Hydrating Dry Hair and Skin: 3 Remedies

Water makes up to 60 percent of the average adult’s body weight and more than 70 percent of non-fat tissue such as skin.

Radiator heat, blow-dryers, deodorant soap and dehumidifiers can all rob you of the moisture you desperately need. That can leave your hair brittle and strawlike and your skin flaky and dry, especially in the winter.

The natural remedies here, used with your doctor’s approval, may help relieve dry hair and skin, according to some health professionals.

See your medical doctor when you have redness, oozing, crusting or other signs of irritation.

AROMATHERAPY
To help chronically dry skin retain more of its natural moisture, Fair Oaks, California, aromatherapist Victoria Edwards recommends this fragrant face and body oil: Add 10 drops each of the essential oils lavender, Roman chamomile, neroli, rosemary and carrot seed to 2 ounces of a carrier oil such as almond, olive or sesame. (Carrier oils are available in most health food stores.) Apply the oil once a day after your bath or shower, while your skin is still slightly damp, says Edwards.

To make dry hair silky and manageable, add six drops each of lavender, bay and sandalwood essential oils to 6 ounces of warm sesame or soy oil, suggest Greenwich, Connecticut, aromatherapist Judith Jackson. To apply the oil, says Jackson, part your hair into one-inch sections and apply the mixture to the scalp with a wad of cotton. Wrap your head in a towel and let the oils penetrate for about 15 minutes, then shampoo twice, she says.

FOOD THERAPY
“Eat fish at least twice a week,” suggests author Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D. The oil in salmon, herring and other cold water fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help replenish lost moisture in dry skin and hair, according to Dr. Mindell.

Up to two tablespoons of flaxseed oil a day can also help replenish hair and skin oils, says Julian Whitaker, M.D. It has a nutty-buttery taste, so you can use it as a topping on popcorn, potatoes or other foods you might otherwise flavor with butter, he says. Flaxseed oil is available in most health food stores.

REFLEXOLOGY
To deal with dry skin, pay special attention to the thyroid and adrenal gland reflexes on your hands and feet, says reflexologist and author Dwight Byers. To help you locate these points, consult hand and foot reflex charts.