Skincare has received plenty of attention in the past couple of months and now it’s time to put the spotlight on hair. Your hair is equally important and just like your meticulous skincare routine. There are plenty of factors to keep in mind when it comes to hair care as well. We’re pretty sure that during this lockdown, you’ve experienced an increase in hair fall and hair dryness. Well, just like lifestyle changes can affect your skin, in the same way, changes in your daily routine can also have an impact on your hair.
But don’t worry, you can improve your hair by just giving it the proper care it needs. If you’re a newbie when it comes to hair, the first thing to find out is your hair texture. Once you’ve figured this out, you’re already on the path to healthy, strong hair. To help you out, we’ve gathered all the information you need on hair texture and how you can improve it with simple at-home remedies. Scroll down to know more.
Everything You Need To Know About Hair Texture
When it comes to hair care, you first need to understand what hair texture is exactly. Many people wrongly assume that hair texture relates to oily or dry hair, but this is not the case. Hair texture describes the width or circumference of your hair strand and accordingly classifies it as fine, medium or thick/coarse.
There are 3 hair textures and 4 main types of hair. Remember, just like your skin, your hair texture can change over time as well. So, just because you had thick hair in your teens doesn’t mean the texture will remain the same in your 30s.
Fine Hair: It’s easy to determine if this is your hair texture. If too much product weighs down your hair, it gets oily easily or your scalp is visible when you pull your hair to the side, then you most likely have thin or fine hair. As compared to the other two textures, this hair texture type has only two layers — cortex and cuticle, which is why it is more prone to breaking and hair damage.
Medium Hair: This is the most common type of hair texture. Medium hair strands are a bit thicker than fine hair and are more resistant to breaking. If you can manage hairstyles with no difficulty and only a bit of your scalp is visible when you pull your hair to the side, then you most likely fall under this category. Medium hair consists of the same two layers i.e. cortex and cuticle but may also have the third one – the medulla.
Thick or Coarse Hair: Just like fine hair, it is easy to determine if you have thick hair. If your scalp is barely or not at all visible or your hair strand is as thick as a sewing thread, then you fall under this category. This hair texture has three layers — cortex, cuticle, and medulla, making it less prone to damage.
Reasons Why Your Hair Texture Changes Overtime
There are several reasons why your hair texture never remains the same, but the good news is that with the proper care and treatment, you can improve it naturally. Change in hair texture may happen over time due to external and internal factors. External factors include smoothing, perming, colouring, straightening, etc. Whereas internal factors include hormonal changes, poor diet, ageing, heavy dosage of medications, stress, iron deficiency, and pregnancy.
Natural Remedies That Will Help You Boost Your Hair Texture
All the ingredients you need to improve your hair texture can be found in your kitchen. If you’ve put your hair through a lot in the past couple of years, these remedies will help strengthen it, reduce further damage and even restore it to its former goodness by making it shiny, bouncy and healthy again.
Coconut Oil
There’s a reason your grandmother forced you to oil your hair, every week. Even though coconut oil has only recently gained worldwide recognition, brown girls have had its benefits engraved in their minds since they were kids. Massaging coconut oil on your scalp once or twice a week and leaving it overnight can improve hair texture, prevent protein loss, and reduce breakage and split ends.
Onion Juice
It might not sound so appealing, but onion juice actually works wonders on your hair. It contains sulfur which promotes healthy hair by improving its strength and elasticity. Massaging a tablespoon of onion juice on your scalp once or twice a week and leaving it overnight can nourish the hair follicles, increase hair growth and prevent thinning. So, if you suffer from thin or fine hair, you need to add onion oil to your hair care routine.
Aloe Vera
This plant does it all! If you’ve dug deep into the world of skincare, you’ll probably be well versed with the advantages of aloe vera gel. Amongst the long list of overall benefits, improving hair texture happens to be one of them. Aloe vera gel is loaded with nutrients like vitamins A, B12, C and E which are a blessing for the hair and scalp. It strengthens and repairs hair strands, protects it from the sun’s harmful UV rays and cleanses the hair follicle, leaving it soft and shiny. Since aloe vera gel is also rich in anti-inflammatory properties, it is great for treating itchy or dandruff filled scalps.
Amla Oil
Amla oil for hair has been taken straight from the pages of the Ayurvedic books. Amla oil is high in vitamin C and natural antioxidants known as flavonoids and polyphenols which help strengthen and repair follicles from the roots. Regular use of this oil is said to promote hair growth, reduce dandruff, keep the hair moisturised and even prevent greying.
Vitamins
If you’re recuperating from a serious illness or are on a strong dose of antibiotics, you might notice hair thinning or hair fall. This is because of the loss of certain vitamins within the body. While oiling your hair with the above ingredients does work, in such situations, it’s important to tackle the problem not only from the outside but inside as well.
Adding foods like carrots, spinach, kale, citrus fruits, eggs, fish, milk, and nuts which are rich in Vitamins A, C, D, and E to your daily diet can help reduce hair fall and improve hair texture. Consuming mega-3 foods like flaxseed, walnuts, and fatty fish are also beneficial in improving the texture of your hair.
What Not To Do
Only following the above steps are not enough. If you really want to improve your hair texture, there are a few things you need to avoid.
First, colouring or bleaching regularly. These products are filled with chemicals that damage hair over time.
Second, avoid applying too much heat. Since night outs and parties are cancelled this year, give your hair some rest by putting away your heat styling tools.
Third, avoid towel drying. Even though this is a CGM must, those with other hair types should also avert squeezing or rubbing their wet hair too hard with a towel as it can wreak havoc on your hair and even increase split ends.
If you’re looking to improve your hair texture and make it shiny and healthy again, go on and integrate these tips into your hair care routine.
Featured Image: Unsplash
