Damaged Hair Follicles

Damaged hair follicles can give nightmares to many people, especially women. Before knowing the treatment for hair follicles that have been damaged, understanding the structure of hair is very crucial. The hair has three layers, namely, the medulla, which is the innermost layer made up of a number of cells; the cortex which surrounds the marrow or the medulla and is made up of cells and fibrous proteins, and lastly, the cuticle which is the outermost layer of the hair which comprises a number of cells that protect the cortex. The hair root is beneath the surface of the skin and is enclosed within the hair follicle. So, once the hair follicles are dead, it means that it is virtually impossible for new hair to grow out of them. However, if the hair follicles are not so severely damaged, certain natural treatments and precautions can restore them. Here, we try to learn how to treat damaged hair follicles, but before that, we need to understand the causes which lead to this condition.

Causes of Damaged Hair Follicles

• Prolonged exposure to the sun can cause severe damage to the hair follicles.
• Chemicals used in hair colors and other hair treatments can cause hair loss, damage the hair follicles and the inner layers of the hair, if improper techniques are used while providing the hair treatments.
• Undernourished hair due to diets deficient in the required vitamins, minerals and proteins can cause damage to the hair follicles.
• Certain medications, such as those used in chemotherapy, lead to damaged hair follicles.
• Not caring for the hair can damage hair follicles too.

Treatment for Damaged Hair Follicles

If you have questions like "Can such damaged hair be repaired?", the answer is yes. But be very careful, while deciding on the treatments and hair care products. The treatments for damaged hair that repair only the cuticle layer should be avoided as they don't fully repair the hair from the innermost layers and beneath the skin surface. Given below are some effective ways of treating damaged hair follicles.

Oils
Oils of various brands, available in the beauty stores, are used to treat this condition. You can use coconut oil, almond oil or olive oil for treating hair follicles. The procedure to use them is quite simple. Simply apply the oil in the night, massage it into the scalp and leave it on until morning. Use a mild shampoo to wash the hair. Continue this treatment for a few months, to restore the damaged hair follicles. Oils keep the follicles healthy and nourished. It is recommended to heat the oil, before applying, to make it more effective.

Home Remedies
For treating damaged hair follicles naturally at home, use eggs or mayonnaise. Simply apply a layer of mayonnaise on your hair, covering the whole head or massage the egg in your hair and scalp. Leave it on for an hour and wash with lukewarm water. This treatment is used to restore the hair that have been damaged.

Healthy Diet
The health and condition of hair is a measure of the body's health. Take a healthy diet and it will automatically be reflected in the hair. Include lots of green vegetables and fruits in your diet and drink at least 8-10 glasses of water everyday. Supplement your diet with lots of fruit juices too for hair loss prevention and to treat damaged hair follicles.

Hair Care
Take proper care of your hair. When going out into the sun, cover your head with a scarf or use an umbrella. Avoid using chemical treatments for your hair such as hair coloring, perming etc. Go for a natural look. If you can't do that, at least give a gap of two months between two hair treatments, to give time to the hair to recover from the chemicals. Also, read and follow the instructions mentioned on the hair treatments to avoid any damage.

Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil, derived from the tree Melaleuca alternifolia, has many antifungal and anti-bacterial properties. Application of tea tree oil regularly, not only helps in treating hair follicles that are damaged but also dry hair and scalp. Simply add tea tree oil to your conditioner and apply it on the hair. Leave it on for ten minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water.

Hope by now you know how to treat this condition. Various beauty salons too offer treatments for damaged hair follicles. Personally, I would not recommend them, as most of these treatments involve deep conditioning of hair, in other words, use of chemicals which can further deteriorate the condition of your hair. Being natural, using natural products and eating vegetarian food is the key to lustrous, shiny and healthy hair.