It’s no secret that healthy, shining and lustrous hair is a woman's greatest beauty asset. However, hair can only be beautiful when it is maintained in good condition. There is even considerable merit to the argument that
the condition of your hair and scalp is a clear pointer to your general well being. Many factors such as physical or emotional stress can cause dull and lifeless hair, and hair problems are also frequently caused by
repeated exposure to chemicals, heat from styling appliances and stressful styling practices. Even the age and health of a person, his or her nutritional habits, hormone levels, and seasonal and climatic conditions
generally influence hair growth.
There are lots of hair problems that people deal with, and an equal number of home remedies for these conditions, which often vary by region. I feel it important to clearly state that the majority of the evidence proposed
to support the claims that these home remedies work is anecdotal and even more often based on old wives’ tales. However, there is sometimes a grain of truth to be found in folklore, so many people prefer to try whatever
they feel may help, but certainly won’t hurt.
Oily / Dry Hair
The root is the main source of nutrition to the entire strand of hair. A tiny tube like pit in the skin called the follicle holds the root of the hair. The papilla that forms the base of the follicle nourishes the root
through blood vessels and nerves. Sebaceous glands are also attached to the hair follicle to nourish and protect the shaft by secreting oils. Healthy hair gets its shine also from a thin coating of sebum. If the sebaceous
gland becomes over-active and produces too much sebum the result is greasy hair. Frequent washing does not affect sebaceous secretions, and it will not make greasy hair greasier or dry hair drier.
Home Remedies for Oily / Dry Hair:
Massaging the scalp with the tips of the fingers till it starts to tingle with the heat stimulates the sebaceous glands and enables the blood circulation and makes the hair grow healthy. This is generally felt to help
the hair gain a balance in oil production and is believed to help both oily and dry hair problems.
For oily hair, use an astringent “after rinse” made from green tea and the juice of one lemon in 1 quart of water. Allow the mixture to cool and pour through the hair over the scalp after the hair has been shampooed,
conditioned and rinsed thoroughly.
Dry hair can be combated using a deep-conditioning treatment with warm olive oil. Use the lightest olive oil you can find to avoid an overly olive aroma afterward. Let the oil sit on the hair for 30 minutes and then
shampoo the hair and condition it as normal.
Hair loss
Some loss of hair is normal. One of the more commonly-cited causes of the loss of hair is inadequate nutrition - mainly lack of protein, vitamin A and B in the individual’s diet. The hair grows normally after the liberal
intake of these vitamins. These nutrient rich foods are eggs, nuts, soy bean, mango, liver, dark green leafy vegetables, carrots, dried apricots, whole grain cereals, peas etc. Hair loss may also be caused by a variety
of other conditions such as pregnancy, anemia, thyroid disorders, stress, typhoid, influenza, and heredity. It makes the hair root weak and results in hair fall.
Unclean condition of the scalp can also cause loss of hair. It weakens the hair roots may result by blocking the pores with the collected dirt. Alfalfa juice in combination with spinach or coriander if taken daily will
help the hair to grow fast. The juices of carrot, green coriander, lettuce, amaranth in different combinations is also considered beneficial. The combination of these juices is rich in elements, which are particularly
useful for the growth of the hair.
