Effective Home Remedies for Silky Hair

Introduction

To have hair as smooth as feathers is probably a common hair goal that most of us share. Shiny locks are a hair dream that almost all of us are running after. Unfortunately, our hair can become dry when they do not have enough moisture to maintain the natural shine and texture of hair.¹ You must be wondering how to make hair silky and shiny at home. There are many home remedies available to make your hair silky. All of us must have tried different kinds of remedies at least once to obtain shiny, silky hair. They might have worked or not. It’s essential to understand the problem completely before attempting to solve it. So, it’s time to get to the root of your hair problem to make the hair silky and shiny.   

What Causes Dry Hair?

Dry hair can occur due to several reasons, which are as follows: 

• A dry climate or dry air  
• Washing your hair excessively or using harsh alcohols or soaps to wash them    
• Deficient nutrients (malnutrition) in your body  
• An emotional disorder characterised by a desire to lose weight intensely and refusing to eat (anorexia)    
• Hormonal imbalances like:  
• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)  
• Hypoparathyroidism (underactive parathyroid)  
• Other hormonal abnormalities  
• Excessive blow-drying your hair¹  
• Menkes kinky hair syndrome is a disorder in which the body has difficulty absorbing copper, characterised by sparse, brittle, kinky, steely or tangled hair.^1,2  

Also Read: Natural Home Remedies for Thick Hair

Symptoms of Dry Hair

Hair can become dry because of multiple reasons. It can lose the oil and moisture and become dry.¹ Microscopically, damage to your hair can be viewed and is referred to as weathering. When your hair gets extremely damaged, it might also break. As a result of weathering of hair, you might experience tangling and frizzing of hair.³ You can identify hair dryness by looking at the hair or touching them. They feel dry to touch and look at. There are various remedies given in the next section that can restore the moisture and oil of hair and help them regain its sheen and texture.  

To maintain optimal hair quality, it is essential to protect it from the damaging effects of pollution and sun exposure. Covering your hair with a scarf or hat is a simple yet effective method to avoid excessive exposure to these harmful elements.

Dr. Arpit Verma, MBBS MD (Pharmacology)

Suggested Home Remedies for Silky Hair

Our near and dear ones suggest several home remedies when it comes to hair treatment. The remedies are wide-ranged and may or may not work. Here are a few home remedies that you can try to nourish your hair and make it shine. This will answer your quest of ‘how to make hair silky?’.  

1. Coconut Oil  

Coconut oil has been used for ages for hair treatment. It imparts shine and is a good hair conditioner. In addition, coconut oil protects the hair from damage and reduces the loss of proteins from it. This helps in maintaining the health of hair.⁴ You can use it for making your hair silky by simply massaging the oil onto your scalp and hair strands. You can warm the oil before applying it or can use it at room temperature. Leaving the oil in your hair overnight and washing it the next day might be a good home remedy for smooth hair.  

PharmEasy Recommends – Parachute Advansed Gold Coconut Hair Oil

2. Eggs  

An egg is one of the common ingredients used to make hair packs. It is used for softening hair (as an emollient). You can make a hair pack using eggs by mixing it with olive oil and garlic. You can also mix egg yolk with almond oil and apply it by rubbing it on the scalp and hair. You can use it along with honey and turmeric as well.⁵ You can keep the pack in your hair for some time and then wash it off with plain water and a mild shampoo. However, there is a need for more research to know the use of eggs in making hair silky at home. 

3. Mineral Oil  

Mineral oil can be used as a remedy for obtaining silky hair as it helps reduce the splitting of hair ends. Mineral oil does not cause a reversal of hair damage; however, its ability to spread onto hair strands is commendable. Due to this property, mineral oil can form a layer on the strands and aids in easier combing, reduces the number of split ends and gives a gloss to hair.³ You can simply massage in mineral oil (at room temperature) of your choice on your scalp and hair strands and leave it for some time. Then, you can comb your hair with a comb and wash the oil off with a mild shampoo to reap its benefits. You can also mix it with olive oil and apply it to your hair.  

Also Read: Effective Home Remedies for Lice Removal

4. Moroccan Argan Oil  

Moroccan argan oil is obtained from the argan tree native to Morocco. This oil is now the most expensive edible oil in the world. There is no specific scientific evidence regarding the use of Moroccan argan oil for hair. However, it is said to have beneficial effects on hair as it helps moisturise hair and makes the hair water-repelling, which is helpful for the health of hair.³ You can use Moroccan argan oil to massage your scalp. You can leave the oil in your hair overnight and wash your hair the next day to get silky and shiny hair.      

