Why Do I Have Dry Hair?

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Dry hair develops when your hair doesn’t get or retain enough moisture. This reduces its sheen and can make it appear frizzy and dull.

Dry hair can affect men and women of any age, but you’re more likely to develop it as you get older.

Your hair consists of three layers. If your hair is healthy, natural oils in the outer layer help protect the inner layers. They also reflect light, making your hair appear shiny. Sheen and luster are two important signs of healthy hair.

When your hair is dry, the outer layer breaks down, causing it to appear dull and unhealthy.

A variety of factors can lead to dry hair, including environmental conditions, hair care habits, and your physical health.

Some of the environmental conditions that can cause dry hair include:

• living in a dry, hot climate
• spending a lot of time in the sun or wind
• frequently swimming in chlorinated or salty water

Hair care practices that often contribute to dry hair include:

• washing your hair too often
• using harsh shampoos, conditioners, or styling products
• dying or chemically treating your hair
• regularly blow-drying your hair
• using electric curling irons, straighteners, or curlers

In some cases, dry hair is the result of an underlying health problem that affects your hair’s ability to retain moisture. Examples include:

• Anorexia nervosa: An eating disorder, anorexia nervosa can lead to malnutrition. It can cause dry and brittle hair, along with more serious complications.
• Hypoparathyroidism: If you have hypoparathyroidism, the parathyroid gland in your neck produces too little parathyroid hormone, which decreases the level of calcium in your blood. Calcium is a key nutrient for healthy hair, as well as bones, teeth, and other tissue.
• Hypothyroidism: With hypothyroidism, your thyroid glands don’t produce enough thyroid hormones. Dry and brittle hair is one of the early symptoms of this condition.
• Menkes syndrome: If you have Menkes syndrome, a rare genetic condition, your cells don’t absorb enough copper. Low copper absorption affects the health of your hair, causing dryness.