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White hair is often drier and therefore more brittle and more fragile. They require special attention to maintain them. But being different from pigmented hair, it is sometimes difficult to know what their needs are, and therefore how to take care of them. So, for stronger and healthier hair, learn in this article how to strengthen gray hair. First, we will see why white hair is more fragile. Then, we will see all the tips, advice and solutions to strengthen gray hair.

Why is white hair more fragile?

White hair tends to be more brittle than pigmented hair. Thus, it will be necessary to take care of and strengthen them so that they remain beautiful and silky but also to prevent hair loss.

But then, why are they more fragile? What are the needs of gray hair? How to strengthen them?

White hair occurs when the melanocytes, which produce melanin and therefore give color to the hair, malfunction or stop functioning altogether. This phenomenon is called the canities. This capillary modification will lead to other upheavals and in particular a decreased sebum production. Sebum is the natural oil of the hair. It maintains the hydrolipidic film of each hair and therefore protects it from dehydration and external aggressions. When sebum is lacking, this barrier is less effective and the entire hair is then weakened. This is therefore the case for white hair which will then become more brittle, rougher and drier. This weakening can lead to excessive hair loss over time if nothing is done to compensate for this lack.

So, to avoid ending up with weakened white hair, you will have to effectively fortify. Since gray hair has slightly different needs than pigmented hair, follow our exclusive guide for salt and pepper hair.

How to strengthen your white hair?

To make gray hair stronger, it will therefore be necessary to act on the main cause of their weakening: the lack of sebum. So, what are all the tips and solutions to strengthen gray hair?

Strengthen your white hair with natural

First of all, natural will be your best remedy to strengthen your gray hair. Indeed, Mother Nature is full of resources and provides us with the essentials and everything we need. Without petrochemicals, polluting products or harmful to the health of our organism and our hair, certain 100% natural products have extraordinary virtues to take care of your hair.

1 - Vegetable oils, vegetable butters and essential oils

Vegetable oils, vegetable butters and essential oils are perfect for strengthening your gray hair. Natural and pure raw materials, they have various virtues each meeting very specific needs: regenerating, purifying, balancing… and of course strengthening!

The vegetal oils et vegetable butters allow in particular to nourish the hair fiber thanks to the lipids and therefore to the fats they provide. As a result, they compensate for the lack of sebum and therefore allow to hydrate as well as strengthen your gray hair from the roots. The best vegetable oils to give strength and vitality to your gray hair are coconut, castor, jojoba, argan, wheat germ, or sweet almond oils. The best vegetable butters are mange, shea or cocoa butters.

The essential oils are also great for strengthening your gray hair. Highly concentrated and pure, they have been known since the dawn of time to treat everyday ailments. In recent years, their extraordinary powers have made them real assets in cosmetic products for the skin and hair. They are adapted to each type of hair (oily, dry, normal, colored, white) and for each hair problem (dandruff, hair loss, itching, breakage, etc.) thanks to the thousands of virtues that each have. Thus, the best essential oils to fortify your gray hair will be the essential oils of chamomile, ginger and Lemongrass.

In practice, vegetable oils and vegetable butters are applied as a mask, for at least 30 minutes before shampooing. Regarding essential oils, you can dilute 1 to 2 drops in oils or in your shampoos, masks and conditioner. Be careful, however, essential oils are contraindicated in pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under 8 years old.

2 - Natural colors

To avoid weakening your gray hair, use natural hair colors rather than chemical hair colors. And this especially if you have had young white hair because the younger you start coloring, the faster the hair will be damaged.

Indeed, natural colorings do not damage your hair, while being durable. They are made from plants and they do not use chemical processes to penetrate the fiber; unlike traditional dyes which are made from chemicals, such as ammonia, which are toxic and harmful to the hair. Natural colorings pigment the hair without destroying the fiber. Thus, they do not attack the hair fiber for stronger, more beautiful and healthier hair. To use natural coloring, all you need to do is go to an organic hairdresser.

Strengthen your gray hair with a good hair routine

Have a maid hair routine is also an essential step to strengthen gray hair. So, what are the actions and products to use, or on the contrary to avoid?

1 - Use gentle and natural hair products

A good washing routine is essential for having strong, vital hair. When we know that on average people wash their hair twice a week, we quickly understand why. This good hair routine starts with choosing the right products.

