind of alcoholic beverage has a nice drying effect. The higher the alcohol content the better. Mix a shot glass full of alcohol with a couple cups of water and rinse through your hair. Yes, you have to rinse it out. And don't drink the rinse water!
2. Cider vinegar. Soak your hair in a small basin of water with 1/4 cup cider vinegar -- or put the concoction in a spray bottle and rinse through your hair, then wash out with warm water. This helps control nasty shampoo buildup.
3. Tea. Rinse your hair in diluted tea. Tea contains tannic acid, an astringent, which can cut the oil.
4. Home Remedies from the Refrigerator
5. Beer. Beer can have a drying effect, and it cleans right down to your scalp, leaving your hair with a healthy shine.
6. Lemon juice. Mix the equivalent of the juice from 1 lemon with 1 cup water and rinse through your hair, then rinse with warm water. Lemon juice can help control shampoo buildup, too.
Now you've got plenty of fun home remedies for oily hair to try at home. Figure out what's best for you, and enjoy the soft, silky results!
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
· Timothy Gower is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in many publications, including Reader's Digest, Prevention, Men's Health, Better Homes and Gardens, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. The author of four books, Gower is also a contributing editor for Health magazine.
· Alice Lesch Kelly is a health writer based in Boston . Her work has been published in magazines such as Shape, Fit Pregnancy, Woman's Day, Reader's Digest, Eating Well, and Health. She is the co-author of three books on women's health.
· Linnea Lundgren has more than 12 years experience researching, writing, and editing for newspapers and magazines. She is the author of four books, including Living Well With Allergies.
· Michele Price Mann is a freelance writer who has written for such publications as Weight Watchers and Southern Living magazines. Formerly assistant health and fitness editor at Cooking Light magazine, her professional passion is learning and writing about health.
ABOUT THE CONSULTANTS:
· Ivan Oransky, M.D., is the deputy editor of The Scientist. He is author or co-author of four books, including The Common Symptom Answer GuideBoston Globe, The Lancet, and USA Today. He holds appointments as a clinical assistant professor of medicine and as adjunct professor of journalism at New York University . (McGraw-Hill, 2004), and has written for publications including the
· David J. Hufford, Ph.D., is university professor and chair of the Medical Humanities Department at Pennsylvania State University 's College of Medicine . He also is a professor in the departments of Neural and Behavioral Sciences and Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Hufford serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine and Explore.
Hair Care
A typical adult has near about 100,000-120000 hairs on the head. It is normal to lose 50 to 100 hairs a day, though most us are not willing to part with any one of those. Americans are expected to spend approximately $1.5 billion on hair growth therapies annually. Hair loss triggers several medical situations such as the following:
· Alopecia - Baldness or loss of hair.
· Alopecia totalis – This means loss of all scalp hair.
· Alopecia universalis - Loss of all body hair, plus eyebrows and eyelashes.
· Alopecia areata - Unexpected loss of patches of hair
· Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) or Male pattern baldness - Is ordinary in men. It is very often genetic or hereditary. Connected with the presence of androgens- male sex hormones. Researchers recommended that the hair follicles of individuals susceptible to AGA may have receptors programmed to slow down or shut off hair production under the pressure of androgens. Men can begin suffering hair loss as early as their teens or early twenties, while most women don't experience visible thinning until their forties or later.
· Involutional alopecia - Regular thinning of hair with age.
· Telogen effluvium - Extreme shedding of hair, but not complete baldness, associated with various illnesses and drug treatments, rapid weight loss, anemia, stress, or pregnancy.
· Trichotillomania - Pieces of broken hairs and incomplete hair loss, usually on the scalp but sometimes involving the eyebrows. This is found particularly in children. The child is most likely rubbing or pulling away hair.
Causes of Hair Loss
Although the most general cause of hair loss in men is Male Pattern Baldness, there are many other ailments and conditions which cause or donate to premature hair loss and substandard appearance of hair in both men and women.
