I NEED DRY HAIR HELP

Hi, my hair has been colored several times, and the last 4 inches or so are VERY dry. They don't look bad everyday, but they do quite often. My hair is to my mid-back, and I promised my fiance that I would grow it to my waist by our wedding which is a little over a year away. So obviously I can't cut off 4 inches!! Is there ANY product that anyone knows of that I could treat these dry damaged ends with? Or are my ends just dead and without hope? Someone please help....

> Or are my ends just dead> and without hope? Someone please help....Take heart Christy, EVERYBODY'S ends are dead, that's the nature of hair. The only living hair is the stuff coming right out of the follicle. All the rest of it is dead cells but even they can respond to proper care. Just start doing all the wonderful things people have suggested. Stop coloring, don't blowdry and condition, condition, condition. Its your choice whether you do that with commercial products or homemade ones but definitely do something. My favorite is jojoba too. That's a good starting point that is sure to help.Good luck!Best wishes to all,Dawn

I would like to hear how you make your sage infusion, because I have lots of sage growing in my front yard and I have dark hair.Thanks, Clare> Debra is so right. Jojoba oil is like the> oil from the gods for hair. I also run some jojoba> oil through my hair at least once a week before> bed and then sleep with it in. The hot summer> days have been drying my hair out and I try to> stay away from chemical products so I made my> own conditioner. I mixed four egg yellows, jojoba> oil, sesame oil and vitamin E. I then added some> natural henna to make it thicker (the kind which> doesn't colour your hair but adds shine) and a> very strong sage infusion because I have really> dark hair. You may want to skip the last part> because henna is a bit drying and the sage is> really only good for dark hair. I don't know what> colour your hair is. I have used strictly the> oil and egg mixture before and have received great> results. If the rest of your hair is not dry you> may only want to use it on your damaged ends.> I applied my concoction to my hair last Sunday> morning and covered it with plastic. I went outside> to do some gardening for about an hour and ended> up outside all day with my hair baking in the> heat. When I washed it out my hair was soooo soft.> I don't know if I have whole days to devote to> my hair in the future, but I will use my gardening/> housework time as hair conditioning time to leave> it in as long as possible.> Don't cut your hair. You will probably only> end up being unhappy with it cut and always wonder> if there was something else you could have done.> Aveda also appears to have great products, so> if you don't want to venture into the kitchen> maybe you should check them out.> Happy growing from someone who is only at> jaw length.

Deb, Thanks for the advice. I've called a few places to find jojoba oil, but they only have jojoba conditioner (which has chemicals in it too)....but I'll keep looking. You are growing your hair to your waist too, huh? Good luck! :)Thanks a lot for the help. (cstevich@mhcc.com)>> Hi Christy - I've got a bit of the same problem,> although my ends aren't so bad anymore. I also> don't want to cut any of my hair off, I'm starting> to believe that this "cut off the dead ends"> stuff is a myth.> One thing I have been doing is putting jojoba> oil (just the straight oil, I got it at a health> food store) on my ends every night and leaving> it on overnight. I think this is helping and I> plan to continue doing it indefinitely. I'd like> for my hair to make it to my waist in about a> year too - and mine grows so slowly that it may> take the whole year!> Good luck! Don't cut it! Condition the heck> out of it, often.> Deb

Laura Jane, Thanks for the tips! I will try the jojoba oil if I can find it!!> I don't color my hair, but I can offer a> few suggestions, since I've had dry hair and skin> my whole life.> Use a very gentle shampoo, and only on your> scalp. Just let the lather rinse down over the> ends as you rinse it out of your hair. This will> go a long way toward not making the problem worse.> Use a good conditioner, too. I'm with Cher on> this one - Curessence is absolutely wonderful.> Try leaving it on for a while, too - half an hour,> an hour, whatever.> My favorite thing, though, is jojoba oil.> Before I wash my hair, I massage jojoba oil with> some oil of rosemary into my scalp and brush some> through my hair. If I have time, I leave it on> for a while; otherwise, I just wash it right away.>> If your ends are actually split, you really> do need to cut the splits off. Otherwise, I'd> suggest a tiny little trim to take off the very,> very ends, and a lot of conditioning. And don't> blow dry!> Laura Jane lswanson@sunflower.bio.indiana.edu>