Since white hair is drier, more fragile and more brittle, you will need to use a mild shampoo or a gentle conditioner to fortify them. Indeed, most conventional shampoos are formulated from ingredients that are strippers, irritants and dryers for your hair. Packed with petrochemicals and synthetic compounds, they are harmful to both your hair and your body.

So, how do you recognize a gentle hair product? A shampoo or a mild conditioner that will not weaken your gray hair should not contain no sulfated surfactants, silicones, quats, or parabens.

With regard to surfactants, the following surfactants should be avoided at all costs: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate. Use the following surfactants: Sodium Coco Sulfate, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Decyl Glucoside, Coco Glucoside, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Lauryl Methyl Glucoside or Lauryl isionate.

Regarding other ingredients to avoid:

• Silicones: To recognize them know that they often end in "cone" and "xane".
• Quaternary Ammonium and PEGs: Polyethylene glycol, Polypropylene Glycol, Cellulose, Quaternium accompanied by numbers.
• Preservatives: These are mainly the parabens that you find under different names: methyl-, phenyl-, methyl-, propyl-, etc…).

2 - Stimulate your scalp

La scalp stimulation done with delicate manual massages, is extremely effective in strengthening gray hair. Indeed, the bleaching of the hair develops following the aging of the organism. And the blood circulation, which has the role of transmitting nutrients to the hair, is also very often impacted by this aging. It is for this reason that it will be necessary to stimulate and gently tone the scalp, so as to restart blood circulation, which can again effectively transmit the essential nutrients for strong hair.

Please note: movements must be gentle and delicate (like at the hairdresser). If you are too abrupt and create friction, it will have the opposite effect.

3 - good or bad hair gestures

Finally, be careful of respect certain actions to take care of your gray hair and strengthen it :

• Avoid over washing your hair. 2 shampoos per week are more than enough. Indeed, washing can quickly become aggressive for the hair which will tend to dry out, break and fall out. Especially if you don't use a mild shampoo!
• Cut your hair regularly to strengthen your gray hair. Indeed, unfortunately, white hair tends to be damaged much faster. So we do not hesitate to cut them as soon as the forks point the tip of their nose. Cutting them can only strengthen them and make them much more beautiful and silky.
• Avoid excessively high heat sources: straighteners, brushings, showers that are too hot, etc. This will tend to strip and dry out the lengths and thus weaken them. Prefer open air drying as soon as possible.
• Avoid rubbing with the towel which could break them. Instead, try gently patting your scalp and wrapping the lengths in the towel to wring them out.

Strengthen your gray hair thanks to a healthy lifestyle

Finally, it will be essential to pay attention to your lifestyle and certain habits to strengthen your gray hair. Indeed, the health of our body and our hair are linked. Thus, anything that will have negative repercussions on our body will weaken our hair. To avoid this, it will be necessary to follow these few recommendations.

1 - A healthy lifestyle to give vitality to gray hair

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Eat foods rich in vitamins, minerals, trace elements and antioxidants. Avoid saturated fat and foods that are too sweet and too salty. Also pay attention to fast food and industrial products that contain too many additives, preservatives, salt and sugar and which are responsible for the accumulation of toxins in the body. Favor the consumption of fresh products and fruits and vegetables rich in fiber.
• Drink at least 1,5l of water per day to meet the hydration needs of your body and your hair.
• Avoid smoking and alcohol as much as possible, which cause the accumulation of toxins in the body and therefore the deterioration of the condition of the skin and hair.
• Sleep at least 6 hours and at best 8 hours to give your body the necessary recovery time and thus repair and strengthen your gray hair.

2 - Good lifestyle habits to make hair stronger

• Remember to cover your hair as soon as possible to protect it from external aggressions that can weaken your hair: pollution, sun, chlorine, salt, cold, humidity. Put on a hat, beanie, scarf or cap as soon as possible.
• Sleep on a silk pillowcase that is hydrophobic. Therefore, it does not dehydrate your hair overnight. In addition, silk reduces friction on your skin and hair. What to avoid damaging them.
• Tie your hair up overnight in a palm tree or braid to keep it from tangling and breaking.

To conclude : To strengthen your gray hair, you will need to adopt good hair products such as vegetable raw materials or industrial but soft products. In addition, it will be essential that you adopt a good stimulating and healthy hair routine for your scalp thanks to gentle massages and natural colorings. Finally, be vigilant about your life habits which have a considerable impact on the vitality and beauty of your gray hair.

And you, do you have any other little tips to strengthen your gray hair? Do not hesitate to tell us in the comments!