PharmEasy Recommends – Khadi Organique Moroccan Argan Hair Oil

5. Aloe Vera  

Aloe vera can help improve hair and scalp health, either directly or as a contributor to other factors; this is what multiple studies have shown. It is efficient in eliminating multiple microorganisms (viruses, bacteria and fungi) from the scalp, protecting hair from the harmful effects of sunlight and moisturising hair.⁶ Therefore, it has many benefits for hair. The flesh of aloe vera leaf can be used to apply directly onto the head and hair. As a home remedy for silky hair, you can mix aloe vera gel in olive oil and apply this oil to hair. Then, leave it in for some time before washing it off. Using aloe vera might be a good home remedy to make hair silky and shiny at home.    

PharmEasy Recommends – Health Aid Aloe vera Gel

6. Shea Butter  

Shea butter can be used for moisturising the scalp and hair. It is obtained from the nut of a tree native to Africa, called the Shea tree. The Shea butter obtained is ivory in colour and is used in the preparation of various bath products like creams and shampoos. It has the property of moisturising and softening the hair.⁷ It can be used as a home remedy for silky hair by mixing in a suitable oil of choice and diluting it. If you can find raw shea butter, you can use it directly and apply it to the hair and scalp. After applying it, wait for an hour before washing your hair with a mild shampoo and plain water.  

PharmEasy Recommends – Asili Shea Butter Soap

7. Fenugreek  

Fenugreek is an aromatic herb and is good for the health of hair. It also prevents hair fall and promotes hair growth. Fenugreek contains multiple bioactive components, due to which it possesses such beneficial properties.⁸ You can use fenugreek oil for obtaining long and silky hair. You can boil a few seeds of fenugreek in coconut oil and apply them to hair and scalp. When the oil cools down, you can use this oil for massaging your head. Leave this oil overnight in your hair and then wash it off the next day to get silky hair. Fenugreek is also present in various herbal formulations that promote hair health. 

8. Rosemary  

Rosemary is a common shrub that is found in many parts of the world. It is used for its medicinal value to manage other diseases, but it can be used for getting healthy and silky hair as well. It has the property of stimulating the growth of hair.⁸ These uses show that rosemary has beneficial effects on hair. You can take a little bit of rosemary and boil it in a little bit of coconut oil or olive oil to reap its benefits. You can leave this oil in your head overnight and wash it off with a mild shampoo the next day.  

Also Read: Natural Home Remedies For Dark Neck

When to Seek Medical Help?

You should seek medical help from a dermatologist (skin and hair doctor) if you: 

• Are experiencing hair loss or hair breakage 
• Notice that hair does not get better by using the home remedies 
• Have unexplained symptoms of any sort¹ 

Conclusion

Dry hair can pose as a roadblock to your dreams of getting silky hair. The reasons for dry hair can range from excessive blow-drying of your hair and dry climate to hormonal imbalance. Whatever be the reason, you can try and rid yourselves of dry hair and obtain silky hair by trying out a few home remedies like coconut oil, eggs, argan oil, etc. Try these remedies and see which one is a better match for you and your hair. However, if dryness persists or you notice unexplainable symptoms, make sure that you visit your dermatologist and seek medical advice.      

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

References:

1. Dry hair [Internet]. MedlinePlus. 2020 [cited 2022 Jun 1]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003245.htm 

2. Menkes disease. [Internet]. MedlinePlus. [cited 2022 Jun 1]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001160.htm 

3. Dias MFRG. Hair cosmetics: An overview. Int J Trichology [Internet]. 2015;7(1):2–15. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4387693/ 

4. Sursinh Vala G, Vala GS, Kapadiya PK. Medicinal Benefits of Coconut Oil (A Review paper). Print) Int J Life Sci Res [Internet]. 2014;2:124–6. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280574942 

5. Zaid AN, Jaradat NA, Eid AM, Al Zabadi H, Alkaiyat A, Darwish SA. Ethnopharmacological survey of home remedies used for treatment of hair and scalp and their methods of preparation in the West Bank-Palestine. BMC Complement Altern Med [Internet]. 2017;17(1):1–15. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5499037/ 

6. Noreen S. A Close Look at Aloe Vera Barbadensis and It ‘ s Effect on Hair Health. 2020;(July). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342588964_A_Close_Look_at_Aloe_Vera_Barbadensis_and_It’s_Effect_on_Hair_Health 

7. Israel MO. Effects of Topical and Dietary Use of Shea Butter on Animals. Am J Life Sci [Internet]. 2014;2(5):303. Available from: http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo.aspx?journalid=118&doi=10.11648/j.ajls.20140205.18 

8. Patel S, Sharma V, Chauhan N, Thakur M, Dixit VK. Hair Growth: Focus on Herbal Therapeutic Agent. Curr Drug Discov Technol [Internet]. 2015 Aug 4 [cited 2022 Mar 29];12(1):21–42. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26058803/ 

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