These situations can be genetic, environmental, or biological in origin.
1. Aging
2. Heredity
3. Hormones
4. Poor circulation
5. Acute illness
6. Surgery
7. Radiation exposure
8. Skin disease
9. Sudden weight loss
10. High fever
11. Iron deficiency
12. Diabetes
13. Thyroid disease
14. Drugs such as those used in chemotherapy, antidepressants, etc.
15. Exposure to chemicals such as those used to decontaminate swimming pools, bleach, dye, and perm hair.
16. Burns
17. X-rays
18. Scalp injuries
19. Poor diet
20. Vitamin deficiencies
21. In women following child birth
22. Stress
Home remedies for hair care
1. A diet rich in zinc should be followed, as the main cause of dry hair is the lack of mineral zinc.
2. Rosemary is a useful hair tonic and conditioner. Rosemary also aids retain color especially in dark hair.
3. Chamomile and lemon juice have a soft bleaching effect on hair. Mix chamomile tea with lemon juice and use as a clean to lighten hair. One of the good home remedies for hair care.
4. For troubles with dandruff, add rosemary and/or patchouli essential oils to your shampoo or mix with almond oil as a hair treatment for your scalp.
5. Wash hair with peppermint or spearmint tea to support hair growth. One of the best home remedies for hair care.
6. Use flat beer to help avoid spit ends do it once or 2 times a month but it straight on your hair, wrap it in a towel for 1 to 2 hours and rinse out. Apply raw egg and olive oil to avoid hair loss. One of the effective home remedies for hair care.
7. To a cup of coconut milk put in two tablespoons of gram flour. Apply on the scalp and massage softly. Wash the hair after five minutes. Use this practice one time in a week.
8. Make a conditioner by mixing one tablespoon of castor oil, one tablespoon of glycerin, a teaspoon of cider vinegar, a teaspoon of protein to a tablespoon of soft herbal shampoo. Apply it on scalp and leave it on for 20-25 minutes and then wash the hair. One of the simple but useful home remedies for hair care.
9. Add a teaspoon of lavender oil to the coconut oil and heat it for a few seconds. Massage the scalp at night and then shampoo the hair in next morning. Follow this method twice a week for soft and shiny hair.
10. For hair growth apply coconut milk with aspirin and leave in hair for 2 hours then wash and wash hair.
11. A tea and beer rinse is one of the oldest habits to bring shine to your hair. Boil used tea leaves in sufficient water, let it cool and then use this liquid as the last rinse.
12. In the parallel fashion you can use flat beer (i.e. after letting the bubble out). This is a immense conditioner to be used for your hair.
13. To get that shine one can use honey to keep your scalp moisturized. You can make honey lotion for your hair by adding 3 teaspoons of honey for pint of water. One of the popular home remedies for hair care.
14. The use of henna as a natural conditioner proves to be very helpful for your hair. It helps to bring back the bounce and flair of your hair which has been deficient for quite a while.
15. For an enormous hair treatment/conditioner try 1 egg yoke, 1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil, and 2-3 drops Vitamin E. Merge these, wet hair, mix combination into hair. Let set for 3-5 minutes, feels/looks/smell strange but it works so fine and then wash out with shampoo.
Premature Greying of Hair
The hair has a tendency to lose its natural colour with advancing age and turn grey, but premature greying is a morbid condition and it makes even the young look older. The hair is an appendage of the skin. It is composed of the same kinds of cells as are found in the outer layer of the skin, which is known as the epidermis. Hair grows from hair follicles which are deep recesses in the epidermis. The sebaceous glands of the scalp secrete an oily substance called sebum, which is the source of nutrition, lustre, and blackness of the hair. The hair cannot be fed externally, for such nourishment, as the scalp requires, must come to it from the bloodstream.