Hi Kira, thanks for your message. My hair is brown naturally, but I had it highlighted with blonde for a while, then dyed it back to brown a few times. Now I want to get it highlighted (streaked) again, because I like it better that way....but I want my hair to be healthier first!I will try the jojoba oil if I can find it here. Thanks again. (cstevich@mhcc.com)> Debra is so right. Jojoba oil is like the> oil from the gods for hair. I also run some jojoba> oil through my hair at least once a week before> bed and then sleep with it in. The hot summer> days have been drying my hair out and I try to> stay away from chemical products so I made my> own conditioner. I mixed four egg yellows, jojoba> oil, sesame oil and vitamin E. I then added some> natural henna to make it thicker (the kind which> doesn't colour your hair but adds shine) and a> very strong sage infusion because I have really> dark hair. You may want to skip the last part> because henna is a bit drying and the sage is> really only good for dark hair. I don't know what> colour your hair is. I have used strictly the> oil and egg mixture before and have received great> results. If the rest of your hair is not dry you> may only want to use it on your damaged ends.> I applied my concoction to my hair last Sunday> morning and covered it with plastic. I went outside> to do some gardening for about an hour and ended> up outside all day with my hair baking in the> heat. When I washed it out my hair was soooo soft.> I don't know if I have whole days to devote to> my hair in the future, but I will use my gardening/> housework time as hair conditioning time to leave> it in as long as possible.> Don't cut your hair. You will probably only> end up being unhappy with it cut and always wonder> if there was something else you could have done.> Aveda also appears to have great products, so> if you don't want to venture into the kitchen> maybe you should check them out.> Happy growing from someone who is only at> jaw length.

Hi Dawn, You say "stop colouring" my hair. I want to get it highlighted again (it is brown naturally, I had it highlighted blonde for awhile, then dyed it back to brown a few times). I like it better with the highlights. Do you think it would just kill my hair?Thanks for the reply!>> Take heart Christy, EVERYBODY'S ends are> dead, that's the nature of hair. The only living> hair is the stuff coming right out of the follicle.> All the rest of it is dead cells but even they> can respond to proper care. Just start doing all> the wonderful things people have suggested. Stop> coloring, don't blowdry and condition, condition,> condition. Its your choice whether you do that> with commercial products or homemade ones but> definitely do something. My favorite is jojoba> too. That's a good starting point that is sure> to help.> Good luck!> Best wishes to all,> Dawn

Hi Dawn, You say "stop colouring" my hair. I want to get it highlighted again (it is brown naturally, I had it highlighted blonde for awhile, then dyed it back to brown a few times). I like it better with the highlights. Do you think it would just kill my hair? (cstevich@mhcc.com)Thanks for the reply!>> Take heart Christy, EVERYBODY'S ends are> dead, that's the nature of hair. The only living> hair is the stuff coming right out of the follicle.> All the rest of it is dead cells but even they> can respond to proper care. Just start doing all> the wonderful things people have suggested. Stop> coloring, don't blowdry and condition, condition,> condition. Its your choice whether you do that> with commercial products or homemade ones but> definitely do something. My favorite is jojoba> too. That's a good starting point that is sure> to help.> Good luck!> Best wishes to all,> Dawn

Hey Christy!I do know that colorings definitely have an affect on your hair, but I have no personal experience with that area of hair care and would defer to the true expert on such matters which is Karen. She has often offered great tips for the least damaging ways to highlight and color hair and I'm sure she'd be happy to tell you about that sort of thing. Have you checked out the excellent tips and articles section? I think I recall a recent article about highlighting that you might find useful.Good luck!Very best wishes to all!Dawn