Hair can feel dry and brittle, appear to be thinning or break easily for a few reasons. It could be from your genes. You may have been born with dry hair, or you may have been born with fine or fragile hair. Using too many hair products, such as harsh dyes or perms, can also leave hair brittle and dry. You can attempt to improve your hair’s look and feel by treating it gently and using products that protect it.
Conditioner
If hair is brittle and dry, give it plenty of moisture. Always condition your hair after shampooing it. You may want to condition your hair even on days when you do not wash it. Run the conditioner through your hair, and let it soak into the strands for a few minutes before rinsing it out. Avoid further damage to your hair by using lukewarm, not hot, water to rinse the conditioner out. Give hair another moisture boost by deep conditioning it at least once weekly. You can use a commercially made leave-in deep conditioner or treat your hair with an oil, such as coconut or olive oil. Rub the oil into your hair and scalp. Wrap in a damp, hot towel. Let the oil soak into your hair for at least 30 minutes.
Shampoo
Too much shampoo can dry your hair out and leave it feeling brittle. Fine or thinning hair can also break if you wash it too often or use a harsh shampoo. Look for shampoos specifically formulated for your hair type. Switch to a gentler shampoo to improve the health of your hair. “Good Housekeeping Magazine” recommends using a shampoo that will remove build-up while keeping hair moisturized. If your hair breaks easily or feels brittle, help it grow stronger with a strengthening shampoo. You may also want to look for a shampoo with built-in sunscreen to protect your hair from the heat of the sun. If a gentle shampoo still leaves you with dry or brittle hair, consider cutting back on the number of times you shampoo each week.
The Right Comb
The tightly packed bristles on a hair brush or the fine teeth on a regular comb can pull out or break your hair when you attempt remove any tangles. A wide-toothed comb treats hair more gently, so that you don’t risk losing any more hair than necessary. When you use a wide-toothed comb, be careful that you do not scratch your scalp or irritate it.
Photo Credit
- wooden comb image by Sergey Shlyaev from Fotolia.com