Symptoms of Premature Greying of Hair
Causes of Premature Greying of Hair
· Faulty diet, Mental worries and lack of vitamins: A faulty diet and mental worries are the two primary causes of premature greying of hair. Lack of some of the B vitamins, iron, copper, and iodine in the daily diet is said to be a contributory factor. Mental worries produce extraordinary tension in the skin of the scalp; this interferes with the supply of vital nutrition necessary for the health of the hair.
· Heredity, unclean condition of scalp etc: Other causes of premature greying of hair are an unclean condition of the scalp, washing the hair with hot water, drying it with an electric dryer, and use of hair dyes. Heredity is also a predisposing factor.
Home Remedies for Premature Greying of Hair
1. Indian Gooseberry: The use of Indian gooseberry is the foremost among the home remedies found beneficial in the prevention and treatment of premature greying of hair. This is a valuable hair tonic for enriching hair growth and hair pigmentation. The fruit, cut into pieces, should be dried, preferably in shade. These pieces should be boiled in coconut oil till the solid matter becomes like charred dust. This darkish oil is very useful against premature greying. The water in which dried amla pieces have been soaked overnight is also nourishing for the hair. This water should be used for the last rinse while washing the hair. Massaging the scalp every night with a teaspoonful of amla juice, mixed with a teaspoon of almond oil and a few drops of lime juice, also proves beneficial in the prevention and treatment of premature greying of hair.
2. Amaranth: Amaranth is another effective home remedy for hair disorders. Application of the fresh juice of the leaves of this vegetable helps the hair to retain its black colour and prevents it from premature greying. It also helps the growth of the hair and keeps it soft.
3. Curry Leaves: Liberal intake of curry leaves is considered beneficial in preventing premature greying of hair. These leaves have the property of providing vitality and strength to hair roots. New hair roots that grow are healthier and contain a normal pigment. The leaves can be used in the form of chutney, or may be squeezed in buttermilk. When the leaves are boiled in coconut oil, the oil forms an excellent hair tonic to stimulate hair growth and bring back hair pigmentation.
4. Ribbed Gourd (Jhina in hindi): Ribbed gourd boiled in coconut oil is also an effective remedy for premature greying of hair. Pieces of this vegetable should be dried in the shade. These dried pieces should be soaked in coconut oil and kept aside for three or four days. The oil should then be boiled till the solid is reduced to a blackened residue. This oil should be massaged into the scalp. It will help enrich the hair roots and restore pigment to the hair.
5. Butter: The butter made from cow's milk has the property of preventing premature greying of hair. A small roll may be taken internally and a little quantity may be massaged into the hair roots twice a week.
6. Vitamins: The vitamins considered useful in guarding against premature greying of hair are pantothenic acid, para-aminobenzoic acid (paba), inositol. The minimum daily requirement of these vitamins appears to be 10 mg of pantothenic acid, 100 mg of para-aminobenzoic acid, and 2 gm of inositol. To obtain satisfactory results, all three of these vitamins belonging to the B group should be supplied at one time, preferably in a form which supplies all the B vitamins, such as yeast and liver. The three anti-greying-hair vitamins can also be produced in the intestinal tract by bacteria. Thus, taking a sufficient quantity of yoghurt daily and a tablespoonful of yeast before each meal is an excellent remedy for the prevention and treatment of premature greying of hair. If one wishes to take tablets of calcium pantothenate and para-aminobenzoic acid (paba), they should be taken in addition to the yeast and yoghurt, and not as a substitute for them.
Dietaries for Premature Greying of Hair
· Take nutrients rich diet: Diet is of utmost importance in the prevention and treatment of premature greying of hair and persons suffering from this disorder should take a diet rich in all essential nutrients.
· Avoid devitalising foods, soft drinks etc: Devitalising foods such as white flour, refined sugar and all products made from them, soft drinks, pastries, jams and jellies should be avoided. These foods take away energy, cause wrinkles, unattractive skin, grey hair, and premature old age.
Other Premature Greying of Hair treatments
· Massage of scalp with almond oil
· Massage of the scalp with almond oil is recommended.
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