Did you know that the average person has approximately 100,000 hair follicles on their scalp? Each of these follicles is a powerhouse, responsible for producing hair that grows, on average, about half an inch every month.
Yet, despite the resilience of these follicles, many of us face the challenge of weak hair roots, leading to hair thinning, breakage, and even hair loss.
The ancient Greeks believed that a person's hair was a direct reflection of their health, and modern science seems to agree.
A study published in the Dermatology Practical & Conceptual journal found that hair health could indicate underlying health conditions, from hormonal imbalances to nutritional deficiencies.
Join us as we uncover the mysteries of hair roots and explore effective ways to fortify them for a
mane that truly shines!
20 Expert Tips To Make Your Hair Roots Strong
A study from the Journal of Clinical Medicine highlighted that hair follicle health directly impacts hair's growth cycle, strength, and texture. So, if you've been focusing solely on the surface, it's time to dig deeper.
Embark on a transformative journey with us as we unveil 20 expert tips to strengthen your hair roots, ensuring every strand stands tall and healthy.
1. Avoid Heat
Heat styling tools, such as blow dryers, straightening irons, and hot curlers, can significantly weaken hair strands, leading to damage and frizziness. It's essential to limit the use of these tools to two or three times a week and always maintain a safe distance from the hair.
Using a lower heat setting and applying a heat protectant product can further minimize damage. For those with particularly fragile hair, it's recommended to avoid heat styling altogether and explore no-heat styling methods.
2. Don't Overuse Shampoo
Over-shampooing can strip the hair of its natural oils, leaving it dry and brittle. This can make the hair more susceptible to breakage. It's advised to use only a quarter-sized amount of shampoo, focusing primarily on the scalp.
Overwashing can be detrimental, so it's best to shampoo two or three times a week, depending on hair type and oiliness.
3. Cool-Rinse Your Hair
Showering with extremely hot water can damage hair cuticles and roots. Instead, it's recommended to use lukewarm water and finish with a cold rinse. This seals the hair cuticle, helping it retain moisture and shine.
4. Replace Towel with a T-Shirt
Traditional towels can cause friction, leading to hair breakage and frizz. Using a soft cotton T-shirt to dry hair can reduce damage and maintain hair's natural texture, especially beneficial for curly hair.
5. Boost Vitamin Intake
A deficiency in essential vitamins can lead to weak hair roots, thinning, and hair fall. Consuming a balanced diet supplemented with vitamins can strengthen hair and repair damage.
Essential nutrients for hair growth include Vitamin A (found in sweet potatoes and carrots), B vitamins (especially biotin found in egg yolks and salmon), Vitamin C (found in citrus fruits), Vitamin D (found in fatty fish), Vitamin E (found in sunflower seeds), Iron (found in red meat), and Zinc (found in lentils).
If you're unable to get these nutrients from your diet, consider taking a multivitamin, but always consult with a healthcare provider before starting any supplements.
6. Massage Your Scalp
Regular scalp massages can stimulate hair growth and enhance blood circulation, ensuring hair follicles receive the necessary nutrients. A daily 4-minute scalp massage can increase hair thickness and strength over time.
When combined with hair growth oils or serums, the benefits are amplified. Massaging not only promotes hair health but also offers relaxation and stress relief.
7. Increase Protein Intake
Protein is a fundamental building block for hair. Incorporating protein-rich foods like eggs, fish, lean meats, and legumes can fortify hair and reduce the risk of thinning or balding.
Along with protein, it's essential to consume foods rich in vitamins and minerals to nourish the hair from within.
8. Hot Oil Treatment
Hot oil treatments can deeply moisturize and repair damaged hair. Combining oils like coconut and avocado oil and applying them to the scalp and hair can restore shine and bounce. Regular treatments can protect hair from further damage and keep it healthy.
Herbal oils, customized to balance vata, pitta, and kapha, can detoxify and nourish hair roots. Night time oiling is particularly beneficial.
9. Limit Chemical Treatments
Chemical treatments, including hair coloring, perming, and straightening, can weaken hair over time. These treatments can alter the hair's natural structure, leading to dryness, breakage, and thinning.
If you opt for chemical treatments, ensure you space them out and provide your hair with ample time to recover. Using deep conditioning treatments post-chemical processes can also help restore hair health.
10. Use Silk or Satin Pillowcases
Traditional cotton pillowcases can cause friction, leading to hair breakage, split ends, and frizz. Switching to silk or satin pillowcases can reduce this friction, ensuring your hair remains smooth and tangle-free. These materials also help retain hair's natural oils, keeping it moisturized.
11. Stay Hydrated
Water plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health, including that of your hair. Dehydration can lead to dry, brittle hair that's prone to breakage. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water daily to keep your hair hydrated from the inside out.
