This article was co-authored by Karen Leight. Karen Leight is a Professional Hair Stylist and the Owner of Karen Renee Hair, a private salon suite inside the Salon Republic Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. With over 12 years of experience, Karen is a licensed cosmetologist specializing in hair color, balayage technique, and women’s and men’s precision haircuts.
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From stalling growth to causing hair loss, clogged roots can cause real problems for hair. Luckily, there are a lot of simple ways you can open up your roots. Change up your hair care routine with a different shampoo. Try homemade products, made from natural ingredients like lemon juice, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar. Tweaking your lifestyle can also bolster your hair health and open your roots. With a little time and effort, your roots should be unclogged in no time.
Steps
Using Commercial Products
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1Choose a quality shampoo made with natural ingredients. Pick a shampoo containing mostly natural ingredients such as olive oil, shea butter, coconut oil, honey, and aloe. Avoid shampoos with a long lists of products you do not recognize. Extra chemicals can irritate hair, leading to clogged roots.
- If you see a stylist regularly, ask them for a recommendation. A stylist may have a special suggestion based on your hair specifically.
- Avoid sulfates, parabens, and phthalates in particular. These products can be very harsh on your hair.
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2Use diluted essential oils. You can buy essential oils at health stores, some salons, and online. Dilute a few drops of your essential oil in a carrier oil, such as olive or castor oil, and massage the mixture into your scalp. Make sure the oils you use are therapeutic grade and start off using oils only once or twice a week to see how your hair reacts. The following essential oils are great for hair:
- Lavender oil
- Peppermint oil
- Rosemary oil
- Note that oils can also build up and clog hair follicles. Shampoo your hair after massaging your scalp with oil.
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3Apply aloe vera shampoo and conditioner to your hair. Try an aloe-based conditioner or shampoo, which you would use on damp hair like your normal hair care products. Try replacing your regular product with aloe vera varieties to see if aloe helps your roots.[1]
- Make sure to rinse your hair thoroughly after applying aloe vera.
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4Make a detox clay mask for your scalp. Go for a clay mask made up of rhassoul or bentonite clay, herbs, and essential oils. You can find a mask at a local beauty salon and apply it to your hair according to package directions. This can help open roots.
- Instructions will vary, but you usually work a mask into damp hair. You let the masks sit on for a set amount of time before rinsing. Some masks can be rinsed out within 10 to 15 minutes, while others need to sit on overnight.
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5Limit your use of styling products. Avoid using too many styling products, especially if you wash your hair infrequently. Product can build up on your hair and scalp, causing clogged follicles.[2] If you find you have a lot of build up, try eliminating dry shampoo and hairspray, 2 of the products most likely to result in blocked follicles.
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6Clarify your hair once a week.[3] Use a clarifying shampoo to get rid of any product or environmental buildup on your hair weekly. If you live in an urban area, pollution can cause buildup on your hair and skin that won’t break wash off with regular washing.
Using Homemade Products
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1Use a lemon/lime rinse. Mix two tablespoons (30 mL) of lime juice with a cup (240 mL) of water. Pour the mixture over your hair and work it into your roots with your fingertips. Let it sit on for five minutes before rinsing it out with clean water.
- You can also add five to 10 drops of lavender essential oil to your lemon rinse.
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2Cleanse your scalp with baking soda. Simple baking soda may help open roots. Add two teaspoons (10 mL) of baking soda to a cup (240 mL) of lukewarm water and then stir until the baking soda dissolves. Pour the mixture over your head and work it into your scalp using your fingertips. Let it sit for a couple of minutes before rinsing.
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3Do an apple cider/vinegar rinse. Mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and warm water. Pour the mixture over your hair and use it to wash your hair, the same way you would use shampoo. Then rinse with water. This is especially great at opening roots that have been clogged with sweat.
Boosting Hair Health
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1Comb your hair daily. In addition to brushing your hair each day, run a comb through it at least once a day. Combing gets close to the roots and can help keep them open.
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2Take colder showers. Hot water can cause inflammation, drying out your scalp and closing off the roots. You don't have to shower in uncomfortably cold temperatures, but opting for lukewarm water rather than hot water can help open your hair's pores.
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3Limit your hair's exposure to heat. Heat treatments can damage hair overall, leading to many problems including clogged roots. Avoid blow drying your hair or using tools like curling irons and flat irons. Stick to heat treatment only for special occasions and let your hair dry naturally most days.
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4Use a shower filter. Pick up a shower filter at a local department store. Install the filter in your bathroom. This will help filter out any minerals or other harmful substances found in tap water, keeping your roots open and your hair healthy.
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5Improve your diet. Eat more fruits and vegetables as well as high fiber foods, like brown rice and whole wheat bread. Healthy fats, like those found in nuts and avocados, are also great for hair health. An improvement in your diet can help your overall health, as well as the health of your hair.
- Limit your intake of processed foods as well.
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6Drink more water. Hydration is great for overall hair health, so make a habit of drinking more water. Drink a glass of water with every meal, carry a water bottle at all times, and always stop at water fountains when you see them. Boosting your water intake can be great for your hair's health.
- Drinking water is especially important for skin health, as dehydration can interfere with your own natural oils and lubrication.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionDo hair follicles grow back if pulled out?
Laura MartinLaura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.
Licensed CosmetologistA hair follicle is an indention from which a hair grows. If you pull hair out by the root—the living part that is inside the follicle—you can cause damage that will prevent a new hair from growing back, but it is rare.
Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
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QuestionWhy am I getting infected hair follicles?Laura MartinLaura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.
Licensed CosmetologistYou could have ingrown hairs or your follicles could be clogged with dead skin cells. Either way, a combination of exfoliation and antibacterial cleansers should help.Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
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QuestionCan you regenerate hair follicles?Laura MartinLaura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.
Licensed CosmetologistYou can stimulate follicles that have stopped producing hair through topical application of minoxidil and finasteride, but it only works for about 10% of the population. Scalp massage, exfoliation, and application of stimulating oils like tea tree can also help.Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
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References
- ↑ http://www.aloeplant.info/aloe-for-hair-loss-cleans-pores/
- ↑ Karen Leight. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 13 November 2020.
- ↑ Karen Leight. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 13 November 2020.
- ↑ Karen Leight. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 13 November 2020.
About This Article
Opening your hair roots helps to unclog them and keep them free of dirt and debris. To do this, use a shampoo with natural ingredients, like shea butter, coconut oil, honey, and aloe. Alternatively, dilute a few drops of essential oil with a carrier oil, like olive or castor, and massage the mixture into your scalp. Another way to naturally open your hair roots is to mix 2 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice with a cup of water. Rub the mixture into your hair and leave it for 5 minutes before rinsing it out. In addition to using natural products, brush your hair daily, which helps keep your roots open. You should also limit your hair’s exposure to heat by taking lukewarm showers and air drying your hair as much as possible. For more tips from our Beauty co-author, including how to open your hair roots using baking soda, read on!
