While commercial hair care products may contain a variety of chemically based substances that can enhance your hair growth, natural ingredients can also improve the condition of your hair. The rate of your hair growth depends on a variety of factors, including heredity and overall health. Although hair products may not make your hair follicles produce hair at a faster rate, they can improve the texture and condition of your hair, help to protect it from breakage and help it to grow longer and stronger.
An ingredient in many commercial conditioners, coconut oil fulfills a number of useful requirements in homemade products. This oil contains fatty acids with very small molecular structures, which allows them to pass through the hair cuticle, the outer layer of each hair strand. The oil also coats the outside of the hair, minimizing moisture loss due to thermal styling tools and damaging wind. The moisturizing action can help reduce hair damage due to dry, brittle hair. Massaging your scalp with this oil may also help increase circulation around the follicles that produce hair, while lubricating and moisturizing the skin of your scalp. The natural anti-fungal properties may also help protect the health of your scalp and hair.
Lemon juice can improve the health of your hair by removing built-up residue from conditioners, hair sprays and styling creams. Commercial products often contain slightly acidic ingredients to strip the hair of build-up and smooth the outer cuticles. Lemon juice provides an inexpensive and natural alternative to these chemicals and processed ingredients. Smoothing the hair cuticle helps protect the hair from tangles and snarls, common causes of breakage and splitting. In addition to improving the condition of your hair strands, lemon juice rinses supply a gentle bleaching action that may gradually lighten some types of hair.
Many therapeutic hair products contain various types of protein to help strengthen the hair shaft and protect against damage. Chemical procedures and rough styling techniques may stretch the hair and damage the protein bonds, leaving the hair strands weak and susceptible to breakage. Treating your hair with products that contain protein may improve the texture of your hair. Some commercial products contain human, animal or vegetable sources of protein. Natural sources of protein for homemade hair products often include egg yolks.