12. Reduce Stress
Chronic stress can lead to hair thinning and even hair loss. Engaging in relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga can help manage stress levels. Additionally, ensuring you get adequate sleep and maintaining a balanced lifestyle can contribute to reduced stress and improved hair health.
13. Protective Hairstyles
If you have long or textured hair, consider using protective hairstyles like braids, twists, or buns. These styles reduce the hair's exposure to environmental factors and minimize the risk of physical damage. However, ensure these styles aren't too tight, as that can lead to tension and weaken the hair roots.
14. Avoid Chlorinated Water
Swimming in chlorinated pools can strip hair of its natural oils, leading to dryness and damage. If you're a regular swimmer, it's advisable to wear a swim cap. Additionally, rinsing your hair with fresh water before and after swimming can minimize chlorine damage.
15. Limit Alcohol and Caffeine
Consumption Excessive alcohol and caffeine can dehydrate the hair, making it more prone to breakage. It's essential to moderate your intake and ensure you're consuming enough water to counteract their dehydrating effects.
16. Be Gentle When Detangling
Tugging and pulling at tangles can lead to hair breakage. It's essential to be gentle when detangling. Start from the ends and work your way up using a wide-tooth comb or fingers. Using a detangling spray or conditioner can also ease the process.
17. Regularly Clean Hair Accessories
Hair brushes, combs, and other accessories can accumulate dirt, oil, and product buildup. Regularly cleaning these tools ensures that you're not reintroducing dirt and oil to your clean hair, which can weigh it down and weaken it.
18. Avoid Unhealthy Fats:
Foods high in refined oils, palm oil, fried foods, starch, and sugary foods can increase kapha, weakening hair roots.
19. Follow Inflammation Reducing Diet
Limit extremely spicy and sour foods. Excessive salt can weaken roots and cause premature greying. Smoking and alcohol can also trigger inflammation.
20. Choose Hair Products Wisely
Many hair products on the market contain chemicals and synthetic ingredients that can harm hair and scalp health. These include sulfates, parabens, and artificial fragrances. Such products strip the hair of its natural oils, leading to dryness, breakage, and weakened roots.
By choosing natural products without harmful chemicals, you reduce the risk of potential irritations, allergies, and long-term damage to your hair and scalp. The long-term benefits include reduced hair fall, fewer split ends, and overall stronger hair roots.
Causes of Weak Hair Roots (Follicles)
- Lack of Nutrients (Vata): A diet deficient in essential hair nutrients like iron, calcium, zinc, Vitamin D, and fundamental hair proteins can weaken the roots. Proper hydration is also crucial for maintaining hair health.
- Occlusion of Blood Supply to the Follicles (Kapha): Imbalances in cholesterol, hormones, and sugar can hinder essential nutrition from reaching the hair roots, even if one consumes a balanced meal. This can lead to issues like seborrheic dermatitis.
- Inflammation (Pitta): Overexposure to chemicals, heat treatments, pollution, and a high acid diet can weaken hair roots, causing pain and dandruff.
- Internal Diseases: Conditions like alopecia areata, polycystic ovary syndrome, scalp psoriasis, and thyroid problems can disrupt the natural hair growth cycle, leading to premature hair shedding.
- Chemotherapy: The powerful drugs used in chemotherapy can weaken hair roots, leading to hair thinning and loss.
- Medication: Some medications, such as isotretinoin for acne, can weaken hair roots.
- Trauma or Stress: Sudden trauma or excessive stress can cause a condition called telogen effluvium, which weakens hair roots and leads to temporary hair fall.
- Age: Aging can slow down hair growth, leading to hair thinning and excessive shedding.
What Are Some Signs of Weak Hair Roots?
- Hair shafts break easily when pulled.
- Hair appears dry, lacks luster, and gets tangled easily.
- Hair fall exceeds the normal rate (more than 100 strands per day).
- Hair splits as it grows.
6 Best DIY Hair Masks To Make Your Hair Roots Strong
Did you know that the strength of your hair doesn't just come from the products you use, but from deep within the roots? That's why we've gathered the best DIY hair masks, using ingredients you probably already have at home, to give your roots the boost they need.
These masks are not just easy to make, but they're also packed with natural goodness to ensure your hair roots are strong and your hair is healthy.
1. Banana and Honey Mask
- Ingredients: 1 ripe banana, 2 tablespoons of honey.
- Method: Mash the banana and mix it with honey. Apply the mixture to your hair and scalp. Leave it on for 30 minutes and rinse off.
- Benefits: Bananas are rich in vitamins and minerals that improve hair elasticity, while honey moisturizes and adds shine.
2. Aloe Vera and Coconut Oil Mask
- Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of Aloe vera gel, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.
- Method: Mix aloe vera gel with coconut oil and apply the mixture to your scalp and hair. Leave it on for 30 minutes and then wash off.
