How Does Being Dehydrated Affect My Hair?

We can’t live without it, water. If you have been around here awhile you probably keep hearing me remind you to drink your water. Why? Because it is so important to our entire body, even our hair, and skin. But how does being dehydrated affect my hair?

I get it not everyone likes drinking water. But there are so many options out there to help make it easier for you! You can add flavoring to it without adding sugar or calories. One of my favorites is Pineapple Energy. It is sugar-free and gives me a boost of energy as a bonus! But if you want to add flavor to your entire water requirement in a day, I wouldn’t recommend only using a drink mix that provides energy. Below I have several options that are great alternatives.

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1^st Let’s Talk About Signs of Dehydration

Our body is made up of about 50-70% water. We need it to live. And not drinking enough of it can lead to dehydration which can affect your entire body’s functioning. Yes, including your hair!

7 signs of dehydration

• Headache
• Constipation
• Dry skin & hair
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Feeling tired
• Not urinating often
• Feeling thirsty or hungry

It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

How Much Water Do We Need to Drink?

Sometimes we can get a different answer depending on who we ask. But a general rule of thumb on how much water you should be drinking is different for men and women. For men, it is recommended to drink 3.7 liters a day. And for women 2.7 liters. But a more accurate way of figuring out how much to drink would be to base it on your weight. Generally, drink half your body weight in ounces.

Water & Our Hair

A key nutrient for our hair is water. Hydration involves the inner part of our hair, the medulla, and the cortex. These layers hold the water our hair needs to be healthy. I did a blog post about hydration vs moisture that answered a lot of questions. You can read that here. When our hair is dehydrated you usually will know it because it gives you plenty of signs.

6 Signs of hair dehydration

• Hair doesn’t seem to be growing or won’t grow past a certain point
• Your hair breaks easily
• It can feel dry & brittle
• It can be difficult to style & won’t hold a style well
• Scalp may be dry & flakey
• Hair is porous

How to Rehydrate Your Hair

Now that we know being dehydrated can affect your hair what do we do about it?

• Drink your water! Just make sure you are drinking throughout the day, so it has the chance to absorb your body. If you try drinking it all within a small amount of time your body will just flush it out and you will not get the benefit.
• Hair Care Products – Products do matter. Addressing the current issue will make a huge impact on your results. Drinking water will help but so will using hair care products that help to replenish the hydration that you are missing and help to seal it in.
• Turn down the temperature of your water – Using hot water while bathing can have a very drying effect on both our hair and skin. Using warm water instead can help to improve the condition of both your hair and skin.

So, are you a fan of drinking water? Or do you have a hard time getting your ounces in every day? It can be difficult some days! I hope this post helped. Please share in the comments any tips that you have to help us get our daily ounces of water!