The voluminous and lustrous hair you see in shampoo commercials looks like a dream. The wavy and perfect hair of models and celebrities is what many people aspire towards. But when you dig a little deeper, it is evident that what you seen on the screen isn’t reflective of reality. In fact, your hair is at its peak healthiness when you are young. By the time we reach our 20s, our hair is already beginning to get thinner, drier and more brittle. This dry hair is often a symptom of the chemical products and heat-based styling techniques we use. The hair of celebrities is almost always coated in shiny products that give a false liveliness to their hair.

Our hair is not actually one homogenous entity. It is made of three concentric layers. These are the medulla (inner), cortex (middle) and cuticle (outer protective). Dry hair is most often caused by damage to the outer cuticle layer, which then exposes the middle and inner layers to the elements. The medulla and cortex are not designed to retain moisture, and are more likely to be damaged by UV and chemicals. Dry hair doesn’t just arise because of a dry scalp. In fact, contrary to what you might imagine, an oily and greasy scalp can exacerbate dry hair and damaged cuticles.

Your hair might be damaged for a variety of reasons. We often think about harsh treatments like perms and bleaching to be the main culprits. This is because these chemical procedures significantly restructure your hair and lead to the exposure of the inner core of the hair. But, actually the most common damage is usually physical damage from day-to-day activities. These include flat ironing, blow drying and using rubber bands. Make sure to reduce this damage by not brushing your hair roughly or using overly hot styling tools.

The best long-term solution to healthy hair also involves maintaining good mental and physical health. Health issues can directly impact the vitality of your hair. Stress, hormone imbalances and malnutrition are all examples of health issues that can trigger an immune response that can cause inflammation in your scalp, leading to clogged pores and poor blood circulation.

Breathing new life into your hair isn’t a single step plan. Instead, addressing all the root causes of your hair’s dryness is needed. Make sure to reduce the use of chemically and physically damaging procedures. Then work towards nourishing your hair with natural products, and keeping your entire body system healthy. Dry hair isn’t the direct problem, it’s only a symptom of the other underlying issues at hand.