- Benefits: Aloe vera promotes hair growth and soothes the scalp, while coconut oil deeply moisturizes and strengthens hair.
3. Fenugreek Seed Paste
- Ingredients: 2 tablespoons of fenugreek seeds, water.
- Method: Soak the fenugreek seeds overnight. Grind them into a paste the next morning. Apply the paste to your scalp and hair. Leave it on for 30-40 minutes and then rinse off.
- Benefits: Fenugreek seeds are known to strengthen hair roots, promote hair growth, and combat hair fall.
4. Yogurt and Lemon Mask
- Ingredients: 1 cup of yogurt, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
- Method: Mix yogurt with lemon juice and apply the mixture to your scalp and hair. Leave it on for 20-30 minutes and then wash off.
- Benefits: Yogurt acts as a natural conditioner, while lemon helps to cleanse the scalp and strengthen hair roots.
5. Avocado and Argan Oil Mask
- Ingredients: 1 ripe avocado, 2 tablespoons of argan oil.
- Method: Mash the avocado and mix it with argan oil. Apply the mixture to your hair and scalp. Leave it on for 30 minutes and then rinse off.
- Benefits: Avocado is rich in vitamins and fatty acids that nourish hair, while argan oil adds shine and strengthens hair roots.
6. Onion Juice and Honey Mask
- Ingredients: 1 onion, 1 tablespoon of honey.
- Method: Extract juice from the onion and mix it with honey. Apply the mixture to your scalp. Leave it on for 20-30 minutes and then wash off.
- Benefits: Onion juice stimulates hair growth and strengthens hair roots, while honey moisturizes and adds shine.
Remember to always do a patch test before trying out any new hair mask to ensure you don't have any allergic reactions. Regularly using these masks can significantly improve the health and strength of your hair roots.
Best Hair Products To Strengthen Hair Roots
Just as a tree relies on its roots for nourishment, our hair depends on its roots for growth and health. Dive into our handpicked selection of hair products that target the very foundation of your hair, ensuring every strand is strong and healthy.
- Coconut Oil
Kama Ayurveda's cold-pressed Extra Virgin Coconut oil is a versatile solution for hair and skin. It deeply nourishes hair roots, prevents dryness, and adds luster to damaged hair. Renowned in Ayurveda for its strengthening properties, this oil also serves as an effective conditioner, ensuring hydrated and vibrant hair.
- Sesame Oil
Kama Ayurveda's Organic Sesame Oil is a nutrient-rich, cold-pressed oil that deeply nourishes the scalp and hair roots. Especially beneficial for heat-damaged hair, it revitalizes and repairs, while also offering protection against harmful UV radiation.
Its deep-penetrating properties ensure that the hair roots receive essential vitamins and minerals, promoting stronger and healthier hair growth.
- Bringadi Intensive Hair Treatment Oil
Kama Ayurveda's Bringadi Intensive Hair Treatment Oil is a traditional Ayurvedic concoction that offers a comprehensive solution for hair loss, dandruff, and premature graying.
This oil is enriched with potent herbs extracted into pure Sesame oil and Milk, making it a natural conditioner that deeply nourishes the scalp and hair roots. Regular use of this oil not only strengthens hair roots but also provides a calming effect, promoting better sleep.
4. Bringadi Hair Cleanser
This nourishing and volumizing hair cleanser by Kama Ayurveda is clinically proven to significantly reduce hair fall, dandruff flakes, and an oily scalp. The cleanser is enriched with potent ingredients like Bhringraj, Amla, Liquorice, and Indigo.
Bhringraj, often referred to as the 'King of Hair' in Ayurveda, is naturally rich in Magnesium, which helps repair damaged and brittle hair.
5. Bringadi Hair Conditioner
Kama Ayurveda's Bringadi Hair Conditioner is an Ayurveda-inspired formulation designed to enhance hair texture, reduce frizz, and restore lost moisture. The conditioner is fortified with actives from the award-winning Bringadi Oil, which is renowned for strengthening weak and fragile hair.
This conditioner not only strengthens hair roots but also improves the overall condition of weak and fragile hair.
6. Bringadi Intensive Repair Post Wash Hair Mask
This deep conditioning hair mask by Kama Ayurveda is formulated to repair broken hair bonds and shield hair from damage. Enriched with the power of 'wonder herb,' Bhringraj, it corrects imbalances leading to hair loss and thinning, while also activating hair proteins and improving blood flow for enhanced hair growth.
Kama Ayurveda's Kesini Herbal Hair Wash Powder is a 100% natural and Ayurvedic hair cleanser made with a unique blend of herbs to ensure healthy and nourished hair. The key ingredient, Shikakai, known as the 'fruit for the hair,' gently cleanses the scalp without stripping its natural oils.
This hair wash powder is especially suitable for sensitive and damaged scalp conditions, ensuring that the hair roots are strengthened and the overall hair health is maintained.